In this article, we will turn to the work of the outstanding writer of the XX century - Valentin Grigoryevich Rasputin. More precisely, we will analyze the author’s program story and its summary in chapters. “Farewell to Mater”, as you will see, is a work with a deep moral and philosophical meaning.
About the book
The story was released in 1976. The plot focuses on village life. But Rasputin described not just the idyllic picture and the charms of Russian nature, he touched on much more sensitive topics. The reader will see a picture of the death of the village. Along with the disappearance of the place where more than one generation of people lived, the memory of the ancestors, the connection with the roots, also go away. Rasputin depicts the gradual degradation of man, the pursuit of the new to the detriment of the old. According to the author, the destruction of morality and nature in favor of industrialization will inevitably lead humanity to death. This idea is illustrated by the story “Farewell to Mater”.
Summary of chapters: “Farewell to Mater”
Matera is the name of the village and island on which it is located. But the settlement did not have long to live - soon it should be flooded. Spring. Many families left, others did not plant gardens and sow fields. And they started the houses: they don’t whiten, they don’t tidy up, things are taken away from them.
Only old people live their old lives, as if they are not going to leave anywhere. In the evenings they get together and talk for a long time. The village experienced a lot, there were good and bad times. However, invariably people were born and died, life did not stop for a minute. But now in the fall they will finish building a dam for the power plant, the water will rise and flood Matera.
Chapters 2-3
The story "Farewell to Matera" (a brief summary of the chapters in particular) tells about the evenings over tea that the village old women spent. Gathered at the oldest - Daria. Despite her age, she was tall and reference, ran the household and coped with considerable work. Her son and daughter-in-law managed to leave and now occasionally visited Daria.
Sima came here, who settled in Matera only ten years ago. They called her Moskovishna for telling about how she had seen Moscow. Her fate was difficult. In addition, a dumb girl was born to her. And to old age, her grandson Kolka remained in her care. Due to the fact that Sima does not have her own home, they must send her to a nursing home and take her grandson. But the old woman is trying in every possible way to postpone this moment.
The elderly Nastasya and Yegor, who signed the move to the city, are constantly rushing, asking to move out faster.
They began to dismantle the cemetery: to cut down bedside tables, to clean monuments. This caused righteous anger in the elderly. Bogodul even called the workers "devils."
Chapters 4–5
Valentin Rasputin pays much attention to representatives of the older generation. “Farewell to Mater” (a brief summary of the chapters allows us to verify this) is replete with such characters. One of them is Bogodul. No one remembered how the old man appeared in the village. At one time he was a money changer, periodically bringing goods to Mater, and then he stayed here permanently. Bogodul looked like a deep old man, but did not change over the years.
He is not going to leave the village - they have no right to stoke the living. However, he is concerned about how he will make excuses to his ancestors for the destruction of Matera. Bogodul believes that he is appointed to look after the village, and if it is flooded, the fault is on him.
Pavel arrives, son of Daria. He talks about a village where village people are resettled. It turns out that this place is completely unsuitable for peasant life.
Chapters 6–7
We continue to describe the summary of the chapters (“Farewell to Mater”). Rasputin brings mythological images to his work. So, at night, the Forest Master appears - a small animal that does not look like anyone else. He knows everything that happens in the village, everyone knows about it, but no one has ever seen him. The owner anticipates the imminent end of Matera and his existence, but dutifully accepts this. And he knows for sure that God-blessed will perish with him.
Trinity passes, and Yegor and Nastasya leave. They have to give up utensils - everything that has been acquired over many years. Old men, as if lost, walk along the hut. In parting, Nastasya asks Daria to look after the missing cat and gives the keys to the house.
Chapters 8–9
Petruha burns his hut - the same fate awaits the house and other mothers.
Paul’s visits are becoming rare. Now he is appointed foreman at the state farm - work has greatly increased. Pavel wondered about the construction of a new village - awkward, strange, not for human life. He did not understand why it was necessary to move to live in it. And more and more often they visited the memories of the well-groomed Mater, in which several generations of his ancestors lived.
Chapters 10–11
The destruction of not only the village, but also of human lives is depicted in the story “Farewell to Mater”. A summary of the chapters (analysis of the work can confirm this) depicts the broken life of Katerina, who remained after burning the house with her son Petruha in the street. The heroine did not have anything from her former life. And the blame for the incorrectly brought up son is on her shoulders.
The onset of haymaking seemed to revive Mater. The village came to life again. Life returned to its usual course, and people worked with incredible joy.
Chapters 12–13
It starts to rain. Pavel comes to Daria with Andrei, the youngest son. The representative of the young generation does not regret the need to leave Mater. On the contrary, he is glad of the opportunity to see the world, try himself in another matter. Andrei is sure that a person should manage his life himself. It turns out that he is going to participate in the flooding of the village.
The chairman arrives from the Pasenny district and demands that by the middle of September (after only a month and a half) the village should be cleared of all buildings. Therefore, it is recommended now to start setting fire to empty houses.
Chapters 14–15
The conflict between the older and younger generations is one of the main themes of the story “Farewell to Mater”. A summary of the chapters describes in detail Daria's relationship with her grandson. Andrei is convinced that a person controls his own destiny. He is confident that the future lies in technology and progress, and you can forget about the past. Daria, however, pities the modern man who is destroying himself, breaking the connection with his roots, with nature.
Pavel was called to work - one of his subordinates put his hand into the machine while he was drunk, and the brigadier was responsible for this. Following his father, Andrei also leaves.
Chapters 16–17
Next, a summary of the chapters tells about the arrival of a group of urban residents. “Farewell to Mater” - a work indicating the hopelessness and immorality of people who have lost touch with the past. That is why the city, who came to burn the village buildings, are portrayed as unbridled and soulless creatures. Their behavior to death scares all residents of Matera.
Village people slowly begin to gather, and fires break out around the district. The mill was the first victim. Of the maternal, Petrukh takes special effort in destruction. Katerina is tormented and does not know how to react to the actions of her son.
Chapters 18–19
Harvesting and harvesting are coming to an end. Urban leave back, finally arranging a terrible fight. The villagers didn’t know where to put their own harvest - they took away little by little, but it did not decrease. I had to sell. The transportation of cattle began.
A summary of the chapters (“Farewell to Mater”) depicts a picture of a gradually fading life. The village is emptying little by little. And only the elderly do not want to leave home, worry about the graves that will have to be flooded - and only nonhumans are capable of this. Daria goes to the cemetery, thinking that now her great-grandchildren, having lost touch with their roots, will not even know why they were born.
Chapters 20–22
The story “Farewell to Mater” (chapter summary) is drawing to a close. The author paints a picture of desolation - there were no buildings left in the village, except for the barracks of Bogodul, where the old women and granddaughters of Sima had gathered. Nastasya also returned - her old man did not survive the move.
Paul decides to return for the remaining two days. But the chief Vorontsov sends him to Matera on the night — tomorrow there is a commission, and there should not be a single person on the island.
Pavel, Petruha and Vorontsov board the boat and set sail. A cloud of thick fog covers them, in which nothing can be seen. Fog covers Mater.