Although Socialist Realism, the official artistic style of the Culture and Civilization of Stalinism, was first imposed on the country’s writers, it quickly expanded to cover all of the creative arts. Sculptors, musicians, film makers, painters, and architects (indeed, all of the USSR’s “cultural workers”) were expected to adhere to its spirit — or risk the loss of their professional standing, personal freedom, and, in some cases, their lives.
Your assignment is to identify and describe the main purpose and principles of Socialist Realism through reference to representative works drawn from three different art forms: literature, painting, and film. In fulfilling this assignment, your essay should address the following questions:
1) What was “Socialist Realism” and what function did it serve in Stalinist civilization?
2) What recurring themes, images, and/or messages did Socialist Realist artistic productions (in general) contain? Which of these appear in the three specific works under consideration?
3) Of the three works under consideration, which do you believe best represents the spirit and values of Socialist Realism. Why?
Primary sources:
In completing this assignment you will draw upon three primary sources. These are:
Literature: Valentin Kataev’s novel Time, Forward!
Film: the 1938 film Volga, Volga [available via YouTube — see the “Film” page under “The Cultural Front” menu above]
Painting: any one (1) of the ten items appearing in the gallery on the “Painting” page under “The Cultural Front” menu. [Note: Serafima Ryangina’s Higher and Higher is not eligible for use in completing this assignment.]
NOTE CAREFULLY: In addition to a proper introduction describing/defining the official style of Socialist Realism and placing it in its proper historical context, your assignment should contain a description/overview of each individual cultural work.
Paper Parameters: Your papers must be 6-8 pages in length, typed, double-spaced in 12 pt. typeface. Pages must be numbered. Grammar, punctuation, and spelling should be correct. Sloppy writing, incorrect grammar, and sloppy presentation will affect your grade negatively. Remember that a proper paper has an introduction and a conclusion.
While you are not required to do so, you are encouraged to supplement the information presented in course presentations and on the course homepage with additional, appropriate resources gathered on your own (scholarly essays and books, credible web resources, etc.) If you choose to incorporate additional sources, these should be listed on a “Works Referenced” page attached to your essay. Please follow the Chicago Manual of Style in formatting your reference works.
Your assignment is due at the start of class on Thursday, 27 October.
WJC students: Bring a hard copy (stapled) to class. You must also upload a digital copy to TURNITIN via the course MOODLE site.
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