The magical paradigm in the V. Pelevin`s late novels

Sil'cheva Alina Georgievna ORCID: 0000-0002-6501-1339 PhD in Philology Associate Professor, Department of the History of Journalism and Literature, Moscow University named after A.S. Griboyedov, Moscow, Russia 111024, Russia, Moscow region, Moscow, Highway Enthusiasts str., 21 alinka-krasulka@mail.ru

In the article, we set a modest task and strive to identify the specifics of one of the constituent elements of the author's artistic method implemented in later works, namely, the features of the embodiment of the magical motif. L. M. Krupchanov in the textbook "Theory of Literature" defines an artistic or literary method as "a system of principles of artistic cognition, reflection and generalization of reality in their concrete historical refraction" ^{[1, p. 288]}, that is, the method is a way of reflecting the author's perception of reality.

Traditionally, V. Pelevin is characterized by domestic and foreign researchers as a postmodernist (for example, A. Magun in the work "The Postmodern Apocalypse of Victor Pelevin" ^[2] or S. Y. Dvinin in the dissertation "Categories of time and space in the artistic discourse of postmodernism (based on the novels "Hawksmoor" by P. Akroyd, "Alverton" by A. Thorpe, "Chapaev and the Void" by V. Pelevin, "Altyn-Tolobas" by B. Akunin)"). However, a number of literary critics define the author's artistic method in a broader context: for example, D. V. Krotova notes modernist tendencies in early work ^[3], and A. G. Kovalenko identifies allusions to the two worlds of symbolists ^[4]. L. G. Kihney considers V. Pelevin's prose as magical, noting the author's attraction to otherness ^{[5; 6]}. According to M. A. Dvorak, the same work can be interpreted differently, both in the context of postmodernism, and within the framework of science fiction or magical realism ^[7].

We do not define V. Pelevin unambiguously in the context of exclusively postmodernism or another literary trend, but focus on the study of one principle typical of Pelevin's artistic method. The method is more labile than the literary direction as a historically established category.

The article uses structural and cultural-historical methods. The empirical base of the research is represented by the novel "Secret Views of Mount Fuji" (2018), such works as "The Holy Book of the Werewolf" (2004), "Empire V" (2006), "Love for the Three Zuckerbreens" (2014), "Invincible Sun" (2020) and "KGBT+" (2022).

Before proceeding directly to the consideration of the elements of magic in V. Pelevin's prose, let us define the concepts of "motive", "magic" and "magical motive".

 By motive in the work we mean the simplest element of the plot, presented in a generalized form and found in a number of works. The term was developed by A. N. Veselovsky, the motif of the literary text was also studied by B. V. Tomashevsky, V. B. Shklovsky, B. M. Gasparov and others. A typological feature of the motif is repeatability ^{[8, pp. 88-94]}.

Magic is interpreted by us as a supernatural force aimed at transforming the surrounding space or oneself "without the mediation of natural forces", often violating causal connections, chronotope, etc. ^{[9, p. 156]}. Such a transformation has practical significance and is carried out, as E.A. Popov points out, with the everyday goal of "getting full or partial help from the "otherworldly" world in meeting their needs" ^{[10, p. 193]}.

Based on the presented understanding of magic, we formulate the interpretation of the term "magical motif" – this is the transformation of the surrounding space repeated in a work of art, carried out through a directed effort of will to achieve a specific goal, embodied in reminiscences, paraphrases and allusions, chronotope, system, communicative acts and/or actions of characters. In the context of a magical motif, we traditionally call a magician – a person endowed with supernatural abilities who directs his skills to transform the surrounding space. The tool that allows the magician to transform reality is designated as magical.

So, let's consider the embodiment of the magical motif in the novel "Secret Views of Mount Fuji". There are two narrators in the work: the oligarch Fedya and his school sweetheart Tanya. Their storylines are mostly parallel and only occasionally intersect, merging only in the finale. Fedor's story develops Pelevin's traditional "Buddhist" line in combination with discussions about virtual technologies: the hero seeks to achieve enlightenment by using a special device. In the context of the stated topic, Tanya's storyline is of greater interest to us – a story about the heroine using a magic hook and transforming not only her life, but also Fedor's life.

