The role of small people in the world. Composition on the theme of a small person

Image " little man» in Russian literature

The very concept of "little man" appears in literature before the very type of hero is formed. Initially, this is the designation of people of the third estate, which became of interest to writers due to the democratization of literature.

In the 19th century, the image of the "little man" becomes one of the cross-cutting themes of literature. The concept of "little man" was introduced by V.G. Belinsky in his 1840 article "Woe from Wit". Initially, it meant a "simple" person. With the development of psychologism in Russian literature, this image becomes more complex. psychological picture and becomes the most popular character democratic works of the second half XIX century.

Literary Encyclopedia:

"Little Man" - a number of diverse characters in Russian literature of the 19th century, united common features: low position in the social hierarchy, poverty, insecurity, which determines the peculiarities of their psychology and the plot role - victims social injustice and a soulless state mechanism, often personified in the image of a "significant person". They are characterized by fear of life, humiliation, meekness, which, however, can be combined with a sense of the injustice of the existing order of things, with wounded pride and even a short-term rebellious impulse, which, as a rule, does not lead to a change in the current situation. The type of "little man", discovered by A. S. Pushkin ("The Bronze Horseman", "The Stationmaster") and N. V. Gogol ("The Overcoat", "Notes of a Madman"), creatively, and sometimes polemically in relation to tradition , rethought by F. M. Dostoevsky (Makar Devushkin, Golyadkin, Marmeladov), A. N. Ostrovsky (Balzaminov, Kuligin), A. P. Chekhov (Chervyakov from "The Death of an Official", the hero of "Tolstoy and Thin"), M. A. Bulgakov (Korotkov from the Diaboliad), M. M. Zoshchenko and other Russian writers of the 19th-20th centuries.

“Little man” is a type of hero in literature, most often it is a poor, inconspicuous official who occupies a small position, his fate is tragic.

The theme of the "little man" is a "cross-cutting theme" of Russian literature. The appearance of this image is due to the Russian career ladder of fourteen steps, on the lower of which worked and suffered from poverty, lawlessness and resentment, petty officials, poorly educated, often lonely or burdened with families, worthy human understanding each with their own trouble.

Little people are not rich, invisible, their fate is tragic, they are defenseless.

Pushkin "The Stationmaster" Samson Vyrin.

Hard worker. Weak person. He loses his daughter - she is taken away by the rich hussar Minsky. social conflict. Humiliated. Can't take care of himself. Got drunk. Samson is lost in life.

Pushkin was one of the first to put forward the democratic theme of the “little man” in literature. In Belkin's Tales, completed in 1830, the writer not only draws pictures of the life of the nobility and county ("The Young Lady-Peasant Woman"), but also draws the attention of readers to the fate of the "little man".

The fate of the "little man" is shown here realistically for the first time, without sentimental tearfulness, without romantic exaggeration, shown as the result of certain historical conditions, injustice of social relations.

In the plot itself stationmaster"a typical social conflict is conveyed, a broad generalization of reality is expressed, revealed in the individual case of the tragic fate of an ordinary person Samson Vyrin.

There is a small postal station somewhere at the crossroads of carriageways. The 14th grade official Samson Vyrin and his daughter Dunya live here - the only joy that brightens up the hard life of the caretaker, full of shouting and cursing passing people. But the hero of the story - Samson Vyrin - is quite happy and calm, he has long adapted to the conditions of service, the beautiful daughter Dunya helps him run a simple household. He dreams of simple human happiness, hoping to babysit his grandchildren, spend his old age with his family. But fate prepares a difficult test for him. The passing hussar Minsky takes away Dunya, not thinking about the consequences of his act.

The worst thing is that Dunya left with the hussar of her own free will. Crossing the threshold of a new rich life she abandoned her father. Samson Vyrin goes to St. Petersburg to "return the lost lamb", but he is kicked out of Dunya's house. Hussar" strong hand, grabbing the old man by the collar, pushed him onto the stairs. "Unfortunate father! Where can he compete with a rich hussar! In the end, he receives several bank notes for his daughter. "Tears again welled up in his eyes, tears of indignation! He squeezed the papers into a ball, threw them to the ground, trampled them with his heel and went ... "

Vyrin was no longer able to fight. He "thought, waved his hand and decided to retreat." Samson, after the loss of his beloved daughter, got lost in life, drank himself and died in longing for his daughter, grieving about her possible deplorable fate.

About people like him, Pushkin writes at the beginning of the story: “Let us, however, be fair, we will try to enter into their position and, perhaps, we will judge them much more condescendingly.”

Life truth, sympathy for the "little man", insulted at every step by the bosses, standing higher in rank and position - that's what we feel when reading the story. Pushkin cherishes this "little man" who lives in grief and need. The story is imbued with democracy and humanity, so realistically depicting the “little man”.

Pushkin "The Bronze Horseman". Eugene

Eugene is a "little man". City played fatal role in fate. During the flood, he loses his bride. All his dreams and hopes for happiness perished. Lost my mind. In sick madness, he challenges the "idol on a bronze horse" Nightmare: the threat of death under bronze hooves.

The image of Eugene embodies the idea of ​​confrontation common man and states.

"The poor man was not afraid for himself." "The blood boiled." “A flame ran through the heart”, “Already for you!”. Yevgeny's protest is an instant impulse, but stronger than that of Samson Vyrin.

