Figuring the male and female: fire and water in Bradbury's (science) fiction

Abstract The article highlights the results of the investigation of the literary FIRE and WATER concepts and their basic characteristics from a cognitive point of view. The research of the literary FIRE and WATER concepts was carried out in three steps - revealing their notional, image- and sense-bearing components. The results show that the FIRE concept is mostly personified into the image of A MAN, while the WATER concept is mostly personified into the image of А WOMAN.