Misplaced Fatherhood – Lost Childhood ("Sestryonka" by Kristina Gepting)

Abstract

The article is a reflection on the category of fatherhood seen from the perspective of intergenerational transmission of values related to upbringing within a family. In consideration of the fact that intergenerational transmission involves both positive and negative models, the analysis focuses on dysfunctional behaviors of fathers and their influence on children. The text arbitrarily uses the terms “misplaced fatherhood” and directly related “lost childhood”. The analyzed text is Kristina Gepting’s novel Sestryonka (2019), which focuses on the problem of family trauma rooted in the patriarchal model of a family.