The image of a shining, lively, magnificent city is replaced in the first part of the poem by a picture of a terrible, destructive flood, expressive images of a raging element over which a person has no power. Among those whose lives were destroyed by the flood is Eugene, whose peaceful cares the author speaks at the beginning of the first part of the poem. Eugene is an “ordinary man” (“small” man): he has neither money nor ranks, he “serves somewhere” and dreams of making himself a “humble and simple shelter” in order to marry his beloved girl and go through life with her.

…Our hero

Lives in Kolomna, serves somewhere,

The nobles shy away…

He does not make great plans for the future, he is satisfied with a quiet, inconspicuous life.

What was he thinking about? About,

That he was poor, that he labored

He had to deliver

And independence, and honor;

What could God add to him

Mind and money.

The poem does not indicate either the hero's surname or his age, nothing is said about Yevgeny's past, his appearance, character traits. By depriving Yevgeny of individual features, the author turns him into an ordinary, typical person from the crowd. However, in the extreme critical situation Eugene seems to wake up from a dream, and throws off the guise of "insignificance" and opposes the "copper idol". In a state of madness, he threatens the Bronze Horseman, considering the man who built the city on this dead place to be the culprit of his misfortune.

Pushkin looks at his heroes from the side. They do not stand out either in intelligence or in their position in society, but they are kind and decent people, and therefore worthy of respect and sympathy.

Conflict

Pushkin for the first time in Russian literature showed all the tragedy and insolubility of the conflict between the state and state interests and the interests of the private individual.

The plot of the poem is completed, the hero died, but the central conflict remained and was transferred to the readers, not resolved and in reality itself, the antagonism of the “tops” and “bottoms”, the autocratic power and the destitute people remained. Symbolic victory Bronze Horseman over Eugene - a victory of force, but not of justice.

Gogol "Overcoat" Akaki Akikievich Bashmachkin

"Eternal titular adviser". Resignedly takes down the ridicule of colleagues, timid and lonely. poor spiritual life. Irony and compassion of the author. The image of the city, which is terrible for the hero. Social conflict: "little man" and soulless representative of the authorities "significant person". The element of fantasy (casting) is the motive of rebellion and retribution.

Gogol opens the reader to the world of "little people", officials in his "Petersburg Tales". The story "The Overcoat" is especially significant for the disclosure of this topic, Gogol had a great influence on the further movement of Russian literature, "responding" in the work of its most diverse figures from Dostoevsky and Shchedrin to Bulgakov and Sholokhov. “We all came out of Gogol's overcoat,” wrote Dostoevsky.

Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin - "eternal titular adviser." He resignedly endures the ridicule of his colleagues, he is timid and lonely. The senseless clerical service killed every living thought in him. His spiritual life is poor. The only pleasure he finds in the correspondence of papers. He lovingly drew the letters in a clean, even handwriting and completely immersed himself in work, forgetting the insults caused to him by his colleagues, and the need, and worries about food and comfort. Even at home, he only thought that "God will send something to rewrite tomorrow."

But even in this downtrodden official, a man woke up when the goal of life appeared - a new overcoat. In the story, the development of the image is observed. “He became somehow more alive, even firmer in character. Doubt, indecision disappeared by itself from his face and from his actions ... ”Bashmachkin does not part with his dream for a single day. He thinks about it, as another person thinks about love, about family. Here he orders a new overcoat for himself, “... his existence has become somehow fuller ...” The description of Akaky Akakievich’s life is permeated with irony, but there is both pity and sadness in it. Leading us into spiritual world the hero, describing his feelings, thoughts, dreams, joys and sorrows, the author makes it clear what happiness it was for Bashmachkin to acquire an overcoat and what a disaster its loss turns into.

Did not have happier than a man than Akaky Akakievich when the tailor brought him an overcoat. But his joy was short-lived. When he returned home at night, he was robbed. And none of those around him takes part in his fate. In vain Bashmachkin sought help from a "significant person." He was even accused of rebellion against superiors and "higher". Frustrated Akaki Akakievich catches a cold and dies.

In the finale, a small, timid man, driven to despair by the world of the strong, protests against this world. Dying, he "badly blasphemes", utters the most terrible words that followed the words "your excellency." It was a riot, albeit in a deathbed delirium.

It is not because of the overcoat that the “little man” dies. He becomes a victim of bureaucratic "inhumanity" and "ferocious rudeness", which, according to Gogol, lurks under the guise of "refined, educated secularism." In that deepest meaning story.

The theme of rebellion finds expression in fantastic way a ghost that appears on the streets of St. Petersburg after the death of Akaky Akakievich and takes off his overcoats from offenders.

N.V. Gogol, who in his story "The Overcoat" for the first time shows the spiritual stinginess, squalor of poor people, but also draws attention to the ability of the "little man" to rebel and for this he introduces elements of fantasy into his work.

N. V. Gogol deepens the social conflict: the writer showed not only the life of the “little man”, but also his protest against injustice. Let this "rebellion" be timid, almost fantastic, but the hero stands up for his rights, against the foundations of the existing order.

Dostoevsky "Crime and Punishment" Marmeladov

The writer himself remarked: "We all came out of Gogol's Overcoat."

