Deconstructing Patriarchal War Narratives: State Mythmaking and Documentary Prose of Svetlana Alexievich
Journal: W&M Publish (College of William & Mary)
Year: 2019

The focus of this thesis is Svetlana Alexievich’s role in shaping new forms of emplotment and a sense of post-Soviet authenticity. I focus on her two oral histories examining war experiences under socialism—War’s Unwomanly Face (U voiny ne zhenskoe litso) and Zinky Boys (Tsinkovye mal’chiki). Alexievich’s works provide alternative histories that differ from official narratives of events, especially as represented in film, which has been a key state tool for shaping collective memory both in Sovi