Comic techniques in A. Aleksin’s novella “The story of Alik Detkin. A very scary story” in the context of the culture of the 1960–1970 years

The analyzed story uses different types of comic, such as irony, parody, humor, in its soft and delicate form. Here is an example of literature addressed to readers who have only just begun to form their literary taste, and representing a kind of encyclopedia of the funny, not using extreme forms (sarcasm, satire), activating the ability to catch subtle, implicit shades of the comic, contributing to the expansion of cultural horizons and the development of logical thinking. The use of the original narration and the “text within the text” technique allow A. Aleksin to create a story literally overflowing with various kinds and techniques of the comic: from puns and incorrect word usage to parody and gentle irony, while the author never humiliates his characters, on the contrary, he makes readers sympathize with the selfless, well-read and inquisitive children, who treat their parents, teachers, and each other with respect and love. Texts of this kind, aimed at attentive readers with a fairly broad historical and literary outlook, encourage reading, activate the reader’s attention, and introduce various literary techniques. The genre of a humorous detective story in a children’s story turned out to be possible due to the fact that A. Aleksin adheres to strict rules characteristic of humorous literature: there is nothing really shocking, terrible and compassionate in his story, thanks to which the element of humor turns out to be justified and is not replaced by pity. At the same time, the plot of the detective story is motivated by the psychology of the young heroes, and their actions and deeds correspond to ideas about morality and ethics.

Anatoly Aleksin, “A Very Scary Story”, teenage literature, detective story, comic techniques, humor, irony