THE ANALYSIS OF THE PROSE BY JOSEF SKVORECKY PICTURES OF THE CZECH SOCIETY

• Slamova, K.

Abstract:

Josef Skvorecky is one of the most significant representatives of the Czech writers who published their works in the exile. Josef Skvorecky’s constant interest in the development of Czech society in recent decades is, among other things, the source of his work The Life of Czech Society, which is the subject of interest in this article. The book is a living testimony to a relatively recent period that was very difficult for the Czech nation. The analysis of the work makes it possible to follow Skvorecky’s mastery of writing. A particularly interesting aspect of the literature analysis is the sources of the humorous effect of the observed text. A strong feature of Skvorecky’s work is connecting the textual and thematic levels. The use of specific language resources for this interconnection leads to the high efficiency of the text. The analysis from the point of view of the literary communication progressing from the author to the textual and topical aspect of the book and finally the recipient tries to find out which language features are used by Skvorecky to reach the comic effect and, at the same time, to penetrate deep into relevant subjects. The analysis also reflects how the features of irony and sarcasm are used to reveal the hypocrisy of the middle class before February 1948, schizophrenic, dehumanised society of the period which followed, as well as the meretricious nature of the members of the community of emigrants. In spite of the fact that the analysed text has only been of marginal importance so far, it provides a lot of evidence of the author’s language mastery and his ability to penetrate to the heart of the matter. This work has not yet evoked as much readership as it deserves, and the presented analysis will, among other things, try to find an answer to the question why this is so.

SGEM Research areas:

• ART & HUMANITIES: Section Literature & Poetry

Year:

2020

Type of Publication:

In Proceedings

Keywords:

Josef Skvorecky; exile; humorous effect; literary communication

Volume:

7

SGEM Book title:

7th SWS International Scientific Conference on Arts And Humanities - ISCAH 2020

Book number:

1

SGEM Series:

SWS International Scientific Conferences on ART and HUMANITIES - ISCAH

Pages:

157-164

Publisher address:

51 Al. Malinov blvd, Sofia, 1712, Bulgaria

SGEM supporters:

SWS Scholarly Society; Acad Sci Czech Republ; Latvian Acad Sci; Polish Acad Sci; Russian Acad Sci; Serbian Acad Sci & Arts; Natl Acad Sci Ukraine; Natl Acad Sci Armenia; Sci Council Japan; European Acad Sci, Arts & Letters; Acad Fine Arts Zagreb Croatia; C

Period:

25-27 August, 2020

ISBN:

978-619-7603-00-2

ISSN:

2682-9940

Conference:

7th SWS International Scientific Conference on Arts And Humanities - ISCAH 2020, 25-27 August, 2020

DOI:

10.5593/sws.iscah.2020.7.1/s25.19