Trouble and Triumph: German Life-Turkish Tradition in Renan Demirkan's 'Schwarzer Tee mit drei Stuck Zucker'

This paper explores Demirkan's narrative strategies in "Schwarzer Tee mit drei Stuck Zucker" to negotiate issues of a life between two cultures and traditions. Based on Bhabha's insights that mainstream culture needs intellectual and artistic infusion from the margins of a society in order to remain vital; and that cultural production itself is a continuous performative development, I analyse Demirkan's proposals for cultural integration that avoids assimilation. Demirkan lets the main character of "Schwarzer Tee" assert her own bicultural place both within and against her family and German society. This largely autobiographical narrative gives the reader a tentative understanding as to how the Turkish-German culture-on-the-margins is an essential and productive part of German culture. Demirkan develops a new, strong and confident type of heroine in her novel and through this new figure accomplishes two goals. She provides her reader with a successful image of those of Turkish-German heritage, especially women, and at the same time Demirkan relieves the German reader of any residual guilt feelings for being part of a hegemonic culture oppressing its Turkish minority. (Contains 13 notes.)