Reading Yürümek (Walking) by Sevgi Soysal As a Bildungsroman and Female Bildungsroman

Bildungsroman is a type of novel that discusses an individual’s mental and cognitive change, growth, maturation, different perspectives, and sense of self beginning from the childhood stage that the individual goes through on course to become an adult in the context of individual-society dialectic. The culture and ideals of the society are put forward through the individual discussed. The individual looks for a place for himself/herself within the framework of education, relations, rules, and order. From this point of view, upon examining the novel Yürümek (Walking) by Sevgi Soysal, it is seen that the processes Ela and Memet go through starting from the elementary school years are put forward in detail. In this study, it is examined the personalities of Ela and Memet, which are shaped in the triangle of tradition, class discrimination, and gender inequality, according to the bildungsroman characteristics. The fact that the bildungsroman type discussed the male character until the 20th century brought along the discussion whether the male bildungsroman and female bildungsroman is different. Upon examining the works of the period, it is possible to say that such differentiation exists. Therefore, in this study, it is examined Memet in terms of male bildungsroman characteristics and Ela in terms of female bildungsroman characteristics