NATURALISM IN ANTON SHABLENKO’S STORIES TO DISCOVER SOCIETY’S PROBLEMS

Abstract

In the article a literary analysis of the works of Anton Shablenko in order to identify the naturalistic techniques that the writer used in his work, and belonging A. Shablenko to the writers who adhered the style of naturalism is analysed. The story “In Half a Day” and the principles of the writer’s reflection of the difficult working situation at a factory during the transitional period at the beginning of the 20th century are analyzed. The coincidence of the story line of A. Shablenko’s work with E. Zola’s novels “Germinal” and “The Trap”, which describes the work of people to exhaustion is determined. The story “In Half a Day” is presented from the point of view of a boy Mykola, who finds himself in a factory where many mechanisms work. To work at the plant, Mykola must undergo a medical examination. The story analyzes in detail the case of another employee, Karmelyuk, whom the doctor declared sick and unable to work. Karmelyuk had a large family – a wife and four children whom he had to feed. The doctor’s conclusion leaves this person without money to survive. As a result of this incident, the very nervous Karmelyuk loses consciousness, falls to the floor, blood begins to flow from his throat, and from a rebel trying to get a work permit, he instantly turns into a sick and incapacitated person who has only a few days to live left, or even several hours. The case with Karmelyuk made Mykola to think about justice. He remembers his father, who was also sick while working, and how his chief helped him sending him money for treatment. The culmination of the naturalistic portrayal in this story is the case with another 15-year-old boy, also working at this plant, who was seriously injured in the workshop on the production of wood materials, where both his arms were cut off.