Dystopia and Literary Text: A Survey-Based Study

Authors

  • Sarzhan Takirov

    Faculty of Philology, Karaganda Buketov University, Karaganda 100028, Kazakhstan
  • Adil Zhakulayev

    Department of Kazakh Language and Literature, Bolashaq Academy, Karaganda 100000, Kazakhstan
  • Yedilkhan Omirtay

    Faculty of Philology, Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan
  • Anar Ashirbekova

    Languages Development Center, Karaganda Medical University, Karaganda 100000, Kazakhstan
  • Nurgul Nygmetova

    Department of Kazakh Language and Culture, Karaganda Technical University Named after Abylkas Saginov, Karaganda 100000, Kazakhstan
  • Baltabay Abdigaziuly

    Faculty of Philology, Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan
  • Zhanel Bakhitova

    Faculty of Philology, Karaganda Buketov University, Karaganda 100028, Kazakhstan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i9.10692
Received: 24 June 2025 | Revised: 23 July 2025 | Accepted: 29 July 2025 | Published Online: 11 September 2025

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive examination of the theoretical foundations of the dystopian genre and its manifestation in Kazakh literature. It first analyzes the genre-specific characteristics, purpose, and thematic essence of dystopia, such as the loss of individual freedom, totalitarian control, systemic injustice, and estrangement from truth. Canonical works like George Orwell's 1984 and Yevgeny Zamyatin's We are explored as key references, offering a comparative basis for assessing how dystopian themes have evolved within the Kazakh literary context. The central focus of the study is Akhan Tokish's novel Mangurtstan, interpreted as a dystopian vision of Kazakhstan's socio-political trajectory in the 21st century. The article investigates the novel's linguistic hybridity, ideological manipulation of national consciousness, and the mechanisms of authoritarian control within economic and institutional systems. These elements are compared with global dystopian models while emphasizing their uniquely national dimensions. A significant component of the analysis is dedicated to the linguistic features of dystopia in Mangurtstan. The novel uses semantic inversion, parody, and bureaucratic language to depict the erosion of meaning, identity, and communication under oppressive regimes. Sarcasm and hybridized multilingual expressions serve not only as stylistic devices but as tools of sharp cultural critique. The study aims to reveal the aesthetic and philosophical importance of dystopian narratives in Kazakh literature and their role in reflecting historical memory and cultural identity. Through descriptive, comparative, and textual analysis, the research contributes to the broader integration of dystopian studies into Kazakh literary scholarship.

Keywords:

Anti-Utopia; Dystopia; Utopia; Totalitarianism; Dictatorship; Literary Theory; Genre

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How to Cite

Takirov, S., Zhakulayev, A., Omirtay, Y., Ashirbekova, A., Nygmetova, N., Abdigaziuly, B., & Bakhitova, Z. (2025). Dystopia and Literary Text: A Survey-Based Study. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(9), 722–. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i9.10692

Issue

Vol. 7 , Iss. 9 (September 2025)

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Article

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Copyright © 2025 Sarzhan Takirov, Adil Zhakulayev, Yedilkhan Omirtay, Anar Ashirbekova, Nurgul Nygmetova, Baltabay Abdigaziuly, Zhanel Bakhitova

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.