In 1934, Ostrovsky finished writing his novel, which brought him great fame. Consider its summary. "How Steel Was Tempered" is an autobiographical novel, divided into 2 parts. Each of them contains 9 chapters, which consistently depict childhood, adolescence, maturity and disease. We describe only the main events that make up the summary.
"How steel was tempered": the beginning of the novel
Pavka Korchagin, the cook's son, was expelled from school for an unworthy act (the boy poured makhra into the dough of a priest), as a result of which he fell "into the people." The boy looked into the depths of life, was at the bottom of it. When the news that the king was overthrown burst into a small whirlwind in his small town, Pavel had no time to think about studying. He began to work hard. The boy, in spite of the ban of the chefs of non-Germans, who surged suddenly, hides his weapons without hesitation. When an avalanche of gangs of Petliurites floods the province, he sees numerous Jewish pogroms that culminate in brutal killings.
Conversations with Zhukhrai
Indignation and anger embrace this young daredevil from the work How Steel Was Tempered. The boy cannot refuse to help Zhukhrai, a sailor who was a friend of his brother Artem, who served in the depot. More than once, the sailor spoke kindly with Paul. He told him that the boy had all the information in order to become a good fighter for the work of the workers, but he was still very young, so he had a weak understanding of the class struggle. Zhukhrai tells him that a fire has begun on the whole Earth. Slaves revolted and must sink to the bottom of the old life. However, this requires a brave lads, a strong breed of people, and not sissies.
Saving Zhukhrai, Korchagin hides with Tony
The following events continue with a summary. "How Steel Was Tempered" is a novel in which the main character of Pavka Korchagin, muscular and strong, able to fight, rescues Zhukhrai from under the convoy. For this he was seized by the Petliurists in a denunciation. Pavka was not familiar with the fear of the layman who protects his belongings, since he had nothing. However, he was seized by an “icy hand” with ordinary human fear, especially when the boy heard from the escort that they were going to shoot him. Pavka was scared. However, he manages to escape, and the boy hides with Tony, the familiar girl with whom he is in love. Unfortunately, Tonya is from the "class of the rich", an intellectual, the daughter of a forester.
Relations with Tonya
Pavel from the novel How Steel Was Tempered, having passed the first baptism of fire during the Civil War, returns to the city. A Komsomol organization was created here. Paul becomes an active member of her. His attempt to bring Tonya to this organization fails. The girl is ready to obey Paul, but not in everything. She comes too defunct at the first meeting of the Komsomol, and it is hard for the protagonist to look at her among the faded blouses and tunics. Pavel becomes intolerable cheap individualism of this girl. Both of them become aware of the need for a break.
Work in the Cheka
The intransigence of the protagonist leads him to the Cheka. It is headed in the province of Zhukhrai. But the KGB work is very damaging to the nerves of the protagonist. He often faints, shell pains become more frequent, and Pavel goes after a short respite in his hometown to Kiev, where he also falls into the Special Department, which is led by Segal.
Paul's new love
We turn to the presentation of the events of the second part of the novel, which was created by Ostrovsky. "How steel was tempered" continues with a description of the protagonist's trip with Rita Ustinovich to the province conference. Korchagin is assigned to this girl as bodyguards and assistants. Having borrowed a leather jacket from Rita, Pavel pushed into the car, and then pulled a young woman through the window. Rita was untouchable for him. This is his political instructor, his friend and comrade, however, she was still a woman. For the first time, Paul felt this at the bridge, and therefore he was worried about her embrace. Pavel Korchagin, unable to cope with his feelings, refuses to meet with this girl who teaches him political literacy.
Narrow gauge construction, disease
In the youth’s mind, thoughts about the personal are moved even further when he is involved in the construction of a narrow gauge railway. The difficult season is winter. Komsomol members work in four shifts. They do not have time to relax. Gang raids delay work. There is nothing to feed the Komsomol members; shoes and clothes are also lacking.
A serious illness ends work for Paul. Typhus fights him. Ustinovich and Zhukhrai, his closest friends, think that he died without knowledge of Paul.
Paul returns to duty
The main character, who was created by Ostrovsky ("How Steel Was Tempered"), having recovered after an illness, is back in service. He returns as a worker to the workshops where he works hard and restores order, forcing the authorities to clean and wash the Komsomol workshop to the bewilderment of the authorities. Throughout Ukraine, as in the town, the class struggle continues. The enemies of the revolution are caught by the Chekists, they suppress the bandit raids. Korchagin does a lot of good deeds, at cell meetings protecting his comrades, and party friends on dark streets.
Propaganda work
Pavka, killing himself and witnessing numerous deaths, learned to appreciate every day he lived. The protagonist took statutory orders and party orders as responsible directives of his own being. As a propagandist, he participates in the defeat of the workers' opposition, calling his brother’s behavior "petty-bourgeois." He also takes part in verbal attacks on the Trotskyists who dared to speak out against the ruling party. They do not want to listen to him, and after all, Lenin said that he should bet on the youth.
Meeting with Rita Ustinovich
After the death of this leader, thousands of workers in Shepetivka became Bolsheviks. Pavel’s respect for party members advanced far ahead, which must be mentioned without fail when compiling a summary.
"How steel was tempered" Ostrovsky - a work that tells about the meeting of the protagonist with his lover a few years later. Once he was next to Rita Ustinovich, a member of the Central Committee, at the Bolshoi Theater. The girl found out with surprise that Pavel was alive. He says he loved her. However, Rita already has a friend and a little daughter.
Paul's disease
The main character is sick, and he is carefully examined in the sanatorium of the Central Committee. But a severe illness leading to immobility progresses. No hospitals and resorts are able to save the protagonist. Korchagin, wanting to "stay in line," begins to write.
Describing a brief summary of the chapters ("How steel was tempered"), it should be noted that good, good women during the illness are next to the main character: Dora Rodkina, Taya Kyutsam. Paul thinks about how well he lived his 24 years. Like an impartial judge, the protagonist tested his life. He decided with deep satisfaction that she had not lived so badly.
This concludes the summary. "How steel was tempered" is a voluminous work, and all the details of the plot in one article cannot be covered. In the original of the novel you will find many interesting details that reveal the psychology of heroes and the philosophical thought of Ostrovsky.
Now you know what "How steel was tempered." The writer died two years after the publication of the work, in 1936, from a serious illness. This novel, as already noted, is autobiographical.