THE IMPORTANCE OF UNIVERSALS IN THE FORMATION OF THE COGNITIVE GAP IN THE STORY BY A. N . TOLS TOY «PETER’S DAY »

Abstract

The study tested the images of the elements (water, land and air) in connection with the solution of the problem of cognitive gap as the basis of the central conflict in the story. The purpose of the article is to designate the universal codes of the nation and Peter the Great. The benefits of such way of investigation are in enabling the transition from the historical, socio-political level of interpretation of this story to the cultural and ontological levels. Among the main literary scholarly strategies in the study are mythopoetic, imago-logical, and textological. As the attention was focused on mental structures that regulate the world outlook and world perception, the author also relied on the methodology of cognitive psychology. It is established that with the image of Peter are connected the elements of water and air (wind). With the Russian people, who does not accept the actions of Peter, considering him «alien», — such element as the earth. Rebuilding the land, Peter, as the people be-lieve, Peter violates the will of God, so he is the antichrist. Attention is drawn to the lack of unambiguous evaluation of Peter in the story. The elements of the air and the water, which are connected with him in the story, are the symbols of change, movement and life. As a result the tragedy of the conflict in the story is explained not by the contradiction of the elements, but by the inability of the parties to understand each other and find ways to consent, overcome the cognitive disjoin. The tragic character of the situation is especially obvious in the last episode of the story. It is the meeting of Peter and of Barlaam, who was tortured at the request of the tsar. Peter acknowledges that they are not able to negotiate, and Barlaam considers him as a martyr, as he himself. In 1918 the author could not imagine the ways to bridge such gap.