Mikhail Alexandrovich Sholokhov was a witness and participant in the bloody events of the civil war that swept our country at the beginning of the twentieth century. The attitude of the Cossacks to the revolution, the severity of choosing the right side and the need to raise weapons on the brothers - all this was experienced by the writer himself. And this experience turned into Sholokhov's Don Stories, a summary of which we will consider in the article.
About the work
The stories included in the collection are dry, unemotional and, therefore, incredibly reliable life stories of different people who fell under the ruthless wheels of revolutionary changes. Even death is depicted with extreme routine, in which the incredible tragedy of time is felt, where the departure from life is habitual and unremarkable.
Making conclusions is provided to the reader by Sholokhov's Don Stories. A summary of the work may serve as further evidence of this.
Summary of some stories
In total, the collection includes twenty stories, but we will consider only some of them, since the scope of one article does not allow us to describe all Sholokhov's “Don Stories”. A summary of the three works will be given below.
"Food Commissioner"
The main character is Ignat Bodyagin, he is the Food Commissioner (Food Commissioner), that is, the person in charge of collecting and delivering the harvest to the state. He goes to his native village, where his father kicked out six years ago. Then Ignat stood up for the employee whom Bodyagin Sr. hit. Upon returning, the son learns that his father was sentenced to death for refusing to hand over bread. Among the reds, Bodyagin Sr. recognizes Ignat and curses, predicts that his grief will still pour out to his son, because the Cossacks go to the village to exterminate Soviet power. Shot in front of the son of Bodyagin senior.
The contention between loved ones perfectly conveys the summary. Sholokhov’s “Don Stories” is so good because without embellishment they reflect harsh reality.
The Cossacks are approaching, the battle is approaching. Ignat and Teslenko, the commandant of the tribunal, are forced to linger in order to deliver bread. An uprising begins in the village. Teslenko and Ignat are forced to flee. On the way, Bodyagin notices a child in a snowdrift. He takes the boy to his saddle. Now the horse is not going so fast, and the chase is getting closer.
Realizing that they won’t be able to leave, Ignat and Teslenko tie the boy to the saddle, galloping the horse, while they themselves remain and die.
"Aleshkino heart": summary
Sholokhov's Don Stories are valuable for their historicity. They allow you to survive and feel the terrible events of the past time and now.
For two years now, drought and famine have reigned. Alesha’s family did not eat bread for five months. The boy manages to get the foals, and in the evening, after eating, his sister dies. The girl is buried, but the dogs dig it out and eat it. Fields, Alyosha's elder sister, gets into the house of Makarchikha, a wealthy neighbor. Finds cabbage soup, eats up and falls asleep. The mistress, having returned, kills her and throws out the body. The next night, Alyosha himself crawls into Makarchikha, who catches him and beat him.
Leshka’s mother dies, the boy runs away from home and ends up in the procurement office. Here he meets the political committee Sinitsyn, who feeds the boy. Alyosha is hired and goes to a club to listen to books being read. Having learned where the boy disappears, the owner beats him.
Mikhail Sholokhov does not spare his heroes. “Don Stories” sometimes even seem to be excessively cruel, but all this is because they portray a fierce time.
Aleshka finds out about the attack of the bandits and warns Sinitsyn. At night, the Reds repel the attack, and the bandits hide in the house. Alyosha is injured by a fragment of a grenade, but the boy survives.
"Another's blood"
This story completes the "Don Stories" by M. Sholokhov. Grandfather Gavrila’s only son, Peter, disappeared in the war against the Reds. A new government has come, and the old man has no one to help with the housework.
In the spring, Gavril and his old woman begin to plow the land, still hoping that his son will return. The old man orders a sheepskin coat, boots and puts them in a chest.
Co-worker Petra Prokhor returns. He talks about the death of a friend. Gavrila cannot believe this and goes to the steppe at night to call on his son.
The surplus app begins. They come to Gavril to pick up bread, he argues and is not going to give back what he has gained through overwork. Then a Cossack drives up and shoots the food squads. One of them remains alive, and his grandfather brings him to the hut. Old men nursing a guy. He comes to his senses, called Nicholas, but Gavril and his wife call him Peter.
Gradually, Nikolai-Peter recovers, begins to help with the housework, Gavrila invites him to stay. But then a letter arrives from the factory at which Nikolai grew up, and he leaves. There is no limit to the grief of the elderly, who again lost their son, albeit adoptive.
Conclusion
Tragic and joyless "Don Stories" by Sholokhov. Summary is an excellent proof of this. Too many deaths and human grief in these stories.