Abstract
In the novels of Oktay Akbal, war appears not merely as a historical backdrop but as a powerful atmospheric element that triggers existential crises in individuals. The personal anxieties shaped by the war intensify within the conflict between the desire for life and the fear of death, while media instruments further deepen the effects of this climate of uncertainty on individuals. Moreover, the economic depression of the war period emerges in the novels as a crucial structural factor that fuels class stratification and moral corruption. This study aims to reveal the indirect effects of the Second World War on individuals and society as depicted in Oktay Akbal’s war-related novels. The scope is limited to the following works: Garipler Sokağı, Suçumuz İnsan Olmak, Batık Bir Gemi, İnsan Bir Ormandır, Düş Ekmeği, which reflect the social, psychological, and cultural atmosphere of wartime Turkey. The research is based on the assumption that Akbal transforms individual emotional states such as fear, uncertainty, and loneliness into a literary language through the use of media tools and everyday life details. A qualitative research method was employed, with a focus on narrative analysis and thematic content analysis. The investigation considers elements such as character dialogues, media representations (radio, newspaper), depictions of cultural life (cinema, music), and socio-economic conditions. Akbal’s works provide a rich narrative universe in terms of literary representations of World War II, documenting the psychological, cultural, and social effects of the war with a powerful literary perspective on both individual and societal levels.