TRANSFORMATION OF FOLKLORE TRADITION IN SMALL PROSE BY SERGEY SILIN
DOI: 10.23951/1609-624X-2021-1-104-113
Introduction. Sergey Silin’s small prose has not yet been sufficiently researched by literary critics, but it arouses interest among readers of different ages and can be attributed to dual addressed literature. The study of the writer using the techniques of sadistic poems, horror stories and jokes contributes to a deeper understanding of the main trends in modern Russian prose. The purpose of the article is to reveal the genre originality of small prose by Sergey Silin. Material and methods. Theoretical basis for the study were the works of folklorists E. M. Meletinsky, E. Kurganov, O. N. Grechina, M. V. Osorina and others. The research material is short stories and horror stories by S. Silin (“The Fatal Five”, “The Fatal Four”, “Don’t Drown Five Graders!”, “Sambo Lesson”). Result and discussion. The analysis revealed the characteristic features of Silin’s small prose. In his work the author transforms the techniques of urban folklore genres: scary stories, sadistic poems, jokes. Conclusion. S. Silin’s works are dually addressed: not only to children, but also to adults. In his works, the writer uses techniques typical of urban folklore genres – they reflect the cynical attitude to death which is characteristic of sadistic poems; the use of clericalism; the absence of a clear confrontation between good and evil; the division into «good» and «bad» characters; the catharsis is replaced by a humorous ending; the idea of retribution is replaced by a paradoxical ending which emphasizes the immutability of what is happening. The stories most often have a circular composition, indicating that the main conflict of the work remained unresolved.
Keywords: Sergey Silin, children’s literature, transformation of folklore genres, horror story, sadistic poems, joke
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Issue: 1, 2021
Series of issue: Issue 1
Rubric: PROBLEMS AND POETICS OF RUSSIAN LITERATURE OF THE XIX–XXI CENTURIES
Pages: 104 — 113
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