WELCOME! To the first edition of Ant Notes, the new literary

magazine of the ELL Club at Melikşah University. Read this

magazine to find out about upcoming and past campus events

especially for ELL students, to read about interesting members of our

student body, and most of all, to enjoy the creative stories, poems, and

essays written by ELL students.

I’m sure you’ll agree that

there’s a lot of writing talent—

and hard work—in Melikşah’s

English Language and

Literature Department. If you

would like to contribute to

future editions of Ant Notes,

just let the advisor or a student

staff member know. We hope

to publish two issues per year.

March 2013

11 March 2013, Prof. Patrick Quinn’s Talk:

The ELL Club will be hosting Prof. Quinn to give a talk titled, “American Literature at the Turn of the

19th Century” at 15.00.*

7 May 2013, ELT Mini-Conference:

Meliksah University School of Foreign Languages and the ELL Club have invited two speakers on the

following topics, which should appeal to anyone interested in English teaching careers:

17.00-18.00 Jack Richards, “Creativity in Language Teaching”*

18.30-19.30 Randi Reppen, “Six Principles for Teaching Grammar and Writing”*

* The hall where the event will take place will be announced later.

In Memoriam

Suelan Alexandria Laurier

1964 – 2013

Dear Friend, Teacher, and Colleague

The entire Melikşah community was

saddened by the sudden loss of Alexandria on

February 24, 2013. An American teacher in

Melikşah’s English Preparation Program, she

was a support and inspiration to all who knew

her during the short time she was here. To

honor her memory, the new computer lab for

the Department of Foreign Languages will bear

Alexandria’s name.

A quotation from poet T.S. Eliot that she

used in her e-mail signature bar expresses

Alexandria’s unpretentious nature: “Most of the

trouble in the world is caused by people

wanting to be important.”

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Melikşah Campus News (p. 2,3) : “Erasmus in Spain,” “ Melikşah’s New Sports Center,” “ Istanbul Trip,” “ Dormitory Complex for Female Students.”

Student Profiles (p. 4) : Zamzam Zalwango, Emina Hadzic.

Essays and Journals (p. 5, 6): “ Victimized?,” Translation of “ A Word on Purpose.”

Creative Writing (p. 7, 8, 9, 10): “ Africa, the Mother of Beauty,” “ Perfect Love,” “ Girl,” “ Obsession,” “ The Beast Slayer,” “ Knights and Red Crosses.”

Book and Movie Reviews (p.11): “ Man Friday,” movie review.

Photos (p.12): Student Posters, ELL CLUB picnic photo.

UPCOMING EVENTS OF INTEREST TO ELL STUDENTS

As head of ELL CLUB and editor of Ant

Notes, I would like to welcome you all.

This brand new magazine of the ELL

CLUB has been made real with the help of many,

including the copy editors and of course, the

authors. Thank you for all your efforts. I hope to see

all of you in future editions.

Nuh Ödev

Marna Broekhoff, Faculty

Advisor

MELİKŞAH CAMPUS NEWS

“Erasmus in Spain” by Fatih Sinan Durak

Going to a different country as an Erasmus student was a unique

experience in my life. I studied in Spain for four and a half months.

It was very hard for me in the beginning because this was my first

time out of my country for more than a week. I could even say that I hadn’t

even lived in another city for such a long time. So if you are a domestic

person like me, the experience comes with its difficulties at first. However, I

can say that I really enjoyed my time in Spain, and many of my dreams

came true.

Firstly, I want to talk about the difficulties that I experienced before

going to Spain and after I got there. Getting a visa to stay in Spain as an

Erasmus student should not be so challenging. I was required to collect tons

of documents, and I had to go to Ankara to get the visa. Besides the money I

spent on it, the application period was at the same time as final exams in our

school, so I also had to deal with that. Somehow I managed to get the visa,

and I flew to Spain when the term at our university ended. After my arrival I

had the problem of adapting to a new place. As I said, I had never been

abroad for such a long time, and I had no idea how to adapt to this new

environment. Luckily, I had my friends from our university, and we found

some Turkish people in Spain. As we didn’t know Spanish at all when we

arrived, the Turkish people we found in Spain helped us a lot to discover the

city.

After talking about the difficulties, now it is time to tell the fun part of

the journey. I lived in a city called Murcia in the south of Spain. It is a nice

little city, and I think I was very lucky because we can think of the city as the

Kayseri of Spain. I can compare Murcia to Kayseri because both are not so

crowded or expensive. These similarities may have made my adaptation

period quicker. Our university in Murcia was in the middle of the city centre in

an old building with a huge entrance door. Actually, there is another campus

outside of the city, a bigger and more modern one. I never went there, as I

had no classes on that campus, and it was far from the city. I had many good

teachers and got some good education there. Most importantly, I went to a

language school where we learned Spanish. As I lived in Spain, it was much

easier to learn the language because we always had the chance to practice

and improve our skills. In the four-and-a-half-month period, I think I improved

my Spanish to a good level, and I can say that learning a new language was

the most useful part of my Erasmus experience.

I visited some amazing places in Spain. Starting with Madrid, it is the

capital of Spain but plays second fiddle to Barcelona. In that respect, we can

call Madrid the Ankara of Spain, and Barcelona, the İstanbul of Spain.

Anyway, my main goal in visiting Madrid was not sightseeing, but to see a

football match. I am a football fan and Real Madrid is one of the best teams

in the world. They have very talented players on their squad like Cristiano

Ronaldo, Özil, Kaka, etc. Seeing those players play was a big dream for me,

and my Erasmus journey made it real. I also had the chance to see one of

the most impressive football stadiums, Santiago Bernebeu. Those were the

moments I will never forget.

Barcelona is the second city that I visited, and it was the most amaz-

ing. Unfortunately, I had just one day to sightsee in the city. There were

these beautiful squares named Plaza de Cataluna and Plaza de Espana.

Make sure that you Google them after reading this writing. Also the football

team of Barcelona is one of the best in the world, but I didn’t have enough

funds to go and see a match in that city. As the city is so beautiful, I pre-

ferred sightseeing there.

Granada, Valencia, and Ibiza are the other cities I visited. Among

them I favor Granada, second only to Barcelona in my mind. I visited the

beautiful palace of Alhambra built by Muslims who were living there before

the Spanish people. The buildings are preserved with such care, no wonder

they look new. Inside are many beautiful things to see, which make this pal-

ace a smart tourist destination. Valencia is also a good city, and we had the

chance to see the world’s biggest fireworks show there.

To sum up, I had my difficulties in my Erasmus experience, but when I

look at it now, I am not regretful at all. If you have the chance, I strongly rec-

ommend that you go live in a different country with a different environment.

Traveling and seeing new places, meeting new people, and learning from all

these experiences will be some of the best experiences of your lifetime, you

have my word.

“The New Sports Center” by Abdallah Mayuto

When we first arrived at Melikşah University, we were impressed

by its magnificent architecture where we could expect to spend

some memorable moments of our four academic years. Indeed, life

is not only about studying, but it’s also about staying fit, such as through

body building or gymnastics. Apart from the basketball hall, many students

complained about not having a gymnasium in such a wonderful university.

