“My death conceals an appalling conspiracy against our religion, our traditions and the way we see the world.”

The corpse of Elegant offers exposition, explaining that his death is due to Muslim religious beliefs. This statement provides readers with important background information to understand the novel’s plot moving forward.

“Listen to me. When I was an apprentice, I too feared and thus ignored underlying truths and voices from beyond. I’d joke about such matters. But I’ve ended up in the depths of this deplorable well! It could happen to you, be wary.”

Elegant’s corpse attempts to persuade readers that religious commitment and adherence to traditional Muslim values is vital. He uses ethos to argue that his experiences mocking religious truth and being murdered should influence more serious contemplation of and adherence to tradition.

“I was told that scoundrel and rebels were gathering in coffeehouses and proselytizing until dawn; that destitute men of dubious character, opium-addicted madmen and followers of the outlawed Kalenderi dervish sect, claiming to be on Allah’s path, would spend their nights in dervish houses dancing to music, piercing themselves with skewers and engaging in all manner of depravity, before brutally fucking each other and any boys they could find.”

Black provides important context, allowing for a greater understanding of the city of Istanbul. Here he describes the conservative factions in the city as well as those individuals who rebelled against the main tenets of the Islamic faith. The setting Black describes is chaotic and points to the various conflicts within the city. These elements in turn reflect the tensions between different artists.