Human science
Gorky called literature the science of man; she is also considered a teacher and a textbook of life. The evidence of such an assessment is not necessary. At the same time, reading is considered by many as the only way to have fun, to fill in leisure activities. Of course, the entertaining function is one of the most important in any art, but Gorky called literature a science. And science is an instrument of knowledge. Literature too. It forms our perception of the world, attitude to it, its awareness, behavior in it. The ability to realize these functions makes a literary work relevant.
Relevance is not an optional feature of it, but a mandatory property. Without it, text is only text, and it cannot be called artistic. Then there will be fiction. But how should the meaning of the word “relevance” be understood in relation to literature? This is not a fashionable dress, fresh news, a business plan or a specific solution to a specific problem. How can one explain what is the relevance of Homer's poems created long before our era? Or “Plakhi” by Aitmatov, written just thirty years ago, but in a country and about a country that no longer exists? The answer is obvious - this is the severity and universal nature of the problems raised, the author’s reflections on eternal questions, the prediction of the future and a warning against the present.
We pass from theoretical considerations to practical material. Let’s try to understand what relevance is, using the example of the piece “Scaffold”.
In order not to climb the block
What problems of the modern world have escalated to the extreme? Cruelty, violence, drug addiction, natural disasters. Aitmatov wrote about all this. How to deal with this, he also said. The writer sees a direct relationship between social, social life and the life of nature, and the decomposition of the first two leads to the death of the latter, and therefore to the self-destruction of the human race. In life, there are more and more hunters - for Anasha, for money, career, fame, power. For human lives.
We considered the basis for our work concern for improving human existence, and the concept of humanity was associated only with man. This led to the assertion of the idea of human domination over nature, and it revolted with downpours and droughts, floods and earthquakes, crop failures and fires. Modern society is experiencing a real epidemic, and not one. The epidemic of drug addiction, the victims of which are young people. The epidemic of lack of spirituality that has spread throughout society.
The epidemic of
environmental disasters of a global nature. In this context, it is easy to understand what the relevance of the history of the relationship of man with the world, set out in the novel. Which way to choose, where and how to go? The main characters of the novel by Chingiz Aitmatov are looking for answers to all these questions.
In “Plakha” the problem of drug addiction and alcoholism was not just raised in itself; the writer is primarily concerned about the inner, spiritual state of a person, the problem of the future young generation, its moral basis. The destruction of animals of the Moynkum savannah is a warning: at the same time, the process of destruction of the natural principle in man himself takes place. And perhaps the turn is his own.
The author connects the problem of good and evil with the main question of our time about whether life on Earth will survive. Will humanity survive as it will be under the conditions of the technocratic 21st century? Pain for a person, the topicality of everything that Aitmatov writes about is the relevance of Plakhi. When unity is broken, when the connection between nature and man is broken, they become enemies and enter into a disastrous confrontation for them. Violation of harmony leads to tragedy, leads the human race to the chopping block! When the balance is disturbed, sacrifices are needed to restore it. And the best sons of mankind are going to the block, as it was already two thousand years ago, at Calvary. For when criminals ascend to the block, it is an atonement, not a sacrifice.
Temporary and eternal in literature
The above is enough to make sure: from whatever angle you look at this work, there is no doubt in its relevance. But in any creation there are concrete echoes of time, which are important only for the contemporaries of the writer. In "Plakh" is the image of a communist. In "Divine Comedy" - images of politicians and priests with their struggle for power. In Hamlet there are questions of the inheritance of royal power, etc. So, sitting down for an essay, before proceeding with the analysis, you should clearly find out what is the relevance of the chosen topic, whether it can lead to a conclusion that is important for us today. What this conclusion may be, again, let's look at the example of Aitmatov’s novel.
Reflecting on the meaning of human existence on Earth, a Kyrgyz writer brings the reader to an understanding: this meaning lies in self-improvement, in following the ideals of good, for the path to regeneration lies through a return to eternal truths, to the fundamental principles.