Gooseberries are the main idea. Gooseberry, or the meaning of life

1. Introduction. Distinctive feature creativity but was that in his short, outwardly ingenuous stories, he put very deep ideas. A prime example of this is the story "Gooseberry".

2. History of creation. The story was written and published in 1898. Together with the stories "" and "About Love", it is included in the so-called. Chekhov's Little Trilogy.

3. The meaning of the name. Gooseberries are the narrator's brother's obsession. In Nikolai Ivanovich's dreams of his own estate, this ordinary shrub was invariably present.

In the story, the gooseberry becomes a symbol of the spiritual limitations of a person, his isolation and lack of useful activity.

4. Genre. Story

5. Theme. The main theme of the work is laziness, selfishness, "monasticism without feat" inherent in Russian people. The service of Nikolai Ivanovich, which brought at least some benefit, was considered by him as an inevitable burden and a source of money.

All his thoughts were directed to the purchase of his own estate. This obsession completely subjugated the soul of a generally good (“kind, meek”) person.

Limiting himself in everything for the sake of accumulating money for a purchase, Nikolai Ivanovich married for the sake of an inheritance and, with his stinginess, brought his wife to the grave. Nikolai Ivanovich no longer cares that the purchased estate was in a terrible state. His dream of a quiet, carefree life came true.

Having become a real "master", Nikolai Ivanovich does not notice that he is becoming more and more like a living corpse. All his activities are reduced to important conversations about the meaning of the nobility. In fact, the only "useful" work of Nikolai Ivanovich is planting gooseberry bushes.

6. Issues. In the story "Gooseberry" Chekhov deals with his "favorite" problem - the dominance of vulgarity and philistinism in Russian life. After buying the estate, Nikolai Ivanovich forgets that his ancestors were from a low class and he himself begins to believe that he is a hereditary nobleman.

The purpose of his life is to taste gooseberries from his own harvest. The problem of Russian society of the Chekhov era was that only a few people aspired to useful activities, tried with all their might to improve and equip the world. The writer himself set an example of this in his Melehovo estate.

The complete opposite of Nikolai Ivanovich is the landowner Alekhin, who, due to continuous work, even forgets to wash. Another problem is the "airiness" of the efforts of the nobility to improve the situation. common people. The "good deeds" of Nikolai Ivanovich boil down to the primitive treatment of men and women with "soda and castor oil" and the obligatory treat of vodka. This allows the newly-minted landowner to proudly declare that he "knows the people", who loves him boundlessly and thanks him for his help.

7. Heroes. Ivan Ivanovich, Nikolai Ivanovich, Burkin, Alekhin.

8. Plot and composition. The story contains two storylines. One is woven into the Little Trilogy. The veterinarian Ivan Ivanovich and the teacher Burkin hunt together and visit a friend, the landowner Alekhine, for the night. He has a doctor and says sad story his own brother.

9. What the author teaches? main idea Chekhov is expressed in Ivan Ivanovich's ardent appeal to Alekhine. It boils down to the fact that while a person is young and full of strength, he must work tirelessly in the name of a higher goal. "Do good!", Ivan Ivanovich concludes his speech. Only this will be the key to a happy future.

Composition

The story "Gooseberry" was written by A.P. Chekhov in 1898. These were the years of the reign of Nicholas II. Having come to power in 1894, the new emperor made it clear that the liberals could not hope for reforms, that he would continue the political course of his father, who was his only authority.
And in the story "Gooseberry" Chekhov "truthfully draws life" of this era. Applying the method of story within a story, the author tells about the landowner Chimshe-Himalayan. While serving in the chamber, Chimsha-Himalayan dreams of his estate, in which he will live as a landowner. Thus, he comes into conflict with time, since by the end of the 19th century the times of the landowners had already passed. Now unfortunate merchants seek to obtain title of nobility, but on the contrary, the nobles are trying to become capitalists.
Thus, Chimsha-Himalayan, contrary to common sense, is trying with all his might to enter the dying estate. He marries profitably, takes his wife's money for himself, keeps her starving, from which she dies. Having saved money, the official buys the estate and becomes a landowner. On the estate, he plants gooseberries - his old dream.
During his life in the Chimsha-Gimalayan estate, he “aged, flabby” and became a “real” landowner. He spoke of himself as a nobleman, although the nobility as an estate had already become obsolete. In a conversation with his brother, Chimsha-Himalayan says smart things, but he says them only in order to show his awareness of the topical issues of the time.
But the moment he was served his first gooseberry of his own, he forgot both about the nobility and about fashionable things time and completely surrendered to the happiness of eating this gooseberry. A brother, seeing his brother's happiness, understands that happiness is not the most "reasonable and great", but something else. He thinks and does not understand what prevents a happy person from seeing an unhappy one. Why is the unfortunate not indignant? The landowner Chimsha-Himalayan created the illusion of gooseberry sweetness. He deceives himself for his own happiness. Likewise, a large part of society has created an illusion for itself by hiding behind Clever words from action. All their reasoning does not encourage action. They motivate it by the fact that it is not yet time. But you can't put it off indefinitely. Need to do it! To do good. And not for the sake of happiness, but for the sake of life itself, for the sake of activity.
The composition of this story is built on the reception of a story within a story. And besides the landowner Chimshi-Himalayan, his brother, a veterinarian, teacher Burkin and landowner Alekhin, work in it. The first two are busy vigorous activity by profession. The landowner, according to Chekhov's description, does not look like a landowner. He also works and his clothes are covered in dust and dirt. And the doctor appeals to him with an appeal "not to put yourself to sleep" and "to do good."
In his story, A.P. Chekhov says that happiness is not the goal of life. But as a writer late XIX- the beginning of the 20th century, he does not specifically answer the question: what is the purpose of life, offering the reader to answer it.

