Powieść generacyjna jako konfrontacja z „pierwszą pamięcią” („Granica zapomnienia” Siergieja Lebiediew)
Generational Novel as a Confrontation with the “First Memory” (“Oblivion” by Sergei Lebedev)

Summary/Abstract: The phenomenon of generational novel is an important element of contemporary Russian literature. Such texts are usually written from the perspective of children or grandchildren who are interested in their genealogy. The issues tackled by these novels fit into the broader context of post-memory studies, a field which includes also the sphere of generational trauma. The article analyses Sergei Lebedev’s debut Oblivion (2010), an autofiction novel in which the protagonist follows the traces of his ancestor. In the individual dimension, a travel to Siberia allows him to free himself from the unwanted heritage of communist past. Oblivion can be a representative of literature that offers a chance to deal with the experiences of past generations as an alternative to the official politics of history, unofficially called pervaya pamyat’ (“first memory”).

• Details
• Contents