THE POETICS OF SILENCE IN THE NARRATIVES OF ABDULLA QAHHOR AND ERNEST HEMINGWAY

Abstract. This paper explores the poetics of silence and the role of implicit meaning in the narratives of Abdulla Qahhor and Ernest Hemingway. Both writers are recognized for their concise narrative style and their ability to convey profound meanings through understatement, omission, and subtext. The study aims to identify the artistic functions of silence and hidden meaning in their works and to examine how these elements contribute to the creation of emotional depth and reader engagement. Drawing on comparative literary analysis, the paper investigates selected short stories by Qahhor and Hemingway, focusing on narrative techniques that allow meaning to emerge indirectly rather than through explicit description. Particular attention is paid to Hemingway’s Iceberg Theory and its parallels in Qahhor’s narrative practice. Although the two authors belong to different cultural and literary traditions, their works demonstrate a shared tendency toward minimalism, where what remains unsaid is often as significant as what is expressed. The findings suggest that silence functions not merely as the absence of speech but as an essential artistic device that enriches characterization, intensifies emotional impact, and invites readers to participate actively in the process of interpretation. Through the use of implicit meaning, both writers achieve narrative economy while preserving the complexity of human experience. The study contributes to comparative literary scholarship by highlighting the aesthetic and communicative value of silence in the prose of Abdulla Qahhor and Ernest Hemingway.