One of the most famous Soviet works of the 70s. is the story "Moscow - Petushki." The summary of the book written by Venedikt Erofeev is a story about the main character Vienna (Venichka), who travels by train from the capital of the USSR to a small regional center in the Vladimir region.
Plot plot
Erofeev wrote his most famous novel in 1970. Soon she appeared in samizdat. It would not have been published in any Soviet publishing house during the stagnation period due to bold humor about the then reality. "Moscow - Petushki" (summary) is a stylistic mixture of references to the Bible, newspaper cliches of the USSR and the works of classics. The unusual structure and language of what was written made the story a vivid manifestation of Russian postmodernism of the 1970s.
The plot begins as follows. Venya Erofeev (the hero is a prototype of the author and bears the same name and surname) on an electric train travels from Moscow to the small town of Petushki. There he is waiting for a girlfriend, whom he visits every Friday. Cockerels, according to the protagonist, appear before the reader as a utopian place where the idyll reigns. The author, using eloquent descriptions, hints that this place is too good to be true.
Out of habit, Erofeev takes with him as a gift candy “Cornflowers”. Tastes of the protagonist are not limited to this. “Moscow - Petushki” (summary) is a story telling about a drunken alcoholic who constantly has troubles and conflicts with others because of his addictions.
Story structure
The story "Moscow - Petushki" (summary) does not differ in large volume. With an average reading speed, it can be completed in three hours. However, the author chose an unusual structure for such a small work. It is divided into dozens of chapters. Some of them do not exceed two paragraphs in size. This division into chapters has its own plot logic. Each part of the story entitled is a segment between two nearby stations, which the protagonist passes.
Similar structural techniques were inherent in innovative authors of that time. Among them was Venedikt Erofeev. “Moscow - Petushki” (summary) in the first few miniature chapters tells about the adventures of an unlucky traveler at the Kursk station, where his train departs from. Venichka wants a drink at a local restaurant, but the saleswoman, to his surprise, says that the alcohol is gone. The buyer, who was tormented by a hangover, was pushed out of the restaurant.
Monologues of the protagonist
The main character was in the train with a small suitcase in his hand. Inside were two bottles of “Kuban” vodka, another half of “Russian”, as well as two sandwiches for a snack. Erofeev, in his internal monologue, shares with the reader different ways to properly conduct a drinking ritual.
The main character has imaginary interlocutors - God, angels, unknown people. Hallucinations accompany the traveler to the very end of the story. First Venia is discouraged. In the chapter "Hammer and Sickle - Karacharovo", he finally drinks for the first time in the vestibule, after which he noticeably perks up.
Memories of Veni
Erofeev is often distracted from what is happening and talks about stories from his life. All of them are filled with black humor and mockery. These are characteristic features of the story “Moscow - Petushki”. The summary of Veny's stories is approximately the same. For example, Erofeev recalls how he was deprived of teamwork at work. He and his subordinates had to unwind the cable. Instead, the brigade drank or spent time playing a card game in secu.
Venya, as a leader, introduced the planned norms for alcohol consumption in the team. Each team member had to submit monthly reports in the form of graphs with charts. These papers happened to be at the authorities. Venya was unemployed for his trick.
Acquaintance with fellow travelers
After the incident described above, the protagonist, in his own words, “didn’t give a damn about the public ladder” and took a walk. Now he does not wait until he finds himself in Petushki with his girlfriend. Once in several stations, Erofeev drinks Kubanskaya to brighten up the road. In his monologues, the traveler explores drunken hiccups using mathematical equations. He also reveals to readers the secrets of recipes for alcoholic cocktails from varnish and perfumes.
Then Venya meets his carriage neighbors. Some of them also drink. In conversations with them, Erofeev tries to shine with knowledge in philosophy and his general erudition. Talk about the eternal is a characteristic feature of the story “Moscow - Petushki”. A summary of the chapters can not do without mentioning Semenycha. This is the name of the train controller. He catches free riders and makes them pay a fine in the form of pouring alcohol. Venichka is the only passenger who escapes such punishment. Instead of paying with alcohol, the main character tells Semyonitch his witty stories.
Sphinx
Broom continues to drink with his fellow travelers. He starts talking about culture, history, politics and continues to absorb everything that contains at least a small fraction of alcohol. It’s hard to imagine the story “Moscow - Petushki” without such episodes. The summary (it is better to read Venedikt Vasilyevich in the original for perception of the whole color of his work) cannot do without mentioning the sphinx.
This mythical creature is the main character during his next oblivion. The monster has no legs and tail, but it has a "gangster face". As befits the sphinx, he concocts riddles in Vienna. Due to alcoholic intoxication of the protagonist, they are absurd. For example, the sphinx asks how many times the famous drummer Alexei Stakhanov went to the toilet for little need, provided that he had a binge almost every day. Vienna is unable to solve the riddle, and the monster drags it into the vestibule, after which the unlucky traveler finally comes to his senses.
Oblivion
The train was already approaching the Cockerels, when Venichka was once again forgotten while intoxicated. He started hallucinating that a revolution had occurred in the Petushinsky district of Vladimir Region. The rebels elected Vienna as president. However, he soon had to renounce power and wake up.
At this moment, an important event takes place for the plot of the story "Moscow - Petushki". We end the summary of the work with the fact that Venya understands that he overslept the purpose of his trip. When he came to, the train was already going back to Moscow.
Return to Moscow
Finally, the train returned to Kursky Station. Venichka stepped onto the platform, after which he was attacked by four criminals. The fellows beat the traveler. This is an unexpected turn in the plot of the work “Moscow - Petushki”. The summary of the poem in prose will be appropriate to summarize as follows: this is an example of a story with an unusual format and style of narration.
Broom is trying to escape from the raiders. He is at the Kremlin. At the very beginning of the story, the main character wanted to see the paving stones of Red Square. Now his desire was finally fulfilled. However, it was not easier for Erofeev. Venya runs past the monument to Minin and Pozharsky. His life ends in an unknown entrance, where the criminals overtake the protagonist and stab him in the throat.
The tragic ending of the work was prophetic. The author of the story died twenty years after her writing from throat cancer.