The article analyzes the East-West dichotomy in the prose of Louise Aslanian. The issue is first examined within the broader context of Armenian and world literature. It is noted that this dichotomy is a central motif in Las’s prose, and the author’s unique generalizations of this theme set her apart across the entire context of Diaspora Armenian literature, as she most profoundly addressed the topic within French-Armenian and Diaspora writings. Having moved from Iran to France in 1923, Las - unlike her contemporary French-Armenian writers - does not portray Parisian reality and Western civilization in concrete, tangible terms; instead, she leans toward a more abstracted depiction of reality, presenting the West as the cradle of mechanization and materialism. To contrast the East and the West, Las employs metaphors: for her, the East is the soul, while the West is the mind that transforms into a soulless machine; the West represents the individual, whereas the East signifies the rejection of individuality; the East is a fairy tale and a dream, while the West is a materialistic reality. The four protagonists of Lass only novel, “On the Road of Doubt”, face an East-West dilemma. One of them remains in Tabriz, where her dreams are shattered. Another, having received an education in Paris, returns to Tabriz, but the local environment leaves no room to realize that education. For Las, the way out lies in the choices made by the two female characters: one stays in Paris and joins the Communist Party, while the other to fulfill Las’s own unrealized dream and conviction - relocating Soviet Armenia, where, in Lass vision, the East-West contradictions are resolved.

KeywordsEast West dichotomy conflict soul mechanization fairy tale