Dostoevsky's novel is imbued with the spirit of Gogol's "Overcoat" "Poor people And". This is a story about the fate of the same "little man", crushed by grief, despair and social lawlessness. The correspondence of the poor official Makar Devushkin with Varenka, who lost her parents and is persecuted by a procuress, reveals the deep drama of the life of these people. Makar and Varenka are ready for each other for any hardships. Makar, living in extreme need, helps Varya. And Varya, having learned about the situation of Makar, comes to his aid. But the heroes of the novel are defenseless. Their rebellion is "rebellion on their knees." Nobody can help them. Varya is taken away to certain death, and Makar is left alone with his grief. Broken, crippled life of two wonderful people, broken by cruel reality.

Dostoevsky reveals the deep and strong experiences of "little people".

It is curious to note that Makar Devushkin reads Pushkin's The Stationmaster and Gogol's The Overcoat. He is sympathetic to Samson Vyrin and hostile to Bashmachkin. Probably because he sees his future in him.

About the fate of the "little man" Semyon Semyonovich Marmeladov told F.M. Dostoevsky on the pages of the novel "Crime and Punishment". One by one, the writer reveals before us pictures of hopeless poverty. Dostoevsky chose the dirtiest part of strictly St. Petersburg as the scene of action. Against the background of this landscape, the life of the Marmeladov family unfolds before us.

If Chekhov's characters are humiliated, do not realize their insignificance, then Dostoevsky's drunken retired official fully understands his uselessness, uselessness. He is a drunkard, insignificant, from his point of view, a person who wants to improve, but cannot. He understands that he has condemned his family, and especially his daughter, to suffering, worries about this, despises himself, but cannot help himself. “Pity! Why pity me!” Marmeladov suddenly yelled, standing up with his hand outstretched… “Yes! There’s nothing to pity me for! Crucify me on the cross, and don’t pity me!

Dostoevsky creates the image of a real fallen person: Marmelad's importunate sweetness, clumsy ornate speech - the property of a beer tribune and a jester at the same time. Awareness of his baseness (“I am a born cattle”) only strengthens his bravado. He is disgusting and pitiful at the same time, this drunkard Marmeladov with his ornate speech and important bureaucratic posture.

The state of mind of this petty official is much more complex and subtle than that of his literary predecessors- Pushkin's Samson Vyrin and Gogol's Bashmachkin. They do not have the power of introspection, which the hero of Dostoevsky achieved. Marmeladov not only suffers, but also analyzes his state of mind, he, as a doctor, puts a merciless diagnosis of the disease - the degradation of his own personality. Here is how he confesses in his first meeting with Raskolnikov: “Dear Sir, poverty is not a vice, it is the truth. But ... poverty is a vice - p. In poverty, you still retain all the nobility of innate feelings, but in poverty, never anyone ... for in poverty I myself am the first ready to offend myself.

A person not only perishes from poverty, but understands how he is spiritually devastated: he begins to despise himself, but does not see anything around him to cling to, which would keep him from the decay of his personality. The finale of Marmeladov's life fate is tragic: on the street he was crushed by a dandy gentleman's carriage drawn by a pair of horses. Throwing himself under their feet, this man himself found the outcome of his life.

Under the pen of the writer Marmeladov becomes tragically. Marmelad's cry - "after all, it is necessary that every person could at least go somewhere" - expresses the last degree of despair of a dehumanized person and reflects the essence of his life drama: there is nowhere to go and no one to go to.

In the novel, Raskolnikov sympathizes with Marmeladov. Meeting with Marmeladov in a tavern, his feverish, as if delirious, confession gave the protagonist of the novel Raskolnikov one of the last proofs of the correctness of the “Napoleonic idea”. But not only Raskolnikov sympathizes with Marmeladov. “More than once they have already pitied me,” says Marmeladov to Raskolnikov. The good general Ivan Afanasyevich also took pity on him, and again accepted him into the service. But Marmeladov could not stand the test, he took to drink again, drank all his salary, drank everything, and in return received a tattered tailcoat with a single button. Marmeladov in his behavior reached the point of losing the last human qualities. He is already so humiliated that he does not feel like a man, but only dreams of being a man among people. Sonya Marmeladova understands and forgives her father, who is able to help her neighbor, to sympathize with those who so need compassion

Dostoevsky makes us feel sorry for the unworthy of pity, to feel compassion for the unworthy of compassion. "Compassion is the most important and, perhaps, the only law of human existence," said Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky.

Chekhov "Death of an official", "Thick and thin"

Later, Chekhov would sum up a peculiar result in the development of the theme, he doubted the virtues traditionally sung by Russian literature - the high moral merits of the "little man" - a petty official. Chekhov. If Chekhov “exposed” something in people, then, first of all, it was their ability and readiness to be “small”. A person should not, does not dare to make himself "small" - this is Chekhov's main idea in his interpretation of the "little man" theme. Summing up all that has been said, we can conclude that the theme of the "little man" reveals essential qualities Russian literature XIX century - democracy and humanism.

Over time, the "little man", deprived of his own dignity, "humiliated and insulted", causes not only compassion, but also condemnation among progressive writers. “Your life is boring, gentlemen,” Chekhov said with his work to the “little man”, resigned to his position. With subtle humor, the writer ridicules the death of Ivan Chervyakov, from whose lips the lackey “Yourself” has not left his lips all his life.

In the same year as "The Death of an Official", the story "Thick and Thin" appears. Chekhov again opposes philistinism, servility. Giggling, "like a Chinese", bowing in obsequious bow, collegiate servant Porfiry, having met his former friend who has a high rank. The feeling of friendship that connected these two people is forgotten.

