Inner speech in the compositional structure of Ksenia Buksha’s novel Advent

Inner speech plays a crucial role in the structural and semantic composition of Ksenia Buksha’s literary works. The reported research is important because it explores how the speech structure is organized in Buksha’s novel Advent as a reflection of modern literature’s trend towards narrative identity strategy and as a manifestation of the author’s unique writing style. The aim of the article is to define the role of inner speech in the compositional structure of Buksha’s novel and to describe the relationship between the subjective spheres of the narrator and the characters. The study employs linguistic text analysis, as well as contextual and conceptual analysis. Through these research, three distinct subjective spheres in the novel were identified: the subjective sphere of the non-diegetic narrator - the subjective sphere of the hero (Kostya) - the subjective sphere of the heroine (Anya). All stories unfold within the characters’ chronotope. The contrast between the characters’ external and internal lives serves as the main compositional technique that helps to interpret the semantic structure of the novel. The characters’ chronotope is connected with their inner worlds and is represented in the text by their inner speech, which refers to the past associated with the present. For the purpose of plot development, the characters’ stories are used for “collecting laughter from the past”, while thematically and conceptually the novel delves into the self-definition and self-identification attempts of the heroes who have become disconnected from the world and each other, losing sight of the value of life. The semantic function of the characters’ inner speech is to convey their psychological transformation from depression and aggravation to peace and joy, with Kostya’s journey portrayed through reflection, and Anya’s - through sensual experience. The novel’s use of various forms of speech - internal, reported, and direct - serves to shape meaning by illustrating the characters’ progression from depression to dialogue (external speech) as a means of overcoming their inner struggles.