“Studyin This Volapuke” That Makes the “Barrel of the Narrative” Roll

Sasha Sokolov’s second novel Mezhdu sobakoi i volkom has its origins in the author’s reflection on the role and nature of the narrating voice. In concocting the most appropriate voice for this narrative, the author constructed a language, defined by one of the heroes as “Volapuke,” a 19th-century constructed idiom ( Volapük ). In Sokolov’s “Volapuke,” every trope, word, and even grapheme is allowed to transfigure into its direct, objectified meaning. As for the voices that weave together the linguistic threads, there are many, and at the same time they are all combined into one. Like all of Sasha Sokolov’s novels, Mezhdu sobakoi i volkom reminds the reader of the natural plurality of voices that is to be found within oneself. For a plot synopsis of Between Dog and Wolf , please consult the introduction to this issue of CASS

Art · Epistemology · Linguistics · Literature · Meaning (existential) · Narrative · Natural (archaeology) · Original meaning · Plot (graphics) · Reflection (computer programming) · Trope (literature) · Computer Science · Discourse Analysis and Cultural Communication · History · Mathematics · Philosophy · Russian Literature and Bakhtin Studies · Vladimir Nabokov Literary Studies