Specificity of reality representations in fictional worlds (based on fantasy novels by R. F. Kuang and Fonda Lee)

Abstract

   Memory and trauma studies are among the main points of interest in the modern literary process, as they allow (re)comprehending and artistically reworking the accumulated social and historical experience from the fictional point of view. Although the methodology of interpreting historical memory and collective (or personal) trauma in realistic literature is being studied in detail, fictional artistic worlds rarely fall into the sphere of research interest.

   The purpose of our work is to analyze the methods of historical and cultural reception within the framework of the fantasy metagenre, which does not have mandatory “text outputs” into reality.

   Based on the novels “The Poppy War” by Rebecca F. Kuang and “Jade City” by Fonda Lee, the article proves that, even placed in the framework of a secondary artistic reality, the events of real history continue to function as a means of cognizing identity and selfhood at social, national, ethnic, religious, gender and other levels. A separate point of reception of the real in the novels is the comprehension of feminist problems, which are complicated for the Asian conservative world. Two focal characters – Rin in “The Poppy War” and Shae in “Jade City” – search for their place in society and its hierarchical structure and fight against outdated patriarchal foundations.