National Code in the Literature of Kazakhstan and Central Asia

Alibek Baibolov; Saule  Abisheva; Akhlima  Saparova; Zhanakul  Sametova; Dina A.  Sabirova; Yeldos  Toktarbay

doi:10.48161/qaj.v5n3a2103

Authors

Alibek Baibolov Department of Russian Language and Literature, Faculty of Philology, Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University, Almaty 050010, Republic of Kazakhstan ;
Saule Abisheva Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University, Almaty 050010, Republic of Kazakhstan;
Akhlima Saparova Department of Kazakh Literature and Literary Theory, Faculty of Philology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050040, Republic of Kazakhstan;
Zhanakul Sametova Institute of Philology, Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University, Almaty 050010, Republic of Kazakhstan;
Dina A. Sabirova Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University, Almaty 050010, Republic of Kazakhstan
Yeldos Toktarbay Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University, Almaty 06500, Republic of Kazakhstan.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48161/qaj.v5n3a2103

Keywords:

Central Asian literature, cultural code, comparative literature, distant reading, Genette.

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explore how the “national code,” encompassing cultural values, historical memory, and identity, is represented in Kazakh and Central Asian literature through the lenses of classical narratology and distant reading. The research employs a mixed-method approach that integrates narratological analysis (drawing on Genette’s and Greimas’s frameworks), close and distant reading (including computational text analysis), and data validation through translation cross-checks and visualizations. The study focuses on Central Asian literary texts, revealing distinctive features such as collective narration, nonlinear time structures, and strong national identity motifs. Unlike Western narratives centered on individualism, these works employ epic structures, kinship networks, depictions of nature, and spiritual themes to convey cultural memory. Comparative analysis highlights unique narratological patterns shaped by regional traditions. The findings demonstrate that Central Asian fiction embeds history, tradition, and moral values into narrative form, turning literature into a medium for preserving cultural heritage and fostering national self-understanding. The study underscores the need to adapt classical narratology to culturally specific contexts and suggests pedagogical applications for teaching literature as both artistic expression and a means of civic education.

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Author Biography

Dina A. Sabirova, Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University, Almaty 050010, Republic of Kazakhstan

PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University, Institute of Philology, Almaty 050010, Republic of Kazakhstan. Literary critic.

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