THE ROLE OF A FAMILY IN SOCIAL AND POLITICAL LIFE IN THE DOCUMENTARY NOVEL "THE EXECUTIONER'S SONG"

Abstract

This article deals with the socio-political situation in the society and the role of a family in a person's life in Norman Mailer's documentary novel "The Hangman's Song", which is a vivid example of the documentary novel genre and a work of independent importance in the American novel. At the same time, the work is written entirely on the basis of official, verified facts, in particular, on the basis of the author’s personal conversations, interviews, notes, as a result of the writer's many years of work. The characters are taken from real life and even their names have not been changed. Scenes from the life of Gary Gilmore, sentenced to death for the crime he had committed, make readers  think for a moment about life collisions. Already, we can clearly see the influence of an unhealthy family environment even though having  enough positive, intellectual, creative abilities, went out into the criminal street..