Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in My Name is Red, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Storytelling, Identity, and Perspective
Creation vs. Representation
Life, Death, and Consciousness
Virtue vs. Sin
Love, Desire, and Greed
Summary
Analysis
Esther observes that Black is clearly deeply in love, because when he speaks about Shekure he loses his self control. When she meets Black at the bazaar she assures him that Shekure is lovesick herself, and Black urges her to deliver his letter as soon as possible. However, Esther delays the delivery, as she believes “haste delays the fruits of love.” She visits another woman for whom she’d delivered letters and this woman, now pregnant, gives her money in gratitude. Esther then takes Black’s letter to Hasan’s house and gives it to Hasan, who reads it aloud. In the letter, Black says he understands that Shekure wants to wait for news of her husband, and insists that just seeing her face was enough for him. He admits that during his travels he used to dream that she would appear to him as she did at the window. He concludes the letter by telling her that he met Orhan, and that one day he hopes to become the boy’s father.
Esther is a comic, mischievous character, and it is never quite clear whether her actions are well-intentioned. She seems to like Shekure and be sympathetic to Black, and her assertion about delaying the delivery of the letter seems wise. However, the fact that Esther takes the letter to Hasan’s house suggests that she cannot be trusted. Meanwhile, from Esther’s perspective Black emerges as a rather foolish, amusing hero. While his love for Shekure is undoubtedly passionate, Black seems to turn into a timid and hapless child when it comes to matters of the heart.
Themes
Esther comments that Black has written well, but Hasan responds that he has stolen lines from another writer. Hasan asks Esther to deliver his own letter to Shekure, and the request makes her uncomfortable. At first Hasan asks Esther to tell Shekure that he will force her to return to his father’s house, but he then reconsiders and asks Esther to tell Shekure that he loves her. Later, Esther delivers both letters to Shekure, who is pleased to learn about Black’s love-struck state. Esther also notes that everyone is gossiping about Elegant’s murder, and that Elegant’s relatives have promised to avenge his death. Shekure returns to her letters, and asks Esther if Hasan knows about Black. Esther lies, saying that Hasan doesn’t know of Black’s existence. She warns Shekure that Hasan is obsessively in love with her and plans to try to marry her. Shekure confesses that she feels confused and anxious, wondering what will happen to herself and her children when Enishte dies. Esther attempts to reassure her, but Shekure insists that she is conflicted about who to marry. As Esther leaves, she assures Shekure that nothing bad will happen to her.
Like Esther and Black, Hasan is presented in an ambivalent way. Although he has behaved cruelly toward Shekure, he seems to be making an effort to reform his ways, and Shekure herself has previously admitted that she feels somewhat sympathetic toward him. At the same time, it is still rather surprising that Shekure expresses mixed feelings over whom she should marry. After all, Black is a famously handsome individual who has only ever been kind to her, whereas Hasan once tried to rape her. Esther’s confidence that everything will be fine suggests that she may think Shekure is merely putting on a front of confusion. At the same time, Esther’s belief that no misfortune will befall Shekure seems unfounded, and is perhaps rooted in Esther’s perspective as a marginalized outsider.
Themes
