The poetics of Vasyl Stefanyk’s story «Children’s Adventure»

Abstract

Aim. The article analyses the means of using a new method of storytelling with elements of the poetics of behaviourism, which deeply showed the consequences and impact of the First World War on the lives of civilians in the sphere of hostilities. The heroes of the novel are little children who were running away from the soldiers and found themselves in the dark woods near a fatally wounded mother. The hero of the novel Vasilko, a boy of six or eight years, must fulfil the prayer of a dying mother and save his sister Nastya, who is very young and cannot even speak. The novelty of the author of the novel does not describe Vasylko’s inner emotions, but using the poetics of behaviourism, shows only the actions of the boy and his behaviour in these circumstances. The novel is devoid of emotional expressions, conveys the boy’s behaviour, his actions caused by external pathogens. The author with great force conveys his attitude to the war and its inhumane nature.