THE IMAGE OF THE “NEST” AS A SPACE OF AUTHENTICITY IN SAMAR YAZBEK’S NOVEL WHERE THE WIND CALLS HOME

Abstract

The article analyzes the symbolic meaning of the image of the “nest” in the novel by the Syrian writer Samar Yazbek “Where the Wind Calls Home” (2021), as a space of authenticity, which is opposed to totalitarian violence and military destruction. The material for the study is the novel “Where the Wind Calls Home”, which represents the traumatic experience of the Syrian revolution and civil war. The object of the study is the topopoetics of Samar Yazbek’s novel; the subject is the semantics and functions of the image of the “nest” as an archetypal space in the structure of the artistic world of the work. The aim of the article is to reveal the multidimensionality of the image of Ali’s hut on the roof as a utopian locus that embodies resistance to the totalitarian system, the desire for freedom and the preservation of human dignity in conditions of existential crisis. The methodological basis of the study is the topopoetic approach, archetypal criticism, feminist literary theory and elements of the psychoanalytic method. Topopoetic analysis allows us to comprehend the spatial organization of the novel and the symbolic load of the “nest” locus. Archetypal criticism helps to reveal the universal meanings of the image of the nest as a primary refuge, a place of birth and rebirth. Feminist optics makes it possible to interpret the “nest” as a space of self-determination and resistance to patriarchal violence. The study demonstrates that Ali’s hut functions in the novel as a multi-valued symbol. Firstly, it is a utopian space, contrasting with the wartime reality of Syria – the town below is engulfed in chaos, violence and fear, while the roof represents vertical escape, the desire to rise above destruction. Secondly, the image of the nest actualizes archetypal meanings of security, maternal care and creativity – it is here that Ali draws, dreams, watches birds, and preserves his inner freedom. The connection with birds symbolizes the dialectic of freedom and captivity, reflecting the traumatic experience of the hero, who himself is in the “cage” of the totalitarian regime. The nest on the roof becomes a space of harmony with nature, a place of contemplation of the sky, clouds, trees, which maintains a connection with the cosmic order despite the anthropogenic catastrophe of war. The results of the study show that the image of the “nest” in Samar Yazbek’s novel is key to understanding the opposition of “vertical” and “horizontal” spaces, freedom and captivity, authenticity and violence. This image represents not only a physical shelter, but also an internal psychological space where human dignity and the possibility of dreaming are preserved. The article demonstrates how the spatial organization of the novel reflects the existential choice of the characters between surrendering to violence and preserving inner freedom.