SYMBOLISM IN LITERATURE AS A TOOL FOR RESILIENCE: CULTURAL NARRATIVES OF TRAUMA AND HOPE IN TIMES OF CRISIS

Abstract

Summary. Symbolism in literature during wars and crises preserves national identity, restores psychological balance, and facilitates collective trauma processing. The study explores symbolism in literature as a tool for shaping cultural narratives and addressing collective trauma during wartime. Focusing on Korean poetry during Japanese occupation (1910–1945), the works of Han Yong-un and Kim Sowol are examined as forms of resistance, hope, and resilience. Parallels are drawn to contemporary Ukrainian literary practices amidst ongoing conflict. The research employs literary analysis, comparative historical approaches, and qualitative interviews. Texts are analyzed through the lens of symbolism, cultural memory, and psychological impact. Data from Korean and Ukrainian literature are examined as cultural phenomena that aid in communal recovery. The study reveals the unique role of symbolism in literature as a means of resisting cultural assimilation. Its novelty lies in comparing the historical experiences of Korean and Ukrainian literature in contexts of resistance and psychological resilience, focusing on symbolic imagery like the azalea flower in Kim Sowol’s poetry. The poetry of Han Yong-un and Kim Sowol exemplifies how literary works contribute to resistance and recovery. Similarly, modern Ukrainian literature and art foster narratives of hope, resilience, and future restoration. At the same time, literature acts as a bridge between the past and the future, allowing historical memory to be preserved and experience to be passed on to future generations. Symbolism as an artistic technique is a universal means of overcoming crisis, as it appeals to emotions, culture, and collective consciousness, providing aesthetic and spiritual support to society in times of upheaval.