The psychological principle in Gala Uzryutova’s novel “The Choice of Water”

The research aims to reveal the specific features of psychologism in Gala Uzryutova’s novel “The Choice of Water” (2024). The article examines the forms of representation of an individual’s inner life as they attempt to overcome the painful, highly traumatic experience of both the loss of a loved one and the perception of the past. The scientific originality of the study lies in the fact that the psychological nature of Gala Uzryutova’s novel “The Choice of Water” has been defined for the first time, along with its uniqueness, expressed through transtemporal and spatial characteristics as well as the mythogenic potential inherent in its figurative system. Furthermore, the originality is linked to the interdisciplinary nature of the research, which incorporates psychological, anthropological, and cultural studies to refine the methodological framework. The study establishes that psychologism in the novel carries an existential tone and is manifested: firstly, at the level of macro-poetics through the subjectivization of the narrative, a complex compositional structure, and a specific perception of time (past-present; circular and linear models of temporality); and secondly, at the level of micro-poetics through a series of images (fish, bee, fishing rod). The traumatic experience is expressed through the depiction of the protagonist’s specific actions (ritual practice), the introspective correlation of past and present situations (hallucinations, memories), and artistic techniques such as recursive narrative, retrospection, and absurd dialogue.