Kaybolduunda

Kaybolduunda is a neologism used in Turkish literary criticism to describe a specific narrative pattern in which a central character’s disappearance drives the plot and shapes the reader’s interpretation. The term combines kaybolmak (to disappear) and the suffix -unda, indicating a moment or state, roughly translating to “in the moment of disappearance.”

Definition and characteristics

Kaybolduunda refers to works where the disappearance triggers nonlinear timelines, fragmented memory, and a focus on absence rather than visible action. The event of disappearance may be unexplained or only partially explained, allowing gaps that readers are invited to fill. This device often foregrounds themes of truth, memory, social invisibility, and the fragility of certainty. It is commonly discussed in the context of postmodern and contemporary Turkish fiction, where authors use disappearance to challenge conventional plot logic and narratorial authority.

Usage and critical reception

In practice, kaybolduunda appears as a recurring structural motif rather than a single genre. Critics examine how absence reshapes character relations, alters chronological order, and influences what constitutes evidence within the narrative. Some scholars view kaybolduunda as a tool to foreground epistemic uncertainty and the limits of memory, while others see it as a formal experiment that tests the reader’s active role in meaning-making. The term has gained traction in academic discussions of modern Turkish literature, though its usage is not universal and may vary among critics.

See also

Disappearance in literature; unreliable narrator; memory studies.