However, Melikşah University has recently provided not only students but

also its faculty and staff with a new, well organized sports center,

comparable to professional sports centers the world over. Now students

won’t have to play only basketball, but they can also do gym as part of their

daily life. The basketball court, though, is so attractive that everyone would

like to play on it. The court can also be used for volleyball and football. For

the amateur of table tennis, there are tables set up in front of the basketball

hall. The gymnasium on the side of the building contains all necessary

equipment of higher technology and an electronic registration that just uses

our thumbprint, awesome. Also, there’s a mentor who supervises and gives

instruction about the use of all equipments. The registration price is quite fair

for all students. The new sports center opens at several times throughout the

day to accommodate people’s busy schedules. In my opinion, Melikşah

students deserve such a great sports center that won’t let them envy any

other sports centers but will make them proud to be students at Melikşah

University.

a while. The end of the day was near and we were a bit sad because of it.

We thanked our guides and hosts, especially Mr. Nihat, for making it all

happen.

For me, and I am sure for all who participated, the trip to Istanbul

was unforgettable for both the academic and tourist experiences.

Combining these two purposes made everything even more exciting. I

highly recommend such trips for all Melikşah students, not just those in our

department of the English Language and Literature.

As all you know, Kayseri is a small city compared to Istanbul.

Considering this, even the name of Istanbul is enough to cause

excitement for most of us. When Nihat Köroğlu, who was our

instructor for ELL 313: Post-Colonial Literature, came up with the idea, we

were excited, too. We? We are the students of the English Language and

Literature department. Yes, those students you see most days, writing and

reading all the time. Even when we were told the trip would be partly for

tourism and partly academic, so we could attend a Conference, we were still

excited. Mr. Nihat arranged everything. For example, he bought our tickets,

talked to people in Istanbul to lodge us, prepared the trip route in Istanbul,

and arranged for a service vehicle to take us around the city. We were just to

go, sit our seats and enjoy the trip. Our plane took off in the morning. We

joked and laughed, killing time, eager to get to Istanbul as quickly as

possible.

On the first day, we went to Kadıköy to buy books and enjoy the

sights. The driver dropped us near the famous “Bull.” We visited almost all

the book sellers there. Most of us bought some books which can be rarely

found in Kayseri. Getting back on the van, I saw the Bosphorus, the TT

Arena and Galata Tower. We finally got to Fatih University. Like our

university, Fatih is also placed on a hill. They have those long, long stairs,

too. It definitely felt like we were in our university. On the other hand, I

thought I was looking at our university’s future face.

In our class last semester we became really interested in Post-

Colonial Literature. We discussed, researched, wrote, and read about Post-

Colonial works. One of the books we read was “Desertion” by Abdulrazak

Gurnah, a favorite of our class. At Fatih University, we met Prof. Dr.

Mohamed Bakari from the American Culture and Literature department. He

knows Mr. Gurnah personally, and we talked about him. He also questioned

us about Desertion. We also met Mrs. Emine Yeşim Bedlek, who was Mr.

Nihat’s former student. She guided us during our second day.

Next morning we headed to Sultanahmet Square to see the greatest

landmarks of Istanbul. On the road, Mrs. Yeşim informed us about the

history of the city as we passed the historical antiquities. Even the road was

an educational experience for us. We talked about culture, history, religion,

politics, and so on. Mrs. Yeşim gave us much information about the

mosque’s structure, its architect and historical importance. Then we

proceeded to Hagia Sophia Mosque. From the left entrance we saw the pillar

of tears, angel figures on domes, and the circles on the ground where the

kings’ thrones were put when they were crowned. We climbed to the second

floor through the tunnels and saw the Christ mosaics, marble door, and the

Queen’s circle. We then went to Topkapı Palace, which I personally wanted

to see the most. We entered through the great entrance to the beautiful view.

Then we walked among huge trees to get to the palace’s main entrance.

The view… I cannot describe it. You should definitely see it if you can. After

seeing the rooms of sultans’ sons, we visited the palace’s treasure rooms

where padishahs’ and sultans’ clothes, jewelries, sacred heirlooms and other

precious items are displayed. Leaving the palace, we went to FÜSEM (Fatih

Üniversitesi Sürekli Eğitim Merkezi).

Later, Mr. Nihat and Mrs. Yeşim took us to the Sapphire which is a

236-meters-high skyscraper. First, we had a 4-D show at the top of the

building. It simulated a helicopter tour over Istanbul for viewing all the

landmarks. We next went to the Sapphire’s top floor terrace for a great view

of Istanbul at sunset. At its café, we drank our Turkish coffees and rested for

“Dormitory Complex for Female Students”

by Gizem Zülal Kaynar

In many conversations among boarders you can hear a confusion

of the words, “home” and “dormitory.” Instead of saying “I’m going

to the dorm,” they may say, “I’m going home.” Although this may

surprise others, it is quite familiar among the boarders. As students spend

more time in the dorm than their in home, they come to see it as a second

home. Thus dorms have a great importance in the education process of the

students. Even though they are still under construction, I will now describe

them in more detail.

Located just a 10-minute walk from the Melikşah campus, the female

students’ dorm gives us the chance to benefit from school activities

whenever we want. There are five buildings with floors constructed not like

in regular dormitories but like separate apartments, providing a real home

atmosphere for the residents. There are sitting rooms in every apartment,

helping us to develop our relations with each other by gathering and

chatting. There are study rooms on the first floor of each building for those

who prefer not to study in their own rooms. There is also 24/7 internet

access. The dining hall and canteen are spacious and attractively designed.

However, it was disappointing to learn that there will be only guesthouses in

that building, but no gymnasium or indoor leisure facilities.

Despite some deficiencies, the overall outlook of our dormitory is

getting better and we look forward to see the day it is completed. The

personnel here are a great factor helping the students to get used to the

dorm life. They are very helpful, gentle and sincere to us; they are eager to

handle our problems.

“Istanbul Trip” by Nuh Ödev

STUDENT PROFILES

Zamzam Zalwango

My Family: Hello, I am Zamzam

Zalwango, pursuing a bachelor’s

degree in English language and

Literature at Melikşah University in Kayseri. I

hail from a middle-class Muslim extended

family in Uganda. My mother was blessed

with seven children, four boys and three girls,

but unfortunately, three of us couldn’t make it beyond infancy. I happen to be

her only surviving daughter along with my three brothers, two of whom are

older than I. One is studying Sharia in Medina, Saudi Arabia, and the other is

studying business in Cairo, Egypt. My youngest brother is studying at a high

school in Kütahya, Turkey. I have two step-mothers and ten step siblings. My

father works in business, and so does my mother. These two have been my

role models for all of the 20 years I have lived because though there have

been a lot of ups and downs in our family, they have managed to provide us

with the best life skills and education.

My Hobbies: I consider myself an

optimistic, social and down–to-earth lady.

