Abstract:

In Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar’s novel called Saatleri Ayarlama Enstitüsü, which was released in 1962, the process of modernisation of Turkish society has been written in an ironic manner. The novel's plot is based on memories of protagonist Hayri İrdal. In this work of art concepts such as history, economics, bureaucracy, science, philosophy, superstition, family, female, East vs. West have been considered in the "old-new" mentality and it’s been pointed out that the fundamental changes behind these took place very rapidly. In the novel, the last period of the Ottoman Empire and the first half period of the Republic have been constructed and during this time the change in the family structure is demonstrated. The author presents the developments or changes in the family institution parallel to the developments in the society where the family is connected to and plays the role of its core. However, understanding the differences between families belonging to different generations and social developments, trends are being linked sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly. As known, the following process can take place in society: an example of any change in the social structure or an old development, then these conditions preparing this development with some factors, after that the trend towards the new influenced by the same conditions and then the new replacing the old can happen. It could be said that kind of process takes place in Saatleri Ayarlama Enstitüsü. In the novel, the Ottoman Turkish family structures have been put into three different groups: first the traditional families, then the group experiencing the pressure of traditional although being devoted to it and last the ones who are in the transition period from old to new or the reflector of the modern families.

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