Position of child characters in Yasar Kemal novels

This study aimed to determine child characters' position in Yaşar Kemal novels. In accordance with this aim, in the review, answers are sought such questions that what are the characteristics of children in the novels, how is their contribution to the storyline, how does the interaction of environment and culture come true, where are these children situated in the relationship between reality and fiction. Treating Çukurova and İstanbul separately as locations and due to their representational skills are strong to reach the general view, Yılanı Öldürseler, Yağmurcuk Kuşu, Al Gözüm Seyreyle Salih, Kuşlar da Gitti are chosen as a sample among the writer's novels. In this study, which is a qualitative research, mentioned novels are analyzed with the model of document analysis and content analysis method. In the introduction section, problem status, the importance of the study, aim of the research, its limitations, literature review are discussed. Under the method title, information is given intended to the survey's model, analysis of the studied document and data. In the part of theoretical frame, emergence of novel genre, novel's improvement in Turkish literature, relation between novel and reality and structural elements of the novel and also the writer's life, sources of his art and his view of children are analyzed. Under the title of findings and discussion, the novels that constitute the sample are studied, the obtained data is discussed in consideration of theoretical information. Inferences, acquired within the framework, are transferred to the conclusion part. Accordingly, it is concluded that children are treated as adults not as children; they do not take part in a formal training activities; they witness unnatural death; they get over the events that are difficult to overcome psychologically with minimal impact; their relation with their environment is limited; they feel the emotion of loneliness deeply; they are exposed to social pressure; they bear the traces of the writer's life. Keywords: Child, Novel, Yaşar Kemal.