YENİŞEHİR’DE BİR ÖĞLE VAKTİ

The novel by Sevgi Soysal, titled "Yenişehir'de Bir Öğle Vakti" (A Noon Time in Yenisehir), tells the fall of the poplar tree which is the symbol of Ankara identity on the poor community. Ankara citizens in daily rush are not aware of many things. The author discusses the new development in Ankara through social, cultural and political dimensions based on the daily lives. She also questions the rapidly developing and changing life style with the establishment of Republic. According to Soysal, Ankara changes rapidly. However, nobody is aware of this change. As a result of this, the one grow in old Ankara has some difficulties in keeping up with the new Ankara. There occurs a new life style and a new concept in the city. The most distinctive characteristic of this new concept is that the American culture becomes prevalent and a new Americanophile population is occurs. This population makes shopping in American Bazaars and gets dressed in American style. They speak English; they think they climb the social ladder by doing so. The mindset change of the teenagers becomes clear through political differentiation. In this novel, Ali is the typical example of these teens. Ali claims that the ordinance should change. Therefore he supports labor movements and strikes. However he could not have the power to change the ordinance. Fashion passion is become prevalent among the teens in Ankara. The competition of wearing brands starts. Some teenagers start to tease their social status and family. The family relations and social solidarity get weak with the change of value judgments. The collective assistance disappears. Ulus loses its importance, Kızılay become the city centrum. Most of the teens and middle aged population start spending time in Kızılay. Fashion and change is followed in Kızılay. New settlement units are constructed. Especially Kavaklıdere, Gaziosmanpaşa and Çankaya stand out as favorite places. The rich and classy population of Ankara prefers these places. The traffic in the city becomes heavy. The trade develops in time in Ankara. New shopping malls and stores are opened in the city. The rural-urban migration goes on increasingly. New shanty districts are established. The villagers dwell in these districts. Traditions live in these districts at a certain level. Janitor work becomes an attractive job for villagers. The economical problems of low-income families continue. The salaries of the officers are insufficient. The social status plays a distinctive role in the society. The prestige changes according to the occupation and status in bureaucracy. The one who gains prestige in bureaucracy rules over his/her environment. He/she is enshrined by his/her environment. When he/she loses his/her prestige, he/she become evanesced. The nouveau riches and new classy groups stand out in Ankara. They try to direct the society with their economical powers. They believe that they can get through everything with money. These groups take no notice of the value judgments of the society. The entertainment and night life gets move. The habit of making savings and using domestic products disappear. The consumption increases. Association activities become widespread in Ankara in time. Some bureaucrats and classy women participate in associations and women branches of parties. Some of these women attend these activities in good faith; however, the other ones participate in these activities just for fun and spending time. Woman does not become an individual in spite of the modernization of Ankara. Women are only figurants in the eye of the men. Woman does not have the status of claim their rights or defend themselves. They are continued to be shoved. Bigamy is widespread in marriages. The civil code is not applied in real terms. Some parts of the society are caught between the tradition and modernism. The author chooses poplar tree as a symbol for Ankara. Nobody notices the aging poplar tree. The poplar tree in the garden of Ms. Mevhibe falls over the janitor Mevlüt. Mevlüt dies. The peasantry ends in Ankara with the falling of poplar tree. The poplar tree, whose roots become dry and which has no chance to live, is the symbol of Ankara which loses its identity. In this article, the daily lives in Ankara, the problems faced during adaptation process and social structure are evaluated through a new perspective in line with the concept of text linguistics.