A COGNITIVE READING OF PSYCHOLOGICAL AND MYSTICAL REALISM IN BRITISH AND UZBEK PROSE

Abstract

This paper examines psychological and mystical realism in British and Uzbek prose from the perspective of cognitive literary studies. Moving beyond descriptive or thematic approaches, it argues that both modes function as structured simulations of consciousness and perception. Through comparative analysis of selected British and Uzbek texts, the study demonstrates how narratives employ inner speech, reconstructive memory, and intensified perception to engage readers’ cognitive processes. Drawing on cognitive poetics, conceptual metaphor theory, mental spaces theory, and Theory of Mind research, the paper shows that psychological and mystical realism share common cognitive mechanisms, while cultural and ethical contexts shape their expression. The findings highlight the potential of cognitive approaches for cross-cultural literary studies and provide a methodological framework for examining consciousness and transcendence in fiction.