Article by Zita Kārkla on the Affective Dimension of Realism in Inga Ābele's Stories
An article by Zita Kārkla "Immersion into Reality: The Affective Dimension of Realism in Inga Ābele’s Stories" has been published in the online magazine Punctum. The research was conducted within the framework of the Latvian Council of Science research project "Reclaiming Latvian Realism: Literary Innovation as Identity Quest" (REALT), implemented by the Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of the University of Latvia.
Analyzing Inga Ābele’s stories, Zita Kārkla demonstrates how the sense of realism can be constructed not only through recognizable details and external events, but also by actualizing the reader’s bodily experience and sensory perceptions. The researcher highlights how Ābele’s prose blurs the boundaries between humans and their environment—with natural elements acting as active shapers of the narrative and experience, thereby revealing human vulnerability.
This publication continues the series of essays on the problematic of realism initiated in Punctum.