Other writings on this work

The work of A.P. Chekhov is surprisingly simple, extremely informative and instructive. His works make you think, reflect, be ashamed and rejoice. The analysis of the story will be useful for 8th grade students in preparation for literature lessons. Chekhov's story "The Gooseberry" raises questions about the meaning of life, human happiness, selfishness and indifference. For Chekhov's Gooseberry, the analysis and detailed analysis all artistic features works are contained in our article.

Brief analysis

Year of writing- July 1898.

History of creation- the creation of the story was influenced by the story told to the author about a man who dreamed of an elegant uniform embroidered with gold: having bought it, he did not have time to put on the outfit, at first there was no reason, then the man died.

Subject- happiness, meaning human life, dream and reality.

Composition- is a story within a story.

Genre- story

Direction- realism.

History of creation

There are several versions of who told Anton Pavlovich similar story from the life that prompted him to write the story. Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy or writer, lawyer and public figure Anatoly Fedorovich Koni told the author a story about an official who cherished the dream of an embroidered gold uniform. When his dream came true, and the uniform was sewn, the man had no time to dress him; then there was no worthy reason to put on a festive outfit, and after that the official died.

The problem of the meaning of life, its transience excited Chekhov. In July 1898, he wrote a story about a man who dreamed of an estate with gooseberry bushes, the work turned out to be deeply philosophical and touching. Chekhov raised eternal questions in a special, peculiar to him, manner. The first drafts for the story suggest that it was originally supposed to be more violent and tragic. The image of the main character- a lonely, sick person who received his dream in an unexpected form was eventually replaced by a "softer" version. In the same year, the work was published in the journal "Russian Thought" as part of a trilogy, along with the stories "About Love" and "The Man in the Case".

Many critics received the story enthusiastically, it was met positive reviews and the favor of the literary world.

Subject

Story title carries a hidden irony, the author subtly disguised the stupidity and limitations of the hero of the story. His dream of an estate with gooseberry bushes is what his whole life is spent on, a goal that is not worth it to achieve.

A lonely person, without a family, children, without the warmth and spiritual understanding of friends and relatives (he practically didn’t have them because of the conditions in which he himself put himself in pursuit of the “gooseberry”) gets what he dreamed of. His conscience has hardened, he does not know how to love and take care of his neighbor, he is deaf and blind to real life.

The idea of ​​the work is contained in Ivan Ivanovich's most wonderful phrase about "a man with a hammer." If such a person would come and knock every time we forget that there are people nearby who really need help, then there could be much more on earth happy people. Extremely important thoughts the author puts it into the mouth of the narrator: people, having found what they are chasing, feel happy and turn away from others, but sooner or later life will show its claws. And then “behind the scenes” you find yourself, and everyone will be as deaf to your grief as you once were. This pattern is inherent in human nature, so the author calls to do good while there is strength and opportunity, and not to rest in his “happy little world”.

The listeners, Burkin and Alekhin, relaxed after swimming and a delicious dinner, do not understand what their friend was trying to tell them. In the warmth and prosperity of the thought of human destinies, poverty and poverty do not touch, do not excite, do not seem to be burning. Alekhine wants stories about ladies, beautiful life, exciting plots, Burkin is also far from the philosophy of a friend. Problems of the story in the fact that a person's life is empty and meaningless, if he thinks only of himself, doing good to others is what is the measure of happiness. Analyzing own life and his brother's dream come true, Ivan Ivanovich comes to the conclusion that one cannot be happy when there are so many troubles and misfortunes around. He does not know how to deal with such a way of life and does not consider himself capable of this struggle.

Composition

A feature of the composition of Chekhov's work is the form story within a story. Two old acquaintances appearing in the cycle of the “small trilogy” (Ivan Ivanovich Chimsha-Gimalaysky and Burkin) find themselves in a field in inclement weather, find shelter in the house of the landowner Alekhin. He receives guests, and Ivan Ivanovich tells the story of his brother's life.

The exposition of the story is a description of nature in the rain, a warm welcome of tired, wet travelers by a hospitable host. The narrative is interrupted from time to time by thoughts and philosophical digressions the narrator himself. In general, the composition is very harmonious, well-chosen for semantic content.

