In “The Grocer and the Chief,” Balgat is a great example of a town in the transition from traditional ways to modernity. During the initial interviews, the Chief represents tradition and the Grocer represents modernity in the sense of wanting to get out of his “hole.” This idea comes from increasing globalization is a very modern one, as John Gray explains. The Grocer wants to take control of his life and actively impact it by going to Ankara or even America to realize his dreams. On the other hand, the Chief is grateful for what life has given him and does not wish to change things. Another interesting thing was that Lerner seemed to use the word History to mean modernity or modernization, perhaps part of Gray’s modern myth that History truly began with modernization.

In addition, the relationship between Ankara, the capital of Turkey, and Balgat reminded me of the Scott reading on cities. As the modern Turkish state emerged in Ankara, it became the hub of traffic and activities, like Paris in the reading. Even before Balgat is developed, Ankara serves that role for the Balgati. It is where the Grocer gets his supplies, where people go to buy or sell things, where they watch movies, and where they get their news from. After Balgat’s modernization, Ankara’s role expands as it is physically more connected via the bus. Every hour, a bus full of Balgati heads to the capital, and most young men go there to work in factories. It was also interesting that although Balgat is “developed,” it still does not have the geometric layout of a planned city. This means that the locals still hold some power over outsiders or officials from the capital since they require a guide to navigate Balgat. For example, Lerner and Tahir must be guided to the Chief’s house by local children.