The Motif of Emigration and Characters of Emigrants in the Novels of Vladimir Tasić

Abstract

This paper examines whether the context (various socio-historical and political issues) can be brought to the forefront of literary analysis. New concepts of literature studies serve as a model for the interpretation of Tasić’s discourse. The sense of one’s own historicism and positions within different idelogies is emphasised. Tasić’s consistency in the thematisation of the emigration phenomenon, which has developed and taken shape literarily starting with his fi rst novel, A Farewell Gift, through his middle one, Rain and Paper, to his latest, The Glass Wall, is presented chronologically in accordance with the publication dates of the novels. The analysis shows that the thematisation of this phenomenon cannot be separated from the writer’s consideration of the adverse social and political circumstances, both on the territory of the Balkans and in various countries across the world. Different attitudes of contemporary literary critics which this paper refers to, show that the literary criticism itself represents a space for intellectual and socially signifi cant activity at the present moment in history, that is, a text and source of further examination and consideration.