The Home/Homeless Archetype in Modern Kazakh Literature
Demessinova L. Iskakova Z. Kazhybay A. Sultan Y. Gaukhar R. Khassenov B.
June 2025Bilingual Publishing Group
Forum for Linguistic Studies
2025#7Issue 6506 - 515 pp.
This paper explores the archetype of “home” as a sacred ethno-cultural symbol deeply embedded in the Kazakh worldview. It examines how the concept of “home” and its contrasting notion “homelessness” function in contemporary Kazakh literature, reflecting broader cultural, historical, and psychological meanings. The archetype “home” is interpreted through interconnected ideas such as “mother,” “family,” “native land,” and “light,” while “homelessness” symbolizes loss, displacement, and identity crisis. Drawing from comparative literary analysis, the study situates Kazakh representations alongside global literary traditions, uncovering both universal patterns and culturally specific distinctions. It is argued that the nomadic past of the Kazakh people, along with their mythology and oral tradition, imbues the “home” archetype with meanings that differ significantly from settled, Western interpretations. These culturally embedded meanings are revealed through symbolic landscapes, character trajectories, and narrative structures in Kazakh fiction. The paper shows how contemporary authors reinterpret ancient symbols to articulate modern experiences of belonging, alienation, and cultural continuity. By emphasizing the spiritual and existential dimensions of “home,” this study contributes to a deeper understanding of how literature reflects national identity and memory. Ultimately, the research enriches the field of cross-cultural literary studies by demonstrating how archetypes acquire diverse meanings in different cultural-historical contexts. Copyright
Archetype , Collective Unconscious , Culture , Ethnos , Literature
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Research Institute “Abai Academies”, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Astana, 010009, Kazakhstan
AdistemeLab, National Scientific and Practical Center “Til-Qazyna” Named after Shaysultan Shayakhmetov, Astana, 010009, Kazakhstan
Department of Kazakh Language and Literature, Kokshetau University named after Sh. Ualikhanov, Kokshetau, 020000, Kazakhstan
Department of Kazakh Language and Literature, A.K. Kusainov Eurasian Humanities Institute, Astana, 010009, Kazakhstan
The Pedagogical Institute, Astana International University, Astana, 010009, Kazakhstan
Department of Kazakh language, Karaganda Buketov University, Karaganda, 100028, Kazakhstan
Research Institute “Abai Academies”
AdistemeLab
Department of Kazakh Language and Literature
Department of Kazakh Language and Literature
The Pedagogical Institute
Department of Kazakh language
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