Worldmaking in The Gray House by Mariam Petrosian

Abstract

Disability in narrative often displays negative patterns such as overcoming a disability, exceptional achievements, the association of poverty and crime, and "fixing" someone. Mariam Petrosian breaks these patterns in the depiction of disability in the Russian-speaking world by imagining an orphanage for children with disabilities from their perspective, according to which disability is not an obstacle to be overcome but rather a fact of life. In The Gray House, Petrosian allows her characters to make choices rather than conform to them. By creating rules and reversing norms, they create a distinct world where their agency is incontestable. In my work, I examine the history of disability in Russia and how it reflects the situation in The Gray House. Additionally, I analyze existing scholarship on the depiction of disability in literature connecting theory to the specifics of the novel. In applying Yuri Lotman, I study ways in which characters resemble 18th century Russian citizens, as he presents them: their roles, rules, characteristics and behavior. Applying narrative theory, I integrate Petrosian's use of space and the ability of characters with disabilities to make choices to build the plot of their lives. Furthermore, I discuss shifts in narrative perspective and how these shifts shape the outcome of the characters' plots. Finally, I address the international success of the novel and the importance of its fan base.