I hate pretense, dishonesty, and failing.

God is my first priority in whatever I do.

Nature, adventure, watching soaps and

going out with friends are my hobbies,

although reading has also taken a part in

my life. Reading the only thing that

always makes one aware of reality and

what’s beneath the surface. I also love

working hard because I believe that the

best always goes to those who strive

harder, and because of this, I intensively

work to achieve success in anything that I do. It’s this very attitude that has

led me throughout all of my life. A vivid example is my education: I have

always been successful thanks to Almighty God and to my teachers.

My Education: My school success led me to one of the best

schools in the country, Kibuli Secondary School. This is a government

school where I attended both “O” and the more advanced “A” level studies.

Despite my high-level success in all my previous schools, I have always

lived a normal life just like any other student because I thought it’s the only

way I could reflect the best example to my fellow students. That is precisely

my life background. After I passed my A” level exams, I was admitted into

the best university in my country, Makerere University, as a business

undergraduate student.

However, that excitement was short-lived because after one month, I

was granted a scholarship to Turkey by the Turkish Light Academy, one of

the Turkish schools in my country. This came as a dream, but also a

challenge to me because I had the great task of making such a drastic and

crucial decision in my life. I didn’t know what to expect from Turkey as a

whole, but at least I knew what it meant to have my family and all my friends

around me at all times. Since time was not on my side, I decided to consult

my elders and teachers who advised me to exploit the chance and find out

what life meant far away from home. And consequently on the 19th of

October, 2011, I left my family, friends and mother land for this foreign land.

Coming to Turkey: In Turkey, more so in Kayseri, life was very different

from what I had experienced back in Uganda. Many Turkish people generally

are very friendly, judging from my professors and my classmates. However,

some others really are not. Their skin color didn’t seem surprising to me

because there are a lot of whites in my country, but mine and the color of my

other dark-skinned friends were disturbing to most of them. It took me a

couple of months to get used to being a moving television because

whenever I went with my friends, be it on the bus, at malls, or on the streets,

it was always the same story. The language barrier was not surprising

because I was expecting it. The food was another tale. Apart from the few

foods like rice, potatoes and a few fruits, never minding the difference in

taste, there was nothing else to eat but bread. I had to get used to this as

well.

Weather in Kayseri: The weather was the most unusual of all, not only

to me but also to my other foreign friends. I had always wished to see and

touch snow because all I had known was the simile, “as white as snow.”

When winter came, I felt like I was in heaven for a moment, and seeing the

whole land and everything in it turn to white overnight was a fulfilled dream.

Sliding and throwing snow on each other was another adventure in my life,

but trust me, as the season proceeded, the white stuff lost all its appeal to

me because of the immense cold that the snow brought. I felt myself freezing

and sick day and night. I diverted my prayers to summer because Winter

was such a long period without seeing the sun. When Summer began and

the temperature rose to 46 degrees, moreover, within the fasting period, I

opted for my own country because even the other two seasons, Spring and

Autumn, were not that pleasant with the wind blowing my veils almost off and

trying to take me with it.

Benefits of Foreign Study: Generally, that has been my experience in

Turkey. Many Turkish friends ask me if I want to work here or in my country

after my studies, but my answer is undecided yet. Being very far from my

family and coming across many people from different parts of the world have

taught me two things: one being that all people are the same underneath,

and the other being hard work. For me the most charming thing in Turkey

has been Turkish Tea. Despite their various cultures in the different cities,

everyone here seems to have a common belief in Turkish Tea as a means of

showing friendship, and as the first step to solving any problem.

Emina Hadzic

Bosnia and Herzegovina

is a wonderful country. If

you are striving to meet

many nations and religions at one

place, then visiting this country

would be a rich experience for you.

The scars of war still lie on this

land, but the generosity and kindliness of people remain untouched. Living

in Bosnia is not as hard as it may seem to people from outside. This country

has a soul, and believe it or not, since I came here as an exchange student

precisely three weeks ago, my mind and spirit stayed there. Education has

always been important in my life, and ever since I started going to a Turkish

high school, I knew that a Turkish university would be the right place for me.

In Bosnia I studied at the International Burch University on a full scholarship.

However, I came to Kayseri to meet new people and to experience new

strategies of learning language. I like changes and challenges as well, so

when I think of this exchange program, I consider it a new challenge.

Kayseri, unlike my hometown Sarajevo, is much bigger. I enjoy every day

here, meeting wonderful people from different parts of world. With the warm

welcome I received when I arrived, I knew that being here is going to be a

positive experience in my life. I hope that in these four months I will enjoy as

much as I can, because I sure will miss Kayseri after I return to Bosnia.

Sarajevo, Bosnia.

ESSAYS AND JOURNALS

“The Victims” by Sharon Olds (1984)

When Mother divorced you, we were glad. She took it and

took it in silence, all those years and then

kicked you out, suddenly, and her

kids loved it. Then you were fired, and we

grinned inside, the way people grinned when

Nixon's helicopter lifted off the South

Lawn for the last time. We were tickled

to think of your office taken away,

your secretaries taken away,

your lunches with three double bourbons,

your pencils, your reams of paper. Would they take your

suits back, too, those dark

carcasses hung in your closet, and the black

noses of your shoes with their large pores?

She had taught us to take it, to hate you and take it

until we pricked with her for your

annihilation, Father. Now I

pass the bums in doorways, the white

slugs of their bodies gleaming through slits in their

suits of compressed silt, the stained

flippers of their hands, the underwater

fire of their eyes, ships gone down with the

lanterns lit, and I wonder who took it and

took it from them in silence until they had

given it all away and had nothing

left but this.

“The Victims, ” a poem by Sharon Olds, which illustrates the feelings children experience as a result of their parents’ divorce, reminds me of the day I quit caring about people’s opinions about

me, thanks to my best friend.

Olds portrays a child’s changing feelings about her parents’ divorce after she qrows up. Her parents separate from each other when she is a little girl, and she feels angry toward her father because her mother convinces her that they are victimized. However, when she grows up, she realizes that her resentment was in vain, and she feels remorseful.

Sharon Olds implicitly says divorce harms children more than expected since they are more likely to grow up as a child who hates their parents, or at least one of them. Their personalities might become more complicated, as well.

However, the girl in the poem slowly changes her opinions, which is emphasized through a changing tone, tenses, pronouns, and the repetition of some words throughout the poem. In the first part, the speaker emphasizes “we” and repeats the word “take.” This repetition also reinforces the angry tone that is evident until the second part of the poem. Moreover, the first part is written in past tense, which shows that what is recounted is a memory.

As for the second part, everything mentioned above changes. The emphasized pronoun becomes “I,” and the tone becomes remorseful when she says, “Father,” since she just addresses him as “You” in the first part. The tense shifts to “present tense,” which shows that she is grown up now. In other words, all changes in the second part prove that her ideas go through a great change after a long time.

