Dzhan Character Analysis

Dzhan as a Socialist Realist Novel In addition to the internal struggle Nazar Chagataev undergoes in his effort to become the New Soviet Man, his mission - to bring civilization to the backward Sary-Kamysh inhabitants represents a typical plot of a socialist realist novel. As Katerina Clark claims, the "positive hero", who is always in the center of a Soviet novel "is expected to be an eblem of of Bolshevik virtue, someone the reading public might be inspired to emulate, and his life should be patterned to 'show the forward movement of history '"(46). In this regard, Chagataev 's character represents an inherently positive hero, who being "fed and nurtured by the Soviet power and unknown man", dedicates himself to the Soviet mission of enlightening

Nazar with the help of the provision supply provided by the state strives and succeeds to create bearable living conditions for the people. Nevertheless, here the reader for the first time contemplates Nazar 's real hesitation in the possibility of communism for the Dzhan people: "Chagataev felt the pain of his sorrow: his nation did not need communism. His nation needed oblivion...Chagataev turned turned away from everyone: all his actions, all his hopes had proved senseless"(102). After this seeming disillusionment in the soviet project 's applicability to his nation, Nazar talks to Sufyan, who explains the reason of Dzhan people 's lack of desire to live: "We know that there aren 't rich any longer, that they 've all died. But you listen to me. Your nation is afraid of life. It has lost the habit of life and it doesn 't believ in life. It pretends to be dead - otherwise those who are happy and strong will come to torment it again"(106). After these words, Nazar returns to his work with new motivation and strengths, which can be explained by the enhancement of his belief in the soviet power. One interpretation of why Nazar does not continue with his disillusionment, is because Sufyan 's words reveal the true reason behind Dzhan 's unwillingness to live. For Chagataev, an unconditional believer in the Soviet project, socialism reappears in a new light. Contemplating the virtue of socialism in the city, he believes that it is only the socialism, which can grant the Dzhan people both well-being and liberty from the exploiters. In this sense, Chagataev 's view of the virtue of the Soviet state and the opportunities it offers to the Dzhan people can be considered as a part of the bilateral agreement between the state and a national minority. In the novella the Soviet power, embodied in the figure of Nazar, reflects the Regime