SCIENCE AND INNOVATION
INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 11 NOVEMBER 2025
ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ
12
THE ISSUE OF HUMANITY AND MORAL VALUES IN
SHUKUR KHOLMIRZAYEV’S NOVELLAS
M.O. Khamido a
Candida e o Philological Sciences, P o esso , Namangan S a e Uni e si y
h ps://doi.o g/10.5281/zenodo.17693989
Abs ac . In he wo ks o one o he p ominen ep esen a i es o Uzbek li e a u e, Shuku
Kholmi zaye , he e hical issues ha a e signi ican in mode n socie y a e e ealed h ough he
mo al choices o he main cha ac e s, hei li e expe iences and hei loyal y o he p inciples o
humani y. This a icle analyzes he ole o humani y and mo al alues in he au ho ’s no ellas, as
well as how hese e lec his socio-spi i ual wo ld iew. The s udy discusses he a is ic means
h ough which mo al ideals and human i ues a e exp essed in he w i e ’s c ea i e wo ks, and
explo es he social and spi i ual pu poses o his no ellas.
Keywo ds: no ella, humani y, mo al alues, e hics, mo al choice, socio-spi i ual issues,
a is ic analysis, cha ac e s, spi i uali y.
In oduc ion
I is impo an o men ion ha li e a u e is an impo an means o e lec ing he spi i ual
and mo al alues o humani y. In pa icula , wo ks w i en in he gen e o he no ella play a special
ole in depic ing signi ican mo al issues in social li e. In he c ea i e legacy o one o he b igh es
ep esen a i es o Uzbek li e a u e, Shuku Kholmi zaye , he hemes o humani y and mo al
alues consis en ly occupy a cen al place. This a icle analyzes how he p inciples o humani y
and mo al no ms a e a is ically exp essed in Shuku Kholmi zaye ’s no ellas and discusses hei
signi icance o mode n socie y.
Indeed, in Kholmi zaye ’s no ellas, humani y and mo al alues s and a he co e o his
a is ic ision. The au ho mas e ully po ays he inne wo ld o he indi idual, his mo al choices,
and he spi i ual challenges he aces in li e si ua ions. The p o agonis s in his wo ks o en con on
complex e hical dilemmas and demons a e loyal y o he p inciples o humani y. In
Kholmi zaye ’s c ea i e wo ld iew, mo al alues such as hones y, pa io ism, compassion, and
jus ice occupy a c ucial posi ion. Fo example, in he no ella “Tolqinla ” (“Buk i ol”), he main
cha ac e embodies he ideal o humani y by upholding mo al p inciples despi e acing ha dships
in li e. Th ough his wo k, he au ho in i es eade s o eexamine he e hical ounda ions o hei
own decisions and ac ions.
Mo eo e , Shuku Kholmi zaye ’s no ellas also add ess social and spi i ual issues,
emphasizing he i al ole o humanis ic alues in esol ing hem. The au ho con eys o eade s
he impo ance o adhe ing o mo al no ms when con on ing injus ice and inequali y in socie y.
In his way, his wo ks possess no only a is ic bu also social signi icance, encou aging eade s o
hink deeply and engage in sel -cul i a ion. Kholmi zaye ’s a is ic language and s yle also se e
as powe ul ools o exp essing humani y and mo al alues. His simple ye emo ionally
compelling s yle allows he au ho o e eal he inne wo ld o his cha ac e s wi h g ea dep h,
lea ing a p o ound spi i ual imp ession on eade s.
The w i e did no ha e o sea ch a o his p o agonis s; he d ew inspi a ion om he li es
o people a ound him hose he admi ed and el connec ed o. Nea ly all o he a is ic images he
SCIENCE AND INNOVATION
INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 11 NOVEMBER 2025
ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ
13
c ea ed e lec he li es yle o his compa io s and close acquain ances. This dedica ion o
au hen ici y—and his abili y o ind “a needle in he hays ack” can be ega ded as a ma k o genius.
