A Levinasian reading of Abdulrazak Gurnah's Paradise

The aim of this study is to examine Abdulrazak Gurnah's Paradise through the lens of Emmanuel Levinas' ethics of the Other. As one of the finest examples of migrant literature, Paradise portrays the identity and sense of belonging of migrants through the character of Yusuf, exploring the concept of the Other from a moral perspective. The novel reflects the multifaceted nature of migration by telling the psychological story of Yusuf, who was sold into slavery at the age of twelve to pay off his father's debts, and through this, it delves into issues of culture, identity, and belonging. In this sense, Paradise can be seen as a typical prototype of migrant literature, both in terms of its subject matter and its narrative style. Emmanuel Levinas's concept of the 'ethics of the Other,' which will serve as the theoretical foundation for this study, critiques the phenomenon of othering in Western society. Moral reflections of Levinas, such as 'the right to existence belongs to all humans' and 'it is wrong to make all people the same,' shed light on solving the immoral human issue of 'othering.' In this context, analyzing Abdulrazak Gurnah's Paradise through Levinas's understanding of otherness highlights the importance of addressing the ongoing migrant crisis not just through political and legal frameworks but also through a humane and moral approach.