Search

The aim of this paper is to analyze some aspects of two fascinating and thought-provoking books by contemporary Ukrainian-born writer Eugene Vodolazkin who revises and rethinks some of the most discussed themes in literature from a contemporary mindset. The study addresses two issues proposed by "Laurus" and "The Aviator", novels that enter successfully the Russian literary tradition, focusing on a comparative approach in terms of similarities, differences, and symbolic values. Firstly, my attempt is to problematize the conflict between "historic" and "non-historic" concepts, between an individual history and a universal one, between "event" and "fact" in a totalitarian framework, arguing that even the writer pleads for a history perceived at a personal level, there cannot be forgotten or denied the collective history. Along with this view on history, the study intends to examine notions such as memory, remembrance, forgetfulness, guilt, past, free will, historical time, responsibility. Secondly, I will try to put in question the possibility of redemption in both novels by considering the love - compassion/ guilt - justice triad. Furthermore, this part aims to explore the perception of death perceived by the main characters and to identify symbolic figures across cultural history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]