Scenarios of Communication with the Alien on the Basis of Stanisław Lem’s Selected Works Cover Image

Scenariusze komunikacji z Obcym na podstawie wybranych dzieł Stanisława Lema
Scenarios of Communication with the Alien on the Basis of Stanisław Lem’s Selected Works

Author(s): Aleksandra Potocka-Woźniak
Subject(s): Polish Literature, Theory of Literature
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
Keywords: Stanisław Lem; neologisms; communication; the Alien; The Star Diaries; Eden; Solaris;

Summary/Abstract: A topic often addressed in Stanisław Lem’s oeuvre is the interplanetary communication. Depending on the adapted convention, the author depicts the Alien in various ways. The goal of the article is to discuss three scenarios of communication based on the story The Eighth Voyage from the The Star Diaries as well as the novels Eden and Solaris. The starting point for the comparison is the model of Roman Jakobson. Remarks on semantic strategies that are employed by Lem (such as marked vocabulary, neologisms) are a crucial element of this article because they influence the philosophical undertone of his works. Through the conducted comparison it is possible to demonstrate that the Lem’s terrestrial characters seek the dialogue with the Alien; they, however, don’t reach the full understanding in any of the discussed works. The communication with the Alien showcases first and foremost the human, who has been taken off of his pedestal.

  • Issue Year: 19/2022
  • Issue No: 3
  • Page Range: 407-420
  • Page Count: 14
  • Language: Polish
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