Paulina Żarnecka

This article is a case study of Artur Domosławski’s book Kapuściński Non-Fiction [translated into English by Antonia Lloyd-Jones as Ryszard Kapuściński: A Life] as a perlocutionary act aimed at criticising the established narratives in the story of Polish communism and initiating a reconsolidation of the memory of the Polish People’s Republic (PRL). The analysis focuses on the narrative patterns described in the biography, questioning their relevance since they fail to reflect the experiences of most citizens under the PRL. Domosławski therefore calls for a reconsolidation of the memory of the Polish People’s Republic, remodelling it not solely as a time of lost sovereignty, but also as a period of economic modernisation and radical changes to the social structure. In this way, Ryszard Kapuściński’s experiences as a correspondent for the Polish Press Agency can be placed in the appropriate context of the relationship between Eastern Europe and so-called Third World countries during the time of decolonisation.

The article is a case study of Jacek Dehnel’s novel Matka Makryna as an instrument for criticising the traditional model of patriotism. The object of analysis is the self-creation of the main character – a Russian officer’s widow who introduces herself as Mother Macrina, a superior of Basilian nuns in Minsk, oppressed by the Russians. Over time, she becomes “a martyr of Polishness,” a symbol of the suffering of Poles caused by the invader. Jacek Dehnel presents the supposed Macrina not only as a talented fabricator, but also as a personification of an antimodern, xenophobic image of Polishness. Closely linked to this image is the way of understanding patriotism based on an obsession with independence which continues to be cultivated in the present day. It is this traditional model of patriotism that is the main object of criticism in Dehnel’s novel. As a result, Mother Macrina gains a clear connection with contemporary Polish culture that is unique among other novelised biographies.