Indeed, he a is ic images c ea ed by Shuku Kholmi zaye s and among he ines examples o
wo ld li e a u e [8]. F om his ea lies no ellas, he w i e began o ealize he impo ance o
depic ing psychological con lic s and emo ional u moil. In pa icula , in he magazine e sion o
“Tolqinla ” (“Buk i ol”), he cha ac e o Ma’mu jon was po ayed a he supe icially. Awa e
o his, he au ho sough in he book e sion o he wo k o explo e he he o’s inne wo ld mo e
deeply— h ough his own in e nal oice, his “I.”
A he cen e o he no ella “Tolqinla ” s ands he igu e o Oyna sis e , a woman ich in
li e expe ience, who has endu ed many ha dships. F om beginning o end, he au ho ’s a en ion is
d awn o wo quali ies o Oyna sis e : i s , she is a leade who is loyal o he public cause and
s ands i m in he p inciples; second, she is a noble and kind-hea ed pe son wi h a gene osi y as
as as a i e . In he no ella, hese wo ai s in e wine—he nobili y, o in o he wo ds, he
humanism, ado ns he p inciples and ele a es he humani a ian ou look. The w i e skill ully
shows how hese wo cha ac e is ics coexis wi hin a single indi idual. Because o hese quali ies,
Oyna sis e us s Mamu jon; and because o hese same quali ies, she is able o i mly oppose his
laws. Fo a young w i e wi h limi ed expe ience, jus en e ing he li e a y scene, o exp ess such
complex ideas is no easy ask. Ye Shuku Kholmi zaye succeeded and his skill did no go
unno iced by he enowned w i e Abdulla Qahho o his ime.
In his no ellas and sho s o ies, Shuku Kholmi zaye ea s he a e o his cha ac e s wi h
g ea ca e and sensi i i y. I , unde he in luence o a ce ain en i onmen , a pe son s ays om
he mo al no ms o socie y, he eade senses he au ho ’s disapp o al some imes e en his quie
i ony. Howe e , when he desc ibes a young pe son who, unde he in luence o a heal hy mo al
a mosphe e, inds he igh pa h, we can almos see a sa is ied smile appea on he au ho ’s ace
h ough his w i ing. Kholmi zaye does no ollow he “ ashion” o w i e s who i s make hei
cha ac e s e and hen suddenly edeem hem. When he si ua ion demands, he knows how o
punish his cha ac e s i mly.
In “Tolqinla ,” Mamu jon, in he magazine e sion, belonged o he ype o cha ac e s who
unde go an ab up ans o ma ion. Howe e , in e ising he s o y o book publica ion, he au ho
mas e ully compels Ma’mu jon o con on himsel — o look a his own ugly e lec ion as i in a
la ge mi o — hus inding an o iginal and psychologically p o ound o m o punishmen . The
e en s depic ed in “Tolqinla ” a e ela ed o he w i e ’s own amily home, and one o he main
cha ac e s, Oyna sis e , is based on he au ho ’s mo he . The w i e desc ibes he as ollows:
“When Oyna sis e was young, she was s aigh o wa d and ou spoken. I is said ha she
was he i s o decla e he lo e o he husband. He husband, No mu od Naimo , was he edi o
o he dis ic newspape —a e y gen le and sensi i e man. He would walk sligh ly ben , s ep
so ly, and speak quie ly. Oynaxon, on he o he hand, held a s ong posi ion in he amily—she
was he one who held he eins.”
This au obiog aphical ounda ion adds emo ional dep h and au hen ici y o he no ella,
making “Tolqinla ” no only a mo al and psychological na a i e bu also a hea el ibu e o he
au ho ’s oo s and he women who shaped his wo ld iew. The no ella “Tolqinla ” (“Buk i ol”
“The C ooked Willow”) signaled he eme gence o a new wa e in Uzbek li e a u e, spa king wide-
anging deba e and discussion among eade s and c i ics alike.
The o iginal i le o he wo k, “Buk i ol” (“The C ooked Willow”), in i es in e p e a ion.
Why his name? Why c ooked? I is known ha i a willow o any ee is p ope ly nu u ed, i
SCIENCE AND INNOVATION
INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 11 NOVEMBER 2025
ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ
14
g ows s aigh and all. Bu he c ookedness o he willow in he no ella ca ies symbolic meaning.
