Social Comparison of Women in The Short Stories of Salomat Vafo and Margaret Atwood

This essay explores how the representation of female characters in the short tales of Canadian author Margaret Atwood and Uzbek author Salomat Vafo reflects the idea of social comparison. Both authors portray women who assess their identities, positions, and self-worth by contrasting them with those of other people and with societal norms, despite the cultural, historical, and social settings being different. The study uses a comparative literary analysis to show how women's psychological experiences are shaped by patriarchal systems, gender roles, and social conventions. The results demonstrate that Atwood emphasizes critical awareness and resistance, highlighting both culturally particular and universal aspects of women's social experiences, whereas Vafo stresses internalized comparison and silent persistence.