MEMORY, MORAL CHOICE, AND NATIONAL IDENTITY IN CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH AND UZBEK PROSE

Abstract

This article explores the representation of memory, moral choice, and national identity in contemporary English and Uzbek prose through a comparative literary perspective. Modern writers increasingly address questions of belonging, ethical responsibility, historical trauma, and personal dignity in response to globalization and rapid social change. The study applies comparative, narratological, hermeneutic, and discourse-analytical methods to selected English and Uzbek literary texts. The results indicate that English prose frequently emphasizes psychological memory, individual isolation, and moral ambiguity, while Uzbek prose more often foregrounds collective memory, family continuity, and ethical responsibility rooted in cultural tradition. In both traditions, protagonists are confronted with difficult moral decisions that shape their identities and relationships with society. The article concludes that literature from both cultures demonstrates how memory functions not only as recollection of the past but also as a moral force influencing the present. Comparative analysis confirms the relevance of Uzbek prose within broader world literary studies