Kuprin " Garnet bracelet". Zheltkov

In AI Kuprin's "Garnet Bracelet" Zheltkov is a "little man". Once again, the hero belongs to the lower class. But he loves, and he loves in a way that many of the highest society are not capable of. Zheltkov fell in love with the girl and all his later life he loved only her. He understood that love is a sublime feeling, it is a chance given to him by fate, and it should not be missed. His love is his life, his hope. Zheltkov commits suicide. But after the death of the hero, the woman realizes that no one loved her as much as he did. The hero of Kuprin is a man of an extraordinary soul, capable of self-sacrifice, able to truly love, and such a gift is a rarity. Therefore, the "little man" Zheltkov appears as a figure towering above those around him.

Thus, the theme of the "little man" underwent significant changes in the work of writers. Drawing images of "little people", writers usually emphasized their weak protest, downtroddenness, which subsequently leads the "little man" to degradation. But each of these heroes has something in life that helps him endure existence: Samson Vyrin has a daughter, the joy of life, Akaky Akakievich has an overcoat, Makar Devushkin and Varenka have their love and care for each other. Having lost this goal, they die, unable to survive the loss.

In conclusion, I would like to say that a person should not be small. In one of his letters to his sister, Chekhov exclaimed: “My God, how rich Russia is in good people!”

In XX century, the theme was developed in the images of the heroes of I. Bunin, A. Kuprin, M. Gorky, and even at the end XX century, you can find its reflection in the work of V. Shukshin, V. Rasputin and other writers.

Bogachek A., Shiryaeva E.

The project "The image of the "little man" in the literature of the 19th-20th centuries"

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MBOU "Orangereinskaya secondary school"

Project on the topic: “The image of the “little man” in the literature of the 19th - early 20th centuries”

Completed by students of 10 "B" class

Rich Alexandra

Shiryaeva Ekaterina

Teacher

Mikhailova O.E.

2011-2012 academic year.

Plan:

"Little Man" is a literary hero of the era of realism.

"Little Man" - a little man from the people ... became ... a hero of Russian literature.

From Pushkin's Samson Vyrin to Gogol's Akaky Akakievich.

Contempt for the "little man" in the works of A.P. Chekhov.

Talented and selfless "little man" in the work of N.S. Leskov.

Conclusion.

Used Books.

Target : Show a variety of ideas about the "little man" writers of the 19th- the beginning of the 20th century.

Tasks : 1) study the works of writers of the 19th - early 20th centuries;

3) draw conclusions.

The definition of "little man" is applied to the category literary heroes era of realism, usually occupying a rather low place in the social hierarchy: a petty official, a tradesman, or even a poor nobleman. The image of the "little man" turned out to be all the more relevant, the more democratic literature became. The very concept of "little man", most likely, was introduced by Belinsky (article of 1840 "Woe from Wit"). The theme of the "little man" is raised by many writers. It has always been relevant, because its task is to reflect the life of an ordinary person with all its experiences, problems, troubles and small joys. The writer takes on the hard work of showing and explaining the lives of ordinary people. "The little man is the representative of the whole people. And each writer represents him in his own way.

The image of a little man has been known for a long time - thanks, for example, to such mastodons as A.S. Pushkin and N.V. Gogol or A.P. Chekhov and N.S. Leskov - and inexhaustible.

N.V. Gogol was one of the first who spoke openly and loudly about the tragedy of the “little man”, crushed, humiliated and therefore pathetic.

True, the palm in this belongs all the same to Pushkin; his Samson Vyrin from "The Stationmaster" opens a gallery of "little people". But the tragedy of Vyrin is reduced to a personal tragedy, its causes lie in the relationship between the stationmaster's family - father and daughter - and are in the nature of morality, or rather immorality on the part of Dunya, the stationmaster's daughter. She was the meaning of life for her father, the “sun”, with which a lonely, elderly person was warm and comfortable.

Gogol, while remaining true to tradition critical realism, introducing into it his own, Gogolian motives, showed the tragedy of the “little man” in Russia much more widely; the writer "realized and showed the danger of the degradation of society, in which cruelty and indifference of people to each other are increasing more and more."

And the pinnacle of this villainy was Gogol's Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin from the story "The Overcoat", his name became a symbol of the "little man", who is ill in this strange world servility, lies and "flagrant" indifference.

It often happens in life that cruel and heartless people who humiliate and insult the dignity of other people often look more pitiful and insignificant than their victims. The same impression of spiritual miserliness and fragility from the offenders of the petty official Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin remains with us after reading Gogol's story "The Overcoat". Akaky Akakievich is a real "little man". Why? First, he stands on one of the lowest rungs of the hierarchical ladder. His place in society is invisible at all. Secondly, the world of his spiritual life and human interests is narrowed to the extreme, impoverished, limited. Gogol himself characterized his hero as poor, ordinary, insignificant and inconspicuous. In life, he was assigned the insignificant role of a copyist of documents from one of the departments. Brought up in an atmosphere of unquestioning obedience and execution of orders from his superiors, Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin was not used to reflecting on the content and meaning of his work. Therefore, when he is offered tasks that require the manifestation of elementary intelligence, he begins to worry, worry, and eventually comes to the conclusion: "No, it's better to let me rewrite something." Bashmachkin's spiritual life is also limited. Collecting money for a new overcoat becomes for him the meaning of his whole life, filling it with the happiness of waiting for fulfillment. cherished desire. Theft new overcoat, acquired through such deprivation and suffering, becomes a disaster for him. Those around him laughed at his misfortune, and no one helped him. " significant person"shouted at him so much that poor Akaki Akakievich lost consciousness. Almost no one noticed his death. Despite the uniqueness of the image created by the writer, he, Bashmachkin, does not look lonely in the minds of readers, and we imagine that there were a great many of the same humiliated Gogol was the first to talk about the tragedy of the "little man", respect for which depended not on his spiritual qualities, not on education and intelligence, but on his position in society. The writer with compassion showed the injustice and despotic society in relation to the "little man" and for the first time called on this society to pay attention to inconspicuous, pitiful and ridiculous, as it seemed at first glance, people. It's not their fault that they are not very smart, and sometimes not smart at all, But they don't tell anyone do evil, and this is very important. So why then laugh at them? Maybe they cannot be treated with great respect, but you cannot offend them. They, like everyone else, have the right to a decent life, to the opportunity to feel full people.

