International Journal Of Literature And Languages
102
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijll
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue07 2025
PAGE NO.
102-105
10.37547/ijll/Volume05Issue07-27
The Contexts of American Naturalism in Jack London's
Works and Uzbek Psychological Realism in The Prose of
Utkir Hoshimov
Isakova Barchinoy Ne’matovna
Instructor, Fergana Academic Lyceum of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Independent Researcher, Fergana State University
Received:
31 May 2025;
Accepted:
29 June 2025;
Published:
31 July 2025
Abstract:
This academic article is dedicated to a comparative-typological analysis of the works of two authors
from different national literatures and literary movements: Jack London and Utkir Hoshimov. The research
examines Jack London's work within the context of American Naturalism and Utkir Hoshimov's prose within the
context of Uzbek psychological realism. The primary objective of the article is to reveal the fundamental
differences and typological commonalities in the artistic interpretation of the human condition, the nature of
conflict, the protagonist type, and the role of the environment within these two distinct literary-philosophical
systems.London's work is predominantly external (man vs. nature/society) and deterministic (influenced by
heredity and environment), whereas in Hoshimov's prose, the conflict is internal (man vs. his conscience) and
based on moral choice.
Keywords:
Comparative literature, American Naturalism, psychological realism, human condition, determinism,
conscience, individualism, communality, conflict analysis.
Introduction:
Within the landscape of world literature,
every national literature is distinguished by its unique
artistic-aesthetic system and its distinctive literary
movements. American Naturalism and Uzbek
psychological realism, emerging from two different
poles of 20th-century literature, are such unique
phenomena. A comparative-typological analysis of the
works of their prominent representatives
—
Jack
London (1876-1916) and Utkir Hoshimov (1941-
2013)
—
may at first seem to be an attempt to unite
entirely disparate phenomena. However, a deeper
examination of their creative laboratories reveals that
universal problems such as the human condition, the
individual's struggle, and the conflict between the self
and the environment are interpreted differently, yet
with essential proximity, within two distinct literary-
philosophical frameworks.
The central research problem is as follows: what
typological
commonalities
and
fundamental
differences exist between the concept of biological
determinism and the influence of heredity and
environment on an individual's fate, characteristic of
American Naturalism in Jack London's work, and the
artistic expression of conscience, moral choice, and
national
mentality,
characteristic
of
Uzbek
psychological realism in Utkir Hoshimov's prose?
The purpose of this study is to reveal the unique
aspects of the artistic interpretation of the human
condition, its struggle, and its relationship with the
environment by comparatively analyzing the works of
Jack London and O‘tkir Hoshimov within the contexts of
American Naturalism and Uzbek psychological realism.
The academic novelty of this research lies in the fact
that, for the first time in Uzbek literary studies, the
works of these two authors are being examined within
the specific literary movements of Naturalism and
psychological realism, with a comparative analysis of
their philosophical-aesthetic foundations. The objects
of this study include J. London's novels Martin Eden and
The Call of the Wild, and U. Hoshimov's novels Between
Two Doors and Lives Lived in a Dream.
METHOD
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International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834)
The work of Jack London and the movement of
American Naturalism have been extensively studied by
international scholars such as Donald Pizer, Earle Labor,
and Charles Walcutt. In his work Twentieth-Century
American Naturalism: An Interpretation, D. Pizer
analyzes naturalism not merely as pessimism, but as a
philosophical position demonstrating that human life is
subject to complex, deterministic forces (heredity,
environment, chance) E. Labor, on the other hand,
studied London from the perspective of mythological
criticism, identifying archetypal struggle motifs in his
works.
The works of Utkir Hoshimov and Uzbek psychological
realism have been thoroughly researched by Uzbek
scholars like Umarali Normatov, Naim Karimov, and
Ibrohim Gafurov. U. Normatov refers to the author as a
"connoisseur of the human soul" and emphasizes that
his prose contains sublime examples of psychological
analysis. These studies highlight that U. Hoshimov's
work is grounded in national soil and that the
spirituality of his characters is based on the concepts of
conscience and compassion (mehr-oqibat).
However, there is no specialized research that
examines the works of these two authors specifically
through the lens of the relationship between two
different literary-philosophical systems: American
Naturalism and Uzbek psychological realism.
The methodological basis of this study consists of the
comparative-typological, historical-contextual, and
structural-semantic analysis methods.
