NATIONAL CHARACTER AND CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN THE STORIES OF SHUKUR XOLMIRZAYEV

This article analyzes the artistic interpretation of national character and contemporary social problems in the stories of Shukur Xolmirzayev. The writer occupies a significant place in modern Uzbek prose with his realistic depiction of rural life, human psychology, social contradictions, and national values. The study examines how the author reflected moral changes in society, the spiritual world of ordinary people, and conflicts between tradition and modernity through artistic images. Particular attention is given to the stories “O‘zbeklar,” “Hayot abadiy,” “Bodom qishda gulladi,” “Qora kamar,” and several other works. The article employs comparative-literary, hermeneutic, and contextual analysis methods. The findings show that Shukur Xolmirzayev’s stories reveal the transformation of Uzbek society during the Soviet and independence periods while preserving national identity and ethical principles. The article concludes that the writer’s prose serves as an important literary source for understanding social psychology and national consciousness in Uzbek literature.