NATIONAL MODELS OF MNEMONIC NARRATIVE: XX CENTURY ACCORDING TO ONE OF NINO KHARATISHVILI'S NOVELS

Abstract

The phenomenon of mnemonic narrative represents one of the poetic principles of novel art. In the process of arranging artistic integrity, the mimesis of memory and recollection can be considered as one of the leading principles of narrative, which, in turn, is related to the presentation of the existing reality, the inner world of the literary subject, the artistic perception of memories and the authorial concept. A characteristic feature of the mnemonic narrative method is the emphasis on the authenticity of the artistic expression, while the goal is to show the process of searching for the truth in the past by a literary hero. This way a sense of distance is created in the consciousness of the literary subject / narrator towards his past experience; also readiness of the protagonist / narrator to reconsider the events of the past from the perspective of the existing reality / current events. In this light, we analyze the epic novel "Eighth Life (Brilka)" by the German-speaking Georgian writer Nino Kharatishvili (2014), which we consider to be a successful attempt to present a panoramic picture of the history of the 20^th century Georgia. Mnemonic narrative on the contradictory nature of the Soviet mentality and traumatic memory, projecting on the solution of modern problems by recalling the painful past, breaking of the Soviet Empire and the stereotypes that have defined the ideological consciousness of the Georgian people for decades, breaking the bond between the generations - this is the incomplete list of problems in Nino Kharatishvili's family saga, which describes the vicissitudes of life of seven members of Jashi family. From the perspective of traumatic memory, the protagonist of the novel tries to understand when and under whose influence the unwavering aspiration for freedom was formed in the conditions of a totalitarian regime. Her narratives address the events of collective / cultural trauma, in the context of which she realizes the past of 20^th century Georgia, recalls people who formed her moral orientations and played a role in her spiritual formation. The traumatic concepts of Soviet existence are clearly presented in the novel; it is illustrated that throughout the seventy years of the Bolshevik totalitarian regime (1921-1991), Georgian nation never tolerated its fate and maintained the spark of protest, which, along with the collective trauma, was passed down from generation to generation.