by Valerii Shevchuk

Study Questions:

1. Comment on the setting and time-frame of the novel’s events.
2. Comment on the main characters’ reasons for their pilgrimage.
3. Comment on Mykhailo’s companions. What are their goals? Do their goals reveal their personalities? What are their roles in the narrative?
4. What do we know about Mykyta the Stylite? Where does our information about him come from? What are the most important characteristics of this figure?
5. How is ‘Eye of the Abyss’ presented in the narrative?
6. How is asceticism presented in this text? What characters represent ascetic movement? Comment on their asceticism.
7. Comment on the theme of wisdom and folly. How is it presented in the narrative? How does it contribute to the overall textual meaning?
8. If you had to divide all of this narrative’s characters into representative groups, what would be these groups? What role each of these groups plays in the narrative?
9. The novel’s main characters, the pilgrims, relate a number of stories. Can you identify sources of at least some of these stories? What role do these stories play in the narrative?
10. What significance do citations have in this narrative? What units of this text can be identified as citations?
11. Discuss the theme of ‘truth’ and ‘truthfulness’ in the narrative.
12. What role does the narrative assign to the miracles?
13. What is the symbolism of Mykyta’s island?
14. What symbolic meaning is assigned to Mykyta’s disciples?
15. What symbolic meaning is assigned to the community of people living on the island?
16. What role does Musii play in the narrative? Comment on his personality and ‘philosophy.’ Why do you think he was executed? How does Musii’s execution characterize the island’s rulers/regime and the community?
17. Discuss the theme of death. What is its importance in the narrative?
18. In your opinion, what are the most interesting ideas of this narrative?
19. Why in your opinion was Mykhailo the only survivor?
20. What are the conclusions offered by the narrative/narrator?