The theme of trauma in M. P. Shishkin’s novel “The Light and the Dark”

The study aims to identify the varieties of the theme of trauma in the novel “The Light and the Dark” by the contemporary Russian writer M. P. Shishkin. “The Light and the Dark” can be interpreted as a model of traumatic prose, in which personal and collective, physical and metaphysical traumatic experiences form a special ethical and philosophical lens. Trauma, as an important theme not only in “The Light and the Dark”, but also in contemporary literature, reveals a deeper perception of the world and people to individuals. The scientific originality of the study lies in the fact that trauma theory is applied to the analysis of M. P. Shishkin’s work for the first time. Within the framework of this theory, it is possible to better understand the general problems in “The Light and the Dark”, including the eternity of life, the encounter with death, and reflection on the fate of humanity. The results obtained showed that three main varieties of the theme of trauma are manifested in “The Light and the Dark”: family, military, and existential trauma; the power of love and sincere communication as a way to overcome trauma is revealed; and issues of maturation, interpersonal relationships, and philosophical reflections on life and death are discussed. Analysis of the results obtained allows for expanding and deepening trauma theory in specific literary texts, as well as discovering philosophical themes related to life and death in contemporary Russian literature.