The image of soviet reality in Kjell Westö’s novel “Mirage 38”

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the novel of the modern Finnish-Swedish writer Kjell Westö, “Mirage 38” (published in 2013). The action takes place in the 1930s, and an important role in the work is played by the description of the historical background, within which the storylines develop. The author could not ignore Finland’s foreign policy relations, including relations with the Soviet Union. Such references are the subject of analysis in this article. The historical facts mentioned in the novel are, for the most part, genuine, since Westö takes seriously the factual preparation of his works. Nevertheless, some events are covered through the prism of perception of the protagonist, therefore, they cannot claim to be objective. Moscow in the novel “Mirage 38” appears as a bulwark of urban civilization, in which a new way of life is emerging. The main character, having been assigned to the capital of the country, experiences a dissonance of his inner attitude with what he encounters in reality. The depiction of Soviet reality in the novel bears the imprint of the knowledge available in the 20th century about the era of Stalinism, and therefore is strikingly different from the impressions that contemporaries of the described historical period had. Also, the writer’s acquaintance with Russian literature could have had an impact, since the work mentions its representatives, and the main character discusses their influence on his mood. The correlation of objectively depicted historical facts with the subjective perception of Westö’s characters creates a unique atmosphere that critics appreciated and later awarded the novel “Mirage 38” with a prestigious award.