Güneş Altunkaş Explores Digital Addiction and Loneliness in Her New Novel
Author Güneş Altunkaş discussed how the digital world isolates people, the concept of family, and her personal struggles in her latest work, Seven Days of Silence.
In her latest novel, Seven Days of Silence, author Güneş Altunkaş chronicles people isolated amidst the noise of the digital world, the definition of being a family, the lives of CODA individuals, and the difficult health processes she herself went through.
The Noise of the Digital World and Loneliness
Author Güneş Altunkaş draws attention to the phenomenon of alienation brought about by the digital age in her latest novel. The work addresses people who sit at the same table staring constantly at screens and fail to notice what the person across from them is actually experiencing.
A One-Week Digital Break Proposal
The novel begins with the story of five childhood friends of college age and a digital challenge. One member of the group's suggestion to stay away from social media for a week ignites discussions on digital addiction in the book.
Re-examining the Concept of Family
Altunkaş also puts the phenomenon of family on the table in the novel, emphasizing that sharing the same blood or living in the same house does not mean being a family on its own. She states that a real family begins wherever a person feels safe and understood.
Emphasis on CODA Individuals and Sign Language
The book also sheds light on CODA individuals, who are the hearing children of hearing-impaired parents. The author argues that sign language should be an issue for everyone, not just a specific segment of society.
Difficult Health Processes and Real Life
At the end of the interview, Güneş Altunkaş shared that while her mother was undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer, she herself was diagnosed with uterine and ovarian cancer and received chemotherapy. The author noted that real life is heavier than fiction for this process.