This kind of change reminds me that I was once obssessed with people’s opinions, but after a long time I changed myself, thanks to my best friend. I always thought that what people thought mattered a lot, and one day, I shared my opinion with my friend while going to school. She suddenly took off her jacket and wore it backwards. I was shocked by her and by other people’s stares. Though I tried to warn her, she kept walking. After a while, she stopped and said, “If I were to be afraid of what people were thinking, I wouldn’t experience this fresh feeling.” I was too surprised to say anything, but later on, I understood what she meant. Now I live as I wish and as I think.

To cut the long story short, divorce or any other event is sure to

affect our feelings for a long time, but we should be strong enough to change

ourselves.

“Victimized?” by Şeyda Korkmaz This fine article, written by Şeyda Korkmaz, is an analysis of the poem “The

Victims” by Sharon Olds Mythology is often viewed as stories which are complete figments

of imagination. It seems these bygone stories have no value in

our age in which rationality and logic prevail and destroy old

beliefs. To avoid this misinterpretation of mythology, one should investigate

the reasons that have brought about the rise of myths, and their ongoing

effects on today’s society and culture. Mythology in this sense is simply

how our ancestors considered the creation of the world and its

development, explanations about the origin and psyche, reflections of

human struggle with nature, and attempts to explicate the inexplicable such

as phenomena of nature. Thus, mythology is a mirror to ways of thinking,

cultures, human relationships, and lifestyles of nations. The Kyrgyzs’

Manas, the Iranian Shahname, the Greek Iliad, and the Turks’ Book of

Dede Korkut- all have considerable truth about their cultures and nations.

Another region that has held mythology in high regard is Circassia, in

North Caucasus. Circassian myths, known as Nart Sagas, take place in

the mythology of other Caucasian tribes such as Karachay Turks,

Chechens, and Abkhazians apart from Adyghe people (Circassians). Nart

Sagas encompass questions about the creation and origin, gods, legends

of heroes, and most notably principles of being human. What is particular

and noteworthy about Circassian myths is that they have evident

similarities with Greco-Roman mythology and the relics of these myths still

abide in their traditions.

The Reason for the Resemblance

The homeland of Circassia covers today’s

Adygea, Kabardino-Balkaria, and the Karachay-

Cherkessia republics of the Russian Federation. The

resemblance among myths despite the distance has

brought several explanations. Twentieth-century

author Met Chunatuko Yusuf Izzat, after wide

research, wrote that the ancient Anatolian people, the

Hattians (Hittites), are ancestors of Circassians, and

they influenced both Greeks and their own

descendants. Another suggested reason is that while

Greek trade colonies arrived in Caucasia through the

Black Sea, they collected information, legends, and myths belonging to

Caucasian tribes and brought them back to Greece.

Significant Characters

Tha--Thamade: In Nart Sagas, Tha is the greatest god who is

portrayed as merciful, beneficent, and bestowing health. During their

rituals, an ecclesiastic called Thamade conducts the rite and punishes

those who violate the rules. Today, Thamade is the person who carries out

social events such as weddings and funerals. Thamade should comply

with the rules of Adyghe Xabze (highly systematized Circassian unwritten

law).

Tlepsh: One function of mythology is that it lets us know about the

transition from primitive life to civilization. In Circassian myth, we come to

know this by the God of The Forge, Tlepsh, whose main responsibility is to

melt iron and invent devices to ease the lives of Narts.

Caucasian Prometheus--Sosriqua: In Greek mythology, Prometheus

steals fire from gods and brings it down to humanity. In Circassian myth,

the same duty is assumed by Sosriqua, whose name means “fire boy,”

because he springs out of a flaming stone. Granting them fire, Sosriqua

encourages people by saying, “O Narts! Narts whose hearts are made of

fire! Do not be afraid! “ Today, Nart fire is lit during the ceremonies of

Circassians living in their homeland and abroad. Like the similarity in their

actions, Prometheus and Sosriqua are punished in the same way:

Prometheus is chained on a rock by Zeus, and a vulture comes every night

and eats out his liver. Likewise, Sosriqua is chained on the mountain

Elbrus, and an eagle is charged with torturing him and pecking his liver.

Interestingly, the mountain on which Prometheus is chained is in

Caucasus.

Sharon Olds

“Circassian Myth—Nart Sagas” by Gülnur Demirci

other hand, Literature

brings us knowledge

of meaning, purpose

and reason; it opens

up paths towards the

spirit and trains us

how to reach for

freedom. Literature

helps us to

understand ourselves

and other people, to

notice and respect

the beautiful

complexity of life and

the world. Literature

teaches us how real

understanding

occurs: it teaches us

that it is only possible when two people reveal themselves to each other,

which means that it is only possible within and between subjects. You cannot

achieve understanding with an object. You can only over-master it. That is

why the world of Literature is the world of pure subjects, the world of pure

life.

Literature cannot help you to bomb Baghdad, but it can lead you to the

essential question of every human act: what am I doing in Baghdad?

Literature cannot help you to win any competition, but it can help you answer

the question of what that winning represents to you. And it can do even

more, something that only Literature can: remind you that defeat can be

better than winning, even more useful. To say the truth, Literature does not

bring you success, but it teaches you that the defeat that you really

understood can be better and even more useful than the triumph that only

touched you from the outside. Literature does not remove the pain from your

hand, but it reminds you how

beautiful, good, and important

it is to have a hand capable of

feeling pain, because the pain

is inseparable part of life.

Literature is the highest

form of cognition, because it

shows that it is less important

to reach the goal, but

extremely important to

observe that goal from every

perspective, to conceive it and

understand why we should

reach for it. Even a stone

reaches the goal, if thrown

properly. It is absurd to see

intentions and goal achievements as the main reasons for human acts, as

the purposes worthy of mankind. “Let us leave the mere achievement of

goals to the thrown stones,” Literature tells us, “and let us come back to our

human nature, to the questions worthy of that nature.” The end does not

justify the means; it arises from them and is contained in their properties.

That is the reason why Literature exists, so long and so persistently.

Literature, thanks to God, is not useful, but it has a purpose. Is that purpose

to defend us people from the destiny intended and almost imposed on us by

scientism: to be free from pain, efficient and precise, like the well-thrown

stone? Is its purpose perhaps to defend against the pain, weakness,

sensitivity and all other treasures granted from God, from our own stupidity

and the attempts to get rid of these treasures on our way to the goal? Is the

purpose of Literature to remind us that the one who reached the goal missed

everything else, and in the end actually lost? I do not know because that and

many other things have not been revealed to me yet. That is precisely the

reason why we cannot say that the Literature does not have a purpose. We

can only say that it often does not bring a profit that we can recognize at the

time. Nonetheless, this is the reason why Literature is irreplaceable and

extremely important. Its purpose is to enable us to examine the meaning of

our lives and of the universe.

Literature cannot help you to catch a prayer, transfer a ton of soil

from one place to another, or bomb Baghdad. Literature cannot

teach you to evade taxes, to win a competition, or to become a

model.

Literature does not bring power, it does not protect from loud sounds,

and it is not useful in court. It does not remove a pain from your hand, and it

does not fix a car. In short, Literature is completely useless and

unnecessary.