I sugges s ha when some hing—o mo e impo an ly, someone is no aised wi h p ope guidance
and mo al educa ion, ha pe son g ows up “ben ,” as ay, and mo ally de o med. The en i e
message o he s o y e ol es a ound his idea.
A i s co e, he no ella p esen s a simple ye p o ound s o y— he mis o unes ha be all a
young man as a esul o imp ope upb inging. Fo Ma’mu jon, a i ing a he dis ic o ice
(Rayso e ), demanding money om pe i ione s, o decei ing o he s as Olmas sis e poin s ou
seemed na u al. He li ed in an en i onmen domina ed by mo al co up ion and dishones y. A
i s , Oyna sis e dis us ed him, bu o e ime she began o belie e in him pe haps his e en
in luenced he willingness o le he daugh e ma y him. Ano he eason was ha Ma’mu jon had
begun o heed Oyna sis e ’s ad ice and ep imands showing signs o mo al g ow h. Ye , as he
saying goes, “Only he g a e can s aigh en a hunchback.” Ma’mu jon’s inal ac in he s o y
clea ly illus a es his u h.
A he end o he no ella, Mamu jon no ices a willow ee ben owa d he s eam, i s unk
cu ed a e being s uck by a boulde ha had olled down om a cli . Pe haps a ha momen ,
he ealizes ha his own li e esembles ha o he willow—ben and b oken by ex e nal blows and
inne weakness. The cha ac e s in “Tolqinla ” (“Buk i ol”) a e po ayed as since e, simple, and
deeply human. One o hem, Sanam, g ew up dep i ed o a a he ’s a ec ion and la e ound no
happiness in ma iage. He husband, Uma jon, died p ema u ely. In one poignan passage, Oyna
sis e com o s Sanam:
“I ’s win e ou side he beas s a e sca e ing he hays acks. Don’ deny i , my child, I know
you’ e been c ying again. Bu s op now i was a e, des iny. O he wise, why would a mine ha
hadn’ ha med anyone o yea s collapse on Uma jon o all people? One dies by i e, ano he by
wa e , hey say you husband’s a e was w i en ha way. You’ e only o men ing you sel in ain.
Be g a e ul you lack no hing. You ha e you mo he ’s p o ec ion o e you head. May God make
my Oyna’s head as s ong as s one.” [7, p.4] This passage e eals he angled, agic a e o Sanam,
while also con eying he one o empa hy and esilience ypical o Kholmi zaye ’s emale
cha ac e s.
The c uel poli ics o he So ie e a did no spa e he child en o hose pe secu ed du ing he
pu ges. Ma’mu jon, oo, becomes a ic im o ha sys em. Th ough he e en s in he no ella, he
au ho powe ully cap u es he agedy o hose ep essed hei su e ing, mo al down all, and
spi i ual endu ance. A he same ime, he inco po a es au obiog aphical elemen s, e lec ing
momen s om his own li e and amily his o y. The blending o biog aphical and ic ional elemen s
in he no ella gen e has o en been no ed in li e a y c i icism examples o his can be ound in he
wo ks o She wood Ande son, Leo Tols oy, Maxim Go ky, Ga u Gulom, Oybek, and Abdulla
Qahho . In one pa icula ly s iking scene, Kholmi zaye desc ibes Oyna sis e ’s encoun e wi h
he husband’s co pse:
“Oyna sis e has ily h ew on he quil ed coa she had d aped o e he shoulde and
ollowed he policeman. A he s a ion hey said some hing o com o he , bu she could ba ely
comp ehend hei wo ds. Finally, hey led he o a la ge cou ya d pa ed wi h ed b icks, owa ds
a building wi h c umbling plas e . Passing h ough a dim, mus y-smelling co ido , hey eached a
hick pine doo . When i opened, he pale ligh e ealed a man lying la on his back in he middle
o he oom. His ace was un ecognizable; me al ings glin ed by his head, and he su oca ing
smell o wa m blood illed he ai . In an ins an , Oyna sis e ushed o wa d, knel beside he body,
SCIENCE AND INNOVATION
INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 11 NOVEMBER 2025
ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ
15
and, sobbing hoa sely, began o shake him despe a ely. When he did no mo e, she ain ed beside
him” [7, pp. 34–35]
This passage demons a es bo h he w i e ’s a is ic mas e y and his abili y o make eade s
eel he pain and ho o o an e a. By d awing upon eal-li e expe iences, Kholmi zaye exposes
he mo al and emo ional oll o his ime, depic ing he ull agedy o li e behind p ison walls.
