THE PECULIARITY OF THE CHARACTER SYSTEM IN L. GORALIK’S CYCLE ABOUT VENISANA
DOI: 10.23951/1609-624X-2022-3-142-150
Introduction. In the analyzed cycle, L. Goralik actualizes complex problems of modern children’s literature, among which the following can be distinguished: the problem of the relationship of generations (“fathers and children”), the attitude to death, the understanding of one’s own identity, ways of knowing the surrounding world. The purpose of the work is to characterize the system of characters in L. Goralik’s cycle about Venisan. Material and methods. The works of Russian structuralists, folklorists, and mythologists were used in the work. Results and discussion. The cycle about Venisan presents a rather complex and diverse system of characters, among which one can distinguish heroes-helpers, pests, mythological characters. Pests, like assistants, serve the purpose of plot development, helping the main character to go beyond the usual existence. Mythological characters contribute to the development of the inner world of the heroine, i.e. they largely determine the inner plot of the main character’s growing up. Conclusion. The cycle about Venisan can be attributed to the fantasy tradition, however, attention to the complex inner world of a child trying to survive in a terrible world complicates the problems of the work. L. Goralik uses mythological images to create the inner world of a girl who intuitively tries to figure out the ontological problems of life and death, the meaning of her existence. If in fantasy literature for this purpose there were heroes-helpers (sages) who give answers to difficult questions, then Agatha finds herself face to face with a hostile and complex world order in which communication with adults only complicates the situation: adults demand help (mother), make them suffer (father), threaten life (smugglers, “merry men”, etc.).In an unhealthy and hostile atmosphere, children try to come up with their own explanation of what is happening (rumors, scary stories), learn to mimic (invent a secret language). Agatha, unlike most children, develops the ability to intuitively comprehend the truth about the world through mythological images that appear to her in dreams, memories, sensations.
Keywords: Linor Goralik, children’s literature, teenage literature, fantasy, “Cold Water of Venisany”, character system
References:
1. Goralik L. Kholodnaya voda Venisany [Cold water of Venisana]. 2018 (in Russian). URL: https://linorgoralik.com/venisana.html (accessed 11 May 2021).
2. Goralik L. Dvoynyye mosty Venisany (vtoraya chast’ tsikla o Venisane) [Double bridges of Venisana (the second part of the cycle about Venisana)]. 2020 (in Russian). URL: https://linorgoralik.com/venisana2.html (accessed 5 June 2021).
3. Goralik L. Taynyye khody Venisany (tret’ya chast’ tsikla o Venisane) [The secret passages of Venisana. The third part of the cycle about Venisana)]. 2021 (in Russian). URL: https://linorgoralik.com/venisana3.html (accessed 10 June 2021).
4. Varshavskaya Yu. “Skazka prekrasna tem, chto yeye geroyev nel’zya otpravit’ k psikhoterapevtu”. Pisatel’nitsa Linor Goralik o tom, pochemu skazki nuzhny detyam i (osobenno) vzroslym [“A fairy tale is beautiful because its characters cannot be sent to a psychotherapist”. Writer Linor Goralik on why fairy tales are needed for children, and (especially) adults] (in Russian). URL: https://mel.fm/pisateli/6871432-linor_goralik (accessed 15 July 2021).
5. Fetisova T. A. Fentezi – fenomen sovremennoy kul’tury. Obzor [Fantasy is a phenomenon of modern culture. Review]. Vestnik kul’turologii. Seriya: Teoriya i istoriya kul’tury – Herald of Culturology, 2017, no. 2 (81), pp. 179–192 (in Russian).
6. Poleva E. A. “Ulitka v tarelke” Yu. Lavryashinoy v kontekste podrostkovoy literatury o “disability” [“A snail on a plate” by Yu. Lavryashina in the context of adolescent literature about “disability”]. Sibirskaya detskaya literatura i praktiki chteniya v Sibiri. Tezisy dokladov Vserossiyskoy nauchnoy konferentsii, Tomsk – Irkutsk, 11–12 sentyabrya 2020 goda [Siberian Children’s Literature and Reading Practices in Siberia: Abstracts of the All-Russian Scientific Conference, Tomsk – Irkutsk, September 11–12, 2020]. Ed. E. A. Poleva. Tomsk, Izdatel’stvo Tomskogo TSNTI Publ., 2021. Pp. 19–26 (in Russian).
7. Propp V. Ya. Istoricheskiye korni volshebnoy skazki. Nauchnaya redaktsiya, tekstologicheskiy kommentariy I. V. Peshkova [The historical roots of a fairy tale. Scientific edition, textual commentary by I. V. Peshkov]. Moscow, Labirint Publ., 2000. 336 p. (in Russian).
8. Meletinskiy E. M. O literaturnykh arkhetipakh [About literary archetypes]. Moscow, RGGU Publ., 1994. 136 p. (Chteniya po istorii i teorii kul’tury. Vol. 4) [(Readings on the history and theory of culture. Issue 4)] (in Russian).
9. Golosovker Ya. E. Izbrannoye. Logika mifa [The logic of the myth]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1987. 218 p. (in Russian). URL: https://bookscafe.net/read/golosovker_yakov-izbrannoe_logika_mifa-229659.html#p1 (accessed 15 December 2021).
10. Bogdanov K. A. Povsednevnost’ i mifologiya: issledovaniya po semiotike fol’klornoy deystvitel’nosti [Everyday Life and Mythology: Research on the semiotics of folklore reality]. Saint Petersburg, Iskusstvo-SPB Publ., 2001. Pp. 109–180 (in Russian).
11. Greyvs R. Mify Drevney Gretsii [Myths of Ancient Greece]. Moscow, Progress Publ., 1992. 519 p. (in Russian). URL: http://exsecramentum.org/attachments/1111_mifi_dr_grecii.pdf (accessed 15 December 2021).
12. Vvedeniye v literaturovedeniye. Literaturnoye proizvedeniye: osnovnyye ponyatiya i terminy. Uchebnoye posobiye [Introduction to literary studies: basic concepts and terms: teaching guide]. Ed. L. V. Chernets. Moscow, Vysshaya shkola; Akademiya Publ., 1999. 556 p. (in Russian).
13. Ivanov V. V., Toporov V. N. Ptitsy. Mify narodov mira. Entsiklopediya [Myths of the peoples of the world. Encyclopedia]. Moscow, Sovetskaya entsiklopediya Publ., 2008. 1147 p. (in Russian).
14. Toporov V. N. Yaytso mirovoye. Mify narodov mira. Entsiklopediya [Myths of the peoples of the world. Encyclopedia]. Moscow, Sovetskaya entsiklopediya Publ., 2008. 1147 p. (in Russian).
15. Averintsev S. S. Voda. Mify narodov mira. Entsiklopediya [Myths of the peoples of the world. Encyclopedia]. Moscow, Sovetskaya entsiklopediya Publ., 2008. 1147 p. (in Russian).
16. Meletinskiy E. M. Geroy volshebnoy skazki. Proiskhozhdeniye obraza [The hero of a fairy tale. The origin of the image]. Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Akademiya issledovaniy kul’tury. Traditsiya Publ., 2005. 240 p. (in Russian).
( 687.26 kB ) 
( 673.57 kB )
Issue: 3, 2022
Series of issue: Issue 3
Rubric: LITERARY STUDIES
Pages: 142 — 150
Downloads: 487