So why does it exist then, and exist so persistently? After all, Literature

is one of the oldest activities of human beings, as old as humankind itself.

Since humans first came into existence, they have eaten, made love, and

narrated. Everything else came afterwards, as an addition to these essential

acts, without which humans would not be who they are.

So, how to explain the fact that something so useless exists so

persistently? Probably with understanding that Literature brings something

more important than mere profit, for instance, knowledge, without which the

life would not be as it is. Profit comes with practical thinking – doxa, which,

according to Plato, requires the lowest ability of the human soul. On the

“A Word on Purpose,” Dzevad Karahasan (Translated by

Alma Iman Milišić) The author asks an age-old question: Does literature serve any purpose?

Winged Horses of Circassian and Greek Myths

While stealing fire from giants and bringing it to humans, Sosriqua’s

winged horse Tighuj accompanies him and runs with one leap up to the

Elbrus, the highest point of North Caucasus. The winged horse Tighuj

reminds us of Pegasus, who sprang from Medusa’s neck when she was

beheaded. Medusa belongs to the Amazon warrior women. Amazon

women came from the tribes settled in North Caucasus and in Anatolia

near the shore of the Euxine Sea (Black Sea). That might suggest that the

winged horse motif passed to Greek myths from Caucasus.

Women in Circassian Myths

What makes Circassian mythology distinct from others is the role and

status given to women. In fact, we have only one woman character:

Seteney Guashe (Lady Seteney), who is the protaganist, mother of Narts,

symbol of unique beauty and wisdom, owner of everlasting power, and the

solar deity. Other characters in Nart Sagas consult her in their decisions;

she guides and advises heroes and inspires Tlepsh for his inventions.

Seteney names all babies of Narts though she does not give birth to any of

them. Yet to name is to own, and that is one reason why she is called the

Mother of Narts. Possessing

multiple features and most

significant roles, Seteney

outshines all male figures.

Modern Circassians give the

name “Seteney” to their

children to commemorate her,

and it would not exaggerate

if we say that the respect

towards women has not

changed at all.

In conclusion,

Circassian myths are a

collection of stories, each of

which sheds invaluable

insight into how our ancestors

interpreted the world and human beings; these sagas, with their

sophisticated ideas, form a basis for today’s Circassian tradition, culture,

and rules regulating social life. It seems that Circassian myths will continue

attract researchers because they may be the inspiration for Greco-Roman

myths.

Dzevad Karahasan

CREATIVE WRITING

“Africa the Mother of Beauty” by Zamzam Zalwango

In the morning the bright sun shines the land slapping its rays on the green

The animals in the wild stretch ready to tread in the dark forests

The birds in their nests sing praising the beauty of mighty Africa

And the waters run endlessly throughout the lands,

Mothers with their children walk to the farms

Fathers with their tools rush into the forests

Girls with their pots on the head move to the springs

And the boys with the sticks take the animals to graze,

No words can fully describe the beauty of Mother Africa

Strong as ever just as the people it bears to this world

Determined and focused to uphold their homeland

Struggling for survival despite ruinous colonialism,

No place is as beautiful as you, Mother Africa

No land is as rich as you, Mother Africa

No matter how the pitiless exploit you

You will always provide for your children, Mother Africa.

“Perfect Love” by Reyhan Yarim

A letter to William Shakespeare from Reyhan Yarim as a response to his sonnet.

“Let me not to the marriage of true minds” by William

Shakespeare

(Sonnet CXVI)

Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove:

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wandering bark,

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.

Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle's compass come:

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error and upon me proved,

I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

Reyhan’s letter to William:

Dear William,

I have never been capable of expressing my feelings by writing poems; even

if I tried, I don’t think I’d be as successful as you. I am a prose-person rather

than a verse-person, which is exactly why I choose to write a letter instead of

a poem as an answer.

Your sonnet is excellent. You chose to write on love instead of relationships,

which indicates that you regard love as superior to relationships. In general, I

can say that your concept of love is akin to mine; however, I can agree with

you only up to a certain point.

First of all, you mention the perfection of love throughout the sonnet. No,

love is not perfect; it is made perfect by lovers. I know so many claiming that

they are seriously in love, but very few are aware of what they say. Very few

“bear it out even to the edge of doom.” The others love, as well, but it is like

a gal’s love for a beautiful new dress: temporary and frivolous. Therefore, I

believe that it is love only when two truthful hearts are together: just like the

beginning of your sonnet.

Another point that I don’t agree with is your claim that love is invariable. On

the contrary, it changes from person to person, from heart to heart. Each

person loves in a unique way, because love itself is unique and different for

every human being. If it were standard, it wouldn’t be special. Love is not to

walk hand in hand, to hug, to kiss, to give or get gifts, or to say “I love you.”

These are the things done by every couple; however, when these rituals are

not observed, fights about “Why aren’t we like other couples?” break out.

This is the most obvious proof that what they have is not love, because

every heart has its own kind of love, just like personalities with different kinds

of points of view.

The sonnet claims that love is a lighthouse or a North Star, but do you think

it should be? Yes, love guides you when you are lost; nonetheless, it

shouldn’t stand there and tell you what to do. It should be the one that walks

with you. Whenever you face a hardship, you should feel love is with you,

and your love should know that you will never run away. That’s the only way

for hindrances to turn into precious memories. That is the power of love and

loyalty: changing distress into happiness.

Please don’t think that I oppose your ideals. I am only taking them as starting

points and trying to express myself by interpreting and making them specific.

A sonnet is the best way to express love, yet everyone has their own

interpretations of the same sonnet. I only tried to explain mine: Love

shouldn’t be perfect, it should be made perfect. Love shouldn’t be standard,

it should be unique. Love shouldn’t be a guide, it should be a companion.

Yours sincerely,

Reyhan

From the movie “Shakespeare in Love (1998)

“Girl” by Jilalu Nuri Awel

Jilalu’s story, “Girl,” was inspired by a one-paragraph story of the same name by

the Caribbean-American writer, Jamaica Kincaid.

Don’t sleep too much; also you shouldn’t tell me that you have a back

pain because this means you have lost your virginity; I don’t want to see you

while you are playing soccer with boys; you know you are a girl, and

everyone likes to look at you, but no-one likes to have to keep you, so don’t

believe boys; you are like what they are telling you. When you were young, I

knew that I didn’t want to live with you, but I also couldn’t bury you in the

back yard without the neighbors seeing; you are dangerous; trying to train

you is infinitely worse; I don’t expect you to seek to be equal with boys

because trying to do that is lacking ambition; I know that to convince you is

difficult; even a bargain costs money; your mind is cleaner than mine

because you change it more

often; no one knows more

about you than I do, and I

know nothing; I have passed

through my thirty years, but I

have not yet been able to

answer the great question

that has never been

answered, what does a girl

want? You have to know

that my brain, confidence,

and good standing among

my friends have been seriously damaged for the sake of you; I don’t think

you will be able to marry in this status because in order to have a marriage

you have to be wise if you go wrong. Your husband has to get right after you.

