Chekhov, a talented Russian writer, never sought to give answers to the reading public, but believed that the role of the author was to ask questions and not to answer them.
about the author
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was born in 1860 in the city of Taganrog, Rostov Region. Chekhov wrote many incredible works: stories, short stories, plays, etc. Today Anton Pavlovich Chekhov is considered one of the greatest writers in the world of "great literature."
It should be noted that the famous Russian writer successfully combined writing with the medical profession. Almost all his life Chekhov treated people. The author himself liked to say that he considers medicine to be his legal wife, and literature for him is a lover, from whom he cannot refuse communication.
Anton Pavlovich can be called an “innovator” in literature: in his works he created unique moves that significantly influenced the works of future writers.
Probably there is no such person who would not read a single work of this talented writer. One of these works is the novel by A.P. Chekhov "The Steppe". Analysis of the story reveals some of the pioneering "moves" of the writer.
The author loved letting go of his thoughts and recording this "endless stream of consciousness." Chekhov's “steppe”, the brief content of which is given in this article, reflects one of Chekhov’s well-known tricks - his ability to evade the answer in the work: the author believed that the writer should not answer questions, but should ask them, thereby making readers think about important life things.
The story "Steppe" Chekhov: a summary
"Steppe" (Anton Chekhov) is a work that became the writer's debut in literature. It was it that then brought the still young Anton Pavlovich Chekhov the first recognition of his critics as an accomplished author. Contemporaries of the author wrote that the breakthrough that he made would be the beginning of a new life for the author, in which they would all the time say: “Look! This is the same A.P. Chekhov!” The “steppe,” a summary of which is given in this article, does not touch the reader with action. The story touches the reader to others. Here is a touching description of Russian nature and Russian man (which was also A.P. Chekhov). The steppe (a summary of the story is presented below), the author describes with special reverence, with special love. The reader sees this love on the face of the hero of the story Egorushka, who bukno feels every shuffle of a twig, every wave of the wing of a flying bird ... All that Chekhov A.P. "Steppe" felt, a summary of the chapters of which can now be easily found if you wish must be read in the original. This is the only way to understand and feel the work.
Chekhov's Steppe: A Brief History of the Journey of the Rector of the Church, the Merchant and His Nephew
On an old chaise from the county town N, Ivan Kuzmichyov set off with Fr. Christopher, rector of the church in this province, who was short in stature with long hair 80 years old. On the way, they gathered in order to sell wool. Kuzmichyov’s nephew set off on the road with his name Yegorushka. It was a boy of 9 years old, still a child. His mother, the sister of Ivan Ivanovich, Olga Ivanovna, the widow of the college secretary, insisted that her son go to a gymnasium in another, larger-scale city and become an educated person. Before the travelers a view of the city and the church opens, in which Yegor went to the service with his mother. The boy is very upset, he does not want to leave. Father Christopher decided to support the child, recalling his youth and study, he was a fairly educated person with good inclinations, he had an excellent memory, having read the text several times, he already knew it by heart, he knew languages, history, arithmetic well. But his parents did not support his desire to learn further, so Fr. Christopher refused to continue teaching. And Yegorushka still has her whole life ahead, and learning will benefit him. Kuzmichyov, on the contrary, considers his sister's whim unreasonable, because he could teach his nephew his business without education.
Visiting the landowner Varlamov
Kuzmichyov and Fr. Christopher seeks to catch up with the richest and most influential landowner Varlamov in the county. For a temporary overnight stay, the travelers stopped in the modest dwelling of Moses Moiseich, a Jew by nationality. He tries to please the guests to the maximum extent, even Yegorushka got a gingerbread. In the house of Moses Moiseich, in addition to his family (wife and children), his brother Solomon lives. A proud person on whom money and position in society do not exert the slightest influence. Father Christopher, in turn, pities the young man, Kuzmichev disdains him, and his brother does not understand him.
The appearance of Countess Dranitskaya
The guests (Ivan Ivanovich and Fr. Khristofor) decided to count the money during a tea party. At this time, the noble was visited by a noble person, Countess Dranitskaya. Ivan Ivanovich considers her rather stupid special, who has only wind in her head. He does not find it strange that the Pole Kazimir Mikhaylych in every way intends to circle her around the finger.
Meet Yegorushka with new people
After Kuzmichev and father Christopher hit the road, deciding to leave Yegorushka with other messengers in the hope of catching them later.
On the way, Yegorushka meets different people, he has a special impression of them. With old Pantelei, whose feet often hurt, he has the habit of drinking water from a lamp; Yemelyan, a relatively calm person; a young guy named Dymov, his father often sends him with a wagon train so that he is not too spoiled; Vasya, who once had a beautiful voice, unfortunately, because of the disease of his ligaments, as before, he could no longer sing; Kiryuhoy - a young man who has virtually no features. All of these people have one thing in common - they once lived much better, the fear of poverty led them to go to work in the wagon train.
Description of the Russian steppe
The author of the story pays special attention to the picturesque nature of the Russian steppe, describing it quite colorfully. Egorushka, as he travels, seems to recognize the Russian people from a new, completely unfamiliar side. Even he, by virtue of his still young age, understands that Pantelei’s stories about his supposedly life in the north of Russia and the coachman’s old work are more like fiction than truth. Vasya, a guy with falconry vision, sees the steppe much wider than other people. Nothing escapes past him; he observes the behavior of animals in their natural habitat. He possesses some “bestial qualities,” and many will find him unlike most people. In addition to Pantelei, Egorushka is afraid of almost all men, and especially Dymov, who is unbearably suffering from an excess of strength and kills an innocent snake.
Yegorushka’s disease
A heavy rain with a thunderstorm overtook the travelers, as a result of which Yegorushka fell ill. Arriving in the city, about. Christopher takes true care of the boy, trying to improve his general condition. While the boy’s uncle Kuzmichev considers this to be another problem. His head is clogged with another, he regrets that he sold the wool at home is not as profitable as it was recently done. O. Christopher, together with Ivan Ivanovich, sold their goods at a fairly high price. In turn, about. Christopher can be said to be the most harmonious hero of the story, in which material values are lower than love for God and the pursuit of knowledge.
Visiting Toskunova
The house of the close friend of the boy’s mother, Toskunova Nastasya Petrovna, acts as his next refuge for her studies at the gymnasium. A woman lives there with her granddaughter. The interior of the apartment is quite simple, lots of fresh flowers are pleasing to the eye, and images are visible everywhere. Kuzmichev Ivan Ivanovich dealt with all the tasks assigned to him. Documents have been submitted to the gymnasium, entrance exams will begin soon, and for the very young Yegorushka, a new, unfamiliar path to the unknown world will also begin. Each of the adults, Kuzmichev and Fr. Christopher, allotted a dime to his ward and left him in the future to the care of Toskunova. The boy seemed to anticipate that the meeting with these people in his life would not happen again. He cannot understand the reason for his sadness: everything that he had to endure in the days of his childhood will now remain in the distant past.
For him, now opens the door to a completely different, unfamiliar world. What it will be, no one knows. The boy burst into tears, sitting on a bench, thus, as if “meeting” everything new that awaits him ahead.
Summarizing the article "Chekhov's Steppe: A Brief Summary of the Story", I would like to note that everyone who respects the work of the author should read this story in the original. No wonder that the author’s contemporaries highly praised this work. Indeed, Chekhov's “Steppe” in summary does not in any way convey all the sensations that the reader receives when immersed in the original version of the story.