Journal archive

Abstract: The article discusses integrity and cohesion of the novel «Smoke» by I. A. Turgenev. It argues that the unity of «Smoke» is based on the complex structure of the motive which portrays socio-political, moral and psychological world of the novel. The motive of «game» is analyzed that portrays the life of the post-reformation Russian society. «Theatrical performance» is a branch of the motive of «game» and it contains such motives as «theatre», «comedy», «role», «spectator», «actor», «puppet nature», etc. The goal of the article is to depict the meaning of the motives of «gambling» in the structure of the novel. The topic of gambling is presented with regard to the literature tradition and typological approximations. Among the motives of «gambling» special attention is paid to the following: «golden», «green», «roulette», «luck», «suddenly», «fever», «thrill of competition», «passion» «resentfulness», «chaos», «whirl», etc. The central role in the plot is occupied by the motives of roulette and power of Luck. There is a correlation between the motives of game and the other motives of the novel. The conclusion is made that the analysis of motivational structure makes it possible to get deeper knowledge about the outer conflict of the novel, to depict the inner conflict of the protagonist and the nature of the world image presented in the novel.