Dystopia and Literary Text: A Survey-Based Study

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.