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Russian Language Journal

CHINGIZ AITMATOV: A Reflection on Soviet Rule Through Memory

Keywords

Chingiz Aitmatov, Soviet rule

Abstract

The Kirghiz writer Chingiz Aitmatov[l] in the preface to his novel I дольше века длится день states his commitment to history and comments on the danger of its misuse. In this paper I examine three of Aitmatov's works, two novels and a play written with Kaltai Mukhamedzhanov, I дольше века длится день, {Прощай Гуль- сари!), and Восхождение на Фудзияму [2] These works are particularly interesting since they were written during the last three full decades of Soviet rule, and they shed some light on how Soviet rule was perceived by a leading member of the Central Asian intelligentsia. The paper specifically focuses on Aitmatov's account of the effects of the then current Soviet administration on Central Asia.[3] The theme of memory, which is the substance of Aitmatov's praxis, guides this study.

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