Money rules the world. Those who have them own everything. They can buy love, loyalty, devotion and friendship. They have the right to enjoy the beauties of Italian nature, ancient monuments, listen to the serenades of roaming singers. They can do anything. For so long, a certain gentleman from San Francisco believed in this, the problem of which began in his youth, when the love of money took possession of his whole being so that his life was interrupted before he could begin. He never found out in what naive delusion fifty-eight years existed.
Faceless mister
He has neither a name nor appearance. The author does not endow him with any characteristic features in behavior and does not put words into his mouth. The story "The San Francisco Master" is a symbolic parable about the mortality of life. The symbol is even the main character. This gentleman is nothing but the personification of money-grubbing and greed.
Little is said about him. But it is known that he is rich. For many years he worked, earned and saved, in order to start living one day. All that is needed for entertainment, relaxation and long trips, owns a gentleman from San Francisco. The only problem is that while he was striving for the heights of wealth, he forgot how to relax and have fun.
The hero of the short story Bunin goes on a long voyage. He plans to visit Italian cities, all kinds of entertainment and services of corrupt women. He does not realize why he needs all this, but he knows exactly how to do it. A wealthy American will drink expensive wine, dance, savor delicacies, and then enjoy the beauty of the Capri landscape. So do all rich Americans. And also Germans, French, Italians. In a word, everyone who has money.
"Atlantis"
On the famous comfortable boat, a gentleman from San Francisco sets off on a fabulous journey. The problem of Atlantis, and the steamer mentioned is named after it, is that it sank. This mythical state was swallowed by the sea in a matter of hours. And, descending into the hold of the ship, the Bunin character as if descends into the netherworld. The name of the ship was not chosen by the author by chance. It symbolizes near and sudden death.
Hired actors
Around pretense and hypocrisy. The rich gentleman has lived in a world of lies for so long that he forgot what the truth looks like. He sincerely believes in his good disposition on the part of all those faceless characters who feed him, carry his numerous suitcases and try to please him in every possible way. The gentleman from San Francisco cannot help but admire the view of a happy couple in love on the deck of the ship. The problem with these people is that they are just hired actors who are struggling to work out their money and create the proper mood. Hardly any of the passengers knows how long they have been sailing on this ship, and how tired they are of playing this role. In the story, “Mr. from San Francisco,” these characters are included as a symbol of simulated insincere joy, pretense, and props.
Capri Island
Ivan Bunin puts on the emotions of the protagonist and his thoughts in such a dry and concise form that the reader doubts whether this American gentleman is alive. His plans for the upcoming vacation are presented somehow distantly and more reminiscent of a clear plan of action. By such a literary device, the writer conveys the poor spiritual world of the protagonist, for whom life has become something unknown, and simple human joys are inaccessible. A completely different style describes the landscape. It is colorful and bright. The author does not spare comparisons and metaphors on him. After all, the landscape in the story of Bunin is life in all its colors and diversity.
The system of artistic and philosophical symbols is a short story "The Lord of San Francisco." Its content is the contrast of greed, love of money and the beauty of the world around us, all that a person can see if he so desires. But not one of the characters is associated with the beautiful aspects of human existence. This is evidenced by the events that follow after the death of the protagonist.
Death
She overtakes the hero suddenly. And everything that surrounded him during his life - respect, honor, ingratiation - disappears. Instead, irritation, annoyance and even rudeness appear.
Bunin's short story, “The Lord of San Francisco,” is a work of philosophical and symbolic prose. The idea that underlies it was, is and always will be relevant.