SOCIAL INEQUALITY IN THE WORKS OF THEODORE DREISER AND CHO‘LPON

Ergasheva Bakhora Bakhtiyorovna

Authors

Ergasheva Bakhora Bakhtiyorovna Second-Year Doctoral Researcher (PhD Candidate), Doctoral School Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages

Keywords:

Theodore Dreiser, Cho‘lpon, social inequality, naturalism, realism, American literature, Uzbek literature, Sister Carrie, An American Tragedy, Kecha va kunduz, social stratification.

Abstract

This article examines the interpretation of social inequality in the literary works of Theodore Dreiser and Cho‘lpon. The study focuses on Dreiser’s Sister Carrie and An American Tragedy as well as Cho‘lpon’s Kecha va kunduz (Night and Day). The research analyzes how economic, social, gender, and cultural inequalities influence the destinies of literary characters. Both writers depict individuals who struggle against restrictive social structures; however, the historical and cultural contexts of their works differ significantly. Dreiser portrays inequality within the framework of American industrial capitalism and urbanization, whereas Cho‘lpon reflects the contradictions of colonial Turkestan, patriarchal traditions, and social injustice. The comparative analysis demonstrates that despite differences in national and cultural backgrounds, both authors reveal the destructive consequences of unequal social systems. The study concludes that social inequality functions not merely as a background element but as a fundamental force shaping human destiny in the works of both writers.

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