The Style of Shoyim Butaev's Stories

D. E. Kholdarov

Tashkent State University of Uzbek Language and Literature, named after Alisher Navoi, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

eywords: Story, Style, Plot, Myth, Narration, Religion, Faith.

Abstract: Socio-political and spiritual-educational shifts in society's life have generated new attitudes in the poetic

thinking of humanity. The collapse of the Red Empire, which occurred at the end of the 20th century,

disarrayed the human spirit moulded under the influence of its ideologies. In numerous works created by

Uzbek artists, there exist examples of art reflecting the temperament of disillusioned individuals, mental rifts

caused by disbelief in God, and heartrending tragedies.This article highlights methodological updates in

Uzbek short stories, human dilemmas viewed from various perspectives, and the world of diverse imagery,

using the style of the story "Wind Game" by the renowned writer Shoyim Butaev as an example. In the author's

work, the primary features of today's short story style are characterised by the artistic interpretation of

contemporary social and spiritual issues. Additionally, we observe how the outcomes of the free creative

environment during the independence period are reflected in the short story genre.

1 INTRODUCTION

Any changes in societal life give rise to new

perspectives in people's thinking and worldviews.

Since fiction reflects societal life and the emotional

experiences of those living within it, fundamental

alterations are initially expressed in fiction.

In literature, which is accustomed to portraying

individuals solely within the context of social issues,

there has been an increase in works delving into the

inner worlds of people. This situation is manifested in

creative individuals through diverse image

possibilities and styles.

Shoyim Butaev's short story "The Game of the Wind"

stands out in the history of Uzbek short stories by

harmoniously combining elements of realism and

myth. The short story opens with a depiction of the

lifestyle, dreams, unique traditions, interpersonal

relationships, and spiritual qualities of ordinary

mountain people. As the story's narrator states: "If

you listen more attentively to the words of some

individuals who appear to be doing nothing, merely

wandering around in their sagacious visions focused

on the blessed and distant horizons of the future, you

would realise that they too aspire to uphold their

Corresponding Author

honour. You would have discerned that when the time

arrived, it would become apparent to you that they

planned to commit a crime without causing anyone

heartache" (Butaev Sh. (2000),).

Since a work of art is described through the creative

inner sense of reality, every word, means of pictorial

expression, artistic detail, depiction of nature, and

actions of characters within it can achieve a low,

medium, or high status, depending on the degree to

which the author's intention aligns with reality. In

describing the highlanders' life, the author draws

attention to their intricacies that are not discernible to

the average human eye. The tranquil life and human

relationships of the Tepa village people are vividly

portrayed.

They invite the residents of Oibulok village, situated

three to four kilometres away, to carefully relocate to

Tepa village and live in peace and harmony. Because

it's about the homeland, the country, if care is not

taken, reverence could be lost. Highlanders are

acutely aware of this. However, the people of Oibulok

state: "Oibulok is our native land. It's impossible to

leave the country..." - they decline this offer (2-7).

Kholdarov, D.

The Style of Shoyim Butaev’s Stories.

DOI: 10.5220/0012487100003792

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 1st Pamir Transboundary Conference for Sustainable Societies (PAMIR 2023), pages 343-348

ISBN: 978-989-758-687-3

343

The story's plot commences with a description of an

incident in Oibulok. A flammable liquid has emerged

from underground in Oibulok. The arrival of various

unknown individuals, their influence on the local

population, the violation of ancestral traditions results

in affection leaving Oibulok. The author's main

objective was to depict the tragedies caused by the

disturbance of the village's peaceful existence. Adib

does not aim to cover the events in detail. This

situation could have bored the reader and become a

simple statement. Therefore, it adopts a compact

method of representation, that is, an enigmatic

representation.

For instance: a) The arrival of a passer-by who

belongs to no country or nationality; b) the image of

Mirza Baba, one of the village elders, when he first

saw the stranger: "The old man's heart sank for some

reason." Such an enigmatic image not only kindles

the reader's interest but also ensures that the plot of

the work gains a vast universal scope. Usually, every

individual has their birth country and nationality.

