THE THEME OF THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR IN V.N. SEMIN’S NOVELLA “THE SWALLOW-STAR”
Abstract
https://doi.org/10.18522/1995-0640-2026-3-32-44
The article analyzes the theme of war in V. N. Semin’s novella “The Swallow-Star”. It is shown that the` theme of war is revealed gradually, its development is presented according to the principle of ascending gradation. At the beginning of the story, the war and its initial consequences are presented and interpreted by the protagonist as something incomprehensible, unknown, and not very scary. In the central and final parts of the novel, a full-blown picture of war as a terrible destructive force and “omnivorous death” unfolds. The image of the enemy is also revealed according to the principle of ascending gradation: from the perception of the Nazis as “possibly crazy” and attempts to find explanations for their inhumanity to the complete demonization of the enemy. The key technique of the story is the opposition “friend or foe”, which is typical for works about war and is reflected not only in the contrast between Soviet soldiers and the invaders, but also in the images of “foes” and traitors among “friends”. The motif of hope, which is closely associated with the image of one’s home, runs throughout the story.
Key words: V.N. Semin, theme of war, image of the enemy, opposition “friend or foe”, motive of hope, image of home, image-symbol of the “Swallow-Star”
Acknowledgements: this publication was prepared within the framework of the state assignment of the Southern Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, state registration No. 125011200150-2.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Alexey S. Tishchenko
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