Russian prose of the sixties is rich in works that express a new look at the world around us. The official propaganda literature has been replaced by books in which many historical events are rethought, most recently interpreted quite clearly. Of course, there was no talk of direct anti-Bolshevism, for which the system of punishment was strict. The most widespread among writers was the veiled rejection of collectivization, which caused irreparable damage to the structure of the Russian countryside. One of these works was written by Vasily Shukshin (âGlowing Rainâ). The analysis of the story allows us to judge the personal position of the author in relation to the fratricidal processes that took place in our country in the late 20s and early 30s of the last century.
Plot
The core of the story is the laconic dialogues of two main characters: the communist-collectivist Efim Bedarev and former fist Cyril. They occur in a space separated by a window opening. This wall symbolizes the psychological barrier between the two heroes. Former enemies talk relatively peacefully, which is facilitated by two significant circumstances: one of the debaters is seriously ill, and the second simply has no aggressive intentions. A conversation deserves to be analyzed separately. Shukshin also sees the glowing rain that began in the morning as a symbol of purification.
At times, other characters are present, the doctor and the daughter of a patient at the district hospital who came from the city. The conversation is laconic and is sometimes indicated by separate words and phrases incomprehensible to others. The story ends with the death of Yefim and the departure of Cyril, on whose head a warm glow of rain pours from heaven. Shukshin deliberately refrains from commenting, leaving the reader to evaluate events independently.
Chronological analysis
The story was written in 1966. If we assume that the events in it occur at about the same time, and the main characters during the period of active dispossession of peasants were not even thirty, then we can assume that both of them are from sixty to sixty five years old, this is their age analysis. Shukshin âGlowing Rainâ wrote about a generation of peers of his parents, this is one of his favorite topics. The age of the doctor is defined as young "ridiculously." That's right, after finishing the medina the guy got a distribution in the district center, where he is gaining experience so far. He has to treat everyone in a row and from a wide variety of ailments. From such simply wonderful doctors turn out. Bedarev also has a daughter, Nina, little is known about her, but it is clear that she loves her father very much and suffers from separation from him, this is understandable from her reaction to the death of her parent. Nina is a woman of about the same age as V. M. Shukshin himself. "Glowing rain" indirectly affects the relationship between fathers and children. They love each other in Russian, not for something, but simply because they are one blood. So it was then, and there is hope that it will always be.
Conversation without words
At the very beginning of the story Glowing Rain, Shukshin intrigues the reader with the sudden appearance of a mysterious character. In the window opened on the occasion of spring, a large head appears in a merlushka hat. The patient's reaction was rather active, he tried to get up, his eyes widened in surprise. The guest tried to calm Yefim, waved his hand, as if pointing to the inappropriateness of the manifestation of courtesy in such circumstances, and explained his visit with a desire to "be honest", and at the same time asked how things were. The difference in the behavior of two long-familiar people shows a different degree of their confidence, shows a simple psychological analysis. Shukshin âGlowing Rainâ, writing, as a mature man, 37 years old - the age at which a man knows how to evaluate the behavior of others on non-verbal grounds. Cyril's eyes, meanwhile, are not clear where they are looking, maybe at Yefim, or maybe through him or even by. This, as well as a conversation through the windowsill, on which the guest leans from time to time, testify to the guestâs unkind attitude towards the sick old man. He never entered the room.
Two worldviews
No matter how eloquent the poses and gestures of the interlocutors are, the essence of their conversation is most clearly expressed in words. It is quite clear, despite the brevity of the conversation, here is its summary. Shukshin âGlowing Rainâ created as a story about the collision of two worldviews, the personification of which were his characters. Cyril is a dispossessed peasant; Yefim, a rural activist, is guilty of the collapse of his fate. Despite the words of the old Bolshevik that he is doing well, the interlocutor understands that things are very bad. It cannot be argued that this frustrates the former fist, but he does not show malevolence either. On the contrary, he wants to have time to say something important in the end, and he seems to be afraid of being late. Even the insulting word âcrawledâ Cyril ignores. Now he is not upset, he wants to understand his former enemy. The dekulakized peasant recalls the events of more than thirty years ago, asks questions, but still does not achieve a clear answer.
