Prose of Lilya Kalaus: Urban Text as Component of Literary Seriality
https://doi.org/10.22162/2619-0990-2025-79-3-658-676
Abstract
Introduction. The cityscape — primarily the image of Alma-Ata (Almaty) — occupies a pivotal position in the prose of Kazakhstani writer Lilya Kalaus. In her works, the urban environment functions not merely as a setting but as a symbolically and mythopoetically charged element that unifies individual narratives into an overarching serial structure. Goals. The study aims to examine the urban text as the structural and semantic nucleus of seriality in L. Kalaus’ fiction. It explores the mythopoetic functions of the city image, the ways in which recurring urban motifs foster narrative continuity, and the broader postmodern tendencies of literary seriality, such as intellectual irony, textual self-reflexivity, intertextual coding, and interpretive agency of the reader. Materials and methods. The paper primarily focuses on a selection of writings by Lilya Kalaus published in various years. The article uses the comparative typological, structural, and contextual methods. Results. The analysis demonstrates that the figure of Almaty recurs throughout L. Kalaus’ oeuvre to serve as a mirror for the protagonists’ inner states or as a symbolic topography of key events. The consistent use of shared urban locations, motifs of the supernatural, and archetypal characters enables a serial reading of the texts. Spatial entry — into the city or domestic interiors — triggers characters’ existential transitions, frequently associated with inner metamorphosis or symbolic rebirth. Within a postcolonial framework, Almaty is represented as a corporeal entity, combining vulnerability with sacred potency and functioning as a site of identity negotiation and cultural tension. Conclusions. In Lilya Kalaus’ prose, the city of Almaty constitutes a dynamic narrative structure. Through the recurrence and reinterpretation of motifs, topoi, and symbolic imagery, the urban text generates a serial continuity that integrates discrete stories into an open-ended yet coherent literary constellation.
About the Author
Zhanar A. Karimova
Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University (13, Dostyk Ave., 050010 Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan)
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
PhD Student
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Review
For citations:
Karimova Zh. Prose of Lilya Kalaus: Urban Text as Component of Literary Seriality. Oriental Studies. 2025;18(3):658-676. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22162/2619-0990-2025-79-3-658-676
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