The ukrainian experience of national identity transformation (On the material “under the wings of big mother” by S. Protsiuk)

Abstract

This article is devoted to the investigation of Ukrainian national identity transformation, conditioned by the events of the Revolution of Dignity in the novel “Under the Wings of Big Mother” by S. Protsiuk. It was found out that the problem of national identity is the key one on the thematic, problematic, ideological, and figurative levels. The basic categories in the process of the new national identity formation in the novel “Under the Wings of Big Mother” by S. Protsiuk are pain, suffering, sorrow, and fear. The transformation of the national identity is subordinate to the moral and ethical discourse of changes, which were prompted by the revolution. The article serves to analyze political obstacles, mental traps and drawbacks of Ukrainian psychological character that prevented Ukrainians from forming a strong national identity. Changes of Ukrainian national identity is caused by the traumatic experience of Ukraine being a part of USSR, marked by genocide, linguicide, culturicide, Holodomor, and political repressions. The transformation of Ukrainian national identity in the beginning of the 21st century made possible the establishment of the key national identities (identitas): history, language, territory, basic national symbols and codes. It was proved that the modification of the national identity and the awareness of the ethnic value and self-identification are possible on the condition of understanding of mental traps and psychological drawbacks of Ukrainians that impeded the Ukrainian people of forming their identity and world view to the full extent.