Don’t insist on being called Ms.; that title does not stand for a miserable

creature like you; the great and almost only comfort from you is that you

always pretend to be more stupid than you are, and I am not surprised; the

big problem about you is as long as you look younger than your age, you are

perfectly satisfied, you don’t want anything more; I know that you hate

housework; you make the beds, you wash the dishes and six months later

you have to start all over again; but I want you to change this behavior. Do

you know what is the difference between a battery and you is? Batteries

have a positive side. You are a girl: you shouldn’t have a driver’s license

because there is no road between the kitchen and the bedroom.

Indeed it was like the old man told him. After Alan

managed to give her the love potion in a drink, his world

around her changed. Diana loved him more than he

expected. She was always beside him, she always

called him to ask where and how he was, and she

always let him make the decisions concerning their

lives, without any objection. Years passed and Diana

never stopped loving him. Alan got tired of being in a

relationship with the same person, so he started seeing

another woman, leaving Diana with painful thoughts

and hurt feelings. This continued for months, and when Alan got fed up with

her, he went back to the old man who sold him the potion. When he

reached the old man’s house, he pressed his hand to knock on the door but

it gave way as if it had been left open.

“Who is it?” cried a deep voice.

“It’s me, Alan.”

“If you’ve come for the rent, please come back in a few days.” said the old

man.

“No, my name is Alan and I bought a potion from you a few years back, a

love potion.”

The old man kept quiet for a while and then replied, “Oh, Alan, come closer,

“Obsession” by Abubakar Mairamri

“Obsession” is a sequel to “The Chaser,” a popular short story by John Collier.

please.

Alan saw an old man with rashes all over his face. “Sit please,” said the old

man. “Indeed I remember you, how was the potion? Did it work?”

“Yes, it worked,” replied Alan while trying to cover his nose from the terrible

stench that overwhelmed the room.

“Are you here for more?” asked the old man.

“No, actually, I am here for something else. You see… the love potion you

gave me” Alan paused for a moment, then continued, “the potion, does it

have a cure?”

The old man coughed and then replied, “Alan, only time can heal a wound.”

“But I need a cure because I don’t love Diana anymore, and I don’t want her

to love me, either.”

Pausing for a moment, the old man then reached for a bottle standing on a

table beside him and said, “Take this, pour the whole contents into a drink

and give it to her.”

“How much is it?” said Alan.

“This is a gift from me,” replied the old man.

“Thank you very much. Au revoir,” said Alan

“Adieu,” replied the old man in a low tone, so Alan wouldn’t hear.

Days later Alan got home and saw Diana sitting on the couch. Her

eyes filled with tears as she stood up to hug him.

“Tonight we should spend time together. I will make us dinner.” Alan said.

In the evening they both sat on the table. Alan opened a bottle of

champagne and poured the cure inside. They raised their glasses to make a

toast, and then Diana asked, “Do you know how much I love you Alan?”

“Yes,” Alan replied. She looked in his eyes and said, “I love you Alan,” lifted

up her glass and drank.

That night Alan couldn’t sleep. The next morning he went into the

bedroom and saw that Diana was still asleep. He decided to pay the old

man a visit. He went to the apartment and saw a man there. “Who are you?”

asked Alan. “I am the landlord” replied the man. “Where is the old man who

lives here?” asked Alan. “He died two nights ago. Are you his relative?”

asked the landlord. “No,” replied Alan. “I’m just a friend.”

He went back home and saw Diana in the same position he had left

her. He went closer and saw that she was holding onto something. He

slowly pulled it out and saw that it was a picture they had taken on

Valentine’s Day. He touched her body and it was cold. Her heart had

stopped beating. He stood there looking at her. It was like a nightmare. He

suddenly realized what he had done. “Diana!,” he shouted and ran to the

kitchen to find the bottle the old man had given him, but Diana had done the

dishes and had taken out the trash the previous night. “Diana!” he shouted

again and fell to the ground, clutching his heart.

In their youths, the people of Forty had to go on a survival journey to

prove their strength to their king if they wanted to be one of his royal knights.

It was the 13th day of young Nicholas’ journey to the wilderness. A few could

not make it, but more did survive. It was not a hardship after the Second

War. Eyes were looking to the horizon for a sign of his return. He must be a

strong man, his mother thought. He would be a man if he could manage to

survive the road from the northern mountains. Hopes were falling away.

Even his mother stopped to look up at the mountains. Days were passing.

The castle started to find more young men to send. Finally, a whinny was

heard from behind the great hills. It must be Nicholas. It was…

John, The Great Fist… He was the bravest man who ever lived in

Forty. He was the second in command after his father in the Second War.

They were the victors in the war against the spellbinders of the north. After

his father’s death in the fight, John ended the war by breaking the shrine of

Levil which gave powers to cast magic by his bare hands. It was his 25th

birthday when he gave his father’s spirit to the sky and got his title from the

sky. It was safer afterward to be in the mountain slopes after the slaughter of

beasts. Yet there were still few of them whose howls could be heard.

The beauty… the meaning of life… the mermaid walking on the

earth… Alisoun was the most beautiful creature ever seen by the people of

Forty. She was only nineteen and the queen of Forty, the third wife to the

king. The other two were killed by the unknown beasts of the north. It was

believed Alisoun was sent by God to the king after he and his people

accepted the sacred writ.

Twenty-five-year-old Nicholas had returned to his mother with wounds,

far from life, closer to death. For his return, he was considered a knight.

Hence, he was cured by the most talented physicians of the kingdom. His

mother was happy. She was on the way back home to pray to God for his

blessing for her son. After some days of rest, Nicholas recovered quickly. He

was eager to tell his story to the king in order to be honored by him.

John summoned Nicholas to his presence to give the earned honor.

Nicholas wore his best clothes. Although the wounds on his face were

terrifying, he was considered a man of attractive charms. Young girls were

looking at him and giggling as he rode his horse to the castle. When he

entered the great hall, he first saw the beautiful eyes of Alisoun. He was

about to smile, but he behaved himself at lightning speed and saluted the

queen in a way that a knight should. Alisoun was a young girl, after all. She

also liked the young and brave man before her. He was preferable to the old

king. Nicholas knelt and waited for the king to speak. John rose with the help

of his great fist pressing the arm of his

throne. He said, “Tell me thy storie now

and I wilt bless thee with knighthood,”

and Nicholas did so. He became a

knight from then on. Yet the fire in the

eyes of Alisoun had already burned

Nicholas’ heart. He knew even

mentioning it would be a grave mistake.

He could not help himself not to think of her eyes, but he knew that a knight

could not fall in love.

Some years later, Nicholas was appointed the head guard of the king to

protect the king’s chamber. John was very happy to have him protecting his

queen. As a knight, Nicholas was aware of his duty. He did not even look at

Alisoun while she was entering or leaving the king’s chamber. Nevertheless,

she was looking at him in the hope of finding a response to her feelings.

