SYSTEM OF PERSONAGES IN NINA BERBEROVA’S THE ACCOMPANIST
DOI: 10.23951/1609-624X-2018-2-196-203
The paper analyzes the system of personages in the first and the most widely known novella of Nina Berberova, as it reflects her idea on a multitude of ways of life building in emigration. The author holds, that the system of personages in the novella is based upon the principle of binary oppositions, namely, creative – uncreative, adapted – misfit, comprehensive – incomprehensive person. The attitude towards creative side determines the choice of the route of life on behalf of a personage. However, Symbolist concept of life as a work of art is reconsidered by Berberova in accordance with her idea of self-determination of Russian émigrés, and so adaptability to changing conditions of life is also held by Berberova in high esteem, in contrast to the common notion of beggar artists. The personages embody different strategies applied to survive their situation in emigration. Giving precedence to the ways of creative persons (Travina and Ber), Berberova gives her critical account of other survival strategies. Cooperation with the Communist regime is shown as materially advantageous, but amoral (Senya); keeping everything as it was in Old Russia is shown as a dead-end (Pavel Fyodorovich, guests of the Travin’s house in Paris). The path of Sonya the Accompanist, devoid of creativity and human understanding, lacking self-determination, full of hatred and envy, is shown as self-destructive.
Keywords: Russian émigré literature, short prose of Nina Berberova, system of personages
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Issue: 2, 2018
Series of issue: Issue 2
Rubric: PROBLEMS AND POETICS OF THE RUSSIAN LITERATURE OF THE XIX-XX CENTURIES
Pages: 196 — 203
Downloads: 813