A comparative analysis of the father-daughter relationship in Irmak Zileli's Eşik and the mother-son relationship in Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake in light of socio-political and psychological issues

The aim of this thesis is to comparatively study the father-daughter relationship in Eşik (2011) by Turkish novelist Irmak Zileli with the mother-son relationship as depicted by Canadian writer Margaret Atwood, Oryx and Crake (2003) in a psychological and socio-political context. The theories used in this light are Psychoanalysis / Object Relations Theory and Symbolic Interactionism which both focus on daily interaction. It has been observed that these approaches reveal the undifferentiation of the emotional and psychic experiences that the heroes in both novels undergo despite their gender differences. It has been examined how the traumatic childhood memories of the aforementioned novel characters, shaped in the axis of inadequate parenting practices, are utilized by the writers to create narratives of inner journeys and meaningful personal outcomes. These narratives, which can be defined as Bildungromans, focus on the memories of protagonists starting from their phallic period right into adulthood. The writers, who by doing so shed light on the challenging but transformative experience of becoming a subject, successfully deal with the intricate relationship between individuation and socialization. As result of an in-depth study based around textual references, the dynamics of family, socialization and empowerment of such individuals show that what constitutes the subject is based on both psychological and social processes. In this context, it has been noticed that object relations within and outside the family are of crucial importance. By highlighting the psycho-social developmental processes of the individual Irmak Zileli and Margaret Atwood seem to be emphasizing that the way to healthy individuation is through the adoption and application of the principles of love, protection and care ethics. Key Words: Psychoanalysis, Object Relations, Symbolic Interactionism, Coup Narrative, Dystopia.