The Great Patriotic War left a mark in the soul of every Russian person. Much has been written about her and in different ways, but in the first post-war years, it basically boiled down to exaltation of the image of a soldier-hero who returned after a long separation to his relatives. In principle, no one argued with this, but there was another side to this joyful event. A. Platonov dedicated his story to this. “The Return,” a brief summary of which is given here, was a work that made us take a fresh look at how yesterday’s soldiers were not easily accustomed to peaceful life.
Scandalous publication
The Soviet authorities have long been wary of the writer's work. The situation worsened after the magazine “New World” published his new work “The Ivanov Family” in 1946 (later the name changed and became more capacious). “The most vile slander against the Soviet people,” a story “Return” received in a few months later in an article by V. Ermilov. Platonov (a brief summary of the text will show this) portrayed Alexei returning from the front not at all in a heroic halo. Moreover, some of his actions cause criticism from the reader, which contradicted the established tradition. Let's see what is the unusual story.
The long-awaited mobilization
It was September 1945. The captain of the guard with the common surname Ivanov (this fact is not accidental) got the opportunity to go home. For four years he did not see his wife, son and little daughter. Alexey Alekseevich sent a telegram in advance and began to prepare for a meeting with his family. So begins the story "Return" Platonov.
A brief description of the unexpected meeting of the hero with Masha is an important point. Alexey’s train was delayed the second day when he saw a friend at the station. The girl served in the dining room, and now she was also heading home. They quickly converged, as both were afraid of meeting with a past life, from which they had weaned during the war years.
On the way home: summary
The “return” of Platonov continues with a story about the short relationship that arose between Alexei and his acquaintance. When the train entered the city where Masha lived, Ivanov suddenly got out with her. The twenty-year-old girl was very grateful to her companion, as she felt fear of the future. The Germans hijacked their parents, and she felt lonely. An incomprehensible confusion was experienced by Alexei. He would have to go home, but he kept putting off a meeting with his family.
Only two days later Ivanov went on, promising Masha not to forget her.
Family meeting
At home, Alexei Alekseevich was waiting for the sixth day. My wife asked for leave from the brick factory and went out to the train three times. On the day of arrival at the train station, twelve-year-old Petrush was waiting for his father (or Peter, as Platonov called him in an adult way in the story “Return”). A summary of the dialogue that has arisen and a description of their meeting is as follows. The father saw in his son a little peasant, accustomed to everyday problems. Yes, and he behaved like an adult. He questioned specifically about why he had traveled so long and how many orders he received, then he took a duffel bag and headed for the house.
Lyubov Vasilievna was waiting on the porch. She had already tidied up the house, and only one thought bothered her - Semyon Evseevich, who had lost his family and was now attached to her children.
Alex embraced his wife and felt "familiar warmth." Little Nastya, who did not remember her father at all, grabbed his leg and tried to drag him away from his mother.
Entered the house. While his wife and children were busy preparing dinner, Ivanov looked around the room and seemed to meet her again. The smell of his native home and the observation of the bustle that was occurring caused him pleasant and at the same time disturbing thoughts - the author conveys their summary.
The “return” of Platonov is more a description of Alexei’s “getting used to” a new life. He seemed to see his family in front of him, but for some reason he did not feel the joy of meeting. Lyubov Vasilievna, weaned from him, was shy and behaved, as in youth. My daughter performed simple housework. Parsley gave his commands in the usual tone and somehow resembled a grumbling old man.
Alexey looked at them and tried to understand how they lived without him. And he felt ashamed that he did not feel a strong paternal feeling for his son.
First family dinner
Finally, everyone gathered at the table. Parsley ate a piece of cake and collected all the crumbs. To the offer to take he still seriously answered that he was full. His words: “I want you to get more,” made the parents startle. Nastya pushed aside her piece. She said that this is for Semen Evseevich. Alex tensed up - this moment was the beginning of a difficult conversation between the spouses. Lyubov Vasilievna tried to get away from the topic, shortly responding that the man had lost his family and now comes to them to mess with the children. She is calmer from this: she works until late, and the guys are supervised. However, Ivanov did not like the answer.
Parsley, sensing something was amiss, turned the conversation over to the weather, then gave orders about tomorrow. They also concerned the father, who urgently needed to register and get cards. Alexei suddenly felt shy in front of his early matured son.
Russian cabbage soup ate in silence, as if trying to enjoy quiet family happiness - this is how A. Platonov concludes the story of the dinner.
"Return": the content of the night conversation
Lyubov Vasilyevna was waiting for the evening to be alone with her husband. But the conversation did not work out. Awakened Petrushka heard the loud voices of his parents. Alexei blamed his wife for Semen Evseevich, and she tried to explain that there was nothing between them. Lyubov Vasilievna talked about a difficult life with two small children - Petrushka did not immediately become an economic one. That she always thought only of her husband. And only once she succumbed to feelings when she could not bear the hardships of life and endless loneliness. But she immediately noticed that the meeting with the instructor of the district committee made her understand how much she loved her husband. After that she lived in the hope of his return. Platonov (the summary of the conversation cannot convey all the feelings of the heroine) draws attention to the emotional state of a woman who has not experienced guilt, but who is not able to convince her husband of this. The sound of glass cracked on the lamp — Alexey crushed it — made his son intervene in the conversation. He stood up for his mother and told the story of a local peasant Hariton. While he was at war, his wife lived with others. Returning, he was angry at first, and then came up with a story that he also had women. Now they live in a good way. Ivanov was embarrassed: "I thought he would say about my Masha ...".
Unexpected insight
What happened in the morning can be called the "real return." Platonov - a brief summary and the full text of the ending of the story prove this - I meant by this word not just the hero’s arrival home.
Waking up, Parsley saw Nastya. She said that father took the bag and left. The boy understood everything, grabbed his sister's hand and ran to the station.
Alex at that time entered the vestibule of the train that had started: he was thinking about Masha. Suddenly Ivanov saw the children running after the train. They fell, but rose and again moved forward, now towards the move. Suddenly Alexei realized that it was Petrushka and Nastya. His chest became hot, and his whole being was filled with "warmth and shudder." An unusual sensation gripped the hero. “Before, he felt another life through the barrier of pride and self-interest, and now he suddenly touched it with a naked heart.”
He threw the bag to the ground and got off the train ...
An analysis of Platonov’s “Return” allows us to understand how complicated the process of getting used to the peaceful life of yesterday’s soldier was, for a long time seeing only death and destruction.