Chingiz Aitmatov, “Early Cranes”: summary

In this article, we’ll talk about the work of Chingiz Aitmatov “Early Cranes”. A summary of the story will be our main theme. The work is software and is studied at school.

About the work

Chingiz Aitmatov is a Russian and Kyrgyz writer of the mid-20th and early 21st centuries. “Early Cranes” (a brief summary will be considered later) is a rather famous work of the author. The main character is a 14-year-old boy whose father went to war. The book tells that, despite the hardships, he retains his humanity, kindness and honesty. The work has a pronounced didactic orientation.

“Early Cranes”: summary (Aitmatov)

The events of the story take place during the Second World War. In ayil in Kyrgyzstan there is a poor little school, classes are not heated in it, but there is no way out, and the children have to be content with what they have.

At the blackboard, the teacher tells the frozen and cold children about the distant exotic island of Ceylon. It is warm there, unusual and amazing animals are found, unprecedented plants and fruits grow, and people live according to strange customs and laws.

But not all students listen carefully to the teacher. The thoughts of a 14-year-old boy named Sultanmurat, the protagonist of the story “Early Cranes”, are far from school. The summary describes the thoughts of the child. His thoughts return to his childhood, when he and his father went to the zoo and the circus, walked, did household chores, then the war had not yet begun, and his father had not gone to the front. The family of Sultanmurat has four children, and our hero is the eldest of them, so taking care of the younger ones fell on his shoulders. But the boy’s thoughts are not only about his father, he dreams of a classmate, Myrzagul.

Due to the difficulties that arose with the advent of the war, the collective farm chairman turns to schoolchildren for help on arable land. After a short discussion, it was decided that now children instead of school will go to work on the field with the adult population of ayil.

Sultanmurat is instructed to watch the horses. Before him, his father dealt with these animals, so the boy takes special care of them, takes care of and feels a connection with his parent. Since Sultanmurat proved himself to be good, he is appointed to lead a labor detachment. They are sent to the Aksakay tract for processing the fields. Sultanmurat is now responsible for horses, people, controls work and monitors equipment.

Myrzagul

Despite the responsibility that fell on his shoulders, the hero of the story “Early Cranes” is still a teenager. The summary tells how one day a friend of a boy, Atynay, having decided to attract the attention of Myrzagul, starts riding on a horse to show off in front of her, but is mistaken and falls with the horse. The animal tucks the joint and begins to limp. Sultanmurata, responsible for the horses, is beaten as a punishment for oversight by the foreman.

The boy’s mother gets sick. It is becoming increasingly difficult for him to answer for the family. But here comes his uncle, his mother’s brother, and takes on part of the duties of the Sultanmurat.

About how the boy misses Myrzagul, a short description tells ("The Early Cranes"). Therefore, Sultanmurat sends his brother to convey a message to the girl. But she doesn’t answer anything.

However, soon teenagers meet at the well, where the boy manages to confess his feelings to Myrzagul. The girl reciprocates. But then a jealous Atynay appears and attacks the classmate, wanting to teach him a lesson.

Denouement

Approaches the denouement of the work "Early Cranes" summary. Aitmatov creates a hero capable of forgiveness and kindness. When news of the death of Atynay’s father comes, Sultanmurat sympathizes with his offender and supports him.

The work on the first field is being completed. However, trouble is approaching. In a yurt, where schoolchildren slept, horse-thieves make their way and bind the students. Criminals take away several horses. The children manage to get out, and Sultanmurat goes after the thieves in pursuit of his father's horse. Thieves manage to escape by shooting the animal of their pursuer. The boy falls to the ground and cries. Then Sultanmurat sees an approaching wolf.

The work “Early Cranes” ends (a brief summary of the chapters was presented in the article) by the way the main character gets up, winds the horse’s reins in his hand and prepares to fight the beast.