The novel "Virgin Soil Upturned", a brief summary of which you will find in this article, is one of the most famous works of the classic of Soviet literature Mikhail Sholokhov. It consists of two volumes. At the same time, the first one was published in 1932, and the second was printed only in 1959. The novel tells about the process of collectivization in the Don, as well as the movement of "25-thousanders."
The plot of the novel
The novel "Virgin Soil Upturned", a brief summary will help you quickly recall the plot, begins with the fact that in January 1930 the main character arrives at the Gremyachiy Log farm. He heads to Yakov Ostrovnov. The guest is the former commander of Ostrovnov - Polovtsev, with whom they served in the First World and Civil Wars.
Old comrades have dinner and indulge in memories. Yakov Lukich is considered a good master on the farm, smart and cautious. He begins to complain to the guest how difficult it was to achieve everything. After the Civil War, he was literally met by the bare walls, so he had to work around the clock. And then a new government came, which, according to the surplus appraisal, took all the grain. I had to pay taxes, also take meat, bread, butter.
A summary of 1 book "Virgin Soil Upturned" is given in this article. So, you can find out that the inhabitants of the farm have a new concern. A certain person came from the district who will organize the collective farm. Everyone is wary of this innovation, they suspect that everything that was acquired by excessive labor will have to be given to a common boiler. Polovtsev claims that it is necessary to fight against this, invites Jacob to join the Union for the Liberation of his native Don. Such is the plot of Sholokhov’s novel, Virgin Soil Upturned, a summary of which you are now reading.
Collectivization
The man who was discussed by the heroes in the first chapter is the former sailor Semyon Davydov, who managed to work as a mechanic at the Putilov factory. He comes to the Gremyachiy farm to establish collectivization. In Sholokhov’s novel, Virgin Soil Upturned, a brief summary allows you to quickly recall the plot, the Soviet reality of those years is described in detail.
Davydov begins with meetings of the local asset and the poor. All those present are recorded on the collective farm and agree on a list of fists. The latter awaits the confiscation of property and eviction from their homes.
Active discussion is caused by the candidacy of Titus Borodin. The secretary of the farmer cell of the communist party, Makar Nagulnov, says that Titus was a red partisan, he himself emerged from the poor. But after the Civil War, he took up the household wisely, worked around the clock, acquired many diseases, but began to grow rich. People around him repeatedly suggested that he wait for a world revolution, but he claimed that he had already fought to become everything, being nobody.
Davydov is strict. He argues that a person should be honored for being a partisan, and becoming a fist should be crushed.
The next day begins the mass eviction of wealthy peasants, which is described in detail in the novel "Virgin Soil Upturned". A summary of the chapters gives an idea of this.
Women and children cry, dispossession is underway. Village Council Chairman Andrei Razmetnov is so dumbfounded by what is happening that at first he refuses to participate in it, but Davydov convinces him to change his decision.
Interestingly, even some representatives of the poor, and almost all the middle peasants, did not aspire to the collective farm. They gather secretly to discuss things. Among the dissatisfied Nikita Khrovov, who is actually blackmailed by the fact that during the Civil War he was a member of the punitive detachment of whites.
Ostrovnov invites him to participate in an armed uprising, but Nikita is against. Refusing, he begins to ask a lot of extra questions about Ostrovnov. For example, she wonders who lives in his house, if he really really incites everyone to rebellion. That night, Khoprova and his wife are found dead. Polovtsev, Ostrovnov himself and harmonist Timothy Rvany, son of a fist, take part in this.
An investigator arrives from the district, but he is unable to find any evidence or evidence.
Collective farm chairman
Davydov is elected chairman of the educated collective farm, Ostrovnov becomes the head of the household. Collectivization itself is progressing hard. Not wanting to hand over the cattle to the authorities, they kill her, and hide the seed grain. All these facts are described in Sholokhov’s novel, Virgin Soil Upturned. A summary of the chapters allows you to thoroughly learn the plot of this work.
They send Timothy Ragged along with his father. This leads to a tragedy in the Nagulnov family, whose wife cries in public for the harmonist. Nagulnov divorces Lukerya.
Known for its windiness, Lushka begins to flirt with Davydov.
Meanwhile, Polovtsev and Yakov Lukich were already ripe for rebellion. Its details are described by Sholokhov in Raised Virgin Soil. Summary of chapters will help to quickly restore everything in memory. The conspirators inform their accomplices from a neighboring farm that they intend to speak the day after tomorrow.
He finds out that their like-minded people changed their minds after reading Stalin’s article “Vertigo from Success”. Now they argue that the creation of collective farms is not a decree from the center, and now Stalin declares that you can stay on your farm. Therefore, they want to find a common language with the local boss, who is collectivizing, and they are not ready to oppose the Soviet government.
