CURRENT RESEARCH JOURNAL OF PHILOLOGICAL SCIENCES (ISSN: 2767-3758)
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54
VOLUME:
Vol.06 Issue01 2025
10.37547/philological-crjps-06-01-11
Page: - 54-57
RESEARCH ARTICLE
The Role of Narrator Images in
Nurali Qobul’s Stories
Talipova Aida Muratovna
3rd Year doctoral student at Tashkent Institute of Textile and Light Industry, Uzbekistan
Received:
22 November 2024
Accepted:
24 December 2024
Published:
30 January 2025
INTRODUCTION
The language of a literary work is a means of verbal art
through which the author (in this case, the writer) creates
images. While constructing literary reality, the writer
makes use of the descriptive and emotional properties of
language. As a result, even within a single sentence, we
encounter an image or a figurative expression. In this
sense, the narrated events and the images within them
belong to the author. It is known that "When analyzing
literary language, each sentence reveals a specific theme
and idea, a particular image and character, as well as
elements of the plot and conflict. Therefore, the language
of a literary work should always be examined as an artistic
and aesthetic category and should be analyzed in close
connection with other components of the work." From this
perspective, we believe that the language of a literary work
should first be studied through the author’s speech or the
narrator’s discourse. Since the narrative is expressed
through the language of the narrator or narrator-character
described by the author, it necessitates the examination of
the narrator’s image.
As a researcher delves deeper into the subject under study,
they come to realize the limitations of their scientific
contemplation. Simply listing certain facts from the story
or comparing them with others does not always contribute
to a profound understanding of the work. Instead, aspects
such as the narrator, characters, composition of the work,
and its language help to grasp the artistic and ideological
essence of the story more effectively. In this sense, the
stated principle sets new tasks. That is, the analysis of a
literary work requires not only the study of the narrator’s
image but also an examination of how it structures the
work, defines its language, conveys its theme, idea, and
epic emotional nature, organizes the system of issues, and
expresses the characters' traits. This is because Nurali
Qobul "places at the center of events, first and foremost,
the narrator’s lyrically infused subjective state and life
position." Therefore, the narrator’s image plays a leading
role in the writer’s stories. Consequently, it is necessary to
study the narrator as an image, as artistic speech, and as a
structural component of the plot and composition.
In Nurali Qobul’s stories, events are narrated through the
voice of the narrator. His speech presents detailed
depictions of landscapes and characters, ensuring the
diversity of the narrator’s discourse. On the other hand,
landscapes and portraits also define the position of the
author-narrator within the composition of the story. For
example, in the stories Return and The Night of the Full
Moon, the dominance of the narrator’s image is clearly
evident. As previously mentioned, the significance of
landscape and portrait techniques is notable. The writer
narrates the story directly through the voice of the narrator-
character:
"...Lying on my back on the strawstack, I am watching the
full moon... It reminds me of Oybuvi Opa, whom my sister
ABSTRACT
The narrator’s images in Nurali Qobul’s stories hold particular significance. In his creative works, the narrator is not only the
person who conveys events but also serves as a connecting medium between the reader and the author .
Keywords:
Language of a literary work, figurative expression, image, character, narrator, narrator-character, artistic speech, author-narrator image.
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and I studied with and whom I once fell in love with. I
remember how I used to pester my sister, asking, 'When
will Oybuvi Opa come to our house?' and how, in the end,
she would bring Oybuvi Opa along just to appease me. I
recall the scent of peppercorn beads when Oybuvi Opa
hugged and kissed me. I remember Mayram Momo, who
sat all day in her yard, spinning yarn on a clay bench,
blinded by grief for her three sons who had gone to war and
never returned...” [47].
The excerpt cited from the narrator-character’s speech is
separated at the beginning and end by an ellipsis, indicating
its distinction from the main narrative composition. This
suggests that the composition is structured along two
narrative lines. The first is the composition of the narrator-
character’s internal world—his thoughts, reflections, and
epic emotions. The second is the storyline in which the
character connects with the external world, presenting
episodes related to the lives of people involved in the straw
transportation season. Logically, these two narrative lines
are interconnected through the narrator-character. Indeed,
in this passage, the subjective world and inner state of the
narrator are depicted. The narrator-character’s position
within the story is emphasized as primary.
