Gregor Samsa from The Metamorphosis, Joseph K. from The Trial, Count Westwest from The Castle, Mümtaz from Huzur, Nuri Efendi from Saatleri Ayarlama Enstitüsü… They are all acquaintance, all from a member of our families. However, we have known them as fictional characters, that is, novel heroes who have come to life on the pages of books by imagination of master writers.

Between 11 and 12 May 2017, “Fictional Characters İstanbul Literature Festival” was held and hosted by Marmara College, Maltepe University and “Roman Kahramanları Dergisi” under the guidance of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. In the festival opened by the speech of Prof. Nabi Avcı, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, the important names including writers, critics and academicians gave seminars on many fictional characters that have impacted our lives and met with the students from Darüşşafaka High School, Erenköy Işık High School and Marmara Private College. The speakers mentioned below talked to youngsters all day on literature and novel through workshops. The speakers and themes are as follows:

Necdet Neydim; Young People’s Approach to Literature

Ercan Yılmaz; Carnivals and Heroes

Adnan Tekşen; Who is your favorite hero/heroin?

Gürkan Doğan; Child Heroes