Opinions on the Movie Ahlat Ağacı (The Wild Pear Tree) Within the Context of Central-Periphery Relations

This article is an analysis essay on movie The Wild Pear Tree (Ahlat Ağacı, 2018), directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan. The film is based on an intense portrayal of social relations rather than the plot of events. The analysis is based on the central-periphery relations model that Şerif Mardin borrowed from Edward Shils and adapted to Turkey. Mardin, within the framework of this model, analyzed the social reality of Turkey with a historical perspective. In the film there are some references about the central and periphery/provincial duality, related Turkey’s cultural formation. In addition, the film includes figures and long dialogues that correspond to different levels of the central-periphery tensions. In this respect, the film provides important data to social scientists for analysis of society and culture. This article focuses on the cultural boundaries of the provincial, and also includes some implications for Turkey's current social and cultural spirit. Thus, the limitations and possibilities of the central-periphery relations model are discussed. In general, this study deals with power relations, tensions, mobilities and hybrids between two cultural worlds and discusses the moral principles of these two worlds. Some metaphors used in the film (“tree”, “well”, “rope” and “decay”) are also interpreted in this context. The borders between the center and the periphery are evident in some contexts, while in some contexts they are vague. This reveals a photograph of Turkey through the metaphor of the wild pear tree.

Keywords

Central-periphery, provincial, Daily life, metaphor, Ahlat Ağacı, Nuri Bilge Ceylan.