Victor Pelevin is an existentialist writer

Аннотация

The article is devoted to examining the existential aspect in the works of Viktor Pelevin. An attempt is made to determine the distinctive features of Pelevin's existential philosophy compared to the generally accepted concept of classical existentialism. Special attention is given to the writer's later novels, where the existential dimension manifests itself through reflections on being, loneliness, the search for the meaning of life, and the confrontation of an individual with the absurdity of the surrounding world: «iPhuck 10», «Secret Views of Mount Fuji», «Invincible Sun», «Transhumanism Inc.», «KGBT+», «Journey to Eleusis», «Cool». Keywords: Existence, philosophy, crisis, search, self-identification, simulation. awareness and the essence of human existence in the Introduction: Victor Pelevin is a contemporary Russian digital age. The novel raises themes of identity, reality, writer whose works can be viewed through the lens of and simulation, prompting the reader to ponder the existentialism. His writing deeply explores questions of boundaries between the artificial and the human. human existence, the meaning of life, and the search for identity in a world full of absurd and paradoxical In the equally fascinating novel "Secret Views of Mount phenomena. Fuji" (2018), the author delves into Buddhist philosophy, exploring the path to enlightenment and In his works, Pelevin frequently turns to the philosophy the search for the true self. The main character, of existence, contemplating the nature of reality, the businessman Fedya, disillusioned with worldly place of the individual in the world, and their role in pleasures, turns to a startup offering various forms of society. Existentialist themes can be traced in his early happiness, leading him to profound meditative works, such as Chapayev and Void, where the experiences and a reevaluation of his life. The novel protagonist searches for his path in a world filled with raises questions about the nature of happiness, the mirages and illusions, or The Blue Lantern, which illusory nature of the material world, and the pursuit of explores the philosophy of perceiving the surrounding spiritual liberation. reality. These themes are also evident in his later novels, including «iPhuck 10», «Secret Views of Mount Thus, existential motifs in Viktor Pelevin’s latest novels Fuji», «Invincible Sun», «Transhumanism Inc.», manifest through deep philosophical reflections on the «KGBT+», «Journey to Eleusis», «Cool». nature of reality, consciousness, and personal freedom, encouraging the reader to engage in self-discovery and Main Part a reassessment of the surrounding world. In Viktor Pelevin’s latest novels, existential motifs are In Viktor Pelevin’s novel "Invincible Sun" (2020), prominently present, reflecting his philosophical existential themes manifest in several aspects: reflections on the nature of being, consciousness, and personal freedom. Let us examine some of them. 1. The Search for the True “Self” and the Illusory Nature of the World In the novel "iPhuck 10" (2017), Pelevin explores spiritual quests through the lens of existential The protagonist finds herself in a strange and enigmatic discourse. The protagonist, a police-literary algorithm reality where her very existence is constantly "ZA-3478/PH0 Bilt 9.3," an artificial intelligence named questioned. The world she inhabits is a game of Porfiry Petrovich, grapples with questions of self- simulations, blurring the line between the real and the International Journal Of Literature And Languages 35 https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijll International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834) fictional. This idea aligns with existentialist philosophy, virtuality allows the author to play with the idea that where an individual is forced to define their own the world around us might be a simulation. The essence in a state of uncertainty. protagonists, realizing they exist within a digital reality or a controlled social matrix, confront questions of the 2. The Symbolism of the Sun as an Existential Choice authenticity of their existence. This resonates with the "Invincible Sun" is not only a mythological or esoteric ideas of Jean-Paul Sartre and Martin Heidegger, who symbol but also a reflection of the philosophical search argued that humans are constantly in search of for the meaning of existence. In the existential authentic being. tradition, light and the sun often serve as metaphors The protagonists of the novel exist in a world where for enlightenment and awareness, or conversely, as technology, corporations, and digital simulations something that blinds and prevents one from seeing undermine traditional notions of identity, creating a the truth. crisis of selfhood. The question “Who am I?” becomes 3. Death and Freedom central to their existential struggles. Pelevin explores to Like Sartre and Camus, Pelevin employs the concept of what extent a person remains themselves if their death as a