Yefim
Intransigence - this is what Shukshin wrote âGlowing Rainâ. Analysis of the story leads to the conclusion that both protagonists do not regret anything. But if Cyril makes an attempt to understand the motivation of Yefim, the old Bolshevik responds with ideological cliches, not wanting to even think for a moment about the correctness of his actions. By his own admission, his conscience does not torment him. He is brave before the young doctor, although, of course, he is afraid of the approaching death, considering it the end of everything, like a true atheist. He is afraid of the impending pain. But when the doctor tries to remove the interlocutor, clearly causing concern, the patient suddenly objects. Yefim also needs to talk. He achieved, it turns out, that there are fewer fools (therefore, he considered himself smart). And he wonders at the expense of whom Cyril wanted to become rich.
Kirill
Vasiliy Makarovich doesnât idealize the unkulling Kirill Shukshin. This is an ordinary peasant, whose main dream was really wealth. Another question is that he did not dream about his own banks, palaces and skyscrapers. It would have been quite enough for him to have his own home, some livestock, several acres of land and the freedom to farm it. Cyril cannot understand why, for the sake of Yefim, he broke the church, ruined the life of him and other rural "world-eaters" who earned wealth by hard work. At the same time, he could not even kill his enemy, although he had such an opportunity. It was a pity for this "abnormal", which was formerly called holy fools. He is trying to understand activist Yefim, but he only calls him a fool in response. At the same time it goes to all the staff of the hospital (ogloedy). Cyril no longer feels evil feelings for his dying enemy.
Character Appearance
Reliably judge the appearance of the main characters does not allow neither the full text, nor the more concise. Shukshin âGlowing Rainâ wrote, as painters would say, with bold and large strokes. Yefim looks blackened, tired of the disease. For some reason, he seems thin and short, in contrast to Cyril, the owner of a large head and, apparently, proportional to her physique. A weak person would not survive in exile, but dispossessed in it, he reminds him of this to his interlocutor.
You can also say a little about other characters by reading the story âGlowing Rainâ. Shukshin Ninu, daughter of Yefim, defines as a woman of about thirty, and the doctorâs youth was already mentioned.
Symptoms and Flour
If the author stops the attention of the reader on some details, then they concern the last minutes of the life of the old Bolshevik. The suffocating bouts of cough shaking his dry body, the helpless pose of a man lying on his back and trying to rise, the destructive fire eating his body from the inside, the hot fog, the swaying ceiling and walls, all these signs of cancer were described unusually vividly by V.M. Shukshin. âGlowing rainâ, the story, in general, constructed schematically and not loaded with excessive detail, in the final part becomes very detailed. What did the author want to say to the reader? Perhaps, he emphasized that Cyril's prophecy came true regarding a heavy death as a manifestation of the highest justice in relation to offenders. Both heroes of the story do not believe in God, but the former fist knows that nothing is happening in the world just like that, therefore, he cannot be called an absolute atheist.
Mysterious Leaf
There is something in this work that intrigues the thoughtful reader, Vasily Shukshin, whose stories almost never contain anything unexplained. At the time of the death of Yefim, when his limp body is laid on the bed, three mysteriously coinciding events happen at once. Suddenly Cyril appears, or rather, his voice, asking if he is ill. Then a piece of paper flies through the window, and it is unclear whether he was thrown into the chamberâs space intentionally, or whether it was carried by a gust of wind. And then the glowing rain begins, Shukshin named the story in honor of this natural phenomenon. How are these events related? What and who wrote on this sheet? It can be assumed that this was a message that Cyril wanted to give to a long-standing enemy, but did not dare. The reader is given the right to answer these questions himself.
What a story
This is not a simple story, and Vasily Makarovich Shukshin composed it not for the sake of leisure time of amateurs of fiction. The stories of this great writer, who has become a modern classic, always teach something, they have a moral core and deep meaning. So what is the work narrating about and what lesson does the reader teach?
In fact, like any talented creation, this story is multifaceted. He is primarily about the ability to forgive. After all, Cyril, leaving in the rain through squishy puddles and clutching a hat in his hands, felt sorry for his tormentor, even without understanding why.
And also this story about love. The daughter falls to her knees in front of the body of her father, from whom, apparently, she knew little of parental affection.
And in the work there is the idea of ââmoral purification. Glowing rain, like holy water, washes away all the filth, the malice that has accumulated over many years in the soul of Cyril.
All this can be combined into the three main Christian virtues, Faith, Hope and Love. This rain was really welcome.