The Problem of a Complete and Selective Analysis of a Literary Work by Dominants

The article considers the problem of a complete and selective analysis of
a literary work by dominants, the relevance of which is determined by the needs of modern literary criticism. Based on the research of A.B. Yesin, the question is raised about the establishment of the dominants of a literary work, i.e. those artistic means that suggest the shortest ways of analysis, allowing to reveal the ideological and artistic originality of the work.
The definition of dominants is determined by the characteristics of an artistic work, is established to a large extent intuitively and mainly depends on the aesthetic sensitivity of the researcher, developed by practice. It is noted that the selective analysis is — at the same time — complete, since it involves considering the relationship between the content and stylistic dominants of the work; therefore, it can be called a complete and selective analysis. The main content of the article consists of examples of a complete and selective analysis of works of fiction by dominants. Using specific examples, it is shown that the appeal to the selective analysis of a work of art by dominants does not contradict the principle of integrity, according to which each element of the work should be considered as part of an artistic whole.
The analysis of the dominants proceeds from the complete perception of the work and strives for a final synthesis. In connection with the problem of selective analysis, attention is also paid to the problem of the adequacy of the interpretation of a literary text.