Abandonment as a Form of Punishment in the Novel Two Green Otters, Their Mothers, Fathers, Lovers and Others

Abstract

Buket Uzuner’s work titled Two Green Otters, Their Mothers, Fathers, Lovers and Others is a novel that reveals the element that threatens human existence in the person of the main character, Nilsu, as his addiction to abandonment. The addiction to abandonment means, instead of devoting all attention to existence (what is at hand), remaining dependent on what is not available and punishing something internal or external, oneself or people, for not complying with pragmata. The state of punishment always indicates being dependent and dependent on what is not available. This state of being in but not aware of oneself can also be called not knowing oneself sufficiently or being in self-ignorance. This situation, which indicates both being fond of punishment and not being aware of it, also includes an attitude of leaving the existence (what is at hand) unattended and is structured by repeating it very often. Since it is vengeful, it interprets events that happen to everyone without exception, such as being abandoned, as an attack and responds with a similar action. This vicious circle becomes structured and normalized as long as the same way of understanding and interpreting works, and gradually becomes unnoticeable.

Nilsu, who is addicted to such abandonment but is unaware of it, is the main character of the novel and is abandoned by her parents when she is fourteen years old. Nilsu, who was abandoned and deeply disappointed while waiting to be rewarded in her early youth, understands this incident, which is actually a new opportunity, as punishment, interprets it and always remembers it that way. While in this situation, she becomes friends with Selen and lovers with Mike and Teoman. During her relationships with them, she comes to a limit three times and is forced to make choices among the possibilities that open up. During these successive elections, there are two main possibilities: She will either get over her penchant for punishment or leave the situation as it is. Standing on the edge of possibilities, Nilsu chooses not to change, transform and surpass herself, but to leave her situation as it is. The main reason why she closes the opportunity is the state of abandonment (punishment) that she is in but is unaware of. In this study, Nilsu’s fondness for punishing was pointed out as the primary reason for her choices.