MYSTICAL CHRONOTOPE AND MYTHICAL SYMBOLISM IN CONTEMPORARY KAZAKH YOUTH PROSE

Abstract

This article explores the mystical chronotope and mythical symbolism in contemporary Kazakh youth prose, focusing on the aesthetic, psychological, and archetypal dimensions of literary space and time. The study examines how mystical elements—particularly the motifs of night, moonlight, spiritual encounters, and symbolic thresholds—contribute to the transformation of characters and narrative structure. Drawing on the works of young authors such as Lira Konys and Madina Omarova, the research identifies how mythopoetic imagery and archetypal patterns are reinterpreted in post-independence prose. The methodological framework integrates mythopoetic analysis, archetypal psychology (Jung), and chronotopic theory (Bakhtin), allowing a complex reading of symbolic structures. The article argues that mystical space functions as a catalyst for inner transformation, where characters experience liminality, initiation, and metaphysical encounters. The findings show that myth and mysticism are not mere aesthetic features but serve as ethical and spiritual codes embedded within national cultural memory. This highlights the continuity between Kazakh mythic consciousness and the evolving poetics of youth fiction.