Roman Rozina: Resistance May Be Impossible, But Not Senseless

Roman Rozina's novel "Trafikant" has secured the prestigious Kresnik Award, Slovenia's highest literary honor. Rozina, the only writer in the final five, previously won the award in 2022 for "Sto let slepote." His latest work, "Trafikant," is described by its publisher as evoking Hieronymus Bosch's paintings but set in contemporary times. The novel presents a "massive narrative framework" dealing with state repression, interwoven with scenes depicting modern alienation and a failure to connect. Rozina notes the book's open structure invites diverse interpretations, even for himself, admitting that the frequent appearance of encyclopedias in the text prompted him to later consider their symbolic meaning regarding the devaluation of knowledge in an era of "alternative facts."

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Such a Zasavje storyteller Roman Rozina, we don't even dream what kind of stories he is probably preparing for us.

Rozina characterizes the writing of "Trafikant" as a departure from his previous works, which followed a linear timeline. This novel's narrative is "fragmented," a structure he feels makes it political. He observes that authorities favor followers and loud supporters over those who observe, think, doubt, and oppose. The writing process itself was fluid, with initial intentions proving "shaky" and evolving significantly. He shared that a dark fairy tale, "Optik Panoptik," emerged independently and was initially considered for separate publication.

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Basically, it is a story about the creation of the novel Trafikant. The massive narrative framework, composed of two prefaces and a study, speaks of the repression of power. The core, the story of Trafikant, is a series of scenes that depict today's time, alienation, lostness, and the inability to cooperate.

Describing his narrative approach, Rozina likens it to "alchemy" rather than scientific exposition, where cause and effect are not always clear. He suggests the novel reflects a contemporary struggle with understanding and articulating reality, especially when faced with pervasive misinformation. The themes are not strictly compartmentalized, leading to a text that remains enigmatic even to its author at times. The novel's exploration of alienation and the difficulty of communication resonates with the fragmented nature of modern society.

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Did I want to say that today we belittle knowledge, that rumors, speculations, and conspiracies are enough for us? Or does this clinging to something ancient, useless – encyclopedias are printed in an incomprehensible language and unreadable script in Trafikant – refer to today's insistence on stereotypes, simplified claims, and ancient images?