poszukiwa

Poszukiwa is a term used in literary criticism to describe a narrative emphasis on the act of seeking as the central organizing principle. It derives from the Polish verb poszukiwać (to search) and the nominal suffix -wa, forming a label for the process of pursuit itself rather than a particular object.

Poszukiwa narratives typically center a protagonist whose quest is open-ended, ethically complex, and frequently unresolved. Motives may be ambiguous or evolving, and meaning arises through encounters with people, places, and institutions. The setting is often transitional or fragmented, with memory and time shaping what is sought.

In practice, the concept is applied across genres, including novels, short fiction, and film. Variants emphasize external searches for a person or artifact and internal searches for identity, truth, or reconciliation. Critics use poszukiwa to compare works across cultures and to examine how context defines what counts as a successful search. The framework highlights how the act of searching can reveal social pressures, ethical dilemmas, and the limits of knowledge.

Poszukiwa is a relatively recent and evolving approach in literary studies. As new texts foreground searching as a central act, scholars continue to refine its scope, applicability, and interpretive value for readers, educators, and researchers.