THE IMAGE OF A BIRD IN THE WORK OF USMON AZIM: MYTHOPOETIC ANALYSIS OF THE GOOSE STORY

This article analyzes mythopoetic thinking and the system of symbolic imagery in 20th-21st century Uzbek literature through Usman Azim’s short story “The Goose.” The image of the goose is examined within the context of folkloric and mythological traditions, revealing its multilayered semantic functions as a messenger, a symbol of salvation, homesickness, and sacrifice. The relationships between the characters of Alpomish and the goose, the figure of the old woman, the motif of metamorphosis, and the mother archetype are also explored. The bird image is compared with mythological symbols of world literature such as Simurgh, Huma, Phoenix, and Qaqnus. The findings show that the story is an important example of the mythopoetic trend in modern Uzbek prose.