When someone encounters a stranger, they are often

intrigued and amiable. However, the individual who

entered the village possessed an unusual nationality,

country, and appearance. The entire plot of the story

revolves around these issues. The appearance,

behaviour, and voices of the characters are also

described in parallel to the resolution of the

aforementioned mysteries. Indeed, it has high artistic

value: "...in the work, the principal details of the

internal and external mental states of the characters,

that is, their gestures, behaviour, attire, customs,

traditions, the national image they belong to, the

language the author uses in speech, are sometimes

revealed through one character's gaze upon another"

(Karim B. (2008)). In Shoyim Butaev's stories, such

aesthetic principles are uniquely manifested.

Consider our cultural adage that "The eye is the

mirror of the soul." For instance, literary critic

Bahadir Karim stated: "The appearance of literary

characters is significant in select works of art,

especially in portraits, the eyes hold a central

position. 'The state of a person's heart and soul is

reflected in their words and eyes,' he posits this view

(Matekubova T. (2011)). Let's consider the detail of

the eye in the story "Wind Game" from this

perspective. Such depictions as "lice formed eyes",

"picking apples with eyes like mercury", "staring like

arrows", "drilling eyes" represent negativity in the

literature of all cultures. The ugliness in the

characters' appearances gradually prepares the reader

for the imminent calamities. As noted by literary

critic B. Sarimsakov: "...the aesthetic ideal is

expressed in the images created by the artist from the

standpoint of perfect beauty. This is usually an

accurate criterion. However, we must not forget that

the aesthetic ideal also plays a part in the creation of

images that fall within the scope of the ugliness

category of aesthetics, which does not include

absolute beauty" (Shermurodov T. (2009)).

Extending the scholar's perspective, it can be stated

that in the context of the image, character, and

portraits, on which the ugliness category is based, the

antithesis to such ugliness - the category of beauty -

appears exaggerated. Shoyim Butaev's image style is

also a leader in this respect. In the story "The Game

of the Wind" alone, there are dozens of such artistic

depictions: "eyes twinkled", "eyes as if they popped

out of their sockets", "the old man's eyes opened wide

in surprise", "bringing before his eyes", "looks like a

dragonfly's thousand eyes", "reconnoitring eyes",

"strange eyes", "strange flames flicker in their eyes",

"sad and angry expressions in their eyes",

"meaningless eyes", "eyes tear up involuntarily",

"eyes filled with blood", "eyes stiffened until they

seem to come out of their sockets". These eye details

in sentences like this help to vividly and convincingly

describe the mental state and behaviour of the

characters. The comparison of eyes in the phrases "his

eyes are like those of a child who has soiled his

pants", "how much his eyes resemble grandfather

Halim's donkey's eyes" serves to illuminate ironic

situations.

The author continues to detail the qualitative

characteristics of the characters: "The man (that is,

Berkinboy - D. H.) pulled his hand away so swiftly

that Mirza Baba, who was in awe, didn't even notice

that he was missing a pinky." The detail of the pinky

in the image carries symbolic significance. It is said

that Khizr lacked bones in his thumbs. This trait is a

symbol of kindness and neediness. "He who is in love

will be forever happy." When someone finds

themselves in a difficult situation, they say to those

who need help: "Stop, hold your thumb, aren't you

Khizr?" - such sayings exist. And Birkinboy in the

story is missing a pinky. The author skilfully utilises

this notion prevalent amongst the people, presents the

antithesis of that condition, and shapes an ironic

attitude towards Birkinboy. Over the course of the

story, the author also mentions the reason for this in

the voice of the narrator: "Berkinboy sometimes...

doesn't even have the words to say, does he have a

habit of dipping into his pocket... was his pinky not

cut off for no reason..." (Matekubova T. (2011)) The

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use of suffixes also plays a unique role in illuminating

the character of the protagonist.

The punctuation marks employed within the

image also carry specific artistic and aesthetic tasks.

It's unclear whether Birkinboy's missing pinky is

congenital or if it was actually cut off. The older

women residing in Grandma Niso's house aren't in the

habit of confidently narrating an uncertain tale.

Ellipses are used to express the notions of

"suspicion", "speculation", "hesitation" to depict a

situation where an accusation of sin might be levelled.

