Historical Fact and Literary Representation in Mukhtar Magauin’s Kipchak Aruy: A Survey-Based Study of Readers’ Comparative Perception

Abstract

This research article examines readers’ perceptions of historical data and authorial interpretation in Mukhtar Magauin’s Kipchak Aruy. The primary objective of the research is to empirically assess readers’ ability to distinguish between historical evidence and fictionalized historical narrative, their level of trust in the author’s reconstruction, and the cognitive and emotional impact of the work. The study employed a quantitative cross-sectional survey design. A total of 157 respondents voluntarily participated in the research. Data were collected via Google Forms and analyzed using the R statistical software environment. The questionnaire was structured around a three-factor model: (1) familiarity with the literary work, (2) perception of historical evidence and fictional narrative, and (3) interpretation and evaluative response. The findings indicate varying levels of familiarity with the text among respondents. Nevertheless, the historical period depicted in the work was rated as highly comprehensible, and the integration of historical information with artistic imagination was largely perceived as authentic and convincing. The majority of respondents considered the author’s interpretation credible and evaluated the work as a text that both deepens historical knowledge and generates emotional engagement. Moreover, the literary text was widely perceived as a cultural medium that complements academic historiography. The results demonstrate that historical prose plays a significant role in shaping historical consciousness in readers’ minds and that the synthesis of historical evidence and literary reconstruction fosters interpretive openness and meaningful engagement.