The comparative-typological method is employed to
identify the typological commonalities and differences
in the works of the two authors within the framework
of their respective literary movements.
The historical-contextual approach necessitates taking
into account the socio-historical environment that
influenced each author (the era of "wild capitalism" in
America for London; Soviet and post-Soviet Uzbekistan
for Hoshimov).
Structural-semantic analysis serves to deeply explore
the layers of meaning in the images, conflicts, and
symbols within the works.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
The research has identified three fundamental
differences in the concept of the human condition and
its struggle, as defined by the literary movements of
Jack London and Utkir Hoshimov.
A. The Nature of Conflict: External and Internal
Struggle
Jack London and American Naturalism: In London's
work, the conflict is predominantly external. His
characters struggle against objective, unforgiving
forces for survival. These forces are:
1.
Nature: In The Call of the Wild, Buck's
awakening of ancestral instincts to adapt to the wild, or
the prospector's struggle against cold, hunger, and wild
animals in "Love of Life," are prime examples. Here,
nature is a ruthless arena of struggle governed by
Darwinian laws.
2.
Society: In the novel Martin Eden, the
protagonist battles against a bourgeois society that
refuses to recognize his talent and worships money and
status. This struggle is also external and socio-
economic in nature Utkir Hoshimov and Uzbek
Psychological Realism: In Hoshimov's work, the conflict
largely shifts to the internal world. His characters
struggle less with external forces and more with their
own consciences, memories, and moral dilemmas.
1.
Conscience: In the novel Between Two Doors,
the character Kimsan Polvon lives a lifetime in the
torment of his conscience for having abandoned a
friend during the war. This struggle takes place within
his soul and is reflected in the external world.
2.
Moral Choice: Rustam in Lives Lived in a Dream,
unable to reintegrate into his society after the spiritual
trauma of the Afghan War, struggles with his own self.
His tragedy is not physical but a spiritual collapse.
Thus, while naturalism focuses on external
determinism, psychological realism is grounded in
internal, moral choice.
B. The Conception of the Protagonist: The Individualist
and The Community Man
Jack London's Individualist Protagonist: London's
characters
are
often
solitary,
strong-willed
individualists. They stand close to Nietzsche's concept
of the "Superman" (Übermensch). Wolf Larsen (The
Sea-Wolf) or Martin Eden reject the moral norms of
society and attempt to live by their own laws. Their
strength and their tragedy lie in this individualism. The
demise of Martin Eden is the tragic result of
individualism being rejected by society. They strive to
create their own destinies but are often defeated by
biological or social laws.
Utkir Hoshimov's Community-Oriented Protagonist:
Hoshimov's characters are never imagined as detached
from
society,
family,
or
the
mahalla
(community/neighborhood). They are inextricably
linked to the communal spirit characteristic of the
Uzbek national mentality. Their personality and fate are
revealed through their relationships with their family,
children, and neighbors. The novel Between Two Doors
itself portrays the tragedy of an entire nation during the
war through the fate of several families living in a single
courtyard. The character's personal happiness or
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International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834)
misery is seen as intrinsically linked to the state of the
community. For them, the greatest punishment is to be
deprived of the community and the affection of loved
ones.
C. The Role of the Environment: Biological
Determinism and A Moral Criterion
The Environment in American Naturalism: For London,
the environment is a deterministic force that shapes
the individual and subordinates them to its laws.
The Natural Environment: The cold and wild nature of
the North (The Call of the Wild) makes the creatures
struggling to survive there ruthless, awakening their
primal instincts. Buck's transformation from a dog into
a wolf is precisely the result of the environment's
influence.
The Social Environment: The bourgeois environment in
Martin Eden is based on false, superficial values. It
cannot accept a sincere and talented individual like
Martin and leads him to his destruction. Here, the
environment conquers the individual.
The Environment in Uzbek Psychological Realism: In
Hoshimov's work, the environment (mahalla, society) is
not a mold that determines the individual but a
criterion that tests their moral qualities. The characters
do not become victims of the environment; rather,
within that environment, they choose the path of
preserving or losing their humanity and conscience.
The war setting (environment) in Between Two Doors
serves as a test that reveals who each character truly
is
—
brave or cowardly, loyal or treacherous. Here, the
environment gives the individual the opportunity to
choose, and their tragedy or triumph is linked to that
choice
The obtained results demonstrate that the
fundamental differences stem from the philosophical-
aesthetic foundations of the literary movements that
defined the works of Jack London and Utkir Hoshimov.