Yea s la e , hose who had been w ong ully imp isoned we e ehabili a ed. One day, he same
policeman who had once u ned away om Oyna sis e a i es a he doo his ime ca ying a
le e w i en by he la e husband, No mu od, be o e his dea h. The pain ul e en s o li e es ed
Oyna sis e ’s s eng h coun less imes, ye e e y ha dship only made he wise , s onge , and mo e
s ead as .
The li es o Oyna sis e , Sanam, and Ma’mu jon in Shuku Kholmi zaye ’s no ella
“Tolqinla ” (“Buk i ol”) sha e s iking simila i ies. Bo h Oyna sis e and Sanam lose hei
husbands ea ly, while Ma’mu jon g ows up yea ning o he wa m h o pa en al a ec ion. The
w i e ’s mas e y lies in his abili y o use e e y de ail o e eal he main idea o he wo k. This is
e iden e en in his desc ip ion o he a i al o sp ing—a mo i ich wi h symbolic meaning. The
ha mony be ween a is ic idea and a is ic image la gely de e mines he success o he no ella.
“Sp ing en e ed Sanam’s ga den behind he hills wi hou asking anyone, wi hou
wonde ing whe he he e was anyone in he ya d o no . The ips o he ap ico buds bu s open,
showing ain whi e-pink s eaks inside hei b own shells. In he muddy ield, oul-smelling ye
beau i ul ea ly sp ing plan s sp ou ed e enly. The ows o che y ees ben o e hem also
awakened: hough he e was s ill no sign o blossoms, iny g een lea es began o appea .
Li e con inues in i s own way—e e yone wi h hei own wo ies, hei own so ows.” [7, p.27]
These lines symbolize he e e ni y o li e. Sp ing always e u ns, while human beings like
he seasons come and go. In his endless cycle, a pe son con inues s i ing owa d he g ea pu pose
o sel - ealiza ion. The no ella cap u es his noble aspi a ion wi h deep compassion and lo e. The
landscape desc ip ions (o peyzaj) play a c ucial psychological ole, se ing as a mi o o he
cha ac e s’ inne s a es. The ela ionship be ween na u e and human emo ion s eng hens he
hema ic dep h o he wo k: jus as sp ing symbolizes enewal and hope, he human soul seeks i s
own “sp ing” o happiness. Th ough he image o Sanam, he w i e po ays a pe son sea ching
o he sp ing ime o he li e.
The cha ac e s o he no ella a e deeply ai h ul and humane bound by a ec ion and
loyal y. I is his emo ional s eng h ha allows hem o endu e he blows o a e and eme ge
s onge . Mamu jon, ou wa dly a modes and innocen young man, is e ealed by he au ho o
ha e hidden laws. Unde he p e ense o hospi ali y, Mamu jon ies o ick Oyna sis e in o
signing alse documen s some hing she, as a pe son o in eg i y, canno ole a e.
A i s , Kholmi zaye app oaches Mamu jon’s cha ac e wi h empa hy, leading he eade
o pe cei e him as a simple, humble indi idual. The au ho ini ially wi hholds any di ec
commen a y on his inne wo ld. Howe e , as he s o y un olds, Oyna sis e begins o no ice
beha io in Mamu jon ha does no sui a decen young man, and she ep imands him se e al
imes. A woman who has always li ed hones ly and pu ely, Oyna sis e canno bea o deal wi h
la e e s o decei e s. The au ho con eys his ension i idly h ough dialogue:
“Mamu jon, o gi e me, while I emembe , I’d like o say some hing: he e’s one habi o
you s I don’ like. Mamu jon looked a Oyna sis e imidly om unde his b ow, lowe ed his
head, and clasped his hands oge he . Then, mumbling, he asked: Wha habi , sis e jon?
