Sentimental education in Nikolai Dubov's novel "The Runaway"

Abstract

The article focuses on oeuvre of Nikolai Dubov, one of the most interesting Soviet authors of children’s literature, whose books are mostly unknown to the modern millennial generation. In his best novel named “The Runaway”, published in 1966 (at the end of Khrushchev thaw period) Nikolai Dubov depicts small-town life in a rather critical way, mentioning alcoholism, soullessness and vulgar petty-bourgeois way of thinking and thus deviating from the principles of socialist realism. The main character Yurka challenges the laymen and abandons his family to yet again, as the prodigal son, come back when the father lands in trouble. Development of noble senses in Yurka are guided by Christian ethics, which makes the novel an extraordinary occurrence in the Soviet children’s literature. 

Key Words: Khrushchev thaw, novel, adultery, alcoholism, prodigal son, philistinism.