Post-dependence strategies in Slovak prose of the 1990s

This study examines the literary strategies of Slovak prose writers of the 1990s in relation to the formation of Slovak cultural identity after the fall of communism in November 1989 and after the division of Czechoslovakia in January 1993. The examined texts consist of prose in which the authors reflect on the post-communist transformation of Slovak society, a theme which politicizes this body of work. The selected authors respond directly to the changes that took place in Slovak society throughout the 1990s. Their shared framework can be understood through the lens of post-dependence, which explores the consequences of the transition from totalitarianism to democracy. The basic strategies employed by Slovak authors to deal with post-dependence may be summarized as transgression, subversion and dystopian practices. In Slovak literature in general (Martin Kasarda, Igor Otčenáš, Stano Kochan), transgression takes the form of deconstructing traditional narratives, of linguistic innovation, exploration of taboos and crossing into genre fiction. After 1989, transgression manifests in various ways, from the disruption of linguistic and formal conventions to the depiction of taboo topics. Another approach is subversion, which serves to challenge and disrupt accepted structures and conventions. Slovak authors (Marek Vadas, Viliam Klimáček, Dušan Mitana) respond sensitively to the formation of a new perspective, which makes space for experimenting with identity and playing with taboo. A third strategy relates to the migration narrative, which also develops within post-dependence discourse (Michal Hvorecký); it is a dystopian formation of identity between globalism and localism, first emerging in the 1990s and later echoed in expat prose. The literary field of post-dependence discourse shows that Slovak literature of the 1990s perceived and responded to social transformations. Slovak literature of post-dependence strives to open discussions about the growing threat of nationalism as well as the fear that Slovak culture might once again become marginalized – whether within the geographical space of the Slovak state due to globalization, or in the broader context of Central Europe.