The images of the Moon and Oybuvi Opa, recalled by the
narrator, are closely connected to him, fulfilling a unified
artistic and aesthetic function. In particular, the detail of
the moon and the name "Oy" (which means "moon" in
Uzbek) create an association, enriching the depth of the
narrator’s emotional experience. The narrator-character
also emphasizes the connection between Mayram Momo
and Oybuvi Opa, though this link is limited to the symbolic
detail of the peppercorn beads. Through this passage, while
the narrator-character describes his inner world, in the
subsequent section, he turns to depicting children:
"When the field workers finish harvesting and start
stacking the straw, we—the village boys—enter our own
season of hardship. One donkey, one sack. How many
sacks of straw you manage to take depends on your
cunning ability to outmaneuver the guard. If your father
has slipped the guard two or three soms and whispered a
word in his ear, then you’re in luck. For several days, you
can transport straw freely." [47]
Here, the writer illustrates the process in which rural
children collect straw for their livestock during winter. The
passage makes it clear that this is not an easy task. Private
ownership and keeping livestock require gathering fodder,
but there is no legal opportunity to do so. As a result,
ordinary people are forced to steal feed prepared for state
livestock. Through this, the narrator exposes the hardship
and injustice of village life.
The author employs portrait techniques to paint a picture
of rural life. However, in the following passage, the
narrator’s subjective attitude toward the process is
revealed:
"If you work hard from the cool of the evening until the
sun heats up in the morning, as my mother says, you could
transport straw for the whole world. If you get caught, the
guards will take your sack away or tear it to pieces. But
still, you must carry straw. No matter how many sacks and
bundles the guards rip apart each year, they won’t rest until
they have secured the entire winter’s supply." [47-48]
In the narrator’s speech, metaphors (until the sun heats up,
transporting straw for the whole world, winter’s straw,
won’t rest until secured) and metonymy (the entire village)
are employed to enhance the artistic impact of the
sentences and depict the rural way of life in a literary
manner. As a result, the narrator’s image, as well as the
resilience (still, you must carry straw) and helplessness of
the people he knows (his mother, the entire village), are
effectively conveyed.
The narrator’s speech is also an integral part of the story’s
composition. This means that the narrator’s discourse helps
define the plot lines and the system of characters within the
narrative. Composition, as a term, refers to the organization
of the parts of a literary work into a unified artistic concept
and their interconnection to serve a specific artistic and
aesthetic purpose. Indeed, "The proportionality between
the different parts of a literary work is called composition.
... The components that make up a composition are referred
to as elements. For example, an image (a more or less
detailed portrayal of a person, character) is the main
component of a literary work. The plot is one of the most
important components of a literary work." However,
language should also be included in this list, as it is
fundamentally shaped by the narrator’s image and speech.
In the composition of Nurali Qobul’s stories, language—
particularly monologic speech, dialogic speech, and the
method of narrating events—stands out distinctly from that
of other writers. In the stories analyzed above, the main
character primarily functions as the narrator-reporter.
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"In a literary work, all characters, including the writer
himself, are generalized images, appearing as typified
characters… In a literary work, the author’s image and the
characters' images exist in a dialectical unity, helping to
reveal each other." In this sense, Nurali Qobul provides
narrative components that align with the lifestyle,
thoughts, and daily details of the narrator-character. This,
in fact, is a fundamental requirement of both authorial and
character speech.
In Nurali Qobul’s short story America, the events are
initially narrated through the voice of the narrator-
character. This approach introduces a unique aspect to the
nature of the narrator’s speech. For instance, from the very
first sentence, the presence of strong irony in the language
of the story is evident:
"I first met him at the house of an acquaintance who dined
in grand stables and had his feet off the ground." [20]
Irony is evident in two parts of this sentence. Firstly,
although the character’s name is Tolibjon, the narrator
refers to him with a pronoun instead. The phrases "who
dined in grand stables" and "had his feet off the ground"
emphasize irony, making it clear that there is a
contradiction between the narrator, the character he
describes, and society as a whole. Furthermore, this
passage highlights the narrator’s opposition to moral
decay, injustice, hypocrisy, intrigue, opportunism, and
bribery in society.