"Little Man" is constantly found on the pages of the works of A. A. Chekhov. This is the main character of his work. Chekhov's attitude towards such people is especially vividly manifested in his satirical stories. And the relationship is clear. In the story "The Death of an Official", the "little man" Ivan Dmitrievich Chervyakov constantly and obsessively apologizes to General Brizzhalov for accidentally splashing him when he sneezed. "I sprayed him!" Thought Chervyakov. "Not my boss, someone else's, but still awkward. I must apologize." Keyword in this thought - "boss". Probably, Chervyakov would not endlessly apologize to an ordinary person. Ivan Dmitrievich has a fear of the authorities, and this fear turns into flattery and deprives him of self-respect. A person already reaches the point where he allows himself to be trampled into the dirt, moreover, he himself helps to do this. We must pay tribute to the general, he treats our hero very politely. But the common man is not accustomed to such treatment. Therefore, Ivan Dmitrievich thinks that he was ignored and comes to ask for forgiveness for several days in a row. Brizzhalov gets fed up with this and finally yells at Chervyakov. "-Get out !! - the general suddenly turned blue and trembling."

"What, sir?" Chervyakov asked in a whisper, trembling with horror.

Go away!! repeated the general, stamping his feet.

Something broke in Chervyakov's stomach. Seeing nothing, hearing nothing, he backed away to the door, went out into the street and trudged along ... Arriving mechanically home, without taking off his uniform, he lay down on the sofa and ... died. For a more complete disclosure of the image of his hero, Chekhov used a "talking" surname.Yes, Ivan Dmitrievich is small, pitiful, like a worm, he can be crushed without effort, and most importantly, he is just as unpleasant.

In the story "The Triumph of the Victor" Chekhov presents us with a story in which father and son humiliate themselves before the boss so that the son can get a position.

“The boss was talking and, apparently, wanted to seem witty. I don’t know if he said anything funny, but I only remember that dad every minute pushed me in the side and said:

Laugh!…

... - So, so! - Dad whispered. - Well done! He looks at you and laughs... It's good; maybe he'll actually give you a job as an assistant clerk!"

And again we are faced with admiration for superiors. And again, this is self-humiliation and flattery. People are ready to please the boss in order to achieve their insignificant goal. It doesn’t even occur to them to remember that there is a simple human dignity which should never be lost. A.P. Chekhov wanted all people to be beautiful and free. "Everything in a person should be beautiful: the face, and clothes, and the soul, and thoughts." So Anton Pavlovich thought, therefore, ridiculing a primitive person in his stories, he called for self-improvement. Chekhov hated self-humiliation, eternal subservience and admiration for officials. Gorky said of Chekhov: "Vulgarity was his enemy, and he fought against it all his life." Yes, he fought against it with his works, he bequeathed to us "drop by drop to squeeze a slave out of ourselves." Perhaps such a vile way of life of his "little people", their low thoughts and unworthy behavior is the result not only of personal character traits, but also of their social position and the orders of the existing political system. After all, Chervyakov would not have apologized so diligently and lived in eternal fear of officials if he had not been afraid of the consequences. The characters of the stories "Chameleon", "Thick and Thin", "The Man in the Case" and many others have the same unpleasant qualities of character.

Anton Pavlovich believed that a person should have a goal to which he will strive, and if it is not there or it is very small and insignificant, then the person becomes just as small and insignificant. A man must work and love - these are the two things that play leading role in the life of any person: small and not small.

Nikolai Semenovich Leskov's "little man" is a completely different person than his predecessors .. In order to understand this, let's compare the heroes of three works by this writer: Levsha, Ivan Severyanovich Flyagin and Katerina Izmailova. All three of these characters strong personalities and everyone is talented in their own way. But all the energy of Katerina Izmailova is aimed at arranging personal happiness by any means. In order to achieve her goals, she goes to crime. And therefore this type of character is rejected by Leskov. He sympathizes with her only when she is cruelly devoted to her beloved.

Lefty - talented person from the people who care about their homeland more than the king and courtiers. But he is ruined by a vice so well known to Russian people - drunkenness and the unwillingness of the state to help its subjects. He could do without this help if he had strong man. But a strong person cannot be a drunk person. Therefore, for Leskov, this is not the hero who should be given preference.

