Vasil Bykov is a Soviet Belarusian writer. His works are interesting to readers, since in them a person who was an eyewitness tells about the Great Patriotic War. The writer created images, painted psychological portraits of people who, like him, lived in that difficult time. The war in the story of Vasily Bykov “One Night” is shown ambiguous. The plot is interesting and tragic. How will the characters in the story behave in an extraordinary situation? You will find out soon.
Time and place of events
As mentioned above, the story takes place during the Great Patriotic War. The author does not name the city where events unfold, but this is not so important. This could happen on the territory of the USSR or beyond, since the events of 1944 or 1945 are described.
At this time, the Germans understood that they could not capture the USSR with lightning speed. Soviet troops pushed them to the West, but the enemy fiercely resisted. Very reliably describes the battle scene Vasil Bykov.
“Brief contents of the works:“ One Night ”” - such a phrase can be written by a person, moreover, a foreigner who has just begun to study Russian. The Russian student will head his presentation in accordance with all the rules of the language: "Summary of the work" One Night "." So we will try to describe it now.
Shelling from the air, fighting on the ground
The Junkers — German planes — appeared in the sky. The rumble of iron cars was heard from afar, Aircraft bombed the city - the position of Soviet soldiers. One of them - the gunner Ivan Voloka - knew that he needed to escape to a safe place. He hurried after his comrades in arms, saw from afar their backs.
Voloka saw the sergeant and rushed after him, but then an explosion struck. When the smoke cleared a little, in the gateway the soldier saw two Germans. There was no time to think, the gunner pulled the trigger of his machine gun. Under a hail of bullets, one German fell, and not having time to shoot from his carbine. Where did the second opponent go, Ivan did not have time to notice and ran on. He saw the open cellar door, decided to go down there, but quickly flew down, as he missed his foot past the steps. This was written almost at the beginning of the story, which Bykov called "One Night." A summary will describe this tense moment.
Scramble
Drake fell, stumbled on someone’s boots and realized that this is the second German. The enemy grabbed Ivan by the head and began to bend her to the floor. But the Soviet soldier contrived and threw the enemy to the floor. The battle continued with varying success. For some time, the enemy prevailed and began to strangle the gunner. You can get acquainted with this tense moment in more detail by reading the original, that is, the full content. “One Night” (Bykov V.) - the work is ambiguous. In a short time, two people from irreconcilable enemies turned into comrades, but then again became opponents.
In the meantime, there is a battle between two people. Ivan turned out to be stronger, he strangled the German and he began to wheeze, but at that moment a shell burst above. Dragger released the enemy, as debris and dust fell on them and the basement floor collapsed.
All this was described by the author in the first chapter of his story, which was given the name Bykov “One Night”. The summary, following the plot, goes to the second chapter.
In a stone bag
Woloka, waking up, felt that his body was shackled - he was littered with gravel and sand. Having freed himself, he began to look for a way out of the basement, but due to the explosion he was littered with stone fragments and a brick. Ivan tried to push the heavy plate, but he did not succeed.
Voloka was sure that the German was no longer alive, but suddenly he saw the frightened eyes of the enemy, which was sprinkled with gravel. It was in such conditions that Vasil Bykov settled the acting heroes of the story. One night is that short time during which each of them will be able to understand that the second - the same person as he is - is not at all bad.
First, Ivan wanted to kill the enemy, as before, at different times, he dealt with three Germans. But he couldn’t shoot at the lying helpless person.
The German groaned, a concrete slab gripping his legs. Ivan felt sorry for the enemy, and he with difficulty, but removed this burden from him. What is further described in his work Bykov (“One Night”)? A summary of the next episode follows.
Human compassion
The German sat down and began to examine his injured leg, blood flowed from it. He put on a handkerchief, but he quickly got wet. Then Voloka gave him his dressing bag. The enemy smiled at Ivan and thanked him in his own language.
While the German was bandaging his leg, Ivan examined it. He was a middle-aged man with bald patches, wrinkles, and stubble. He looked at the savior, but for a long time they could not look at each other, since the battle started again at the top, it was necessary to get out of the trap. This completes the second chapter of his work of the Bulls - "One Night." We continue to outline the summary of this story further.
Almost friends
Ivan tried to push the top plate to get out of the basement, but one could not do it. Then the German came to the rescue, and they tried to do it together, but could not. But Voloka heard that the German knows a little Russian. He explained that he was taught this by a Russian girl.
Then Ivan shared tobacco with his new friend, they both lit and met. The German name was Fritz Hageman, he was also a joiner, like the Soviet soldier. This rallied the prisoners; another common topic for conversation appeared.
Now Ivan no longer had hatred for the German. He understood that he was the same person as him. Fritz showed his unfortunate friend a photograph of his beautiful house, his wife and three children.
Voloka invited Hageman to surrender when they got out, but he refused. He said that they could kill him in the camp, that he did not want to go to Siberia. But Fritz condemned the war and Hitler, who began this bloodshed.
Voloka said that he was from a collective farm and began to dissuade the German that he lives poorly. Then the men again tried to disassemble the blockage, but a heavy fragment fell on Voloka.
Bykov, “One Night”: Summary of the Last Chapter
The concrete block strongly crushed the soldier. In oblivion, it seemed to him that he was lying with his bare back on a prickly stubble and sow thistle was digging into his body. He was also very thirsty and someone gave the soldier life-giving moisture. It was Fritz who gave Ivan a drink.
But after some time, Voloka fell into oblivion again or fell asleep. When he came to, he felt that on his forehead lay a nice wet bandage. It was Hageman who took care of a friend in misfortune. Ivan got up.
After that, they found an opening in the ceiling and climbed out. Suddenly, Ivan heard German speech - his fellow soldiers called Fritz. He ran to them. Ivan shouted to Hageman, but he did not stop. Then Voloka gave him an automatic burst, as the author writes, due to the fact that Ivan did not want to "give this person to the enemies." Fritz had no choice, he threw a grenade at a recent friend, he fell, but managed to pull the trigger of the machine. The German fell dead.
Voloka survived and ran to his own. This completes his story of the Bulls. One Night can be summarized in this way. When reading the original and the summary, you understand even more clearly that there should be no wars in which people die. Indeed, on their own, most of them are good, in other circumstances they could become friends, but are forced to pursue and kill each other.