However, in the next sentence, the story’s main character
is portrayed:
"Tall and broad-shouldered, with a noble and refined
appearance characteristic of intellectuals, Tolibjon caught
my attention with his sincere conversation that day." [20]
Here, the narrator gives a beautiful description of the
character. It becomes apparent that the narrator is
experienced enough to judge a person’s character based on
their appearance, as he explains both Tolibjon’s external
features and inner qualities in a single sentence.
Following this, the narrator does not add unnecessary
descriptions but instead introduces a proverb:
"As they say, 'Happiness has its time,' and so, I met
Tolibjon again." [20]
The proverb is used to justify the reunion of the narrator-
character and Tolibjon. This enriches the narrator’s speech,
creating a sense of closeness between the reader and the
narrator. Since proverbs are simple yet profound in
meaning, they effectively convey the intended message.
At this point, the narrator introduces a dialogue:
"When the times turn cunning, you must outwit them," he
said, as if embarrassed about his trade. [20]
The excerpts from America demonstrate the narrator’s
effective use of metaphors and proverbs. Through these
elements, the narrator subtly expresses his positive stance
toward Tolibjon’s character, while also fulfilling an artistic
and aesthetic function in the narrative.
As the story progresses, it is revealed that the narrator-
character is a journalist. However, the central plot focuses
on how an ordinary village teacher named Tolibjon rises to
become Tolib Qayumovich Qayumov, as well as the
transformation of a local police officer, Valijon Boboev.
At the beginning of the story, Tolibjon enters the post
office to subscribe to a magazine called America, but the
head of the post office misinterprets his request. The next
day, district police officer Valijon Boboev visits Tolibjon’s
office, questioning him on behalf of special services.
Interestingly, the same officer had previously relied on
Tolibjon to translate Russian texts for him, demonstrating
a certain level of trust between them. However, now
Valijon assumes an overly formal attitude, asking Tolibjon
to drive him somewhere and hinting at bribery. This
establishes Valijon as an opportunist.
Following this incident, Tolibjon, exhausted by the
injustices of village life, is offered a position at the regional
executive committee. Later, he becomes an assistant to the
region’s first secretary. Despite his career advancement, he
still commutes from his village. One day, when he runs out
of fuel on the road, the first secretary notices him and calls
for assistance. At this point, it becomes clear that Valijon
Boboev has now secured a position as a state traffic
inspector. Upon the first secretary’s orders, Valijon
arranges fuel for Tolibjon’s car, escorts him home, and
even slips money into his pocket—money he had once
taken from others.
This development fully reveals Valijon’s true character. At
the beginning of the story, he treated Tolibjon with disdain
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and strict formality, but by the end, he humbles himself
before him. Through this character, the narrator effectively
exposes how some government officials, despite being
uneducated, excel in corruption and servility.
As previously emphasized, the language of a literary work,
particularly the author’s discourse, is closely interwoven
with the composition and system of images in the story.
This interconnection allows Nurali Qobul to effectively
convey the relationship between nature and humans
through the narrator’s speech.
When narrating events through the technique of landscape
depiction, the author meticulously explains every detail.
The narrator describes his exhaustion after a long journey,
how he quickly fell into deep sleep, and how in a place with
fresh air, even a shorter sleep feels more restful. Then, he
shifts to describing the waterfall. Here, he employs a
metaphor: the purity of the air and the comparison of the
sound of water to a melody reveal the use of associative
imagery.
Through the depiction of nature, the author seems to
prepare the reader for the upcoming events. However, the
landscape in the story serves a unique artistic purpose.
Nurali Qobul uses the tranquil depiction of nature and the
narrator’s equally calm reflections to express the
underlying theme of tolerance in the story. It can also be
said that the author seeks to cultivate ecological awareness
and foster love for nature in the reader.
When crafting his story, the author takes real, lived
experiences and artistically reworks them based on his
creative vision. He processes and internalizes these
experiences, embedding his worldview and epic emotions
into every fragment of reality. In understanding and
interpreting the story, along with objective factors, the
author’s subjective world plays a crucial role. This is
clearly observed in the way the writer’s artistic and
philosophical views merge within the descriptions of the
landscape and the waterfall.
Nurali Qobul skillfully integrates firm principles and
immutable laws of life into the composition of his stories
by embedding them beneath the constantly moving
imagery and dynamic descriptions. In conclusion, in his
stories, the narrator’s speech and image appear in various
forms and styles. The most distinctive feature is the deep
subjectivity and artistic-philosophical essence of the
narration.
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