SHE IS NOT PURE ANYMORE: THE PURITY CONCEPT IN Ö. ZÜLFÜ LİVANELİ’S BLISS

This article focuses on the concept of female purity in the context of honour killings by exploring Turkish writer Ö. Zülfü Livaneli’s third novel Mutluluk (2002) / Bliss (2007) and by addressing the ways in which the discourses of purity and impurity are constructed in the narration. The classification systems which label the main character, Meryem, as both dirty and pure are examined by focusing on Meryem’s childish and feminine purity as well as her perceived impurity. Also, the ways in which Meryem’s supposed sexual impurity stains the family's honour and ultimately leads to an honour killing attempt are investigated. Through an analysis of different constructions of purity in Bliss, it is argued that Meryem’s purity or impurity is a matter of perception and that varying discourses of purity determine whether she is pure or not. This reading of Bliss helps us to make sense of different constructions of social norms and expectations according to certain discourses of purity. This article argues that Bliss provides depth and nuance to our understanding of how the notion of purity operates in the context of honor killings, while also demonstrating how literature can be a valuable tool to enhance our understanding of social phenomena.