The detail of the finger is also utilised in the image of

Berkinboy's son, Baraka. "Something was wedged in

the chairman's palm. He recoiled, opened his palm

and looked at the young man's hand: alongside his

thumb, an extra pinky had sprouted like a twig, and

on seeing it, that finger was planted in the middle of

someone's palm." On one hand, the image amuses the

reader, and on the other, it provokes thought. The

absence of a thumb in the father, the son's extra pinky,

the wickedness, promiscuity, and hatred in

Berkinboy's son, Baraka, the vices of absence and

presence are symbolised by a single detail of the

pinky.

The subject of the author's short story "Royal Gift"

(Imomova G. (2004)) stands out for its uniqueness. In

the story "People left from the Soviets", an image of

a man shaped by the influence of the former Soviet

system was crafted, whereas the protagonist of the

piece "The Royal Gift" is an intellectual who once

served as a minister and is now retired. He had also

embedded the grossly incorrect policy of the Soviet

era that "any wealth leads to exploitation" into his

destiny. In reality, during the Soviet era, poverty and

deprivation were glorified. People composing their

biographies relished using descriptors such as

"impoverished farmer", "poor worker", "ordinary

servant". This situation granted the status of the

country's poor inhabitants as a rank, everyone was

equally impoverished. This policy was instilled from

a young age. The grandfather, who interpreted the

concept of honesty as a disinterest in material things,

neither tended to his children's upbringing nor

secured shelter for himself in his old age.

Consequently, he dies in distress. The tragedy is that

even at the end of his life, much like Mankurt (an

unthinking slave in Chinghiz Aitmatov's novel The

Day Lasts More Than a Hundred Years), he failed to

comprehend the meaning of his life.

The protagonist of the story says to the king of the

Arab nations, "We guard against valuable things, we

represent the workers, we have rid our country of

wealthy elements"( Sarimsakov B. (2004)).

The "cane" detail incorporated in the work bears

significant meaning. In our culture, the phrase "Blind

cane" is not used frivolously. There is a symbolic

meaning in the elderly king's gift of a sceptre to a

minister. A human society has developed in which

material and spiritual issues always coexist. They

cannot be separated from each other, much like form

and content. The author's aim was to emphasise that

the separation of these same acceptable concepts

leads to the destruction of both the individual and

society.

2 EXPERIMENTAL PART

An artistic portrait breathes life into a work. During

the process of reflecting the spiritual and inner worlds

of the characters within the plot of an artistic work,

sketching their portraits also becomes significant.

Depending on their stylistic abilities, writers portray

the likenesses of their characters in various manners.

Sh. Butaev integrates the representations of his

characters into the plot of the work with memorable

artistic hues. "...Berkinboy was serving tea to the

chairman, and at that moment a young man entered

the room, whose figure was a replica of Berkinboy's

stature, and whose face was adorned with stains." The

reader will certainly discern that this is Berkinboy's

only son, Baraka. One of the main characters in a

similar story, Yoshiuzok, is depicted by the writer in

accordance with his captivating style as follows: "His

cheeks were hollow, his eyes were as piercing as

arrows, and his eye bags were darkened.

His nose, on his small face, was as cumbersome as a

desiccated cucumber. His shortness of breath and the

sluggishness of his movements made Berkinboy's

comments about the 'petty guilt' seem unfounded and

aroused suspicion."

This is how the image of Yoshiuzok, whose name is

even stranger, comes into the scene. With this, the

writer expands the scope of the plot of the work,

achieving a deeper understanding of his artistic

intention. Since fiction is an art form, the image

within it is perceived with an artistic eye. Whether it's

a depiction of nature, a situation, or a character, it

must be vivid in the reader's mind. As the appearances

of the characters in the story are portrayed in an

unusual manner, their actions, postures, and ways of

The Style of Shoyim Butaev’s Stories

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speaking are also depicted to align with that image. In

the representation of Berkinboy's voice, a "weak,

feeble sound like air escaping from an under-inflated

balloon" is heard, and the chairman's "cold sweat" in

this situation, alongside Baraka's son Baraka's gesture

of "extending his hand to the chairman with a sound

akin to mould," maintain the balance between the

image and the pace of the characters.