Polovtsev is convinced that the article is a hoax. Stalin’s statement had an effect on people. In Gremyachy alone, dozens of applications for leaving the collective farm were filed in one week. Among others, Razmetnova’s mistress Marina Poyarkova, who herself harnesses to the shafts, taking the harrow and plowman from the common yard.
The situation escalates when carts come from Yarsky. People say that they came for the seed grain. In Gremyachy riot begins. A brief summary of Virgin Soil Upturn describes how everything happened.
The people beat Davydov, knocked down locks from barns, grain diverged. It is not without difficulty that the rebellion is suppressed. Davydov decides not to take any administrative measures against those who have temporarily become mistaken.
Connection with Lushka
Lushka still manages to trick Davydov. She constantly went to his houses, took newspapers, and asked if he missed her. As a result, Davydov gave up, the whole district became aware of their connection. The good news also comes. By May 15, the collective farm is fulfilling its annual plan.
At this time, opponents of collectivization do not give up. Sholokhov in “Virgin Soil Upturned”, a brief summary of the chapters will help you prepare for the exam or standings in this work, talks about the meeting of Ostrovnov with Timofei, who escaped from exile. They secretly see each other in the forest. Timothy asks to tell Lucrier what is waiting for her. Ostrovnov’s home is another piece of news. Polovtsev arrived with his comrades. They decide to quietly hide at Lukich’s house.
Davydov is worried that his relationship with Lushka seriously undermines his authority. Therefore, invites her to formalize the relationship and get married. Suddenly this leads to a serious quarrel. Davydov was left alone, very worried about this, entrusted all matters to Razmetnov, and he was leaving to work with the second brigade.
In the brigade, everyone is discussing the exorbitant thickness of the cook Daria, the workers are constantly gossiping about it. And with the advent of Davydov, there is another topic for constant jokes - young Varia Kharlamova falls in love with the chairman of the collective farm. She always communicates with a flaming face, but Davydov does not want this connection, claiming that he is twice as old as a girl, moreover, he is not handsome, wounded, she had better grow without him. Sholokhov in “Virgin Soil Upturned”, the content of the novel confirms this, pays attention not only to social processes, but also to the personal lives of the heroes.
Once a horse comes to the brigade. He jokes with Daria, helps her in the kitchen, peels potatoes, and then orders to wake Davydov. It turns out that a new secretary of the district committee by the name of Nesterenko arrived. It is his responsibility to check the quality of plowing, as well as to understand collective farm affairs. Nesterenko is extremely well-versed in these matters. He criticizes Chairman Davydov for the mistakes and omissions that appear in his work. The sailor understands that he needs to return to the farm to restore things, and it became known that the day before someone shot Makar.
Attempt on Makar
From the summary of Virgin Soil Upturned, as well as from the novel, one can find out the circumstances of what happened. Razmetnov says that, late at night, Makar was sitting at the open window with his new friend, grandfather Schukar, a noble joker and joker. At that moment, unknown people fired at him from a rifle.
The next morning, using the cartridge case found, it was possible to establish that a man who had not been at war was shooting because he managed to miss from a distance of 30 meters, which does not look like a soldier. Because of the shot, the party secretary did not receive any injuries, but he developed a severe runny nose, which was now heard throughout the farm.
A detailed summary of Virgin Soil Upset describes in detail the events that took place in the novel. Davydov is preparing for sowing. To do this, he goes to the forge to inspect the inventory. A blacksmith, Ippolit Shaly, works there, who warns the chairman that he should leave Lukerya, otherwise he also runs the risk of getting a bullet. After all, Lushka meets not only with him alone. It turns out that Timofei Rhany shot unsuccessfully at Makar.
Davydov on the same day transmits a conversation with the blacksmith Razmetnov and Makar. He suggests resorting to urgent measures - to report what happened to the GPU. Makar is categorically against it, he suspects that as soon as the operatives appear on the farm, Timothy will immediately disappear. Makar decides to ambush himself near the house of Lukery. The woman herself is locked for this time. Three days later, finally, Timothy appears, whom Makar kills from the first shot. He gives Lushka the opportunity to say goodbye to him and lets go.
Search for Polovtsev
A summary of Virgin Soil Upturned is provided in this article. From the novel you can learn that new people appear on the farm, who appear to be livestock procurers. Razmetnov immediately feels something was amiss, he draws attention to the fact that they have not village faces, and their hands are too clean and white. Razmetnov detains new people who turn out to be GPU employees. They came from the regional administration in order to find the dangerous enemy Polovtsev, according to them he was the esaul in the White Army during the Civil War, and now secretly acts against the Soviet government.
