The Wise Little Fish

Style and Technique

In «The Wise Little Fish», Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin employs a satirical style to mock excessive caution and fear of life. The language of the work is rich with ironic and sarcastic elements, allowing the author to highlight the absurdity of the main character's behavior — the fish, who lived his entire life in fear and isolation, avoiding any risks. Literary devices include hyperbole, used to exaggerate the fish's fears and precautions, as well as allegory, through which the author conveys criticism of a society prone to excessive caution and passivity. The structure of the story is simple and linear, allowing focus on the development of the main idea and the character of the protagonist. Saltykov-Shchedrin masterfully uses dialogues and internal monologues to reveal the inner world of the fish and his life philosophy, which ultimately leads to a meaningless existence.