“NEW HUMANISM” AS A FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE IN THE WORKS WRITTEN BY K. ISHIGURO AND Y. TAWADA

Abstract

The article conceptualizes the artistic dimensions of “new humanism” in transcultural prose, based on K. Ishiguro’s novels “Never Let Me Go”, “Klara and the Sun” and Y. Tawada’s “Suspicious Characters on a Night Train”. It is suggested that rapid technological progress, the emergence of artificial intelligence, and the crisis of traditional humanistic values manifested in the studied works require a re-evaluation of the human essence in the era of metamodernism. The sense of alienation and the inability to become a part of any community make it possible to examine the literary works through the lens of the postcolonial theories. Thus, the article also analyzes the transition from postmodern irony to metamodernist “new sincerity” under the conditions of technological progress. The poetics of representing this new identity and the transformation of the “self-other” dichotomy are investigated through the material of contemporary British and Japanese literature. It is established that despite the challenges of digitalization, basic ethical guidelines remain the foundation of humanistic values in any era, particularly in times of severe social challenges. Universal categories such as empathy, love, kindness, tolerance, respect for biological differences, and the ability to bear responsibility for one’s own inventions and actions acquire particular significance. As a result of the study, it has been proven that the writers gradually abandon postmodern irony and nihilism, turning to the so-called “cautious optimism”. It has been substantiated that K. Ishiguro and Y. Tawada overcome cultural dislocation by creating a special third, intermediate space where a world-open personality is formed.