Belkin's Tales, written by Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin, amazes the reader with its depth and relevance to this day. The destinies of the poor peasants and provincial nobles described by the author in this series of stories touch the soul of every reader and leave no one indifferent. Such is the hero of the story "Station Warden" Samson Vyrin. The characterization of this character requires a more detailed study.
Poor rangers
Ivan Petrovich Belkin, the main narrator of all the stories in the cycle, witnessed this ordinary, unknown to anyone. Samson Vyrin is a poor college official of the fourteenth, lowest class. It was his responsibility to look after the road station, where he registered all the riders and changed horses for them. Pushkin respects the hard work of these people with great respect.
Samson Vyrin, whose characterization and life did not differ from other people, suddenly changed dramatically. His beloved daughter, Dunya, who always helped him in everyday life, which was the subject of his father’s pride, leaves for the city with an visiting officer.
Meetings of the ranger and Belkin
At the first meeting of the petty official Belkin and the caretaker, we observe a rather positive atmosphere at the station. Vyrina’s house is very well-groomed, flowers grow, cozy atmosphere. He himself looks cheerful. All this thanks to Duna, the daughter of Samson. She helps her father in everything, keeps the house clean.
The next meeting of the heroes is completely different: Samson Vyrin has changed a lot. The characteristic of the house is very different from the one that was previously. The caretaker is sleeping under his greatcoat, now he is unshaven, there are no more flowers in the room. What happened to this good-natured man and his house?
Betrayal or? ..
The characterization of Samson Vyrin from the story “Station Warden” should be supplemented by the fact of his daughter’s departure. After another portion of the drink, he tells Belkin about the changes that happened in his life. It turns out that Dunya escaped from her father with an officer Minsky, who lived for several days at the station with deceit. With all the warmth and care Susson Vyrin reacted to the hussar. Minsky’s characterization as a vile person is perfectly confirmed in the scenes of the caretaker’s arrival to his daughter.
Both times the hussar drives the old man away, humiliating him with crumpled bank notes, shouting at him and calling him names.
But what about Dunya? She never became the wife of Minsky. He lives in a luxury apartment, has servants, jewelry, and chic outfits. Nevertheless, she is on the rights of a lover, not a spouse. Probably, the hussar should not have a dowry wife. Seeing her father, who came to visit her and find out why she left so silently, leaving him alone, Dunya faints. Ask if she was ashamed? Maybe. Apparently, she understands that she somehow betrayed her father, exchanging a poor life for a chic metropolitan atmosphere. But still does nothing ...
Small man
For the third time, Belkin comes to this station and finds out that our caretaker has died alone, drunk and suffering from an only child. Having repented, the daughter nevertheless comes to her father, but does not catch him alive. After that, she will cry for a long time on his grave, but nothing can be returned ...
Her children will be next to her. Now she herself became a mother and, probably, felt on herself how strong love for her own child is.
Briefly, Samson Vyrin's characterization is positive. He is a very kind person, always happy to come to the rescue. For the sake of the happiness of his daughter, he was ready to endure humiliation from Minsky, did not interfere with her happiness and well-being. Such people are called "small" in the literature. He lived quietly and peacefully, asking nothing for himself and not hoping for the best. So he died. Almost no one knows that such a miserable station ranger Samson Vyrin lived.