The article considers the definitions of such concepts as patriotism, patriot, and patriotic education. The authors determine the importance and urgency of the problem of patriotic education at the present development stage of our country. It is justified the contribution of Ukrainian literature during the upbringing of students as a whole and amidst patriotic education. Using the works of specific writers, the authors prove how they spawn patriotic feelings toward the Motherland in students. The scholarly paper emphasizes that learning Ukrainian literature in school is one of the first steps toward bringing up genuine patriots devoted to their state. Moreover, Ukrainian literature is a strong carrier of the nation's identity and genetic code, so its role in national self-awareness, self-preservation, and self-affirmation is indisputable and crucial. The article highlights that the education of a conscious Ukrainian should be based on historical and cultural knowledge, traditions, and rethinking of modern experience by relying on universal values. It is substantiated that acquaintance with a fiction piece and a comprehensive analysis of the content, genre, and aesthetic specifics will bring students closer to understanding literature as a manifestation of art, a solid factor in world perception and self-identification. The research states that without literature, there can be no axiological understanding of life in which a person plays various roles.