A summary of M. Sholokhov's Virgin Soil Upsetting gives an idea of how work was being conducted with opponents of the regime at that time. It’s not for nothing that the GPU employees came to the Gremyachiy farm, indirect evidence and a professional instinct tells them that Polovtsev is hiding somewhere nearby.
In Davydov’s personal life, everything is restless again. After the party meeting, Varia is waiting for him, who says that his mother wants to marry her, and she loves only him. Davydov is tormented all night with thoughts, and in the morning decides to marry her. But a little later, in the meantime, sends to study as an agronomist.
Killing operatives
According to the brief content of Mikhail Sholokhov's Virgin Soil Upturn, you can make a full impression of this novel without even reading it. It has a lot of unexpected and exciting plot twists. For example, a few days after the events described, it becomes known that both procurers were found killed on the road.
Davydov, Nagulnov and Razmetnov, who know that they were in fact employees of the GPU, establish surveillance of houses in which livestock were acquired. Surveillance leads them to Ostrovnov’s dwelling.
You can read the summary of the chapters of "Virgin Soil Upturned" directly in this article. This will let you know that Makar offers a capture plan. They are going with Davydov to burst in the door, Andrey at this time should guard near the window so that the attackers would not hide.
After short-term negotiations, the owner opens them. Makar with a strong kick knocks out the door, which is locked only by a bolt, but does not have time to shoot. Near the threshold of the house, a hand grenade first explodes, and then they start firing a machine gun. Nagulnova mutilates with fragments after the explosion, he dies on the spot. Davydov seriously injured from a machine gun. The next day he died in a hospital.
A brief summary of the novel “Virgin Soil Upturned” allows you to find out what this work is about without even reading it. The novel ends with the funeral of Nagulnov and Davydov. During the shootout, Razmetnov manages to kill one of the attackers. It turns out to be Lyatyevsky, the GPU employees come to this conclusion, who arrived to understand what is happening on the farm.
Polovtsev manages to be arrested three weeks later near Tashkent. After that, arrests all over the region begin. In total, about six hundred participants in the anti-Soviet conspiracy are discovered and neutralized.
Analysis of the novel
The ideological artistic content of the novel "Virgin Soil Upturned" is a detailed description of the formation of the collective farm system in the Soviet countryside. An important place in this work is occupied by the Don Cossacks. The writer shows a sincere interest in the fate of the masses during the revolution.
The novel describes in detail the transition to collectivization, when the Cossacks, along with the peasants, switched to a new form of social life. The central place is occupied by the confrontation between the supporters of socialism and the counter-revolutionaries.
Two characters representing the warring camps - Davydov and Polovtsy. They come to Gremyachy Log almost simultaneously. One must organize a collective farm, and the second in every way counteract this.
Collective farm builders
The novel describes many characters who enthusiastically take up the job and build a collective farm. They are led by the communist Davydov. Fists and White Guards resist this in every way.
Interestingly, the creation of a new life is associated with overcoming proprietary ideas, which for centuries have been cultivated among peasants.
The novel has a large number of mass scenes. Sholokhov depicts the difficult process of eliminating the old system in the countryside, the birth of collective farms. The main role here is given to Davydov, who became one of the 25 thousand communists whom the party sent to head collective farms and establish a new life on the ground.
Davydov immediately finds a common language with the people, while he is often mistaken, like an ordinary person. For example, he does not immediately recognize the enemy in Ostrovnov. He always seeks to demonstrate by his own example how to live and act, this appeals to him many people, he finds such necessary support from them. A city man, a worker at the Putilov factory, who never went for a plow, undertakes to plow, which inspire others with his own example. He manages to achieve what he wants. People around start to work.
Political education
Much attention is paid to the Davydov and political education. He patiently explains the party's policies to the inhabitants of the farm. At the same time, it preserves the presence of the spirit, even when it faces death from an angry crowd. This happened during the Indian riot.
Davydova is distinguished by an amazing feature - faith in the future. And these are not illusions and not ghostly dreams. So, he talks about the Cossack Fedotka, who promises to soon build a good life. Twenty years later, he promises him to work with an electric plow, he will be happy, says Davydov.
Sholokhov demonstrates in Davydov cheerfulness, charm and tenderness. On the pages of the novel appears as a leader of the masses, whole nature. Together with Davydov, Makar Nagulnov and Andrei Razmetnov are portrayed in the work. The latter grew up in poverty, so he sought to serve in the Red Army and was betrayed by the Soviet regime. But at the same time, he is not literate enough, it is difficult for him to understand the surrounding reality, but he constantly strives to learn, wants to learn new things.
Roman Sholokhov was very popular, becoming one of the main works of the author.