Discourse and genre in V. Sorokin`s work (by the example of the novel 『Blue fat』)

( Shunikov,Vladimir Leont`evich ) 한국러시아문학회 2010 러시아어문학 연구논집 Vol.33 No.-

This article is devoted to one of the popular modern Russian novels-The Blue Fat by Vladimir Sorokin. The highlight of the article is the transformation of classical literature discourses and genres in the novel. According to V.L. Shunikov, the style of the novel explicates the author`s creative intension, that`s why the narrative analysis is all-important for its adequate interpretation. This part of the novel poetics has never been subjected to a thorough investigation within the frames of contemporary humanities before: the article is aimed at filling up the gap. The stylistic experiment in Sorokin`s novel is connected with the epistolary discourse and is based on its epistolary literary genres first of all. It shows the way of this discourse transformation and the internal world of the novel itself compared with the classical epistolary prose. For example, -as only one character writes the letters, there is not even a chance for intercommunication, therefore the dialogue becomes virtual. While reading the letters we discover Boris Gloger`s passion, strong and sexually brutal, instead of that consequential development of sense, idealistic and platonic, characteristic of sentimental novels. Gloger`s intentions are even more complicated-the epistolary features of the letters are combined with the diary style. V. Sorokin does not only change the epistolary narrative and genres, but also saves some of their important elements. Boris Gloger is similar to characters of the 19th century Russian epistolary novels: he is bestown with loneliness and lack of understanding by the others. The novel internal world is quite pretentious because many genres are mixed in Sorokin`s work, science fiction among them. The new reality after a nuclear catastrophe is depicted in geopolitical and ethno-cultural peculiarity, alongside with the biology of new humans and their linguistic competence. The most interesting phenomenon in Sorokin`s novel is deconstruction of epistolary style idioms in the character`s pidgin. It makes the language of the novel crossword-like and altogether difficult for reader`s perception. The novel transformation of the epistolary discourse refreshes the very strategy of this genre thus proving its vitality in the contemporary literature.

Poetics of the contemporary Russian Literature: narrative specificity, transformation of genres, epos and drama

( Shunikov V. ) 서울대학교 러시아연구소 2010 러시아연구 Vol.20 No.1

Contemporary Russian literature is a subject of numerous discussions and philological studies in Russia and abroad. Nevertheless there is still no clear-cut description of its main poetic features and dominant tendencies in the literary process. V. L. Shunikov, an assistant professor of Moscow state university and a visiting professor at Seoul national university in 2008-2010, tries to fill up the gap. He analyzed more then ten novels and stories (`povesty`), written in 1980-2000s, and basing on it compares the subject and object structure of the latest Russian prose with the literary tradition as a whole. From one hand these works are examined in the light of the classical narratological concept, grew up on the literature of the 19th-the first half of the 20th centuries- On the other hand the latest Russian novels and stories discusses in comparison with the chronologically nearest aesthetics, e. g. postmodern. Thanks to dominant role of the subjective structure in the novels and stories, written in 1980-2000s, Shunikov pays main attention to the characteristics of the narrators and their competence. The global process of the functional unification and voice equalization of all `speaking subjects` (narrators and characters as well) is discovered in the contemporary prose. There are three steps of this process and for each of them the author of the article describes the most frequent techniques of writing. At the same time it is shown how the transformation of the narrative influences on the internal world. A new- narratological-meaning of such terms as `event`, plot et cetera is explained. At last all these peculiarities eliminate differences between genres and between epic literature and drama. V. L. Shunikov proves the largest part of narrative configurations in the latest prose belongs to the postmodernism, so he corrects commonplace that contemporary Russian literature got over this aesthetics. Author asserts at the same time postmodern writing technique is aimed to manifest not a relativistic postmodern philosophy, but other concepts, then we can talk about POSTpostmodern or neo- (neorealistic, neoromantic, neosentimental…) poetics.