Interestingly, fiction and mythology provide examples of male magicians (as well as wizards): for example, this is the shaman Don Juan from the works of Castaneda, and Merlin from the cycle of legends about King Arthur, and the Witcher, the hero of the series of books by Andrzej Sapkowski, and Harry Potter and other wizards from the series of novels by J. Rowling. However, magic as a force capable of transforming the surrounding world is associatively associated with the energy of creation and female energy, which, for example, is explored in the monograph "Mysteries and Magic of the North (runes and female power)" by F. Asvinn ^[11]. The female chapters of the novel "Secret Views of Mount Fuji", that is, those episodes where Tanya acts as the narrator, embody just this point of view.

Tanya's path in the world of magic begins with humiliation by Fyodor and a meeting with a mushroom picker in the forest, who gives her Giselle's number. Subsequently, Tanya gets acquainted with a group whose members call themselves the new hunters, whose representative is the heroine's new acquaintance. Tanya dreams of Amanda [the founder of the esoteric feminist community, according to the story of one of the heroines], later she plunges into a ritual trance, defeats an Iguana [deity] and becomes one of the hunters.

These episodes represent the initiation and formation of the heroine. Tanya's story can generally be viewed in a social context (as an artistic interpretation of the feminist movement), satirical (satire and grotesque are among the key author's methods), however, we have articulated only the magical component of the above episodes.

The key place of action is the forest: in the forest there is a fateful meeting with a mushroom picker, and the humiliation of Tanya, and an initiatory ritual. The forest in the magical key is the place of the ritual and the boundary between reality and otherness ^[12].

Esoteric feminism and the supernatural ability of the new hunters to transform reality and influence it are discussed by the heroines: "... The Amanda system is a mystery based on ancient and intimate female magic. It was forgotten many centuries ago, but Amanda rediscovered it for us. / Magic? Tanya asked incredulously. / – Magic is just a word..." ^{[13, p. 256]}.

Later, Tanya transforms reality with the help of a magic tool (hook): "It wasn't some kind of material object. It was all Fedin's fate – Tanya knew that for sure. It was as if she controlled the bed of a distant river, and from each turn of the handle something in the whole nature changed..." ^{[13, p. 359]}. Often, the actions of the heroine are described in dry factual language, a passive voice appears, which indicates the practical application of magic: "Tanya formulated a command and sent a hook to Fedin's head ... the order was heard" ^{[13, p. 353]}.

In the finale of the novel, the heroine becomes Fyodor's lover. Thus, magic for the heroine is a means to achieve what she wants.

Speaking about the embodiment of the magical motif in the work of V. Pelevin, it is necessary to identify the specifics of the hero. The main character has the ability to penetrate beyond the boundaries of reality and move from one world to another. Despite the ability to move and knowledge about the true nature of reality, the hero is still easily attributed by the reader as a representative of a specific aspect of being. Let's consider the cases typical for V. Pelevin:

1) the hero belongs to another world initially (foxes and werewolves, the heroes of the novel "The Holy Book of the Werewolf");

2) the hero makes the transition from reality to the other world (the man Roma Storkin becomes the vampire Ram in the novel "Empire V");

3) the hero moves freely between the real and otherworldly (or virtual) worlds (the novel "The Invincible Sun" ends with the creation of a new reality, and the memory of the old one belongs only to Sasha; at the beginning of the novel, the main character ascends the mountain and experiences a transcendent experience; the main character of the novel "Love for the Three Zuckerbrins" is able to get out from virtual reality and become aware of the physical space surrounding him). 

It should be noted that magic as a kind of force is also present in the latest novel "KGBT+" at the time of writing: the main character briefly mentions valkyries as representatives of the media business: "One of the hypnotic furies that <...> they hire for a lot of money to warm up the reptilian brain of the deep people. I don't really believe in their magic. Rather, there is magic there, and it is very powerful, but it boils down to self-presentation and divorce on a budget..." ^{[14, p. 182]}.