Conventionally, the text of the story can be divided into several parts. In the first - the exposition and the plot (on the eve of bad weather, Burkin reminds Ivan Ivanovich that he wanted to tell some story). The second part - the reception of guests, a visit to the bathhouse and a cozy evening in a luxurious house - reveals the mores, habits and attitude to life of the owner and his guests. The third part is Ivan Ivanovich's story about his brother. The latter is the narrator's reflections and the reaction of those present to his story and philosophizing.

Main characters

Genre

most loved literary genre A.P. Chekhov is a story. Malaya epic form one storyline and a minimum number of characters helps the author to create concise, topical and very truthful works. Written in the spirit of realism, "Gooseberry" has become a small story that teaches big truths. It is this feature that is characteristic of all Chekhov's stories - semantic scale in a limited volume.

Artwork test

Analysis Rating

Average rating: 4.5. Total ratings received: 265.

1. The end does not justify the means. The greed and callousness of Nikolai Ivanovich, long-term dreams of an estate and gooseberries destroyed the patient's soul. When the hero reaches his goal and seems to be able to free himself and live in full force, he no longer needs anything but gooseberries, and he forgot how to live in full force, to experience the feelings that he experienced in childhood.
Of course, in the story, A.P. Chekhov does not call for giving up material desires, for example, buying a house with a garden. But it is important that there is a sense of proportion in everything. It is impossible to act immorally in order to achieve the goal. The fanaticism of Nikolai Ivanovich ruined his wife.
Thus, our diagnosis is the lack of a sense of proportion in the patient.
2. Earthy dreams ground the soul. One cannot but agree with this statement. A.P. Chekhov also denounces vulgarity and philistinism in other stories. Nikolai Ivanovich dreams of gooseberries. What will a person with such a dream strive for? .. This dream is quickly feasible, but it turns out that the hero goes a long way towards the realization of this dream. So, probably, the embodiment of his dream is not the dream itself?
Note also that the patient's brother offers several prescriptions for medicine. One of them is to do good. What could be higher than this dream?
So, our diagnosis is an incorrect assessment of life values, the orientation of life towards achieving material well-being.
3. Happiness spoils a person. “The happy one feels good only because the unfortunate bear their burden in silence, and without this silence, happiness would be impossible,” says Ivan Ivanovich Chimsha-Gimalaysky, the brother of our patient. So being happy is immoral? A happy person is self-satisfied and blind. Having reached his happiness, the hero also became so. “A change of life for the better, satiety, idleness develop self-conceit in a Russian person, the most arrogant,” the narrator notes.
Alekhine can be considered a hero, confirming the validity of the aphorism, who, as we know, is forced to live on the estate, work day and night. This person is not like our patient, he cannot be called immoral, but perhaps unhappy.
Therefore, the diagnosis of Nikolai Ivanovich is a happy person.
4. Our patient, as they say, got out of the mud to riches. It is no coincidence that A.P. Chekhov mentions his origin twice: his grandfather is a peasant, his father is a soldier who rose to the rank of officer. Having lived as a landowner, the hero - "the former timid poor official" - is pretending to be a gentleman. Now Nikolai Ivanovich speaks in the tone of a minister common truths about education, corporal punishment, folk love to the bar. He was finally able to realize all his ambitions, but, playing the role of a landowner, he played too much and forgot himself.
We believe the patient's diagnosis is self-conceit.)
5. Individual work. Making "three-part diaries".
Example.
Problem
Speaker Position
My point of view
The choice of means to achieve the goal.
Everything needs a sense of proportion. It is impossible to act immorally for the sake of realizing your dream.

In his story “The Gooseberry”, A.P. Chekhov, in the person of one person, Nikolai Ivanovich, describes the life of the philistine philistine stratum of the population.

This work raises the question of the degradation of the personality of a person who, in order to achieve his base goal, goes to all sorts of tricks, not paying attention to the needs and desires of the people around him.

The goal of Nikolai Ivanovich's life was to have his own estate, and that there must be gooseberries there. The goal is as petty and useless as Nikolai Ivanovich himself. When he served in the office,

He was just a gray mouse, afraid of everyone and everything.

But finally, he achieved his goal, he acquired, the gooseberry planted the estate. But at what cost was this goal achieved! He became callous and soulless, he lived from hand to mouth, dressed like a beggar, his wife died from such a life, and he himself turned into an old, decrepit ruin.

And yet it became a happiness for Nikolai Ivanovich. Having become the owner of the estate, he became arrogant and important, began to teach others about life, not realizing that his whole life had already passed by, in the hardships and hardships that he had arranged for himself. Yes, he achieved his goal, but what is that goal? life for him

This is where it ends.

So all the townsfolk live in their small little world, fenced off from all problems and worries with thick walls and closed doors.

Chekhov dreams that a man with a hammer would stand behind each such door and knock on these doors from time to time. In order to keep such feelings as kindness and compassion, love and pity for one's neighbor from falling asleep. So that the souls of people do not turn into callous and soulless.

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov calls for not wasting on trifles, to live when you want to live, and that the purpose and meaning of life be more sublime and not stop there, but go further and further, go to even higher goals and along with grow spiritually with it. He calls to do good while you are young and full of energy and capable of many things to improve your life.

“Striving forward is the goal of life,” said Maxim Gorky.

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