FROM PATRIARCHAL DESPOTISM TO EGALITARIANISM: THE EVOLUTION OF FAMILY HIERARCHIES IN ILLIA KYRIIAK’S TRILOGY “SONS OF THE SOIL”
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/2307-1222.2026-62-14Keywords:
Illia Kyriiak, “Sons of the Soil”, Ukrainian diaspora prose, fathers and children, models of family relationships, transformation of the patriarchal family, problems of social adaptationAbstract
The article analyzes models of family structure and strategies of intergenerational interaction in Illia Kyriiak’s trilogy “Sons of the Soil”. The relevance of the study is driven by the need to reinterpret one of the “eternal” themes in literature – the relationship between parents and children – and to seek progressive models of parenthood. It has been established that the key problem of the trilogy is the transformation of the traditional Ukrainian patriarchal family under the conditions of immigration. The study identifies five family models: traditional Christian, egalitarian, authoritarian-conflict, authoritarian-crisis, and problematic with a marginalized father. The Fraser family is depicted in the trilogy as a model of harmonious relationships based on the principles of Christian ethics, empathy, and non-violent upbringing. The egalitarian model, presented through the example of the Workun family, demonstrates the highest level of adaptability and effectiveness due to the replacement of patriarchal authoritarianism with partnership relations and the recognition of children's agency. The authoritarian-conflict model (the Dub family) is oriented toward social prestige and material gain, which leads to emotional alienation and the breakdown of family ties. Through the example of the authoritarian-crisis Poshtar family, a type of destructive (abusive) parenting is presented, which causes deep psychological trauma and social disorientation for the younger generation. The Vakar family illustrates the phenomenon of the marginalization of the father figure, which leads to social isolation and low self-esteem in children. At the same time, the image of Tetiana Vakar represents the transition of leadership functions to the woman, who serves as the key agent of family stabilization and the restoration of the family’s social potential. The study concludes that the Canadian economic and social specifics acted as a catalyst for the destruction of habitual hierarchies, prompting a transition from a closed model of parental control and economic exploitation of children to a liberal model based on the principles of the younger generation's economic autonomy.
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