SEMANTIC TRANSFORMATION OF THE “LITTLE MAN” IMAGE IN METAPHORICAL AND CONCEPTUAL DISCOURSE
Keywords:
“little man”, literary discourse, metaphor, figurative meaning, conceptual meaning, character, semantic transformation, Viktor Pelevin, Generation “P”, Vavilen Tatarsky, simulacrum, virtual reality, intertextuality, conceptual opposition.Abstract
This paper examines the semantic and conceptual features of the “little man” image in literary discourse and its transformation from a traditional literary type into a complex contemporary character. Particular attention is paid to the formation of metaphorical and contextual meanings and to the semantic relationship between the character and such concepts as social isolation, psychological withdrawal, virtual reality, and spiritual alienation. The traditional model of the “little man” in Russian literature is compared with its contemporary representation, with particular reference to V. Pelevin’s novel Generation “P”. The study explores the metaphorical and symbolic dimensions of the character, as well as their relationship to the concepts of simulacrum, mass culture, and the conceptual oppositions between reality and virtuality. The findings demonstrate that in contemporary literary discourse, the concept of the “little man” has undergone a significant transformation: from a passive and vulnerable individual into an ambivalent subject capable of understanding, exploiting, and seeking to control the system within which he exists.
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