It is unlikely that anyone remembers that Alexey Tolstoy did not plan to create an independent fairy tale, but only wanted to translate into Russian the magic story of the Italian writer Carlo Collodi, which is called “The Adventures of Pinocchio. The story of a wooden doll. " Literary scholars have spent a lot of time to determine which genre the “Golden Key” (story or story) belongs to. An amazing and controversial work that conquered many young, and adult readers, was written at the beginning of the twentieth century. But not everything went smoothly with its creation.
We know how diverse the work of Alexei Tolstoy is. The fairy tale "Golden Key" for some time was out of work - the writer was distracted by other projects. Returning to the Italian fairy tale, he decides not only to translate it into his native language, but also to supplement it with his thoughts and fantasies. As a result of this work, the world saw another beautiful work of the author, known to the Russian reader under the name "Golden Key". We will try to analyze it.
Multifaceted author
Alexey Tolstoy is known for his versatility: he wrote poems, plays, scripts, novels and novels, journalistic articles, did literary processing of fairy tales and much, much more. The subject of his work knows no boundaries. Thus, in works on the life of noblemen, praise of Bolshevism is most often traced - its ideology seems to the writer the highest popular truth. In the unfinished novel Peter I, Tolstoy criticizes the brutal reformist rule of the dictator. And in the science fiction novels Aelita and The Engineer Hyperboloid Garin, he extols the power of education, enlightenment, and glorifies peace.
When disputes arise on the topic of “Golden Key” - a story or a story, it is impossible to give a definite answer. After all, a fairy tale contains signs of one and the other genre. And the fictional world and heroes complicate the task even more. One thing is undeniable: this tale is one of the best works in the world literature for children.
First Pinocchio publication
The Italian C. Collodi first published his fairy tale “The Adventures of Pinocchio. The Story of a Puppet ”in 1883. Already in 1906 her, translated into Russian, was published by the magazine "Sincere Word". It should be distracted and clarified that in the preface to the first edition (and this is 1935), Alexei Tolstoy writes that he heard this tale in childhood and, when retelling it, invented new adventures and endings each time. Perhaps this comment he gave in order to explain the many copyright additions and changes to the tale.
While still in exile, in the Berlin publishing house "The Eve" along with the writer N. Petrovskaya A. Tolstoy publishes the book "The Adventures of Pinocchio." This is really the closest version of the tale to the original Collody. The wooden boy is experiencing a lot of misadventures, and at the end a fairy with blue hair from a lazy prankster turns him into an obedient child.
Play contract
Later, when Tolstoy returned to Russia and wrote more than one work, he again turned to this text. The old-fashioned and sentimentality of the original did not allow the writer to make his corrections not only in the plot, but also in the images of the main characters. It is known that he even consulted with Yu. Olesha and S. Marshak about writing his own independent fairy tale.
Back in 1933, Tolstoy signed a contract with Detgiz to develop a scenario about the adventures of Pinocchio in his book, published in Berlin. But the work on "Walking through the agony" still did not allow distraction. And only the tragic events and the heart attack experienced as a result returned Tolstoy to work on an easy and simple-minded tale.
Pinocchio or Pinocchio?
In 1935, the author created a fairy tale that was wonderful and very significant from the point of view of cultural heritage - “The Golden Key” (this story or story will become clear later). Compared to the original source of adventure, Pinocchio is much more interesting and original. The child, of course, will not be able to read the subtext that gave Tolstoy a fairy tale. All these hints are intended for adults who introduce their little one to Pinocchio, Malvina, Karabas and Papa Carlo.
The boring, moralistic presentation of history by the writer Collodi did not at all attract A.N. Tolstoy. We can say that the fairy tale "The Golden Key, or The Adventures of Pinocchio" is only written based on K. Collodi. Tolstoy needed to show the young reader kindness and mutual assistance, faith in a bright future, the need for education, etc. And most importantly, to cause compassion for the oppressed (dolls from the Karabas theater) and hatred for the oppressors (Karabas and Duremar). As a result, the Golden Key (a story or a story, we still need to try to understand) was Tolstoy's great success.
