This study examines the German translation of Orhan Pamuk’s novel entitled Beyaz Kale (The White Castle) through Nord’s functional translation theory; and, determining the components of the functional text, it attempts to illustrate a text analysis before translation and draw attention to the functional elements required in a translation. As it is known, being multi-layered is among the main features of literary texts. Literary texts, open to different interpretations every time they are read, consist of various layers such as language, style, social structure (infrastructure), historical context, author’s message or aim, target readers, and intertextuality. Consequently, before translation, the examination of these layers is undeniably important for a translation suitable for target readers in terms of the translation’s aim and function. Accordingly, in order to contribute first to literary translation activity and then to the science of translation, this study attempts to apply Nord’s functional translation theory, which she has built on Vermeer/ Reiss’ translation theory focusing on text type and aiming for text function, to the German translation of Orhan Pamuk’s Beyaz Kale. In the analysis and translation of the texts based on the theory of functionality, after the designation of the functional constituents used in the text in question, attempts have been made to comment on their roles in the text. The process of interpretation is, in a way, the indication of a cognitive process realised by each translator in the course of translation. Subsequent studies and researches must be done to enrich the existing data and the textual data both inside and outside the text must be broadened. This point of view has also been adopted by P. Kussmaul (1994), who has worked on creativity and cognitive processes in the translation. Correspondingly, another method to be used is to scan for elements unnoticed before through repetitive reading. Only after the completion of these preliminaries under discussion is it possible to scan and reveal the related textual elements. The textual constituents examined under the title of functionality components are the expressions, mainly functions of message, which the author tries to charge to the text in source language, used in a way by the author to address readers. These are expressed by the formula known as Lasswell-Equation in the science of translation. The next step is to determine, by means of their examination in the target text, whether the elements scanned and revealed in the source text have been taken into consideration or not. If they are taken into consideration in the translation, the functions that the elements bear, their significance for the text and to what extent it has been reflected in the text have been studied. In cases of the lack of functional coherence, suggestions have been made about how the function can be explicitly shown in the target language text and proposals have been made for solution when there is not a functional element in the translation at all. This paper has no direct critical purpose, but it is an attempt to suggest another method concerning the fact that functionality must be taken into consideration in the translation of literary texts.