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Mythological image in the work of the writer. The

mythological style, which is widely used in world

prose, acquires a special essence in Shoyim Butaev's

work. In the story "Game of the Wind": "The moon

was blackened and covered with dust. It was as if all

the dark colors of the sky and evil forces covered

there. On the other side, it was bright, the sun was

shining. At one time, a thin piece like a snake

separated from the black, gloomy cloud that

completely covered Oibulok and headed towards

Tepa. It would not spare anything it met on its way, it

would sweep things up to the sky, play with them, and

take them with it. That's why, until it came to the top,

the column of dust became so huge both in width and

height that one could not tell what was in this crowd

either from a distance or from close up" such images

cannot be interpreted directly. "a thin piece like a

snake" breaking out into a village living a leisurely

lifestyle and growing in an unprecedented way is an

unacceptable way of life that the writer wants to tell

in the story, the fact that the defect of the virtues

arising from not distinguishing between the unclean

and the unclean can affect everyone, the fact that

when the fire falls, the dry and the wet are burned, i.e.

"one to a thousand, and a thousand to dozens of

thousands", the truth is expressed in a symbolic and

metaphorical way. The bloodshed caused by the loss

of kindness among people, the rise of immorality, and

the retreat from the line of nationalism: "These

creatures are sprung from the earth, they come out

like lice from among the bugs, stabbing each other,

were so preoccupied with their shameful deeds that

they wouldn't even think of raising their heads and

looking around" finds its expression in the image. In

the imagination of the writer, evil, abominable and

wickedness are always embodied in the form of

mythical evil forces. In order to more vividly

demonstrate the penetration of the above-described

vileness, he draws the following image: "What he saw

was a half-snake, half-human-naked girl, whose hair

seemed to be covered with loose hair. A dark spot

covered the girl's breasts. Saffron face was frozen in

a sinister expression that looked neither dead nor

alive. Her eyes flashed violently, as if she was ready

to attract the whole world" (the emphasis is ours - D.

X.).

Wind vortex has long been perceived as the work of

demons, devils, and a symbol of evil. It is also

interpreted as a scourge dispatched by the Creator

upon morally depraved peoples. At this point in the

story, the author reinforces such a mythical image

existing among the peoples of the East and collects

other details reflecting the tangible image of evil. In

the people's imagination, Sh. Butaev's characters (the

elderly women who partook in the mamoulok dish -

D. Kh.) witness the mythical imagination that strikes

fear into hearts like a whirlwind. This is an

improbable event in reality. With this, the writer puts

forth the idea that only these elderly women, who

were distanced from the chaos in the village, deserved

to know the true situation of the people. "A little

above the cone, the whirlpool was touching the

ceiling and spinning. In its lower part, all sorts of

creatures, not human-like, and dogs, were in a

suspended position, squashing each other" (emphasis

added - D. Kh.).

In the literature on mythology, we encounter the

following information about such creatures: "During

his travels to the East, Alexander the Great met,

among other beings, cynocephaluses - people with

dog heads. Alexander drove these creatures into the

Black Cloud Mountain and imprisoned them in an

underground cave." If you pay attention to the above

passage, the snake that brought the creatures also

separated from the black cloud like a snake and then

enlarged. Therefore, the image of the creatures "who

are neither human nor dog-like" is not randomly

included in the story, but is directly linked to the

ancient mythological imagination of the peoples of

the East. A. Afanasev writes about the winged snake

girl at the base of the rabbit: "The fierceness of the

dark clouds brought by the storm, coupled with the

whirling wind, metaphorically brought out in people

the imagination that these are heavenly serpents.

We can find many traces of such imaginations in

Uzbek folk tales. There are even fairy tales titled

"Snake Girl" amongst these tales. In the East, this

image sometimes symbolises wisdom, cunning, a

benevolent patron, and at other times it represents

evil, demons, giants and dark forces in the guise of

devils. Sh. Butaev incorporates the aforementioned

elements of the mythological image into the plot to

provide a deeper interpretation of his artistic

intention. As a result, the narrative of the work

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acquires a celestial dimension. Moreover, it would

have been impossible to describe the changes in the

lives of the villagers, who are naturally simple and

trusting, and the emergence of entirely foreign

customs.