Поэтика современной русской литературы: особенности субъектной организации, трансформация жанров и родов

Vladimir Shunikov 서울대학교 러시아연구소 2010 러시아연구 Vol.20 No.1

Contemporary Russian literature is a subject of numerous discussions and philological studies in Russia and abroad. Nevertheless there is still no clear-cut description of its main poetic features and dominant tendencies in the literary process. V. L. Shunikov, an assistant professor of Moscow state university and a visiting professor at Seoul national university in 2008-2010, tries to fill up the gap. He analyzed more then ten novels and stories (‘povesty’), written in 1980-2000s, and basing on it compares the subject and object structure of the latest Russian prose with the literary tradition as a whole. From one hand these works are examined in the light of the classical narratological concept, grew up on the literature of the 19th – the first half of the 20th centuries. On the other hand the latest Russian novels and stories discusses in comparison with the chronologically nearest aesthetics, e. g. postmodern. Thanks to dominant role of the subjective structure in the novels and stories, written in 1980-2000s, Shunikov pays main attention to the characteristics of the narrators and their competence. The global process of the functional unification and voice equalization of all ‘speaking subjects’ (narrators and characters as well) is discovered in the contemporary prose. There are three steps of this process and for each of them the author of the article describes the most frequent techniques of writing. At the same time it is shown how the transformation of the narrative influences on the internal world. A new – narratological – meaning of such terms as ‘event’, ‘plot’ et cetera is explained. At last all these peculiarities eliminate differences between genres and between epic literature and drama. V. L. Shunikov proves the largest part of narrative configurations in the latest prose belongs to the postmodernism, so he corrects commonplace that contemporary Russian literature got over this aesthetics. Author asserts at the same time postmodern writing technique is aimed to manifest not a relativistic postmodern philosophy, but other concepts, then we can talk about POSTpostmodern or neo- (neorealistic, neoromantic, neosentimental…) poetics.

Игра с дискурсивными практиками и литературными жанрами в творчестве Вл. Сорокина на материале романа «Голубое сало»

Vladimir Shunikov 한국러시아문학회 2010 러시아어문학 연구논집 Vol.33 No.-

This article is devoted to one of the popular modern Russian novels – “The Blue Fat” by Vladimir Sorokin. The highlight of the article is the transformation of classical literature discourses and genres in the novel. According to V.L. Shunikov, the style of the novel explicates the author’s creative intension, that’s why the narrative analysis is all-important for its adequate interpretation. This part of the novel poetics has never been subjected to a thorough investigation within the frames of contemporary humanities before: the article is aimed at filling up the gap. The stylistic experiment in Sorokin’s novel is connected with the epistolary discourse and is based on its epistolary literary genres first of all. It shows the way of this discourse transformation and the internal world of the novel itself compared with the classical epistolary prose. For example, - as only one character writes the letters, there is not even a chance for intercommunication, therefore the dialogue becomes virtual. While reading the letters we discover Boris Gloger’s passion, strong and sexually brutal, instead of that consequential development of sense, idealistic and platonic, characteristic of sentimental novels. Gloger’s intentions are even more complicated – the epistolary features of the letters are combined with the diary style. Vl. Sorokin does not only change the epistolary narrative and genres, but also saves some of their important elements. Boris Gloger is similar to characters of the 19th century Russian epistolary novels: he is “bestown” with loneliness and lack of understanding by the others. The novel internal world is quite pretentious because many genres are mixed in Sorokin’s work, science fiction among them. The new reality after a nuclear catastrophe is depicted in geopolitical and ethno-cultural peculiarity, alongside with the biology of new “humans” and their linguistic competence. The most interesting phenomenon in Sorokin’s novel is deconstruction of epistolary style idioms in the character’s pidgin. It makes the language of the novel “crossword-like” and altogether difficult for reader’s perception. The novel transformation of the epistolary discourse refreshes the very strategy of this genre thus proving its vitality in the contemporary literature. Эпатажность произведения В. Сорокина привела к тому, что его рассматривают исключительно как продукт металитературной игры, не имеющий никакой содержательной и эстетической ценности,- или едва ли не «шизоидный текст», направленный на экспликацию автором собственных комплексов и фобий. Анализ «Голубого сала» в сопоставлении с литературными жанрами и дискурсивными практиками позволяетболее последовательно представить истоки и способы эпатажа читательской аудитории – и вместе с тем увидеть позитивные итоги литературного эксперимента, проведенного Сорокиным. Произведение может быть рассмотрено как воплощение жанра эпистолярного романа в новейшей русской литературе, задающее векторы его дальнейшего развития.