Among the heroes belonging to the category of "little people", Leskov singles out Ivan Severyanovich Flyagin. The hero of Leskov is a hero in appearance and spirit. "That was a man huge growth, with a swarthy open face and thick wavy hair lead-colored: his gray hair cast so strangely ... To this new companion of ours, who later turned out to be very interesting person, in appearance one could give with a little over fifty years; but he was in the full sense of the word a hero, and moreover, a typical, simple-hearted, kind Russian hero, reminiscent of grandfather Ilya Muromets ... But with all this good innocence, it didn’t take much observation to see in him a man who saw a lot and, as they say, " seasoned". He behaved boldly, self-confidently, although without unpleasant swagger, and spoke in a pleasant bass with habit. "He is strong not only physically, but also spiritually. Flyagin's life is an endless test. He is strong in spirit, and this allows him to overcome such difficult life vicissitudes "He was on the verge of death, saved people, he fled. But in all these trials he improved. Flyagin at first vaguely, and then more and more consciously strives for heroic service to the Motherland, this becomes the spiritual need of the hero. In this he sees the meaning of life. Inherent Flagin initially kindness, the desire to help the afflicted eventually becomes a conscious need to love your neighbor as yourself.This is a simple person with his own virtues and shortcomings, gradually eradicating these shortcomings and coming to an understanding of God.Leskov portrays his hero as a strong and brave man. big heart and big soul. Flyagin does not complain about fate, does not cry. Leskov, describing Ivan Severyanovich, evokes pride in the reader for his people, for his country. Flyagin does not humiliate himself before the mighty of the world this, like the heroes of Chekhov, does not drink too much because of his insolvency, like Marmeladov in Dostoevsky, does not sink "to the bottom" of life, like Gorky's characters, does not wish harm to anyone, does not want to humiliate anyone, does not expect help from others, does not sit back hands. This is a person who recognizes himself as a person, a real person, ready to defend his rights and the rights of other people, not losing his dignity and confident that a person can do anything.

III.

The idea of ​​a "little man" changed throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. Each writer also had his own personal views on this hero.

You can find common ground in the views different writers. For example, writers of the first half of XIX century (Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol) treat the "little man" with sympathy. Standing apart is Griboyedov, who looks at this hero in a different way, which brings his views closer to those of Chekhov and partly Ostrovsky. Here the concept of vulgarity and self-humiliation comes to the fore. In the view of L. Tolstoy, N. Leskov, A. Kuprin, a "little man" is a talented, selfless person. Such a variety of views of writers depends on the peculiarities of their worldview and on the diversity human types that surrounds us in real life.

Used Books:

1. Gogol N.V. Collected works in 4 volumes. Publishing house "Enlightenment", M. 1979

2. Pushkin A.S. “Tales of I.P. Belkin. Dubrovsky, Queen of Spades". Publishing house "Astrel, AST" 2004

3. Chekhov A.P. Stories. Publishing house "AST". 2010

4. Leskov N.S. All works by Nikolai Leskov. 2011

5. Gukovsky G.A. Gogol's realism - M., 1959

The theme of the "little man" Russian classics paid tribute in full. Samson Vyrin of Pushkin, Akaki Akakievich Gogol, Makar Girls and Dostoyevsky are the most famous "little people". Probably, in that era they treated a person in general with great attention, therefore they wrote with such sympathy about miserable, insignificant people who have their own "little" dreams, needs, desires.

In the 20th century, much more attention was paid to global issues. This is not surprising: the 20th century in Russia is the era of two world wars, three revolutions, civil wars, a radical restructuring of society. Of course, writers, following the spirit of the times, solved issues of a global scale, and in the sphere of their attention were mainly strong, outstanding personalities.

However, even in the days of great changes, people continue to be born on earth. Absolutely ordinary people. They want to work, build their own house, raise children. They don't care about big changes. Or, on the contrary, they would very much like to participate in these changes, but no one pays attention to their spiritual impulses. For "little people" it is very characteristic that they are rarely paid attention to, they are not appreciated, laughed at and even mocked at them. Often not even those around, but life itself knows no mercy for "little people". Such well-known modern authors as A. I. Solzhenitsyn and V. M. Shukshin wrote about this.

In the story" Matrenin yard"Solzhenitsyn is talking about the lonely old woman Matryona. Her personal life was not successful (this is so typical for a "little man"!): She married an unloved man, lost six children. However, this did not embitter Matryona. Neither the consumer attitude of her neighbors, nor that she was not paid for her work on the collective farm. It is amazing, but no matter how bad Matryona is, she is always kind, sympathetic, helpful. And she dies precisely from the fact that in Once again rushed to help people, although they did not ask her. All her life Matryona lived quietly, modestly, without asking anyone for help, always helping others. She was unhappy, but never complained. This was her greatness, the special greatness of the "little man." Matrena is that righteous man, without whom "the earth is not worth it." Usually we do not notice these modest people, we pass by. Still: they do not shout that they hold the earth; they themselves do not know about it. And if someone told them about it, they would be surprised and would not believe.

V. M. Shukshin is an author whose heroes are, for the most part, "little people". Whatever Shukshin's story we open, we will certainly meet an eccentric inventor, an inspired liar storyteller, a self-taught artist, an illiterate writer. The author speaks of all of them with great love, calling them "bright souls". They may not have done anything for humanity, but their very dreams already characterize these people as beautiful, bright and pure.

