The traces of collective memory in Refik Halid Karay's works

The study aims to examine Refik Halid Karay's novels with the concept of "collective memory" based on Maurice Halbwachs' claim that individual memories are entirely framed by social phenomena. The author's novels have often been classified as love and adventure novels and also considered as non-literary and popular. However, the novels of the late Ottoman / early republican period are suitable to be studied as narratives of memory due to the position of the authors. As a matter of fact, wars, turning points, social transformations, exiles and migrations witnessed by these authors are the structures that determine their literary production. In this context, the study focuses on the traces of collective memory in Refik Halid's novels and how these traces are revealed. It is seen that collective memory determines the theme of novels whereas oral memory determines the structure and form of novels. The study, which focuses on Refik Halid's novels, also uses his memoirs and newspaper articles that are the source of these novels. In this study, it was concluded that Refik Halid's dissident and exile identity makes it easier to follow the traces of memory in his narratives in that Refik Halid's most basic motivation for writing is his own memory, and this memory entirely consists of social frameworks. Key Words: Refik Halit Karay, collective memory, novel, the late Ottoman / early Republican period