Nicholas did not answer her smile even though it burned him inside. They

passed many times. Just furtive glances… Nothing more…

It was a stormy night when Nicholas acted according to his feelings.

When The Great Fist was away, he was to protect the queen, all alone… He

knocked the door and whispered to her. “My queen, the only world for my

eyes… Answer my thin voice, so I can listen to the echo in my heart when

thy presence is no more.” It was the first time he had talked to her. His heart

was beating like it would explode. He could hear her breathing. The veins in

his neck pulsed with painful anxiety. Yet she answered. “I am aware of thy

heart. I was young and beautiful both inside and outside when I married

John. His fist is strong now, but his heart is filthy and foul.” Nicholas did not

hold his feelings and asked “Give me one kiss and I wilt crush the earth with

John himself.” The tiny hole on the door was enough for him to get his kiss.

His lips burned and so did his heart.

Days passed, full moons buried months, years brought many winters.

Nicholas loved and so did Alisoun. One day, the castle woke up with the cry

of John, shouting “My queen!” Nicholas entered the chamber as quickly as

possible. He saw the kneeling king and the great open window. He said,

“My lord, what doth happen hither?” John answered, “The beast took

Alisoun!” “What beast, thou say my lord?” he asked. “A wolf, a flying wolf,”

John responded in fear.

Nicholas returned to his home to visit his mother perhaps for the last

time. He was ordered to go after the beast to the north from which once he

had victoriously returned. He was to kill the beast and save his queen, his

love… He was to bring peace and wipe fear from the hearts of the people of

Forty and of course from his own. He gathered his belongings, sword, and

armor and got the blessings of his mother. He rode to the castle. The

people of Forty blessed his quest. They made prayers and songs for him.

John told him, “Save my queen, earn thy fame.” After the meeting in front of

the castle entrance, he set off on his quest.

Cave by cave, hills over hills, days after days he sought the beast. Not

only the beast itself, but also survival in the wilderness was another

challenge. Winter did not pity Nicholas. It made Nicholas taste its worst

aspects. Yet the knight never yielded. After many days, he was on the top of

a hill said to be the peak of the mountain. There he saw the beast with his

own eyes. His lover, Alisoun, was in a bed full of flowers, not awake but with

a smile on her face. Nicholas thought it was sorcery, and it was. He shouted

at the beast to taunt him, to make him move away from Alisoun, so that

maybe he had a chance to get closer to her. The beast heard him and went

up. It made its move towards Nicholas, who had already drawn his sword.

He prayed to God to help him at that precise moment. His prayers were

answered. He managed to cut one of the beast’s wings. He did not let it

recover. With another swing he stabbed his sword into the beast’s stomach.

The beast howled and fell. While Nicholas was pulling his sword from its

body, he heard the beast whispering. He approached cautiously. Nicholas

said, “What art thou saying, foul beast?” The beast answered: “My name is

Absolon, so hear me. John knows of thy affair. He summoned me to take

her. Like the other two queens whose hearts did not belong to His Majesty, I

killed two knights, but not thee.”

Nicholas took his lover to his horse. He hesitated at first to go back to

Forty but then his chivalric nature won the fight in his chest. He rode to

Forty. Their arrival was great news. Guardsmen informed the king. When

“The Beast-Slayer” by Nuh Ödev

“The Beast-Slayer” is rewriting of a bawdy low-life tale by Chaucer, “The Miller’s

Tale,” turning it into a medieval romance about knights and ladies, using the same

characters and several quotes from the original story.

John heard the news, his fist opened wide. He went to the hall in haste. He

was shocked to see Nicholas before him. Nicholas delivered Alisoun to John

involuntarily. Then, he did not let the king talk and turned his back on the

king and spoke out loudly: “It was His Majesty who sent the beast to thy

steppes. The beast itself told me that. Awake the queen, ask her.” He turned

and looked at John’s eyes. Everyone in the hall was petrified. With furious

looks, John said, “Awake her.” Two of the guardsmen held and woke her.

She was awake but her mind was elsewhere. Because of the magic, Alisoun

did not remember anything. She even told about their affair in front of all the

people. She said “Thy love is worthy, Nicholas. I wilt bring thy kiss to the

ground. It is secret, so I keep it secret.” Eyes turned to Nicholas. He could

not say anything. Which words would help him from then on? Feeling her

love, Nicholas was to embrace his faith. He knelt down and waited for the

order to come.

John’s order was not late. He ordered his knights to kill Nicholas. For

every day he could not see Alisoun, Nicholas welcomed another sword in

his chest. It was done, and his soul abandoned his body. He was killed in

the middle of the hall. Some murmured that it was an earned end, and some

cried inwardly.

John of The Great Fist had his queen. Mad… a young and mad

queen… They spent their lives at the edges of two distant mountains.

Happiness never came to that castle again. It was haunted by the beast’s

magic. Forty’s people burned Nicholas’s body to chase away the magic. It

was a pointless act. Yet, they did something salutary. They told the story of

Nicholas. Some of the people who listened to his story called him “The

Betrayer,” but many called him “The Beast-Slayer”.

“Knights and Red Crosses” by Müge Aydın

Like the previous story, “Knights and Red Crosses” is rewriting of a bawdy low-life

tale by Chaucer, “The Miller’s Tale,” turning it into a medieval romance about

knights and ladies, using the same characters and several quotes from the original

story.

It was a night of full moon when all noble ladies and gallant knights of

King Arthur’s court assembled for a feast. They were spending their time

merrily by singing songs, dancing and drinking the best wine and beer.

While sipping their wine, King Arthur declared his intention of holding a feast

on Christmas Eve. He wanted his brave knights to go to distant corners of

his vast country and invite all the lords of castles and their noble families to

the upcoming feast. Every knight chose a castle, but when it came to the

castle of Lord John, who was newly-wed, there was a dispute about who

would go there. Actually, no one at first wanted to invite old Lord John, who

was incredibly fond and

jealous about his eighteen-

year-old wife, beautiful

Alisoun. Later on, Sir Absolon

and Sir Nicholas were the

knights who wanted to go to

Lord John’s castle. It was

spoken secretly from ear to

ear that both unfortunate

noble knights had been in love

with innocent Alisoun for many

years. All guests got excited when Sir Absolon called Sir Nicholas for a duel.

However, King Arthur stopped this improper, disrespectful duel and decided

to punish both of his knights as it was not a knightly deed to fight for a

married woman. King Arthur let both luckless knights go to invite Lord John

for the New Year’s Eve feast on one condition. At the end of three days, if

one of them could induce pretty Alisoun to marry, the other would have to

die. Otherwise, both of them would have to die.

After the deal, both brave knights set out to the castle of Lord John

who was a famous tapestry merchant. He was much older than the golden-

haired Alisoun who had “a body like a weasel, slim and small.” After the

marriage, Lord John “kept her as if inside a cage.” He was so jealous that he

had three guardians to keep her safe when he went on the road to trade. It

was certain that Lord John loved

her “more than his very life.” When

Sir Absolon and Sir Nicholas

reached Lord John’s castle, they

were hosted well. While eating

dinner, Sir Absolon and Sir Nicholas

invited them to the Christmas Eve

feast. Lord John declared that he

would be very happy to attend.

