The school curriculum includes works of military prose. Pupils discuss and analyze books of Soviet writers. And then they write an essay on the theme "Man in War." What sources can be used when performing this creative task?
âKilled near Moscowâ
One of the works on the basis of which teachers recommend writing an essay on the theme "A Man in War" is the story of Konstantin Vorobyov. âKilled near Moscowâ is one of the famous books telling about the defense of the Soviet capital in 1941.
The main character of the story is Alexey Yastrebov. The lieutenant courageously and selflessly fights against the German invaders. The author realistically and accurately described the situation at the front in the first period of the war. Reliably transmitted the appearance of the soldiers, their way of life. It is not easy to fight for the homeland when there are not enough machine guns, and there are only grenades, bottles with gasoline and self-loading rifles. The hero of Vorobyovâs novel is disgusted and afraid, walking on a German. After all, he is the same person ...
Vorobyovâs book shows not only a feat, but also simple human emotions: fear, cowardice. Yastrebova meets both heroes and deserters. An essay on the topic âHuman Behavior in Warâ requires preparation, that is, reading of various works of domestic literature.
Of course, eyewitnesses and participants of the Second World War can say the best about the events of 1941-1945. Konstantin Vorobyev went through the war. He was shell-shocked, twice escaped from captivity. Soviet critics called the book âKilled Near Moscowâ slanderous. It had too much truth and little pathos. An essay on the theme "Man in War" should be written precisely under the impression of such honest, reliable works.
"Sasha"
In the story of Kondratiev, war is shown through the eyes of a young man from a simple Moscow family. The climax of the book is the moment when the hero is faced with a choice: to fulfill the commanderâs order or remain human, but go to the tribunal.
Kondratiev portrayed in some detail the details of military life. A pack of concentrate, sour potatoes, stale cakes - all these are components of front-line life. But, as already mentioned, it is the culmination of the story that will help in the implementation of such a creative task as an essay on the theme "Man in War."
At the front, time passed catastrophically rapidly. Military events carried the man along, sometimes leaving no choice. By order of the battalion commander, Sashka must shoot the prisoner - the same young soldier as he is.
The essay-discussion on the theme "Man in War" is written on various works of military prose. However, in the story of Kondratiev, the doubts of a Soviet soldier are nowhere shown. If Sasha shoots a German, he will change his moral convictions. If he refuses, he will become a traitor in the eyes of fellow soldiers.
"Sotnikov"
The theme of the war is central to the works of Vasil Bykov. The writer touched on issues such as conscience, loyalty to his duty. However, above all, he was interested in the topic of heroism. And not its outward manifestation, but the way the soldier comes to him. An essay on the topic âThe Feat of Man in Warâ should be written after reading the story âSotnikovâ.
A long life in a peaceful, calm time sometimes does not give a person the opportunity to find out who he is - a hero or a coward. War puts everything in its place. She leaves no room for doubt. The disclosure of this complex philosophical theme is a characteristic feature of Bykov's work. That is why an essay on the theme "War in the life of man" is worth writing on one of the works of the Soviet classic.
âAnd the dawns here are quietâ
This story is somewhat unique. War is an anti-human phenomenon. But especially deadly perceived is its deadly essence in contrast to women's fate. It is perhaps impossible to write an essay on the theme âWar in the fate of manâ without mentioning the story of Vasiliev. In the book âDawns Here Are Quiet,â the author conveyed the absurdity of such a phenomenon as a woman in a war.
The heroines of the story are just starting to live. Maternity - their main purpose in life - managed to learn only one of them. Young anti-aircraft gunners from the story of Vasiliev die, defending their homeland. They accomplish a feat. But each of them had their own hopes, dreams.
The key point in the book is a description of the last minutes of Zhenya Kamelkovaâs life. The girl leads the Germans along, realizes that death is already near, and suddenly realizes how stupid and ridiculous to die at eighteen.
The story of the death of anti-aircraft gunners in the Karelian forests helps to comprehend the horror of war for children and adolescents born more than half a century after the Great Victory. Therefore, it is necessary to read Vasilievâs book not only before writing an essay on a given topic.
âNot listedâ
Millions of stories about the feat of arms were told by eyewitnesses. The same number are forgotten. During the war, about twenty-five million Soviet people died. And the worst thing that is known about the fate of not everyone. In the novel âNot Listedâ, the author spoke about a man whose name is unknown. He fought in the early days of the war. He spent almost a year in the Brest Fortress. He did not receive letters from home, and his name is not engraved on one of the mass graves, which are monstrous in our country. But he was.
Nikolai Pluzhnikov - the hero of Vasilievâs book - a collective image. It does not matter what rank he was, how old he was by the beginning of the war, and who his parents were. He was a Russian soldier, and the walls of the Brest Fortress speak of his exploits. Before writing an essay, it is imperative to re-read âNot Listedâ. It will also be useful to get acquainted with the history of the defense of the Brest Fortress.
"The living and the dead"
Simonovâs trilogy is another item on the list of compulsory literature on the war. This writer is the founder of the panoramic novel about the Second World War. âLiving and the Deadâ - a book that is notable for its breadth of coverage, the image of various fates. Man in war is the central theme of Simonovâs novel. But the merit of this writer was not only the image of people in the tragic period of Russian history. The author of The Living and the Dead tried to answer these questions: what is the reason for the failure of the Soviet army in the early years of the war, how did the cult of Stalin affect human destinies?
âCursed and slainâ
Astafiev told about military events years later. The book âDamned and killedâ was created in the early nineties. This work is a kind of look into the past. However, the brightness and authenticity of the wartime picture, despite the age of years, are present in the book. The author immerses the reader in an atmosphere of cold, hunger, fear and disease. Modern schoolchildren must have a true understanding of the war. After all, its components are not only a feat and courage. Astafievâs book is not easy to read, but necessary.
"The fate of man"
Modern critics question the credibility of Sholokhov's novel. As you know, the Soviet soldier after being in captivity did not have the opportunity to hope for leniency. According to many historical data, the hero of the story "The Fate of Man" could be shot in the very first days of returning to his own. But Sokolov survived after the escape.
Despite the obvious inaccuracy and, as the writer and former dissident A. Solzhenitsyn put it, âdeceit,â Sholokhovâs book has high literary value. It is absolutely necessary to read it before writing a written work.
With extraordinary tragedy, the theme of the war in Sholokhov's âThe Fate of Manâ was revealed. The composition can be written on the basis of the second part of the work. It shows the effects of war. After all, it does not end after the announcement of victory. Its consequences are felt by the participants in the hostilities, and even their children.
To prepare for writing the essay, it is also recommended that you familiarize yourself with the works of Bondarev, Grossman, Adamovich.