Филологический класс (Apr 2022)
Realistic Writing and Socialist-Realistic Canon: Artistic Experience of Vera Panova
Abstract
The creative activity of V. Panova of the first post-war years, which are traditionally considered as the period of late socialist realism, became the material of analysis in this article. Focusing on the novel “Kruzhilikha”, thematically corresponding to the most orthodox genre of socialist realism – occupational novel – allows showing how the confrontation between canon and individual writing style unfolds within one text. In general, the whole novel is permeated by the idea of collective strength, the unity of labor impulse, and the atmosphere of normality and rightness – the feat is accomplished by good people. But in the novel – and it is already a peculiarity of Panova’s worldview and style of writing – we feel the pursuit of “the truth of the fact”, the truth of the essential, but not of the appropriate. Hence comes the description of total insecurity of Soviet Union’s day-today life and discomfort of the hard work. The communal life, incredible congestion, lack of privacy and feeling tired of “living before other persons’ eyes” are depicted in detail. In an occupational novel, the author is interested not only in the events of industrial activity, but also in the soul of the individual, who is actually living under extreme circumstances, but taking them as a norm. The author of the article concludes that the generation of those, whom it is customary to call (with a contradictory connotation) “Soviet classics”, actively participated in creating the culture of the sixties. The creative activity and the literary work of Panova are in line with the epoch of “The Thaw” with its idea of “socialism with a human face” and categorical denial of moralization and didacticism of the authoritarian style.
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