Compositional originality of Z. Prilepin’s novel «Pathology»

The article attempts to review Z. Prilepin’s novel «Pathology» in the aspect of compositional and motivational analysis. It analyzes the main motives in Prilepin’s work: bridge, vision, dog, father, river, is closely connected with the theme of life and death. The semantic line and ambivalent symbolic meaning of these motives in the composition of the novel: the movement from life to death, from loss to rebirth of family unity lies in overcoming border area, crossing, bridge. The combination of these motives reveals the essence of war as a pathological phenomenon, which requires not only physical death, but also spiritual death. The pathology is overcome by feeling of guilty and by knowing of religious commandments.