SPACE, TIME, CHARACTER AS A MODEL FOR ANALYSING COGNITIVE ESTRANGEMENT IN SCIENCE FICTION

Abstract

This article analyzes the technique of estrangement and its role in science fiction. It traces the evolution of the concept from Viktor Shklovsky’s early ideas to the philosophical, linguistic, and socially oriented interpretations of the 20th century, as well as contemporary approaches to the "strange" in literature. Particular attention is paid to the works of Darko Suvin and Simon Spiegel, who describe science fiction as a genre that balances the effect of novelty with the necessity of making the fictional world intelligible and logical for the reader. The article demonstrates that estrangement in science fiction primarily functions at the generic level, whereas within a specific text, unusual elements are typically presented as part of everyday reality, helping the reader navigate alternative worlds. The scientific novelty of this work lies in situating the Ukrainian tradition of literary studies within a broad international context. Ukrainian approaches are presented not as a secondary reflection of Western theories, but as an independent direction that offers a fresh perspective on estrangement, informed by specific historical and cultural experiences. The study conceptualizes estrangement as a fluid process in which the effect of unfamiliarity is gradually balanced by habituation and the acceptance of a "new norm." The paper proposes the Space / Time / Character analytical model as an effective tool for examining science fiction texts. This model allows tracing how the effects of estrangement and the processes of adaptation are distributed across the types of fantastic assumptions (the novum). Applying this model to the works of Ursula K. Le Guin and Margaret Atwood reveals that changes related to space and time are more readily accepted as a new norm. In contrast, nova, key fantastic elements that define the foundation of the quasi-real world and affect human identity, retain the sense of strangeness longer and require a more lucid and restrained narrative style. The article concludes that science fiction is a unique form of artistic knowledge, in which estrangement continues to play a vital role in understanding the reality of the modern technological world.