PRICE OF CONFORMITY AND SUBJECTIVITY IN VASILY GROSSMAN’S LIFE AND FATE: CHARACTER STUDIES

Abstract

This thesis seeks to contribute to Grossman studies by applying Soviet subjectivity theories to analyze the transformations of key characters in Vasily Grossman’s Life and Fate. Recent developments in post-Stalinist studies, particularly the concept of the "unmaking" of the Stalinist subject, provide a fresh critical framework for exploring how individuals navigate ideological shifts and personal crises within the novel. Grossman’s dual-context narrative, written during the Thaw but set in the Stalinist era, adds a unique dimension to understanding his retroactive interpretation of Soviet subjectivity. This approach highlights the tensions between ideological conformity and individual autonomy, revealing patterns of self-transformation, acts of defiance, and the limited exercise of personal agency within the constraints of collective Stalinist life. By synthesizing these perspectives, the thesis offers new insights into the complex dynamics of subjectivity in one of Soviet literature’s most significant works.