At the beginning of the play, when flammable liquid

was discovered in Oibulok, all sorts of rumours began

to circulate, "Oibulok is possessed by a demon!" say

the villagers.

In the eyes of ordinary villagers, demons also differ;

they appear as "enchantresses" that cause people to

lose their senses, some of them are malevolent spirits,

said to be preoccupied with "much larger matters". If

one pays deeper attention to the meanings concealed

behind the symbols in the image, it becomes clear that

such events have taken place in our country's recent

history, and this is the origin of the negative evils that

have affected our spirituality and traditions. Staying

true to his style, the author expresses this situation

through the characterisation of the characters, their

dialogue, that is, in a cryptic manner.

Negative vices affecting the spirituality of rural

people are evident: quarrels arise between the "lamb-

like, inoffensive" son and diligent, shrewd bride of

the old woman Qimmat; between Tokhlivoy, Nabi

Iorthew, and the mute Rahim, who live peacefully

and honestly like brothers in Kiyamalik. The real

culprit of the frosty relationship between the

governor, a butcher, and his wife, is Yoshiuzok. The

truth that this conflict is happening under the

influence of the Berkinboys' impure misdeeds is

revealed in vivid scenes. In the story, supernatural,

extraordinary, sudden and mysterious events are

harmoniously depicted alongside tangible reality.

Real events and artistic texture, historical narration

and mythical reality are intertwined in descriptions of

the chaotic situation in the village of Oibulok, the

sudden appearance of Berkinboy in Tepa village, and

the gatherings of the old women or the demons.

The author achieves his ideological and artistic aim

by comparing the people of Oibulok and Tepa village,

and finally, the inhabitants of the four houses on the

slope of Kum. The situation shifts following the

arrival of Berkinboy and later, one of the main

characters - Yoshiuzok - in the village of Tepa.

Blessings will depart from the village, evil will occur,

impurity will ascend. This portion of the work forms

a knot in the story's plot. The author's skill is evident

in his tendency to express the development of the knot

not through the depiction of events, but in the form of

characters' subjective attitudes towards them.

The plot of the work is dedicated to the interpretation

of an extraordinary event that occurred in the life of

the villagers of Tepa. Although the plot's knot - the

cause of the disasters befalling the village - is known

to the reader, its manifestation in the internal world of

the work as a mysterious event for the characters

ensures the plot's artistry, the knot's intrigue, and

amplifies the significance of the resolution revealed

at the end of the work. Overall, it serves to emphasise

the issues of national spirituality, to understand their

causes and effects. Thus, the writer imbues the

essence of the story with the significant idea that

purity, honesty, and integrity are crucial for

individual life, community life, and familial harmony.

He uses various artistic tools and images in this

process. The dense imagery at the beginning of the

story and the somewhat mysterious depiction of real

life deepen towards the end of the work.

Literary critic Tahir Shermurodov, who provided

insightful comments regarding the analysis of "Wind

Game" and concurrently expressed critical views,

offers the following thoughts about the artistic plot:

"Firstly, the most significant events of the plot should

have been shown in their happening. This statement

applies equally to the progression of images. It is only

mentioned that Berkinboy sometimes disappears

from view on Sundays and emerges in crowded and

noisy places." T. Shermurodov comments on the

conclusion of the story, writing that the author

"constructs the events superficially and forcibly".

In our opinion, concerning this story, there is no room

for the above arguments. All the events and unusual

situations in the characters' actions that T.

Shermurodov noted as shortcomings are dependent

on the essence of the internal structure of the plot,

moreover, they are justified by the author's intent and

stylistic uniqueness. However, upon closer

examination, the events and characters in the work are

interrelated. The critic's view of Berkinboy's image,

especially his thoughts about his "occasional"

disappearance or appearance, is not warranted.

Because the author intentionally emphasised such a

characteristic of this character's nature. Through the

name Berkinboy, he intended to depict the forces of

evil that work among people, sometimes openly,

sometimes covertly, and he succeeded in doing so.

The role of narratives in creating a plot is paramount.

