The image of Paris in Julian Barnes’ novel “Metroland”

The research aims to determine the specificity and functional role of the space of Paris in Julian Barnes’ debut novel “Metroland”. The academic novelty of the research lies in the fact that, despite the generally recognized interest of the writer in France and French culture, in Russian literary science, a comprehensive study of the imagological aspect of Barnes’ work through the lens of the interaction of English and French cultures has not been undertaken previously. The article examines in detail the role of the city as a space for the character’s coming-of-age and self-discovery, analyzes the influence of French culture on the formation of the hero’s personality. Particular attention is paid to the study of the image of the flâneur and its transformation in the context of Parisian space. It is noted that Paris in the novel is not so much a physical space as a cultural concept embodying the ideals of freedom, art, and youth. The dependence of the dominants of the city’s image on the worldview of the main character and the dynamics of this image associated with it are revealed. The research findings show that the space of Paris in the novel performs a dual function: on the one hand, it acts as an idealized space of art, poetry, and freedom, corresponding to the stereotypical ideas of the English traveler; on the other hand, it becomes a space for testing and transformation of the main character’s personality.