Inna Gazheva
Ivan Franko National University of Lviv (Ukraine)
https://doi.org/10.53656/bel2021-4-3-pavezh
Abstract. This article attempts to analyze P. Vezhinov’s literary work in the context of the possible binary interpretation of its narrative: realistic and fantastical. It researches the ways the raw material of the story is transformed into the plot such as external composition, focalization, the structure of the characters, and the organization of the modal-temporal aspect.
It pays special attention to the peculiarities of the novella’s literary space. Both protagonists are characterized as characters of the open space. The space of the male protagonist appears flat, while the female hero maneuvers in a volumetric space. Manev's movements across the flat horizontal space are chaotic in their nature – they represent the erratic wavering of a man who lost list way and has only found purpose once Antonia Dorothea appeared in his life.
The article proves that the rite de passage, which acts as the plot framework in this literary piece, doesn’t culminate in the protagonist’s achievement of a “new identity” within the novella. The study concludes that the “realistic” motivation behind the events of the novella doesn't contradict the “metaphorical” one: in both cases, this is a story about "rejection" – about the possible spiritual transformation of the protagonist that was never materialized.
Keywords: external composition; focalization; modal-temporal narrative organization; literary space; rite de passage
