THE REALITY AND MEMORY OF WAR IN THE DIARY OF OLES HONCHAR

Abstract

The paper examines the representation of war in Oles Honchar’s diary and traces its peculiarities. The analysis of diary entries from the period of the Second World War and the post-war years reveals the chronological and psychological duality of the author’s perception of war as a reality and as a memory. The diary has its specifics of the presentation and understanding of the autobiographical, social, political, historical, and philosophical aspects of war as an inhumane, criminal, and absurd phenomenon, in the context of which life values become reinterpreted and the true nature of a man revealed. The author’s peculiar representation of the war realities is based on the perception of an eyewitness and a participant in the events, reflecting on historical, anthropological, and transcendental dimensions of the phenomenon of war. It was found that in the post-war diary entries, the phenomenon of war is transformed within the confines of personal experience. The temporal projection also brings new meanings, ultimately transforming it into a form of memory. To O. Honchar, every return of thoughts to the past is not just reminiscence; it is a new experience of something that has never been forgotten. Through his vivid memories of the war in new time coordinates, the author of the diary reinterpreted past and present realities, while his love for life, people, and Ukraine became deeper and stronger. The diary entries of O. Honchar hold particular significance in today’s conditions, offering valuable insights into the experience of a notable individual. They provide us with a deeper understanding of the tragedy of the Second World War and the role played by nations and individuals. Moreover, they may expand our comprehension of the modern Russian military aggression against Ukraine and aid us in interpreting the global anti-humane nature of war within specific historical and existential dimensions.