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FANTASTICAL CHARACTERS IN FOLK TALES AND THEIR EDUCATIONAL
FUNCTION
Erkinova Rukhshona Utkirovna
Student of Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages
Abstract:
This article analyzes the essence and significance of fantastical characters commonly
found in folk tales—such as dragons, demons, fairies, magicians, heroes, and other mythical
beings—as well as their impact on children’s consciousness and their moral and educational
functions. The study highlights how these fantastical elements help children distinguish between
good and evil and foster qualities such as courage, honesty, and patience. Furthermore, the
pedagogical potential of symbolic characters is evaluated from a linguoculturological perspective.
Keywords:
folk tale, fantastical character, education, symbolic meaning, positive and negative
hero, oral folk literature, linguoculturology.
INTRODUCTION
The folk tale is one of the oldest and most widespread genres of oral folklore. It not only depicts
reality, but also embodies the moral, aesthetic, and philosophical views of the people. Especially,
the fantastical characters found in tales—such as dragons, demons, fairies, magicians, evil
bandits, or magical animals—though far from reality, carry deep symbolic and educational
meanings. Through these characters, society conveys opposing concepts such as good and evil,
truth and falsehood, diligence and laziness, loyalty and betrayal to children's minds.
Folk tales are an invaluable spiritual heritage of every nation’s oral tradition, reflecting
generational experience, dreams, moral values, and worldview. Tales hold a special place in the
upbringing of children, as they symbolically introduce important concepts like virtue and vice,
truth and deception. Fantastical characters—such as dragons, demons, fairies, wizards, and
magical birds or animals—make tales more engaging and memorable.
Such characters add symbolic depth to simple plots, shaping children’s moral worldview. The
victory of good characters and the defeat of evil forces strengthen children's belief in justice.
Therefore, fantastical images in tales are not merely artistic elements but serve as powerful
pedagogical tools.
This article explores the types of fantastical characters in tales, their semantic and moral
functions, and their relevance in modern education. It thus reveals the educational potential of
our national oral folklore.
METHODOLOGY
This study uses comparative-analytical and semantic approaches to examine fantastical
characters in Uzbek folk tales such as
Zumrad and Qimmat
,
The Rich and the Poor
, and
The Boy
and the Demon
. Each character's functional and moral role is analyzed within the context of the
tale. In addition, pedagogical literature and sources on child psychology are utilized to examine
the educational impact of these characters from a psycholinguistic perspective. The symbolic
meaning of these characters in the national worldview is also assessed through a
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linguoculturological approach.
RESULTS
The analysis revealed that fantastical characters in folk tales perform the following educational
functions:
Dragons, demons, and evil sorcerers
represent evil, tyranny, and injustice, creating a
psychological distance in children from such behaviors;
Fairies, magical animals, wise elders
symbolize goodness, wisdom, assistance, and patience,
thus encouraging these virtues;
Ordinary heroes (a child, a poor man, a shepherd)
achieve success through hard work,
honesty, and bravery, promoting these qualities;
Characters are placed in contrast with each other to help children understand the value of
positive traits;
Many tales promote humanistic qualities like admitting faults, loyalty, and maintaining integrity
through these characters
DISCUSSION
Fantastical characters are not just artistic elements but are also powerful pedagogical tools. From
the standpoint of child psychology, symbolic imagery enables children to comprehend real-life
situations more easily. Therefore, moral lessons conveyed through magical characters are more
deeply rooted in children's memory. The stark contrast between good and evil characters helps
form clear moral standards in young minds.
When used as didactic materials in educational settings, such characters enrich children's
spiritual world. The adaptability of tale characters also makes it easier to integrate them into
modern education. Thus, their potential is relevant not only to folklore studies but also to
pedagogy and moral education.
CONCLUSION
Fantastical characters in folk tales serve as symbolic embodiments of the moral values preserved
and passed down through generations. Through them, children absorb positive behaviors, ethical
standards, and life lessons. This study confirms that fantastical characters can be effectively used
as didactic tools in moral education. Integrating these characters into modern educational
practices yields positive results.
These characters reflect the spiritual and aesthetic worldview of the people. Dragons, demons,
fairies, magical animals, and wizards convey the struggle between good and evil and promote
human virtues through oral folklore. In addition to enriching the narrative, they serve as effective
means of moral education for the younger generation.
The findings of this study show that fantastical characters play an important role in influencing
children's consciousness and guiding them toward qualities like kindness, courage, honesty, and
patience. Symbolic characters help deliver memorable lessons that become internalized and
reflected in behavior.
In conclusion, fantastical characters in tales should not be viewed as mere decorative elements,
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but as pedagogically significant tools within the national education system. A deeper study of
their semantic, cultural, and educational potential is essential for imparting moral values in
modern education
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Poetics of Tales and Their Educational Significance
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извлечено от https://inlibrary.uz/index.php/foreign_philology/article/view/1784
