MYTHOLOGICAL THINKING AND TOTEMIC MOTIFS IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY UZBEK PROSE: ON THE PROBLEM OF TYPOLOGICAL AFFINITY WITH THE WORKS OF CHINGIZ AITMATOV

Abstract

The article examines totemistic motifs as one of the forms of mythological thinking in 20th-century prose. The study analyzes the functions of mythopoetic and symbolic images in the works of Uzbek writers, where they serve as a means of expressing national worldview, ethical values, and the relationship between human beings and nature. Particular attention is paid to legends, archetypal images of animals, and symbolic representations of natural elements in the prose of Odil Yoqubov, Shukur Kholmirzaev, Askad Mukhtar, and others. The works of Chingiz Aitmatov are considered in a comparative aspect, revealing similarities in the use of mythological structures and symbolic imagery. The article concludes that totemistic motifs contribute to the artistic interpretation of historical experience and cultural identity in modern prose.