B. Połońskis, who wrote a novel about the Poles of Vilnius: “I think I managed to capture the identity of a Lithuanian Pole” | Culture

Actual instagram generation topics do not leave indifferent readers. The novel “Robčikas” was published in Lithuanian by the association “Slinktys”.

As the writer’s meeting with readers approaches, we talk to the author of the novel, Bartosz Połoński.

– How did you get the idea to write the novel “Robchik”? How long did it take to write it?

– I wrote the first part of the book 20 years ago. The writing itself then took three weeks, and the text became an Internet sensation. After 20 years, I rewrote it and expanded it, trying to keep that original feeling, style and characters of the novel. I had maybe 20 percent. material of the novel, therefore, according to the available material, it was necessary to write an additional text, invent new characters or expand existing ones, make them convincing, invent connections between the characters and create an action that would create a whole.

I wrote the first part of the book 20 years ago. The writing itself then took three weeks, and the text became an Internet sensation.

What I had before was just some random excerpts from life and I arranged them in the book by logically showing the actions of the characters and their result. The book in its original language (Polish with slang – ed. past) was published last year and presented during the Gdańsk Book Fair.

– While reading the novel, you can also feel a certain documentary. How much is it, and how much is fiction in the novel in your eyes?

– I will admit that it was very important for me that the story was convincing and realistic. That documentaryness is not so much about whether those events happened in real life or not, whether the character was there or not, but about the form of the novel itself, about the text and the language of the characters. I think that’s why documentary came about.

What is the novel? It has a lot of dialogue and it is written as if you are listening to the characters somewhere nearby, at a bus stop. Of course, everything is done to make those dialogues dramatic. In other words, I didn’t leave any boring or lingering spots.

What is the novel? It has a lot of dialogue and it is written as if you are listening to the characters somewhere nearby, at a bus stop.

I have constructed life stories out of dialogue, stories that are dramatic and powerful, so they engage the reader. At the same time, I tried to write so that they do not seem artificial, as if taken from life and simply inserted into literature. I wanted it to look like I filmed the characters from somewhere looking from the side and presented them, cutting out and leaving only the most important parts – this gives a sense of realism, documentary.

I wrote so that the plot would be as non-literary as possible, but more journalistic. I described the essence of the events, who did what, and minimally – why they did it. I wanted to maintain a journalistic style by presenting only the facts, only the essence.

– Why exactly?

– Because I wanted the novel, as you say, to be documentary, to be a documentary. For example, there is a shaky camera effect in cinema, where the film is filmed by shaking the camera so that it looks as if someone accidentally shot it. It’s actually done very thoughtfully.

Yes, I also used that technique when writing the novel to make everything seem realistic, as if I was observing the events on the street and recording them. I really didn’t want a text where there is a lot of visual description, I didn’t want classic literature.

I wrote in such a style that it could be seen that the novel was intended my instagram for a generation that doesn’t need images to describe, only facts.

I wrote in such a style that it could be seen that the novel was intended my instagram for a generation that doesn’t need images to describe, only facts. If I put it this way using the terminology of the script description, so that the most intense places from the lives of the characters are revealed in the novel, so that there are facts and not opinions.

Of course, the opinion is hidden, but the style has been maintained. I tried very hard to make it exactly that – journalistic, documentary. It didn’t happen by accident.

– And how do readers you don’t know rate the novel? And what about your classmates, friends, colleagues, relatives? What kind of feedback did you get from them?

– Goodreads (goodreads.com – perhaps the world’s largest website for readers and book recommendations – ed. post) had this comment that once you pick up a book, you read it to the end, you can’t stop.

Some Lithuanian Poles who have read the novel in the original language write to me that the text is close to them, they feel as if the novel is about them.

That was my goal – to write the novel in such a way that the text is concentrated and keeps the reader’s attention. Try not to bore the reader. Yes, there are calm places in the plot after stressful situations. I liked another comment: there is no unnecessary ballast.

Some Lithuanian Poles who have read the novel in the original language write to me that the text is close to them, they feel as if the novel is about them. That Polish literature is further, objective, and accepted this novel as its own. I think that I managed to portray the Lithuanian Polish identity.

– And how is the novel received in Poland?

– In Poland, sales of the novel are still gaining momentum, but the publishers already had to repeat the circulation. Still, there are a few things, a few moments that the Poles of Poland like very much. The romanticism of Vilnius is common to Poles, left over from the time of Adam Mickevičius. They actually believe it.

For Poles in Poland, the novel has to be read with a dictionary, which is originally on the back of the book.

And here, in this novel, they find out that in Vilnius there is not only that classical folklore, dance and song group “Vilia”, but there are real people from the street. They haven’t seen it and it’s very interesting to them. Vilnius is also shown from the other side, through such neorealism, which Poles in Poland have not experienced and did not even think about. So much for the characters.

