THE POETIC LANGUAGE AND STYLISTIC DIVERSITY IN KHAYRIDDIN SULTON’S SHORT STORIES

Аннотация

This article analyzes the poetic language, stylistic variety, and expressive richness found in the short stories of one of the prominent representatives of modern Uzbek literature— Khayriddin Sulton. The study focuses on his individual narrative style, use of artistic devices such as metaphors, epithets, and symbols, as well as the philosophical and lyrical-epic unity of his works. The article also highlights the author’s contribution to the genre of short stories, his approach to dialogue and character speech, and the national and spiritual depth present in his literary language. The analysis is based on Sulton's complete body of short stories, supplemented byscholarly critiques and literary studies. Keywords: Khayriddin Sulton, poetic language, stylistic diversity, artistic imagery, metaphor, national spirit,narrative technique. 1.Introduction Khairiddin Sulton (Sultonov) is one of the prominent figures of modern Uzbek prose who brought a fresh breath into the genre of the short story with his distinctive voice and unique style. Born in 1956, the writer began to actively contribute to the development of this genre in the 1980s through his realistic stories and novellas. His collections such as “Saodat Sohili” (2005), “Yozning Yolghiz Yodgori” (2005), “Ajoyib Kunlarning Birida” (2005), and “Ko‘ngil Ozodadur” (1986) gained wide popularity among readers and have now become integral works ofthenational literary heritage. Khairiddin Sulton is not only a prose writer but also a playwright, poet, and skilled translator. His translations of world authors such as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and Vasily Shukshin into Uzbek contributed to the refinement of his language and stylistic mastery. As a result, his prose is characterized not only by realistic depictions of life but also by a profound spiritual layer and poeticdepth. This article examines the richness of Sulton's poetic language and stylistic diversity through an analysis of his major short stories. It explores his place in the genre, the distinct features of his language skills, his artistic expression, the national spirit and philosophical layers in his works, the realism of dialogues and characters’ speech, and his individual style and composition. The discussion also draws on literary scholars’ and critics’ evaluations and interpretations of his works. 2.Materials andMethods page1147 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ISSN:2692-5206,ImpactFactor:12,23 AmericanAcademicpublishers,volume05,issue06,2025 Journal: https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai This study is based on the comprehensive analysis of Khayriddin Sulton’s short stories published from the 1980s to the 2010s. The primary materials include his key story collections such as “Ko‘ngil ozodadur” (The Heart Is Free), “Ajoyib kunlarning birida” (One of the Wonderful Days), “Boburning tushlari” (Bobur’s Dreams), “Sahodat sohilida” (On the Shore of Happiness), and “Yozning yolg‘iz yodgori” (The Lonely Memorial of Summer). These works were selected for their strong poetic language, rich metaphorical imagery, and national-spiritual content. Thestudy uses aqualitative literary analysis method, focusing on: Textualanalysis to identify metaphors, epithets,similes, and symbolic expressions. Stylistic analysis to evaluate Sulton’s narrative techniques, syntactic features, and expressive devices. Comparativeapproach toexaminetraditional andmodern literary styles within hisprose. Contextual interpretation based on the socio-historical and cultural settings embedded in the narratives. Additionally, critical reviews, scholarly articles, and commentaries by leading Uzbek literary critics such as Ibrohim G‘afurov, T.Turdiev, and M.Eshmuhammedov were used as secondary sources to support the thematic and stylistic interpretations. All analyses were carried out in the original Uzbeklanguage withreference to existingtranslations where available. KhairiddinSulton'sContributionto theGenreof theShortStory Having been closely connected with journalism and literature since his youth, Khairiddin Sulton entered the literary scene after graduating from the Faculty of Journalism at Tashkent State University. Initially, he worked at literary journals such as Guliston and Yoshlik, and later as an editor at various publishing houses, which brought him even closer to the process of modern literary creation. His first collections – “Quyosh Barchaga Barobar” (1980) and “Bir Oqshom Ertagi” (1981) – already demonstrated his literary skill in realistically depicting life. His book “Onamning Yurti” (1987) included several of his short stories and novellas. During the 1990s and the independence era, Khairiddin Sulton gained recognition as a writer with a distinct voice in Uzbek literature. Among his literary works, the novella genre holds a special place. Through his novellas, he not only addresses contemporary issues but also reinterprets the legacy of historical figures and national spirituality. For examp