For example, Bronka Pupkov from the story "Mil's sorry, madam!" funny name- a very common sign of a "little man". Recall Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin or Makar Devushkin. Bronka, with true authorial inspiration, year after year tells amazed listeners the same story about how he almost shot Hitler. The story is made up from start to finish. But, when his wife once again reminds Bronka about this, he begins to get angry. And not just angry, but also suffering and worrying. Why is he telling this story with tears in his eyes? Yes, because he does not just speak, but "lives" it. In his soul lives a thirst for achievement, a thirst for something big, beautiful, unusual, which is so unlike his everyday life. But his tragedy lies in the fact that he, the "little man", will never be able to live that bright wonderful life which he invented for himself. Therefore, he tries to believe his own story. It's easier for him. In Shukshin's stories, similar " strange people"are found at every turn. This is Andrey Erin with his microscope and his thirst to save humanity from terrible microbes, and Konstantin Smorodin with the painting "Suicide", and carpenter Semka Rys with a dream to restore the old church.

But, probably, Ivan Petin (“Raskas”) causes the sharpest pity. When his wife leaves him, he tries to put his feelings on paper, which he does very clumsily. In this, Ivan is not so much funny as touching. A whole human tragedy is hidden behind the illiterate phrases of "raskas". A person may not be able to express his thoughts, but on the other hand, love and suffer much more than any educated person.

"Small man" - literary character characteristic of the era of realism. Such a hero works of art could be a petty official, a tradesman, or even a poor nobleman. As a rule, its main feature is a low social position. This image is found in the works of both domestic and foreign authors. The theme of the little man in Russian literature occupies a special position. After all, this image has received a particularly vivid expression in the works of such writers as Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Gogol.

The great Russian poet and writer showed his readers a soul that is pure and unspoiled by wealth. The protagonist of one of the works included in the Belkin Tale cycle knows how to rejoice, sympathize and suffer. However, the life of Pushkin's character is initially not easy.

The famous story begins with the words that everyone curses the stationmasters, without analyzing which it is impossible to consider the topic “The Little Man in Russian Literature”. Pushkin portrayed a calm and happy character in his work. Samson Vyrin remained a good-natured and good-natured man, despite many years of hard service. And only separation from his daughter deprived him of peace of mind. Samson can survive a hard life and thankless work, but exist without the only one in the world. loved one he is unable to. The stationmaster dies of boredom and loneliness. The theme of the little man in Russian literature is multifaceted. The hero of the story "The Stationmaster", perhaps like no other, is able to arouse compassion in the reader.

Akaki Akakievich

A less attractive character is the hero of the story "The Overcoat". Gogol's character is a collective image. There are many like Bashmachkin. They are everywhere, but people do not notice them, because they do not know how to appreciate in a person his immortal soul. The theme of the little man in Russian literature is discussed from year to year at school lessons literature. After all, thanks to a careful reading of the story "The Overcoat", a young reader can take a different look at the people who surround him. The development of the theme of the little man in Russian literature began precisely with this semi-fairytale work. Not in vain great classic Dostoevsky once said famous phrase: "We all left the Overcoat."

Until the middle of the 20th century, the image of a little man was used by Russian and foreign writers. It is found not only in the works of Dostoevsky, but also in the books of Gerhart Hauptmann, Thomas Mann.

Maksim Maksimovich

The little man in Lermontov's work is outstanding personality suffering from inactivity. The image of Maxim Maksimovich is first found in the story "Bela". The theme of the little man in Russian literature, thanks to Lermontov, began to serve literary device for a critical portrayal of such vices social society like kneeling, careerism.

Maxim Maksimovich is a nobleman. However, he belongs to an impoverished family, and besides, he does not have influential connections. And therefore, despite his age, he is still in the rank of staff captain. However, Lermontov portrayed the little man not offended and humiliated. His hero knows what honor is. Maksim Maksimovich is a decent man and an old campaigner. In many ways, it resembles Pushkin from the story "The Captain's Daughter".

Marmeladov

The little man is pathetic and insignificant. Marmeladov is aware of his uselessness and uselessness. Telling Raskolnikov the story of his moral fall, he is hardly able to arouse sympathy. He states: “Poverty is not a vice. Poverty is a vice." And these words seem to justify the weakness and impotence of Marmeladov.

In the novel "Crime and Punishment" the theme of the little man in Russian literature is especially developed. An essay based on a work by Dostoevsky is a standard task in a literature lesson. But, no matter what name this written task has, it is impossible to complete it without first compiling a description of Marmeladov and his daughter. At the same time, it should be understood that Sonya, although she is also a typical little person, is significantly different from other “humiliated and insulted”. She is unable to change anything in her life. However, this fragile girl has great spiritual wealth and inner beauty. Sonya is the personification of purity and mercy.

"Poor People"

This novel also we are talking about the "little people". Devushkin and Varvara Alekseevna are the heroes that Dostoevsky created with an eye on Gogol's "Overcoat". However, the image and theme of the little man in Russian literature began precisely with the works of Pushkin. And they have a lot in common with Dostoevsky's novels. The story of the stationmaster is told by himself. The "little people" in Dostoevsky's novels are also prone to confession. They are not only aware of their insignificance, but also seek to comprehend its cause, act as philosophers. One need only recall Devushkin's lengthy messages and Marmeladov's long monologue.

Tushin

The system of images in the novel "War and Peace" is extremely complex. Tolstoy's characters are heroes from the highest aristocratic circle. There is little in them that is insignificant and pathetic. But why is the great epic novel remembered then, as the theme of the little man is discussed in Russian literature? An essay-reasoning is a task in which it is worth giving a characterization of such a hero as from the novel "War and Peace". At first glance, he is ridiculous and clumsy. However, this impression is deceptive. In battle, Tushin shows his masculinity and fearlessness.

