Constructing Reality in Literary Reportage: The Fictional Dimension of the Documentary

The article analyzes the methods of constructing reality in literary reportage, using examples from German-language literary reportage texts of the 19th–21st centuries. It is noted that, given the hybrid nature of this text type, it is characterised by documentariness, which implies the depiction of reality through artistic means through the prism of the author's own experience. This feature justifies the consideration of fictional and documentary components in it not in opposition, but in their complementarity as components of a single textual space. It is established that such a combination contributes to a deeper disclosure of the topic, creates an emotionally rich narrative, while maintaining a connection with reality, which makes the text both reliable and artistically expressive. In order to identify the strategy of constructing reality and establish the relationship between the fictional and the documentary, the analysis was carried out within three categories: text structure, formal features and internal characteristic elements (level of direct presence, character level, documentary level). It was found that the presence of photographs and maps in the text, accurate descriptions of the place of action, chronological narration with time specification, detailing of audio elements, direct speech of characters and integration of reference information into the text enhance the documentary nature and reliability of the depicted. The fictional nature of literary reportage is represented by the level of experience, which, although indicating the author’s direct presence, is formed through the author’s reflection, supplemented by stylistic devices. Thus, it is established that the documentary and fictional components engage in a productive interaction, facilitated in particular by the mediality of the text. This mediality is expressed through multichannel elements (such as text, visual imagery, and sound) and intermediality, resulting in a holistic and multidimensional narrative capable of effectively conveying both informational and emotional content.