Dydaktyczno-rozrywkowe powiastki schyłkowego PRL-u (Anatol Ulman, Marek Słyk, Paweł Huelle)

Abstract

This sketch is about the culmination of modernity which happened (or could have happened on a larger scale) in prose at the turn of the 70s and 80s. Three authors’ novels are presented as examples of emerging new sensitivity in late modernity. The seemingly unlikely juxtaposition captures the surprising continuity of the transformation of modern prose. The works by Anatol Ulman, Marek Słyk fall within Michael Głowiński’s concept of “socialist realism” which referred, in this case, to literature oblivious to the present, refusing to get involved, which in the context of the year 1984 seems to be of significance. To some extent, Paweł Huelle’s Weiser Dawidek could face the same accusation. However, so far Huelle and Słyk have been placed at two opposing ends in the literary historical process. On the other hand, Ulman and Słyk, and later on Huelle proved that “authenticity fatigue” occurred relatively early, and being indebted to anti-communist ideology and submitting to the pressures of the modern epic novel (which the literary critics of the time demanded) would reduce the friction between different poetics and aesthetics and slow down the search for new solutions other than “orthodox” modernism.