Process The I.V. Stalin White Sea – Baltic Sea Canal

maxim gorky in 1933

the various authors of i.v. stalin white sea - baltic sea canal attempted write universal rather individual point-of-view. thirty-four authors “helped 1 another, corrected 1 another” and, because of collaborative nature of method, “it difficult indicate wrote various sections.” volume attracted attention curious process of group composition , how group of such authors might go choosing subject method suitable. beyond offering symbolic reinforcement of collective efforts, group composition offered elements of collective responsibility , collective protection creation of narratives. method of group composition resembled technique of montage, popular during period in soviet photography , film. in montage, disparate elements joined create unified whole such individual qualities secondary single idea. in i.v. stalin white sea - baltic sea canal, collective labor disparate writers came create work advancing message of reforging soviet society.

gorky emphasized importance of writers knowing , experiencing soviet union’s development prior writing it. following method, authors of i.v. stalin white sea - baltic sea canal visited canal zone experience reality of construction. although reality saw manipulated, once on site gather raw materials related industrialization project , use first-hand knowledge document , create history. within history, gorky placed greater emphasis on social , cultural consequences of canal project rather economic motivation. thus, volume highlights personal narratives of prison inmates , tracks pedagogical elements of labor camps.