Socialist realism is the official method of Soviet culture (1934-1991).
In her book Soviet Novel, Katerina Clark argues that the socialist realist novel follows a distinct master plot.
The key elements of socialist realist narrative are
positive hero,
mentor,
the reeducation plot.
Examples of the socialist realist master plot Gennady Kazanskii's film Old Genie Khottabych (1956): communist scout Volka re-educates his magic helper.
Sergei Eisenstein's Alexander Nevskii (1938): the epic prince Alexander re-educates people of Novgorod.
Marfa Kriukova's "Tale of the Pole" (1937): the novina (a pseudo-folk epic) about Stalin's polar pilots and explorers who tame (re-educate) polar bears and Arctic climate.
Socialist realism in painting follows the master plot as well. Look at the paintings below and try to identify the mentor and the positive hero who under the guidance of the ideological mentor masters his profession and communist ideology.
