Stories of Resilience: Postmodern Reflections on Ukraine's Independence

• In Event: Interrogating Identity in Eastern European Literature and Film: Myth, Resilience, and the Nation

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze literary representations of national identity in Ukrainian novels from the 21st century. The main plots of selected works for analysis are situated in the years leading up to the Orange Revolution, yet their secondary narratives extend across decades. This temporal scope suggests that Ukrainian authors conceptualize the revolution as an organically integrated episode in the nation's ongoing struggle for independence, rather than a spontaneous occurrence. Focusing on Oksana Zabuzhko's novel, The Museum of Forgotten Secrets, and a short story, “Album for Gustav”, alongside Lina Kostenko's work, The Diary of a Ukrainian Madman, the paper examines their postmodernist features. These include fragmented and non-linear narratives, coupled with an intense emphasis on reconstructing personal and collective histories. Furthermore, the study investigates the significance of physical spaces, notably Independence Square in Kyiv, within the context of Ukraine's anti-imperial struggle. These three literary works stand out as intricate explorations of Ukraine's initial decade of independence, capturing the nation's ongoing process of reconstructing and redefining its identity following the removal of its former oppressor. By interpreting the postmodernist features as indicative of a postcolonial orientation, this paper contributes to the robust and active project of reevaluating Ukraine's historical, social, and cultural landscape, particularly intensified by Russia’s invasion of the country.

Author

• Mykyta Tyshchenko, Ohio State U