Abstract. Most researchers agree that the chapters of the novel should be analyzed in terms of the work as a whole rather than of its separate units. The present study starts from the axiological hypothesis that each part reflects the whole.The totality of its hermeneutic interpretation can be traced from minor constituents to the whole and, conversely, from the whole to details. The novel and the plot unfolding should not be read in a linear way: one

should focus on the cyclic nature of the novel structure, which allows an isochronic overview of the story as a whole. If the subversive reading technique of discursive poetics is applied, minor details will converge into a kind of totality and a deeper sense will be revealed below the superficial impression.

Key words: fragmentation, integrity, Lermontov, cyclic architectonics, linear architectonics.