Conversion Motifs in Hidayet Novels

Abstract

Novels contain psychological and sociological insights that reflect human life. Hidayet novels discuss the characters' orientation towards religion, their adoption of religiosity, and their conversion to Islam in detail. In this respect, hidayet novels provide rich material for understanding conversion phenomena. This study aims to analyse examples of conversion within the hidayet novels, using the religious conversion motifs developed by Lofland and Skonovd as a framework. The six motifs identified by Lofland and Skonovd in their study, 'Conversion Motifs'-intellectual, mystical, experimental, affectional, revivalist, and coercive-provide an essential typology for understanding the main driving forces in individuals' religious conversion processes. The motifs are distinguished from each other by five basic dimensions: the level of social pressure experienced by the individual during conversion, the temporal duration of the conversion period, emotional intensity, the nature of the emotional content, and the sequence of belief-participation. Each motif reflects the personal and social dimensions of religious conversion differently. For instance, due to their research, the intellectual motif describes an individual's conversion to religion. In contrast, the coercive motif describes an individual's acceptance of religion due to forced social or physical circumstances. The study's primary purpose is to analyse how these six conversion motifs are represented in the selected hidayet novels, how they are shaped within the narrative's structure, and which motifs construct the characters' religious conversion processes. In this context, the study analyses the representation of these six motifs in the selected hidayet novels, the frequency with which conversion motifs are used, and how these motifs are integrated into the literary narrative. Furthermore, the novel's transformation processes are evaluated in terms of criteria such as level of affective arousal, social pressure, and temporal transformation duration. The functions of the motifs about the novel characters are also interpreted. Three main dimensions are emphasised in the analysis of transformation motifs: duration of transformation (short, medium, or long), level of emotional intensity (low, medium, or high), and level of social pressure (low, medium, or high). For instance, mystical and coercive motifs depict transformations that occur quickly with high emotional intensity, whereas intellectual and experimental motifs depict transformations that occur more slowly with low intensity. Where social pressure is high, the characters' decision-making processes are shaped mainly by external factors, with individual will remaining in the background. Thus, it emerges that hidayet novels are not merely narratives of religious conversion; they also explore meaningful themes in the psychology and sociology of religion. Thematic analysis, a qualitative research method, was employed in this study, with the motifs being coded based on the novels' plots, character development, internal monologues, and narrative structures. The sections in which each motif is represented were examined in detail, as were how these representations relate to the decision-making processes of individuals. Additionally, attention was paid to the intersections between the motifs, considering whether more than one motif appeared together in the same character. In this context, the analysis includes Halit Ertu & gbreve;rul's Kendini Arayan Adam (The Man in Search of Himself), Kendini Arayan Kad & imath;n (The Woman in Search of Herself), Kendini Bulan Kad & imath;n (The Woman Who Found Herself), Aysel, and Emre; Mehmet Y & imath;ld & imath;z's Aray & imath;& scedil;(The Quest); Fatih Duman's S & imath;r (The Secret); Sad & imath;k Yals & imath;zu & ccedil;anlar's Cam ve Elmas (Glass and Diamond); Can Alpg & uuml;ven & ccedil;'s Sessiz Adalet (Silent Justice); Elif Veske & Ccedil;etinta & scedil;'s Kalbe D & uuml;& scedil;en S & imath;z & imath; (The Ache that Fell into the Heart); Emine & Scedil;enliko & gbreve;- lu's Bir G & ouml;n & uuml;l M & uuml;cadelesi (A Struggle of the Heart); Hekimo & gbreve;lu & Idot;smail's Sibel; Ahmed G & uuml;nbay Y & imath;ld & imath;z's H & uuml;lyalar H & uuml;z & uuml;n A & ccedil;t & imath; (Dreams Bloomed into Sorrow) and Leyla Yoku & scedil;u (The Leyla Slope); and Ahmed Sadreddin's Bir Ayr & imath;l & imath;k (A Separation). In line with these findings, the study reveals the traces of conversion and conversion theories in literary texts, which makes it possible to understand the role of hidayet novels in constructing the individual's belief, identity, and sense of belonging from a psychological perspective. Furthermore, the study concludes that religious conversion is not merely a matter of individual faith, but also a multi-layered process that develops over time and is interwoven with social relations. In summary, this study systematically analyzes Lofland and Skonovd's conversion motifs within the hidayet novels, thereby aiming to contribute to interdisciplinary fields such as literary studies and the psychology of religion. Analysing representations of religious conversion in literature provides a deeper insight into individuals' worlds of meaning, identity construction, and psychological orientations. Examining the reasons that lead individuals to change or return to a religion, as portrayed in the novel, enables us to understand the motivations behind religious change in individual and social contexts and assess the relevance of these motifs.