My Name is Red

Islamic miniaturists were expected to develop technique rather than cultivate a unique individual style. How does this kind of artistic mastery impact the novel’s artists’ understanding of their role in the production of art?

Shekure highlights the difficulties women faced in 16th century Istanbul, but other women characters are given short shrift. What might a chapter written by Hayriye, for instance, focus on? How might she be developed as a full character?

Explore how the novel blends genres such as a mystery, a romance, and historical fiction. How does Pamuk borrow from and subvert the tropes of genre fiction?

What do colors mean in relation to the miniaturists’ artwork and the idea of going blind after a lifetime of painting? Why is color so important in the novel?

Which qualities determine the most talented painters in the novel? Which qualities mark the most genuine? Which threaten to undermine the artist’s authenticity?

Why do both Enishte and Master Osman(who hold different philosophical views of Western art) believe that the artwork produced in 16th century Istanbul will someday be forgotten?

Consider the novel’s many kinds of first-person narrators. Which are reliable? Which are unreliable? Why? Does the novel offer commentary on the concept of reliable narration?

Blindness is frequently lauded as a gift from Allah that is given to artists who served faithfully; yet, Black and the other miniaturists blind the murderer as punishment. Does the novel present the blindness of the artist as a blessing or a curse?