MASS AND ELITE LITERATURE READERS IN THE «AGE OF THE VIEWERS»

Анотація

The phenomenon of reading is one the fundamental achievements of culture and its specific role in the development of any developed society is beyond any doubt. However, the number of those who can read is increasing but the number of fiction readers is decreasing. Classical authors, without taking into account the school and university reading programs, have never dominated in terms of reading. The attitude towards the classics was always something more important than simple attitude to the works of the writers, at least because it defines cultural identity. Recently, however, the role of reading, especially in such conventional sense as reading of classic literature and novels of the best contemporary writers, is reducing. Mass reading takes another form tending more to trivial literature, becoming a means of relaxation and escape from reality. The formulas of mass literature contribute to the creation of simple but captivating plots, and they cultivate the faith in small miracle in the readers’ minds. All these lead to the fact that the book shelves are occupied by the popular literature focused on unskilled reader with the undemanding taste and namely this literature is the basis of leisure reading.

Key words: mass literature, elite literature, reading circle, formal and semantic features.