SCIENCE AND INNOVATION
INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL VOLUME 4 ISSUE 11 NOVEMBER 2025
ISSN: 2181-3337 | SCIENTISTS.UZ
16
This e y habi o you s s anding he e wi h you hands clasped and you head bowed. I
emba asses me. I you don’ wan o emba ass you boss, s op doing i .” [7, pp. 8–9]. Th ough
his seemingly simple exchange, he au ho e eals wha lies benea h Ma’mu jon’s beha io a
endency owa d decei and hypoc isy. Oyna sis e senses his and wa ns him. Ye , despi e his
laws, Ma’mu jon con inues o d aw he a en ion o hose a ound him—Sanam, O lmas sis e , and
Oyna sis e he sel . Sanam, ouched by his appa en simplici y and humili y, e en ually ma ies
him.
The cha ac e s o “Tolqinla ” a e no p oduc s o lee ing poli ical ends; a he , hey
embody imeless mo al and psychological u hs. Thei inne s uggles and humani y ma k a new
s age in he de elopmen o Uzbek no ella w i ing. Fo his eason, “Tolqinla ” and i s cha ac e s
can igh ly be ega ded as a signi ican achie emen and inno a ion in mode n Uzbek p os e. In
Shuku Kholmi zaye ’s no ellas, humani y and mo al alues a e p esen ed as cen al hemes.
Th ough his cha ac e s’ mo al choices, emo ional expe iences, and spi i ual e lec ions, he au ho
a is ically exp esses humani y’s mos essen ial i ues hones y, jus ice, compassion, and
pa io ism. These alues, as e ealed h ough ex ual analysis, se e no only he mo al in eg i y
o he indi idual bu also he spi i ual pe ec ion o socie y as a whole. Kholmi zaye shows ha
adhe ence o he p inciples o humani y ensu es social jus ice and s abili y.
Conclusion
Mo eo e , he emo ional dep h and exp essi eness o Kholmi zaye ’s a is ic language and
s yle enable eade s o pe cei e mo al and e hical dilemmas mo e p o oundly. His wo ks inspi e
spi i ual g ow h and he de elopmen o mo al consciousness, encou aging eade s o e lec on
hei own e hical beha io . As a esul , he w i e ’s c ea i e legacy holds an impo an place no
only in Uzbek li e a u e bu also in he b oade p ocess o socie y’s mo al and spi i ual
de elopmen , o e ing new pe spec i es and app oaches o he a is ic explo a ion o humani y and
mo al alues.
REFERENCES
1. Khamido a, M. O. Shuku Kholmi zae a c ea i e expose o pe son and socie y’s illnesses.
In e na ional Scien i ic Jou nal Science and Inno a ion, Se ies C, Volume 3, Issue 1, Janua y
2024, pp. 109–113.
2. Khamido a, M. O. W i ing skills and a is ic ools. Science and Inno a ion In e na ional
Scien i ic Jou nal, Volume 2, Issue 4, Ap il 2023, pp. 125–127.
3. Khamido a, M. The s ylis ic and a is ic uniqueness o Shuku Kholmi zaye ’s sho s o ies.
Namangan S a e Uni e si y Bulle in, No. 4, 2021, p. 331.
4. Khamido a, M. O. Shuku Kholmi zae ’s skill in c ea ing na ional cha ac e . Science and
Inno a ion In e na ional Scien i ic Jou nal, Volume 2, Issue 12, Decembe 2023, pp. 104–
110.
5. Qoshjono , M. Doim izlanishda (Always in Sea ch). A ailable a :
h ps:// ele ype.in/@o abeksa a o /OsI aMeE Zj, 1972.
6. Kholmi zaye , Sh. Selec ed Wo ks: Volume I Sho S o ies. Tashken : Sha q, 2003, 448 p.
7. Kholmi zaye , Sh. To he Moun ains Fell Snow: No ellas and Essays. Tashken : Yosh
G a diya, 1987, 224 p.
8. Sa o iy, H. On he Pages o he P ess. Milliy Tiklanish newspape , No embe 16, 2018.
