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ART ORIGINALITY OF “HORROR STORIES” BY RONSHIN // Tomsk State Pedagogical University Bulletin. 2019. Issue 6 (203). P. 77-86

Introduction. Valery Ronshin’s works belong to the phenomenon of the two-address literature, i.e. they are focused on children’s and adult audiences and contain considerable pedagogical potential by actualizing important moral and ethical problems for the education of teenagers and children. On the other hand, the simplified form of narration that does not require reader’s considerable intelligent efforts, as well as the use of devices of the popular literature show the author’s attempt to entertain, amuse the reader. The aim of the work is to analyse Ronshin’s “horror stories” and to prove that his works concern popular literature. Material and methods. The material of the research is the works by Ronshin written in the genre of “horror story” (by the author’s definition). In the paper, the methods of comparative and motive the analysis are used. As a theoretical base, the works of Russian literary critics were used: E. M. Meletinsky, M. A. Chernyak, O. N. Grechina, M. V. Osorina, E. A. Polevaya, A. I. Kulyapin. Results and discussion. Valery Ronshin uses images, motives, genres of traditional folklore (a horror story, a fairy tale, a joke, sadistic rhymes) that are familiar to each reader since childhood. In such a way, the author accomplishes, firstly, the effect of the recognition facilitating the reader perception of similar works, secondly, the task to entertain is realized. In spite of the fact that Ronshin’s books are focused on the children’s audience, which is shown by a colourful cover, illustrations in “naïve” or children’s style, the use of traditional children’s folklore genres, his works are addressed to the adult audience as they contain the elements of black humour, the comic devices that are aimed at adults (alogism, devices of discrepancy of the used means, discrepancies of hero’s behaviour to the circumstances, invectives), elements of physiologism. The central problem of the analyzed works is a pedagogical incapacity of parents, unreadiness to the dialogue with children. Conclusion. Valery Ronshin creates works actualizing important educational problems, uses formulas and devices of folklore genres with the purpose to amuse, entertain the reader. His stories should be attributed to the phenomenon of popular literature that inherently aimed at entertainment, escapism, the use of traditional plots and genres.

Keywords: Valery Ronshin, scary stories, horror stories, literary fairy tale, two-address literature, children’s literature