However, he needed one day to

bring some tapestries to King Arthur as a present. He was not certain about

leaving his pretty wife alone, but lovely Alisoun said, “I am the truest of

devoted wives, so go dear spouse.” Lord John wanted the knights to rest for

a day, and then they all would set out for King Arthur’s feast together. They

all agreed upon the plan. Next morning, Lord John left with his tapestries.

While Sir Absolon was keeping the guardians busy, Sir Nicholas went to

pretty Alisoun’s chamber. He said “My darling, you must love me right away,

or I will die. God save me.” However, he was rejected by the answer, “My

husband is full of jealousy, so if you want to live, stay away from me,” It was

time for handsome Sir Absolon, whose “curly locks were shiny and bright as

gold found anywhere” to seek his chance. He was a jolly man, fond of

pranks. He warbled to her like a nightingale in front of her chamber’s

window. However, Absolon “must wail and sing alas” as he was also

rejected by Alisoun.

While having lunch, innocent Alisoun figured out that these two

knights were really in love with her, and they were willing to kill her husband

for the sake of having her. Alisoun secretly liked Sir Nicholas, but she said

that it was impossible for her to choose between such noble knights, and it

was better for her to be with her husband. Each knight said that if she gave

them one kiss, they would cause no problem. “Upon my faith, you’ll get no

kiss from me!” was Alisoun’s answer. However, Alisoun had a magical

power. She said that if they let her husband live, she would give them as

many red crosses as they wanted, which would protect them in case of

emergency as long as they carried the crosses. Both knights agreed upon

the deal despairingly. When old Lord John came back, they set out for the

Christmas Eve feast at King Arthur’s castle.

Both knights were welcomed, and King Arthur wanted them to talk

about their quest. When their story ended, it was sure that both knights

were going to die as neither of them could seduce innocent Alisoun.

Moreover, they were now certain that Alisoun would never love either one of

them, and that she would remain loyal to her old husband. However, the

noble knights were forgiven, thanks to the protecting crosses taken for all

knights of the Round Table. As always, the winner was King Arthur and his

loyal knights. That Christmas Eve they held a perfect feast which would

always be remembered, and all brothers of the Round Table were given

little protective crosses as belated Christmas gifts.

BOOK AND MOVIE REVIEWS

“Man Friday” movie review by Nuh Ödev

The movie “Man Friday” is a revisionist version of the 18th century classic British

novel, “Robinson Crusoe“ by Daniel Defoe, which portrays the white hero as

superior to the islanders. This article is written from a Post-Colonial Literature point

of view.

Short summary of “Robinson Crusoe” by Daniel Defoe:

Robinson Crusoe flees Britain on a ship after killing his friend over the

love of Mary. A fierce ocean storm wrecks his ship and leaves him stranded

by himself on an uncharted island. Left to fend for himself, Crusoe seeks out

a tentative survival on the island, until he meets Friday, a tribesman whom

he saves from being sacrificed. Initially, Crusoe is thrilled to finally have a

friend, but he has to defend himself against the tribe who uses the island to

sacrifice tribesman to their gods. During time their relationship changes from

master-slave to a mutual respected friendship despite their difference in

culture and religion.

Review of the movie:

Similar to but one level above the perspective of the book, Things

Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the movie “Man Friday” has a strong

thesis. While the white man (Colonizer Englishmen especially in

the movie) is shown as someone who thinks he is superior to all the other

things besides himself (except God of course), on the other hand, the black

man Friday and his tribe are shown as the “real” authority and civilized

people of the isles. In my opinion, the movie shows two different

understandings of life, the white man’s idea that he is civilized and powerful

because of his color and his inventions, and the idea that real civilization is

in people’s minds, thoughts, and behaviors towards their environment.

We start out thinking that Friday accepts his name because he is

aware of his lowness. Later we understand that it is not so. From the start to

the end, Friday is aware of everything except “the meaningless things” done

by Robinson. He observes and tries to understand Robinson’s nature. Friday

even tries to play according to Robinson’s rules. When Robinson says,

“What matters is how you run,” and Friday does what Robinson says and

runs beautifully, he does not know the concept of winning or losing. He runs

to have joy. He believes in running together, not in front of each other.

Hence, “competition,” in other words, being superior to someone, is not

important for him. Robinson believes in levels, or hierarchies, both in society

by naming himself as Master, and in any work they are doing. Nevertheless,

he never accepts or at least never mentions the things he can barely do, like

swimming. To sum up, we see the difference in their view of life and their

concepts of status.

Robinson manages to survive by his belongings. It is true that the tools

he has are worth pride. Yet he thinks those tools make him powerful or a

ruler of other living beings. In

addition, because he has

knowledge from the Bible, he

considers himself and all white men

as more powerful and possessors of

the right to rule. If we think of a

scenario in which Robinson and

Friday do not have any tool at all,

which of the two will be likely to

survive? Of course, the answer is

Friday. The reason is that

Robinson’s survival depends on his

tools. On the other hand, Friday

uses Robinson’s tools as a “tool.”

He gives two thousand gold pieces

to Robinson to buy the house. Thus

Friday uses a tool against Robinson

for the first time. The second time

occurs when he points the rifle

at Robinson to make him work. The question here is whether Robinson’s

tools betray him, or do they give the power to Friday?

Towards the end of the movie, we see the blackboard on which

“Civilization” is written. In my opinion, we can summarize the movie by the

speech made by Robinson in front of this blackboard and the speech by

Friday when they get back to the tribe. They both explain the meaning of

“Civilization” in their minds. While Robinson blindly repeats himself by talking

about his social status, his tools, and his God-given thoughts of superiority,

Friday tries to show Robinson’s sickness in his thoughts and the false ideas

about civilization. Yet these efforts do not help Robinson. He still tries to

change the tribe’s ideas, speaking of the world beyond the ocean. Friday

says he is not the one to decide, but he adds that he is sick of the magic

beyond the ocean. When tribal leader says maybe Robinson has a sickness

of mind, Friday interrupts and says Robinson is the sickness itself. After

Robinson talks about teaching the children in the tribe, Friday tries to use his

spear, and the tribal leader says briefly, “Do not act like you have that

sickness.” “Our children cannot defend themselves from his teachings,”

Friday answers. These cues prove that the movie says “Civilization” is in

people’s minds.

In conclusion, I must admit I like this movie better than Achebe’s

original story version. The movie has a clear message that there may be

different “true” understandings of life, but there is only one “real” life. In that

life, so-to-say civilized white man is not superior to the black man or any

other man who defines civilization in his mind. If we think of the case of

Robinson and Friday, Robinson is merely someone who is claiming that he

is taller than Friday just by jumping. At the end we can say that after he

jumps and falls, we see that their heights are the same.

A scene from the part where they run

PHOTOS

Student posters of last semester

ELL department picnic 2012