THE SAGA OF THE UNBROKEN REEDS

Abstract

The article presents one of the best works by a talented writer of Armenian literature, Stepan Alajajyan, the novel “The Reeds did not Bend”, the first edition of which although published decades ago has not been comprehensively studied and evaluated so far. The novel depicts the life of Cilician Armenians who had miraculously escaped from the Desert of Deir ez-Zor and returned to Zeytun after the First World War, which lasted only two or three years not only because of the activities of Turkish murderers, but also because of the mercenary policies of great powers and especially the treacherous behavior of France. Highly appreciating the ideological and literary merits of the novel, commenting on the system of creating characters, the author especially emphasizes the relevance of the problems raised in the novel. He puts forward the idea that Alajajyan’s novel, in addition to being a fictional story, is also a testimony of historical value, a testimony of the historical and cultural values of Ulnia, an appreciation of folk traditions, rituals and other values that are a powerful force for the people to survive. The main idea set forth in the novel is to survive by struggling, which is important not only in terms of not forgetting the heroic pages of our recent past, but also in terms of finding out future ways. The people of Zeytun once again confirmed that the only guarantee of living in the homeland is to fight against the enemy. Alajajyan's novel is nothing but a story and a saga of an entire nation that does not put down its weapons.