In the huge work of Tolstoy, this hero is given only a few pages. However, the theme of the little man in Russian literature of the 19th century is impossible without considering the image of Tushin. The characterization of this character is very important for understanding the views of the author himself.

Little people in the work of Leskov

The theme of the little man in Russian literature of the 18-19th century is revealed to the maximum. Leskov in his work also did not bypass her. However, his characters are significantly different from the image of a little man, which can be seen in Pushkin's stories and Dostoevsky's novels. Ivan Flyagin is a hero in appearance and soul. But this hero can be classified as "little people." First of all, because many trials fall to his lot, but he does not complain about fate and does not cry.

The image of a little man in Chekhov's stories

Such a hero is often found on the pages of the works of this writer. The image of a small man is especially vividly depicted in satirical stories. The petty official is a typical hero of Chekhov's works. In the story "The Death of an Official" there is an image of a little man. Chervyakov is driven by an inexplicable fear of his boss. Unlike the heroes of the story "The Overcoat", the character from Chekhov's story does not suffer from harassment and bullying from colleagues and the boss. Chervyakov is killed by fear of the highest ranks, eternal admiration for the authorities.

"Celebration of the Winner"

The theme of admiration for the authorities Chekhov continued in this story. However, the little people in "The Triumph of the Victor" are portrayed in a much more satirical light. The father, in order to obtain a good position for his son, humiliates himself with fawning and coarse flattery.

But it is not only the people who express them who are guilty of low thoughts and unworthy behavior. All this is the result of the orders prevailing in the social and political system. Chervyakov would not have asked for forgiveness so zealously if he had not known about possible consequences committed oversight.

In the work of Maxim Gorky

The play "At the Bottom" tells about the inhabitants of the rooming house. Each of the characters in this work is a small person, deprived of the most necessary for normal life. He is unable to change anything. The only thing he has the right to believe in the fables of the wanderer Luke. Sympathy and warmth - this is what the heroes of the play "At the Bottom" need. The author urges readers to compassion. And in this his views coincide with the point of view of Dostoevsky.

Zheltkov

"Garnet Bracelet" - a story about Great love little person. Zheltkov once falls in love with married woman, and he remains true to this feeling until the last minutes of his life. There is an abyss between them. And the hero of the work "Garnet Bracelet" does not hope for a reciprocal feeling.

Yolkov has characteristic features a small person, not only because he occupies a low social position. He, like Bashmachkin and the stationmaster, is left alone with his pain. Zheltkov's feelings serve as the basis for jokes and ironic sketches of Prince Shein. Other heroes are able to appreciate the depth of suffering of the “little man” only after his death.

Karandyshev

The image of a small man in common features with similar characters in the works of Dostoevsky and Chekhov. However, the humiliated Karandyshev in the play "Dowry" does not cause either pity or sympathy. He strives with all his might to get into a society in which he is not expected. And for the insults that he endures for many years, he is ready to take revenge.

Katerina Kabanova also belongs to the category of little people. But these heroines are integral personalities, and therefore they do not know how to adapt and dodge. Death for them becomes the only way out of the situation in which they find themselves due to the inertia of the social system.

The image of the little man in literature developed in the nineteenth century. However, in contemporary literature he gave way to other heroes. As you know, many foreign authors were influenced by Russian literature. Proof of this are the works of writers of the 20th century, in which there are often characters reminiscent of Chekhov's and Gogol's heroes. An example is Thomas Mann's "Little Mr. Friedemann". The hero of this novel lives his short life imperceptibly and dies in the same way, from the indifference and cruelty of others.

The image of the "little man" is characteristic of realism and is found in many works of Russian and foreign writers. They tried by this technique to show the indifference of the state to ordinary, small, people. In my opinion, a small person is a hero whose role in society is insignificant: an ordinary worker, employee or peasant. Such people were not loved by the top of society, because they did not have enough funds and influence. Officials did not notice that it is thanks to these people that society is being built, they are its strength.

The most famous example of a “little man” in literature is Samson Vyrin from A.S. Pushkin. The hero of this work is a calm and good-natured man. Due to the long separation from his daughter, he slowly dies. But society and the state do not care. They didn't even try to fix the problem. An inconspicuous person passed away, and no one even noticed this. Pushkin tells readers to be more attentive to others. It was Alexander Sergeevich who first introduced the concept of "little man" in literature.

In the novel "War and Peace" L.N. Not much time has been devoted to Tolstoy Tushin, this is due to the fact that he is the “little man” in this work. Everyone sees him as funny and awkward. However, in battle, his best qualities: fearlessness, desire to fight. L.N. Tolstoy assures that it is impossible to judge a person at once, it is better to know him better.

Semen Semenovich Marmeladov from the novel by F.M. Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment" lives on the very outskirts of St. Petersburg in deep poverty. This hero is a drunken official who himself is aware of his worthlessness and uselessness. Marmeladov kills himself spiritually, he does not strive to rise in society, he gives up and dies. tragic fate this character, who is nowhere needed by anyone, does not withstand all tests. The dream of Semyon Semenovich to benefit society never became a reality. It seems to me that Dostoevsky depicted a huge number of people throughout Russia in the image of this hero. People avoid them, do not want to help, and yet no one knows the real reasons for their life. Such people are forced to become an inveterate drunkard and degrade.

The image of the "little man" is central in the literature of Russian realism. Describing the hard life of such heroes, the writers tried to describe the real existence of ordinary citizens of that time, to provoke a protest to the state.