THE INTERPRETATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN CHINGIZ AYTMATOV'S NOVEL “MOUNTAINS FALL (OR ETERNAL BRIDE)”

Abstract

Chingiz Aytmatov is a prominent representative of 20th-century world-class Turkic literature. Environmental issues hold a significant place in Chingiz Aytmatov's works. One of the main ideas of his novel "The Day Lasts More Than a Hundred Years" (Mountains Fall (Or Eternal Bride)) focuses on the protection of the snow leopard—a species listed in the "Red Book" and found only in some mountain ranges of Central Asia. This is not only about preserving the rare creature with its precious fur but also about safeguarding the high-altitude natural environment. He writes: "If people continue to rely solely on hunting without advancing production, in a few years, there won’t be a single partridge left to shoot." His works provide artistic interpretations of global and universal issues, including environmental problems, drug addiction and narcotics, terrorism and religious extremism, arms trafficking, and the tragedies of war. One distinctive feature of Chingiz Aytmatov's creativity lies in the parallel depiction of nature and society.