THE LITTLE MAN IN AN AGE OF SOCIAL DISASTER (BASED ON A.G. VOLOS'S NOVEL "KHURRAMABAD")

Abstract

This article explores the traditional Russian literary image of the "little man," as portrayed in Andrei Volos's novel "Khurramabad." The work traces the fates of socially vulnerable people in the post-Soviet space. The authors of the article analyze the vectors of development and transformation of the heroes. Through the prism of three key characters – Nizom, Nikolai Yamninov and Rakhmatulla – the work reveals three different paths of existence for the “little man” in an era of catastrophe: Moral degradation and loss of self under the pressure of circumstances; the acquisition of inner resilience and rebellion against the new "masters of life"; spiritual resistance to chaos through fidelity to beauty and creative work. The article expresses the thesis that A. Volos, developing the classical tradition, demonstrates the versatility and ability of the “little man” not only to be a victim of history, but also to make moral choices, maintain human dignity and grow spiritually in inhumane conditions.

Extended Abstract

This article examines the transformation of the traditional Russian literary image of the "little man" in Andrei Volos's novel "Khurramabad." The authors, position their analysis within the continuum of Russian literary history, arguing that Volos both continues and reconfigures this classic archetype to reflect the post-Soviet condition. The novel serves as a vehicle for exploring the fates of socially vulnerable individuals amidst the social catastrophe of the Soviet Union's collapse. Through a close reading of three central characters, the article identifies three distinct vectors of development, revealing the "little man" not merely as a passive victim but as an agent capable of moral and spiritual response.

The analysis centers on the divergent paths of Nizom, Nikolai Yamninov, and Rakhmatulla. The first path, embodied by Nizom, is one of moral degradation and loss of self under the pressure of circumstances. A simple tractor driver drawn into civil war, Nizom becomes a mercenary, his initial aversion to violence—symbolized by his refusal to eat meat—eroded by necessity and historical forces. His trajectory illustrates the complete dissolution of identity and moral bearings in the face of chaos, representing a tragic failure to withstand historical pressure.

The second path, demonstrated by Nikolai Yamninov, a Russian engineer in Tajikistan, showcases the acquisition of inner resilience and rebellion against the new "masters of life." Initially portrayed as an exiled and humiliated figure losing his home and place in society, Yamninov undergoes a significant evolution. The authors trace his journey from passive suffering to an accumulation of internal tension, culminating in an active, desperate rebellion. This progression moves beyond classical victimhood, demonstrating the "little man's" capacity for moral fortitude and defiant action.

The third path is represented by Rakhmatulla, a gardener whose existence is defined by spiritual resistance to chaos through fidelity to beauty and creative work. Cultivating roses—symbols of purposeless beauty—becomes his form of philosophical opposition to surrounding violence. He is presented as a carrier of quiet truth, whose созидательный (creative) labor and internal freedom exemplify how dignity can be preserved. His character asserts that the "little man" can act as a keeper of spiritual values.

The article concludes that Volos, developing the classical tradition, demonstrates the versatility of the "little man," who is shown to make moral choices, maintain dignity, and grow spiritually within inhumane conditions. The novel becomes a chronicle of post-Soviet survival, affirming the enduring humanistic potential of this literary tradition to express the grandeur of the human spirit through the seemingly insignificant individual.