An internal structural sequence is also evident in the

chronological depiction of events. The occasional

gatherings of old women at Nisa Acha's house serve

as the primary link between the plot's events. As this

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347

ritual repeats, the resolution of the knot, initiated by

Berkinboy's arrival in the village, is approached.

Furthermore, such mysterious images impart a

distinctive spirit to the story. The pages depicting the

chatter and conversations of the old women provide

insight into the village's traditions and spiritual life

relative to the story's events. It is as if the old women

are measuring and evaluating the events in the village

and the state of the people against their own

standards. Indeed, the author juxtaposes the timeless

spiritual traditions of the ancestors with a lack of

spirituality through this narrative thread in the story's

plot. This demonstrates balance in the life of the

villagers who are rushing heedlessly towards

ignorance and temptation of the devil. In doing so, he

promotes the national ideal that ignorance and

immorality are absent where a historical tradition of

morality exists. Naturally, the purity of these mothers,

who value their traditions, is set in opposition to evil

and depravity. On the surface, the elderly ladies

gather for a social gathering, spending their leisure

time in conversation. They converse under the

pretence of consuming goat meat. At the start of the

story, the author notes in the main body of text:

"Mothergoat is a term reserved solely for elderly

women. This is done in the pursuit of virtue," offering

a brief commentary. However, this explanation alone

might not be entirely comprehensible to the reader.

The significance of the Momoulok gathering may

remain a mystery.

Incidentally, the method of keeping certain characters

or events shrouded in mystery is characteristic of Sh.

Butaev's style. The story related to the "Mothergoat"

is revealed only when the narrative is roughly

halfway through, in the following manner: "...In

ancient times, a herdsman lived in Tepa. From the

time he set off in the morning until his late return, his

elderly mother would sit idle, gazing down the road.

To keep his mother entertained during his absence,

the herdsman slaughtered a goat and left it at home.

"'Mother,' he said as he was leaving, 'Invite the elderly

ladies and prepare the goat. Don't allow another soul

to eat it...'

"The herdsman found the stories shared by the elderly

ladies, as relayed by his mother, very pleasing. He

began to take goats from the villagers in turn and

slaughtered them for the elderly women.

"When someone's mother or grandmother went to

enjoy the goat meat, people accepted it. These stories

were repeated time and again by mothers and

grandmothers to their sons and grandsons.

"Eventually, the goat that was dedicated to the elderly

women became known as 'Mothergoat.'"

The "Mothergoat" narrative, which forms a separate

subplot within the concise storyline, helps to clarify

the overall essence of the text and the author's

ideological intention. This "Mothergoat" tradition

begins to fade away after unscrupulous and wicked

individuals like Berkinboy and Yoshiuzoq arrive in

the village of Tepa. The "Mothergoat" narration,

integrated into the storyline and depicted as a unique

event, has its own style that aligns with folk oral

traditions. The depiction of reality within it is founded

upon past tense narrative verb forms. Simultaneously,

it adds historical depth to the storyline with sentence

structures like "used to sit" and "passed".

4 CONCLUSION

In summary, Shoyim Butaev constructs the plot of the

work in a retrospective form, thereby achieving a

reconstruction of a certain village landscape and,

through it, the broader society. The state of the main

character triggers corresponding events in his

memory. A thorough analysis of this reality allows

the writer to portray events and characters from

different perspectives. This attribute also highlights

the stylistic aspects of the writer's creativity.

REFERENCES

Butaev Sh. (2000), Haet: kissalar (Life: stories), Tashkent:

East, 446 p.

Butaev Sh. (2005), Voice remaining on the street, Tashkent:

Spirituality, 247 p.

Imomova G. (2004), National and artistic speech,

Tashkent: The new generation of the century, 160 p.

Karim B. (2008) Poetic essence of "eye", artistic horizons.

Tashkent: University,. pp. 54–61.

Matekubova T. (2011) Poetic perception and skill,

Tashkent: Science and technology, 171 p.

Sarimsakov B. (2004), Principles and criteria of artistry,

Tashkent, 127 p.

Shermurodov T. (2009),Looking for an attractive

expression, Tashkent: National Library of Uzbekistan,

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