The thesis focuses on mutual blending of the factual and the fictional writing in the work of a Belarusian author Ales Adamovich. Regarding the choice of the analyzed works, two of them (Out of the Fire, 1975; Leningrad Under Siege, 1981) are identified as documentaries in the paratexts. These two works consist of recorded oral testimonies. The other two analyzed works (Khatyn, 1972, The Chasteners, 1981) are fictions, incorporating, however, several authentic documents. Using these works as examples, the thesis illustrates how the (hypothetical) borders between the fact and fiction are blurred and trespassed. The first, literary-historical part will briefly summarize the main concepts of the relationship between art and reality in the Soviet area, beginning with the Formalists and their interest in genre innovations, and concluding with an accent on the individual reader reception of Lidiya Ginzburg and Pyotr Palievsky. The plural aspect is implicitly reflected also in the second part of the thesis, focusing on Adamovich's thinking about the notion of truthfulness in literature. At this point, there is also a related theme of the impact of the genre tradition on the reception of the text. Also in the author's view, the role of the reader seems to be crucial. In the description of the receptive...

Hierdie studie ondersoek vrae rondom die aard van literêre niefiksie - ook die vierde genre genoem. Die bestaande drieledige genreklassifikasiesisteem maak nie voldoende voorsiening vir tekste waarin die grense tussen feit en fiksie opgehef word nie. Die toename van sodanige hibriede tekste noodsaak dus ‘n uitbreiding van tradisionele genrekategorieë tot ‘n vierde, naamlik dié van literêre niefiksie. Dié ondersoek poog om vrae rondom literêre niefiksie te beantwoord met verwysing na De plaag: het stille knagen van schrijvers, termieten en Zuid-Afrika (2001) van David van Reybrouck. Dié teks dokumenteer Van Reybrouck se ondersoek na die bewering dat Maurice Maeterlinck die termietnavorsing van Eugène Marais sonder erkenning oorgeneem het. Tydens sy navorsingsreis maak Van Reybrouck kennis met die verwikkeldhede van ‘n postapartheid Suid-Afrika en verwoord sy reiservaring met behulp van metafore uit die entomologie. Die resultaat is dat De plaag ‘n hibriede karakter vertoon wat versoenbaar is met die kriteria vir literêr-niefiksionele tekste. / This study attempts to explore the nature of literary nonfiction (the fourth genre). The existing tripartite classification system does not make adequate provision for texts where the borders between nonfiction and fiction are transcended. A marked increase in such texts therefore necessitates an expansion of the traditional genre categories to accommodate a fourth, namely that of literary nonfiction. De plaag: het stille knagen van schrijvers, termieten en Zuid-Afrika (2001) by David van Reybrouck will serve as point of departure to explore the genre of literary nonfiction. The said text documents Van Reybrouck’s investigation into the alleged plagiarism by Maeterlinck of Marais’ research on termites. Van Reybrouck’s travels expose him to the complexities of a post-apartheid South Africa, which he expresses by using metaphors derived from the field of entomology. The result of this process is that De plaag displays a hybrid character which complies with the criteria for literary nonfiction. / Afrikaans and Theory of Literature / M.A. (Afrikaans)

Hierdie studie ondersoek vrae rondom die aard van literêre niefiksie - ook die vierde genre genoem. Die bestaande drieledige genreklassifikasiesisteem maak nie voldoende voorsiening vir tekste waarin die grense tussen feit en fiksie opgehef word nie. Die toename van sodanige hibriede tekste noodsaak dus ‘n uitbreiding van tradisionele genrekategorieë tot ‘n vierde, naamlik dié van literêre niefiksie. Dié ondersoek poog om vrae rondom literêre niefiksie te beantwoord met verwysing na De plaag: het stille knagen van schrijvers, termieten en Zuid-Afrika (2001) van David van Reybrouck. Dié teks dokumenteer Van Reybrouck se ondersoek na die bewering dat Maurice Maeterlinck die termietnavorsing van Eugène Marais sonder erkenning oorgeneem het. Tydens sy navorsingsreis maak Van Reybrouck kennis met die verwikkeldhede van ‘n postapartheid Suid-Afrika en verwoord sy reiservaring met behulp van metafore uit die entomologie. Die resultaat is dat De plaag ‘n hibriede karakter vertoon wat versoenbaar is met die kriteria vir literêr-niefiksionele tekste. / This study attempts to explore the nature of literary nonfiction (the fourth genre). The existing tripartite classification system does not make adequate provision for texts where the borders between nonfiction and fiction are transcended. A marked increase in such texts therefore necessitates an expansion of the traditional genre categories to accommodate a fourth, namely that of literary nonfiction. De plaag: het stille knagen van schrijvers, termieten en Zuid-Afrika (2001) by David van Reybrouck will serve as point of departure to explore the genre of literary nonfiction. The said text documents Van Reybrouck’s investigation into the alleged plagiarism by Maeterlinck of Marais’ research on termites. Van Reybrouck’s travels expose him to the complexities of a post-apartheid South Africa, which he expresses by using metaphors derived from the field of entomology. The result of this process is that De plaag displays a hybrid character which complies with the criteria for literary nonfiction. / Afrikaans and Theory of Literature / M.A. (Afrikaans)