The Philosophical Roots of American Naturalism: Jack
London's work is intrinsically linked to the scientific
discoveries of the late 19th century
—
Darwin's theory
of evolution, Spencer's Social Darwinism, and
Nietzsche's individualism. This movement views man
not as the center of the universe, but as a creature
subject to biological and social laws. Therefore, in
London's works, instinct often takes precedence over
reason, and physical survival over moral principles. His
realism is based on depicting life "as it is," including its
harshest and most brutal aspects, with scientific
objectivity. His pessimism arises from acknowledging
man's powerlessness before forces greater than
himself.
The National Foundations of Uzbek Psychological
Realism: Utkir Hoshimov's work is not based on
Western scientific-philosophical concepts but on the
centuries-old spiritual and ethical values of the Uzbek
people. For this realism, man is not just a biological
being but, above all, a moral being. The most important
criterion for him is conscience (vijdon). Conscience is
the divine voice within the individual, a sense of
responsibility before society and God. Therefore, in
Hoshimov's prose, every action of a person is filtered
through the prism of their conscience. Here, it is not
determinism but the freedom of moral choice that
takes precedence. Man is not seen as a slave to the
environment but as a willed individual who has the
opportunity to preserve or lose his humanity even in
the most difficult conditions. This, in turn, defines the
humanistic essence of Uzbek literature.
Thus, if Jack London investigates man's place in nature,
Utkir Hoshimov investigates man's place in society and
within his own soul. For the former, the struggle is to
survive; for the latter, it is to remain human.
CONCLUSION
A comparative analysis of Jack London's work in the
context of American Naturalism and Utkir Hoshimov's
prose in the context of Uzbek psychological realism
allows for the following scholarly conclusions:
1.
Locus of Conflict: In London's work, the locus of
conflict is in the external world (the struggle of man vs.
nature/society), whereas in Hoshimov's work, it is
shifted to the internal world (the struggle of man with
his conscience).
2.
Philosophical Basis: London's work is based on
the philosophy of biological and social determinism,
where heredity and environment determine human
fate. Hoshimov's prose relies on the idea of freedom of
moral choice and the individual's spiritual responsibility
for their actions.
3.
Protagonist Type: While American Naturalism
created the individualist, solitary fighter, Uzbek
psychological realism brought to the forefront the
community-oriented character who finds their moral
identity within society.
4.
The Role of the Environment: In London's
works, the environment is a mold that shapes and
subjugates the individual, whereas in Hoshimov's, it
serves as a criterion that tests the individual's moral
and spiritual qualities.
This analysis shows that American Naturalism and
Uzbek psychological realism, by filtering universal
human problems through their own national-cultural
and philosophical-aesthetic prisms, have created
entirely unique artistic worlds. While Jack London
showed humanity's limits before nature, Utkir
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
105
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijll
International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834)
Hoshimov discovered the boundlessness of the human
conscience. A comparison of the works of these two
authors proves the diversity of the world literary
process and demonstrates that universal human values
can find different, yet equally profound, artistic
interpretations in different cultures.
REFERENCES
Gafurov, I. (2003). Mangu latofat. Toshkent: Sharq.
Hoshimov, U. (2015). Ikki eshik orasi. Roman. Toshkent:
Gafur Gulom nomidagi nashriyot-matbaa ijodiy uyi.
Hoshimov, U. (2011). Tushda kechgan umrlar. Roman.
Toshkent: “Sharq”.
Karimov, N. (2008). XX asr o‘zbek adabiyoti
manzaralari. Toshkent: “O‘zbekiston”.
Labor, E. (1994). The Portable Jack London. Viking
Penguin.
London, J. (1982). The Call of the Wild, White Fang, and
Other Stories. Penguin Books.
London, J. (2016). Martin Iden. (T. Alimov tarjimasi).
Toshkent: “Yangi asr avlodi”.
Normatov, U. (2007). Iste’dod sehri. Toshkent: “Sharq”.
Pizer, D. (1982). Twentieth-Century American
Naturalism: An Interpretation. Southern Illinois
University Press.
Reesman, J. C. (2009). Jack London's Racial Lives: A
Critical Biography. University of Georgia Press.