Another thing is the language of the novel. Polish, but with local slang. Maybe those Poles who are interested in Ukraine, for example, know that language a little, maybe it is understandable to them, but for Poles who only speak Polish, such a Romance language is exotic for them. So, they have to read the novel with the dictionary, which is originally in the back of the book.

– Let’s talk about translation. How difficult was it to translate the novel into Lithuanian (and maybe find someone to translate it) and were you satisfied with the translation?

– It was really difficult, but I am happy with the feedback that the result was good. Personally, as a bilingual person, the translation sounds even better than the original in places. Lithuanian slang is especially easy to read.

I’m glad I didn’t do it myself. When I saw the translation, I realized that I would not have even thought of translating many places as well as Evelina Bondar, my classmate, with whom we sat on the same bench at school. She managed to catch the language and the Lithuanian translation became like a separate genre, a separate work. I was very satisfied with the translation.

– How would you compare the Poles of Vilnius and Warsaw? Both of them are residents of the capital…

– Completely different people. Incomparable. Warsaw is big, it’s all about speed, career, money. In Vilnius, everything happens more slowly than in the countryside. In such a European, rich one. Different readers live in those capitals and accept different things. For Poles in Lithuania, my novel is more about identity, they start to ask themselves, who are we, why do we speak Russian?

For Poles in Lithuania, my novel is more about identity, they start to ask themselves, who are we, why do we speak Russian?

I get questions about whether all Poles in Lithuania are like the ones in the novel, so I explain that not all of them are. That only a small percentage is selected, which is very interesting to me personally and I told a story about them, but it is not here to try. There is just a certain part. Such, let’s say, touched by trouble. In the context of literature, I observe them through a magnifying glass.

– There is a play based on your novel that has gained great popularity. Did you expect this to happen?

– I expected something similar. Maybe I expected more negativity, people’s dissatisfaction. But it turns out that there were very few dissatisfied people. And mostly those who haven’t seen the show. The play deals with youth, drugs and some foul language. People who are fundamentally dissatisfied with such performances say that it is necessary to write beautifully, to stage beautiful performances.

It didn’t matter to people that the performance was quite dark, not always funny, but it turned out to be very close.

At least in the public space, there were few dissatisfied people, the performance was received more positively. That surprised me. It didn’t matter to people that the play was quite dark, not always funny, but it turned out to be very close, it was very interesting and they drew their own conclusions.

– How badly did the play need the novel? And how much did it require your help?

– The main thing is that the novel is too big for the play. Director Bożena Sosnowska did an interesting thing – she chose the theme of the relationship between teenagers and their parents from the novel. Scenes on the topic of conflictual relations between children and parents were taken for the play. It turned out to be a beautiful half-musical, half-play, which the audience both cries and laughs – they experience it so strongly. The performance was shown 8 times and was always full of people. I think it’s a complete success.

The Vilnius Polish Theater was usually like this – it either showed classical productions, or about patriotism, or about romanticism. He got a lot of attention by showing this play.

– What topics are you exploring now, what are you writing now – a novel or a short story or maybe poems?

– At the moment I am not writing anything special. I have unfinished projects. One of them is about the past and the other is about the future. I try to research historical characters, especially women who are related to Lithuania and Poland. Well-known or less well-known women who have had a certain influence on society or are interesting in some way.

This is one project here, and the other one is about science fiction stories. About future medicine, corruption and how nature, how paganism will be important in the future. When technology completely takes over humans, they will need religion or nature. These are the topics I am currently interested in.

It is interesting to explore how much we have in common, what has happened and what can happen. Is it only Christianity that unites our two nations? And what makes the difference?

Those projects will not necessarily be literary, but more scripts that I will use in computer games and cinema. So, I will use the mentioned stories in different media, I will present them to the audience in different formats.

I am also very interested in researching not only the common history of Lithuania and Poland, but also the people. Lithuanian and Polish languages ​​are very different, people’s temperaments are also different. Poles, I would say, are more southerners in terms of their temperament, while Lithuanians are more northerners, Scandinavians.

It is interesting to explore how much we have in common, what has happened and what can happen. Is it only Christianity that unites our two nations? And what makes the difference? When I wrote Robčika, I became interested in exploring these historical and identity themes more deeply.

– What would you wish for your readers? What would you like to discuss with them at the meeting on Thursday 2nd May?

– At the meeting, we will talk about Lithuanian Poles, about progressive people, with whom it is nice to be, to grow, to create. We will read poetry, listen to music and feel the enlightened Polish culture. I would like to talk with the readers not only about the book, but also about Polishness. I invite you to the meeting!