The examples given vary in scale, and the same can be said about the magical elements in the system of the artistic world. Magical elements are woven into the plot at different levels of narration: at the level of vocabulary (linguistic markers appear indicating a magician, magic, magical object or action); at the level of actions performed by characters; at the level of chronotope organization; at the level of the plot.

When considering the magical in the plot, the question arises: can we, having identified the magical motif in V. Pelevin's prose, attribute it to magical realism? Before proceeding to the search for an answer, it is necessary to formulate a definition of "magical realism".

E. G. Maslova considers magical realism as a type of artistic thinking characterized by carnivalization, an organic combination of fiction and historical reality, which readers are easily able to identify ^[15]. 

As A. A. Gugnin notes, household elements are the basis for the growth of the miraculous ^[16]. Realism as a component of the term is fundamentally significant, since the narrative is based on a realistic chronotope, "which is constantly "torn apart" by elements that do not fit into it and eventually turns out to be deceptive" ^{[17, p. 21]}.

Let's highlight some components of magical prose, comparing them with episodes or actions of characters taken from Pelevin's novel prose.

1. The degree of reliability and plausibility of the topos, events, characters and objects: the boundary between the real and the unreal is blurred, the acting character often finds it difficult to definitively define what is happening as a dream (hallucination) or reality. So, the space in the Tenerife villa in the finale of the novel "The Invincible Sun" changes, the boundaries disappear, the passage of time does not correspond to the real: the main character, watching her companion dance, sees her aging.

2. The boundary between the worlds: reality and otherness has a clearly defined boundary ^{[18, p. 18]}. In relation to the final episode of the novel "The Invincible Sun", the identification of the boundary does not cause difficulties: the door to the hall closes, cutting off reality from otherness, the transformation of the chronotope occurs only in this hall.

Analyzing the novel as a whole, we also find other examples of boundaries – the mention of the fiery river in the song, a dream as the boundary between reality and reality, traveling by plane (a long distance as a border), the primary source of which is found in the mythologies of the peoples of the world. According to N. Z. Koltsova's reasoning, "... awareness of one's "otherness", including from the point of view of the "national code" (and not only in terms of attitude to modern civilization), is the fundamental attitude of the creators of "magical" literature" ^{[19, p. 133]}.

E. G. Maslova points out that magical realism is based on mythical, mythological and folklore material ^[15], which we see in the Pelevin artistic method. Examples can also serve: the forest, already mentioned earlier in the article, as the border between the real and other worlds; the novel "The Holy Book of the Werewolf", full of reminiscences of Scandinavian mythology; muses as professional inspirers in the novel "KGBT+", etc.

3. Explaining the nature of what is happening, building cause-and-effect relationships. The unreal is not explained by natural sciences, the statement about the presence of the magical is the basis for the existence of an artistic space. However, the magical world has a specific chronotope and the laws according to which the characters act, as well as a story (the story of the werewolf foxes is told by the main character at the beginning of the novel ("The Holy Book of Werewolves") and is mentioned later).

Thus, we are inclined to assume that V. Pelevin's later work tends towards magical realism. A deeper analysis of the works will further determine the validity of the designation of the late Pelevin texts in the context of magical realism as a type of thinking.

So, the article considers the implementation of a magical motif in the structure of a large prose text by V. Pelevin. Using examples, the specifics of the embodiment of magic in works are studied at various levels, namely: plot, chronotope, speech, character system. A motivated and proven assumption has been made about the author's attraction to magical realism.

The work identifies one of the aspects of V. Pelevin's work. However, there are also mythological, cultural, historical, etc. references that may become the subject of study in further works devoted to the study of V. Pelevin's late work.

Due to the obvious transformation of the author's artistic method and the popularity of V. Pelevin's work, we consider the research direction presented in the article to be promising and of interest to the scientific community.