Three Thresholds of Intellectual Identity in Three Istanbul / Üç İstanbul’da Aydın Kimliğin Üç Eşiği

Abstract

The word “intellectual” has various meanings due to its flexibility and universality. This concept, which is not easy to put in a certain category, is a comprehensive subject that almost every discipline deals with and sets its own criteria and even creates its own types of intellectual. In the field of literature, it is possible to see types of intellectuals as those who are the representatives of periods, artists, ideologies and movements. It is a critical issue whether intellectuals, which are shaped according to the perspective of the artists, can be evaluated in the category of real intellectuals. The purpose of this study is to discuss the concept of intellectuals around the main character Adnan of Mithat Cemal Kuntay’s Three Istanbul (1938) novel and to determine the limits and characteristics of intellectual identity. To this aim, the concept of intellectual is described within its general framework. Loyalty to intellectual values against money and power; an understanding that does not prioritize personal interests; view of power, opposition and the public; the qualities of artistic and mental productions have been accepted as the main criteria for determining the intellectual identity. Despite his intellectual accumulation, Adnan differs from his intellectual identity by being influenced by materialism and succumbing to his weaknesses. On the basis of the character of Adnan, it is concluded that not every person trained, accumulated and specialized in certain areas can be considered as an authentic intellectual.

Keywords

• intellectual
• opposition
• power
• materiality
• morality