Linguistic and mythopoetic aspects of desert space in A. Platonov's short story «The Sandy Teacher»

Abstract

The article explores the linguistic and mythopoetic aspects of the desert space in A.P. Platonov's short story «The Sandy Teacher». It is considered how the concept of the desert, expressed through linguistic means, forms the consciousness of the characters and their interaction with the environment. The desert serves as a kind of metaphor for the inner state of the characters, their loneliness and desire for the truth. The symbols, comparisons, and stylistic techniques used by A.P. are analyzed in detail. Platonov uses it to create a multilayered desert image that reflects the cultural and existential experiences of the characters in the story. The heroine is being tested not only by the desert, its sandy greed, but also by indifference and death. The transformation of the teacher's inner world ends with her image – the forest, which must certainly appear in place of the desert lands. Thus, the study focuses on semiotic encodings that influence the perception of mythological space (desert, forest) and its significance in the context of Russian literature of the early 20th century. The relationship between the author's language and the general cultural context is also revealed. The analysis of the work makes it possible to clarify and deepen the understanding of the writer's prose, his literary style. In conclusion, the uniqueness of Plato's approach to describing the emptiness or fullness of human experience is emphasized.