"Brevity is the soul of wit". This saying can be successfully applied to the work of its author, Anton Chekhov. Without going beyond the limits of a short story or short story, he could create capacious images, touch upon a large number of different topics - social and eternal. Using speaking surnames, details, sparingly commenting on the actions of heroes, Chekhov transformed everyday, everyday situations into something more - something that allows one to judge how good or evil a person is, how happy he is, etc. All this can be applied to the story "Chameleon". How does the writer relate to Khryukin and Ochumelov? Which hero is a chameleon? This article is dedicated to the answer to this question.
History of creation and genre features
"Chameleon" belongs to the genre of a humorous story. As you know, during the early period of his work (the 80s of the year before last century), Chekhov created dozens, if not hundreds, of various stories, short stories, “pictures”, “little things” and sketches. In them, he ridiculed various human flaws. And the "Chameleon", being written in 1884 and published in the "Shards" under the pseudonym Antos Chekhonte, is no exception. Let's try to find out what flaw Chekhov is laughing at this time, and which of the characters is a chameleon. However, to begin with, we will analyze the content.
Plot
A distinctive feature of Chekhov's prose is dynamism. There is no long thought, the author refers to the past. On the contrary, the action takes place here and now, very rapidly. The story begins with a description of how a police overseer by the name of Ochumelov passes through the market square. Description of the details of the appearance of the protagonist, as well as the surrounding space, is given sparingly. However, it is not difficult for a reader with a good imagination to imagine an overweight middle-aged man (well, what else can a police overseer be like) and a city man walking next to him, who has an unbearable burden in his hands - a sieve with confiscated gooseberries. On the square, it’s very quiet and dull (“there are not even beggars”). Undoubtedly, the depicted town is the citadel of philistinism, to which Chekhov was terribly disgusted.
But back to the story. The measured procession of Ochumelov and the city mayor is interrupted by noise. Another second - and the men see the dog first rushing out of the barn, and then Khryukin, the goldsmith chasing after her, with a bloodied finger. It gathers a crowd. Ochumelov listens to the story of the victim (whom the dog bit because the drunkard poked a cigarette in his face) and concludes: to destroy the dog. But then someone notices that the animal may belong to the general. Ochumelov immediately takes the side of the dog, until the policeman expresses doubts about the origin of the dog. So Ochumelov changes his mind several times until Prokhor, the general cook passing by, testifies: the animal belongs to the brother of the general who came on a visit. This causes the warden a touching smile and a threat to Khryukin. The end of the story. One thing is not clear: who is the chameleon in Chekhov's story? And how to explain the name of the work? The usual retelling of the plot of the text will not give an answer to these questions.
So which hero is a chameleon?
In Chekhov's prose, comparing a character with an animal always indicates a negative rating. You will not meet anyone in the writer's stories: and the protagonist, round as a beetle, with a herring wife. And even you will come across a ram in human guise - trouble! Very often in this bestiary you can also find chameleons who have the ability to change their opinions in relation to the situation. So which of the heroes is a chameleon? The answer is simple: overseer Ochumelov, whose changes in behavior caused the crowd surprise and the reader an ironic smile.
Comic Tricks
In addition to comparisons with animals, Chekhov also turns to other tricks of the comic, for example, speaking surnames. Chervyakov, Gryaznorukov, Gnilodushkin, Polzukhin ... Ochumelov and Khryukin also join this nice company. To understand the image of the latter, the speaking surname is especially important. Despite the fact that the first reading of the golden affairs of the master can be taken as a sacrifice, an attentive reader will notice the spiritual dullness of the character, which will allow him to be compared with a pig.
Pay attention to the details. Chekhov’s also talking. So, the constant change of decisions, which in itself looks rather comical, is emphasized by the requests of the overseer to throw off, then take off his coat. The general’s ability to fall out of favor directly affects Ochumelov, forcing him to experience heat or cold.
Author's plan
So, the question of which of the heroes is a chameleon in Chekhov's work is resolved. However, does this mean that other actors pass by the author's all-seeing eye? Of course not. We mentioned above that Chekhov indirectly ridicules Khryukin, but the author is not only limited to these two characters. He criticizes the whole city, for the description of which a couple of lines were enough for Anton Pavlovich.
Chekhov's story is a very useful work that must be studied at school. Thanks to him, the younger generation will find out who is a chameleon (from those who met on the path of life), and who, on the contrary, is a good and honest person.