The wings of the butterfly. Christianity and totalitarianism in Ana Blandiana’s and Teodora Dimova’s fiction

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.60056/CCL.2021..39-51

Keywords:

Christianity, totalitarianism, antitotalitarian literature, comparative literature, Balkan studies, existential psychotherapy

Abstract

The article compares two fiction books by the Romanian author Ana Blandiana and fellow Bulgarian writer Teodora Dimova. As the analysis reveals the books share a lot of similarities in their approach to the “totalitarian experience”. In these literary works, we can see how through the child’s viewpoint the two female writers show different solutions in times of crises and harrowing circumstances. In summary, Blandiana and Dimova demonstrate in a brilliant aesthetic way the endless possibilities of literature to find salvation even in tragic accidents, and an exit from exile.

 

 

Author Biography

  • Liudmila Mindova, Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"

    Liudmila Mindova graduated in Slavic Philology from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” and received a Master’s degree in 1998 and a PhD degree in 2006. She is the author of three collections of poems and two monographs on South Slavic literatures: The Voice of the Baroque. Ivan Gundulić and the Croatian Baroque Norm (2011) and The Other Ithaca. On the Literary Home (2016). In her translation, many books by Yugoslav and Post-Yugoslav writers have been published into Bulgarian. Liudmila Mindova is currently an associated professor at the Institute for Balkan Studies & Centre of Thracology (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences) and a part-time lecturer at Sofia University. Her scientific research is in the field of comparative literature, South Slavic literatures, cultural semiotics, and cultural studies.

References

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Chernokozhev, V., Kunchev, B., & Sugarev, E. (2009). Antitotalitarnata literatura: Preodolyavane na totalitarnia mentalitet. Izdatelski tsentar „Boyan Penev“.

Dimova, T. (2018). Zove ovtsete si po ime. Siela.

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Kirova, M. (2002). Kritika na preloma. Novi yavlenia i posoki v balgarskata literatura ot kraya na XX vek. Universitetsko izdatelstvo „Sv. Kiment Ohridski“.

Koleva, D. (2020). Pamet i spravedlivost. Lichni spomeni i publichni razkazi za komunizma. Siela.

Lilkov, V., & Hristov, H. (2017). Bivshi hora po klasifikatsiyata na Darzhavna sigurnost. Siela.

Stantcheva, R. L. (2005). Ana Blandiana v nyakolko valshebni syuzheta. In A. Blandiana, Koridori s ogledala (pp. 5–13). Balkani.

Stantcheva, R. L. (2019). Balgarsko literaturno svidetelstvo za rezilians v kontslagera. Dzyalo. e-spisanie v oblastta na humanitaristikata H–HHI v., 7(15). http://www.abcdar.com/magazine/XV/20_Rumyana%20L.%20Stancheva.pdf

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Published

2025-11-06

Issue

Vol. 7 (2021)

Section

I. THE SOLITARY WALKER – INTROSPECTION AND REVOLT

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How to Cite

The wings of the butterfly. Christianity and totalitarianism in Ana Blandiana’s and Teodora Dimova’s fiction. (2025). Colloquia Comparativa Litterarum, 7, 39-51. https://doi.org/10.60056/CCL.2021..39-51