Subjectivity in Nezihe Meriç's works

Subjectivity, a concept that expresses how an individual acquires a sense of identity and maintains self-integrity in their journey towards becoming a subject, is essentially shaped around two elements: selfhood and agency. Selfhood, which begins in the inner world of the subject and develops around various elements, is related to the subjective perception of life in human psychology. Agency, on the other hand, represents the sphere of action that the subject finds for itself by playing an active role and engaging in activities. In this study, which examines subjectivity in Nezihe Meriç's novels and short stories, the relevant concepts are explained with reference to modern psychoanalytic theories such as ego psychology and self psychology. In this context, the views of many psychoanalysts who developed these theories have been taken as a basis. Subjectivity also plays an important role in understanding individuals' inner worlds and their interactions with the external world in line with these fundamental building blocks. Nezihe Meriç, a Turkish short story writer from the 1950s generation, was a writer who lived between 1924 and 2009. The writer, who entered the literary world with her short story 'Bir Şey' published in 1950, continued her publishing activities between 1953 and 2008. Nezihe Meriç, who wrote works in genres such as short stories, novels, plays, narratives, children's books, and memoirs for over fifty years, displays a deep power of observation regarding human psychology and the social environment in her texts. The differences in gender, age, environment, and circumstances of the characters in Nezihe Meriç's novels and short stories shape their subjectivity. In this context, the stories, which often feature women and children, convey the fictional characters' journeys of constructing their own subjectivity. Over time, the authorial subject, who is also part of the text, reveals their subjectivity through their agency. The journey of subjectification is a central theme in Nezihe Meriç's novels and short stories, forming a detailed field of study on the concept of subjectivity.