The end of the 19th century in the history of Russia was marked by a period of stagnation, as the new emperor Nicholas 2 made it clear to liberal circles that he would continue the policy begun by his father. This meant that reforms could be forgotten.
The works of the already well-known writer A.P. Chekhov at that time became a response to the existing relations in the socio-political sphere. Thus, he tried to reach out to thinking people who could intervene in the current course of events. This also applies to the trilogy published in 1898, which included the small-volume works “The Man in the Case”, “On Love” and “Gooseberry”.
Chekhov's story (this was his favorite genre) is an attempt to briefly characterize the phenomena occurring in society and draw attention to human vices and inherently false ideas about the meaning of life.
The history of writing the work "Gooseberry"
Once the writer was told about a Petersburg official who dreamed of a uniform embroidered with gold. When he finally appeared with him, it turned out that there was nowhere to go in the new outfit: no festive receptions were expected in the near future. As a result, the uniform was never put on: the gilding on it faded over time, the official himself died six months later. This story served as the basis for creating the story, only the gooseberry becomes the dream of a petty official. Chekhov's story draws the reader’s attention to how petty and meaningless a person’s life can become in the pursuit of selfish happiness.
Composition and plot of the work
Gooseberry is built on the principle of "story in story." The story of the protagonist is preceded by an exposition containing a description of nature - rich, generous, majestic. The landscape emphasizes the spiritual impoverishment of a petty official, who will be discussed later.
Then the reader sees the characters familiar from the first part of the trilogy: the landowner, hard worker Alekhine, the teacher Burkin and the veterinarian Ivan Ivanovich. And then I recall the theme of "case" life - it was in the first story identified by Chekhov. “Gooseberry” - its content is rather straightforward - develops it, showing how a habitual existence can be destructive.
With the main character, N. I. Chimsha-Himalayan, interlocutors and readers introduces his brother, Ivan Ivanovich. He gives an assessment of what happens to a person who lives only for the sake of satisfying his own desires.
Nikolai Ivanovich grew up in a village where everything seemed to him beautiful and amazing. Once in the city, he did not stop thinking about how to certainly acquire the estate and live a quiet life there (which Ivan Ivanovich never approved of). Soon, a passionate desire to grow in his estate was added to his dream - this is emphasized by A.P. Chekhov - gooseberries. The Chimsha-Himalayan was relentlessly pursuing its goal: regularly browsing newspapers with advertisements for the sale of estates, increasingly restricting itself to everything and saving money in a bank, then married - without love - an aging but wealthy widow. Finally, he had the opportunity to buy a small estate: dirty, unfurnished, but his own. True, gooseberries were not there, but he immediately planted several bushes. And he began to live a calm life, happy and pleased with himself.
The degradation of the protagonist
The analysis of Chekhov's “Gooseberry” is an attempt to understand why the soul of Nikolai Ivanovich gradually became stale, along with the achievement of the goal. He was not at all tormented by remorse for the death of his wife - he practically starved her to death. The hero lived a closed, useless life and was very proud of his noble rank - for example, he was very offended when the peasants, turning to him, missed “your high nobility”. Showing his gentlemanly mercy, once a year, in his name day, he ordered "to bear half a bucket" and was sure that it certainly should have been. He did not notice that everything was running around, the dog and that looked more like a pig. And the Chimsha-Himalayan itself became stout, flabby, aged and, it seems, lost its human appearance.
Here it is - a welcome berry
The analysis of Chekhov's Gooseberry is a reflection on how a person, through self-deception, tries to give special significance to what is actually a dummy.
Ivan Ivanovich, who visited his brother and forced him in such an unsightly form, was extremely saddened. He could not believe that a person in his selfish desire can reach a similar state. It became especially unpleasant to him when Nikolai Ivanovich was brought a plate with the first harvest. The Chimsha-Himalayan took one berry and ate with pleasure, despite the fact that it was "tough and sour." His happiness was so great that he could not sleep at night and everything came up to the treasured plate. The analysis of Chekhov's “Gooseberry” is also a lot of disappointing conclusions, the main of which: Nikolai Ivanovich forgot about his dignity, and the estate and the long-awaited berry became for him the “case” with which he fenced himself off from the problems and worries of the outside world.
What does a person need for a happy life?
The meeting with his brother made Ivan Ivanovitch take a fresh look at how he lives and the people around him. And also to admit that sometimes similar desires, destroying the soul, were also characteristic of him. It is on this that A.P. Chekhov focuses his attention.
Gooseberries in his story take on a new meaning - he becomes a symbol of limited existence. And while one enjoys happiness, many people around him suffer and die in poverty and soullessness. Ivan Ivanovich, and with it the author, sees salvation from universal spiritual death in a certain force that at the right time will remind a happy person, like a hammer, that not everything is so beautiful in the world and at any moment the moment may come when it is needed help. But there will be no one to render it and only yourself will have to blame. A.P. Chekhov brings readers to such not very cheerful, but rather important thoughts.
Gooseberry: Heroes and Their Attitude to the World
The analyzed story is one with the other two included in the trilogy. And they are united not only by Alekhine, Burkin and Ivan Ivanich, who alternately act as storytellers or listeners. The main thing is that the power, property and family become the subject of the image in the works, and it is precisely on them that the whole socio-political life of the country rests. The heroes of the works, unfortunately, are not yet ready enough to completely change their lives, to get away from the "case". Nevertheless, the analysis of Chekhov's “Gooseberry” makes progressive people, like Ivan Ivanovich, think about what it is worth living for.