DIARY NOTES BY S. F. PLATONOV (SEPTEMBER 9 - NOVEMBER 8, 1879): “I DON’T KNOW IF THIS ONE WILL SURVIVE FOR POSTERITY”. PART 7

This part of the diary entries diff ers in many ways from the previous ones. First, this is the most active time with a diary, in a limited time frame, which is only two months. Second, and most importantly, the author defi nes a turn in his life and a transition to a new one, which is characterized by awareness of expressing thoughts, which is a consequence of the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Third, the mechanism of personality change and the infl uence of theater on this process is shown. Fourth, conversations with Moscow friends put an end to any misunderstandings in their relationship, which brought peace to the soul and consciousness of the author. Fifth, the diary is much devoted to impressions from university classes, the names of professors and their courses being men-tioned. There is an expression about his attitude to science. Sixth, critical refl ection on his studies in the poetic fi eld leads to a conscious decision to stop it. Seventh, there are new expectations from communicating with the female sex. All this is an indicator of a turning point in S. Platonov’s life, for which he turned out to be more prepared by previous searches for the meaning of life than his peers.