TIME COMPRESSION AS A SUBJECT MATTER FORMING DEVICE (ON THE MATERIAL OF "OSCAR ET LA DAME ROSE" BY ERIC EMMANUEL SCHMITT)
The article deals with time compression taken as an artistic means used to reveal a character's attitude to the world. Time compression is treated as an artistic instrument of deliberate time constriction, which makes it possible for the author to accelerate events in a narration according to density of their appearance. This artistic device is manifested via time cycle break, semantic density intensification, and the main character transfiguration in his or her borderline life situation, hence an opportunity of unlimited comprehension through a very limited time period is achieved. The optimistic potential of borderline situation is described to show the gratitude that the character has to life for the opportunity to live in this world. The work shows parallelism of feeling of time compression in fiction.