Story line
Of course, we remember that the main storyline tells us how Pinocchio with puppet friends confronts the villains: Karabas, the cat Basilio and the fox Alice, Duremar and other representatives of the authorities of the Country of Fools. The struggle goes for the golden key that opens the door to another world. Tolstoy has repeatedly created multilayer texts - a superficial retelling of events actually turns out to be a rather in-depth analysis of what is happening. Such is his symbolism of works. The golden key for Pinocchio and Pope Carlo is freedom, justice, the ability to help everyone else and become better and more educated. But for Karabas and his friends, it is a symbol of power and wealth, a symbol of oppression of the "poor and stupid."
Fairy tale composition
The author clearly sympathizes with the "bright forces." He submits negative characters satirically, ridiculing all their aspirations to exploit the good-natured poor. He describes in some detail the way of life in the Country of Fools, debunking at the end “the power of the seven-tailed whip” and singing humanity and kindness. This description of social life is so emotional and vibrant that all children truly empathize with the adventures of Pinocchio.
It is such a composition that allows us not to guess whether the “Golden Key” is a story or a story, but to clearly determine that all the described features of building a literary work are characteristic of the story.
Instructive images of Tolstoy
What else allows you to answer the question: “The Golden Key” is a story or a story? ”The author calls“ The Adventures of Pinocchio ”a fairy tale. After all, it describes the events of more than one day; and the action takes place in a whole country: from a small town on the beach through a forest in which both good and not very travelers can meet, to the wasteland of the Country of Fools and beyond ...
Inherent in the work and some characteristics of folk art. So, all the characters are described very clearly and clearly. From the first mention, we understand whether a good hero or not. Prankish Pinocchio, who at first glance is an ill-mannered and uncouth piece of wood, turns out to be a brave and fair boy. It is served to us in a combination of positive and negative, as if reminding that all people are imperfect. We love him not only for unlimited luck - Tolstoy was able to show that it is common for everyone to make mistakes, to commit absurd stupidities and strive to escape from duties. Nothing human is alien to the heroes of the fairy tale "The Golden Key, or The Adventures of Pinocchio."
The doll of Malvina, with all its beauty and spiritual purity, is rather boring. Her desire to educate and teach everyone very clearly shows that no coercive measures can force a person to learn something. For this, only an inner desire and understanding of the meaning of education is needed.
Funny criminals
The comic technique in A.N. Tolstoy’s novel “The Golden Key” is also used to describe negative characters. The satire, with which all the dialogues of the cat Basilio and Alice's fox are served, from the very beginning makes it clear how short and petty these criminals are. In general, it is worth noting that the images of the oppressors in the fairy tale “The Golden Key, or The Adventures of Pinocchio” cause a smile and bewilderment rather than anger. The author tries to show children that lies, anger, greed, thirst for profit are not just bad; all these qualities lead to the fact that a person himself falls into stupid situations, trying to harm another.
Oppression without violence
It is worth noting that a completely humane and peaceful fairy tale is “The Golden Key, or The Adventures of Pinocchio”. One tale of the misadventures of a wooden boy gives way to another, but nowhere is there death or violence. Karabas Barabas is just brandishing his whip, the Cat and the Fox are rather ridiculously hanging Pinocchio on a tree, the court of the Country of Fools determines the punishment for the boy - to drown in a swamp. But everyone knows that a tree (and Pinocchio is still a log) needs a lot of time in order to drown. All these acts of violence look comical and absurd and nothing more.
And even the rat Shushar strangled by Artemon is mentioned in passing, this episode does not place emphasis. In an honest fight between Pinocchio and Karabas, the boy wins by tying the doctor of puppet sciences by the beard to a tree. This again gives the reader some ground for thought, encourages in any situation to find harmless, but unequivocal solutions.
Naughty - the engine of progress
The fairy tale “The Golden Key, or The Adventures of Pinocchio” clearly demonstrates to the reader that the child is initially curious and restless. In Tolstoy’s book, Pinocchio is by no means a lazy loafer (like Pinocchio at Collodi), on the contrary, he is very energetic and curious. It is this interest in all aspects of life that the writer emphasizes. Yes, often the child falls into a bad company (the cat Basilio and the fox Alice), but adults can explain and clearly demonstrate the bright colors of life (the wise and ancient tortoise Tortilla opens Pinocchio's eyes to who he is a friend and who is the enemy).
This is the phenomenon of creativity of Alexei Tolstoy. The fairy tale "Golden Key" is actually a very instructive and profound work. But the ease of style and the chosen scenery allow us to read everything from cover to cover and make completely unambiguous conclusions about good and evil in one breath.