The philosophical conflict of the human attitude to life is described in this work. The fallacy of outlooks on life and Dr. Ragin’s own egoism play a trick on him. Chekhov's “Ward number 6” will be interesting for thinking readers who are not afraid to ask themselves questions: “Who am I?”, “Why live?”, “Do I value life?”.
Historical facts surrounding the writing of the work
Chekhov's story "House Number 6" was written in 1892 during the reign of Tsar Alexander III. In historical memoirs, it is designated as the time of oppression of a thinking person, the struggle with democratic intelligentsia. It is to these problems that this work is devoted.
Chekhov "Ward number 6": the story begins with how the psychiatrist Andrei Efimovich Ragin arrives in the provincial hospital in the direction. Here he sees all the horrors of such little hospitals: unsanitary conditions, useless conditions for patients, poor treatment.
What terrifies the doctor most is the room where the insane are kept. This is ward number 6. Chekhov shows all the horrors of being sick there. It turns out that in the city everyone is afraid of her and at the same time hates her. It seems to the townsfolk that such patients should be exterminated as enemies of society. However, nobody treats them, they just live there.
Ragin's Life Philosophy
Ragin is horrified by the situation in the hospital and the fact that no one is treating the sick. Nevertheless, the doctor is not going to change anything. Firstly, he has a soft character, because of which he is not even able to give an order, and in this case, it is necessary to radically change the entire control system. And secondly, changes do not enter into the life philosophy of the protagonist at all.
During his tenure as a doctor, Ragin met with one of the mentally ill - Ivan Gromov. He is surprised that this person is very intelligent, knows how to reason and express thoughts, but no one cures him of the persecution mania.
Gromov is the exact opposite of Ragin. While Ivan opposes violence, the evil that he reveals even in its infancy and struggles with it in every way, trying to change the existing world for the better, Ragin believes that evil is ineradicable, it will multiply, so you should not even try to join in the struggle . It is better to delve into yourself, pretend that it does not concern you, and not notice the injustice that is happening, as Ragin does in relation to hospital orders.
Due to frequent conversations with the insane about the doctor, strange rumors began to circulate in the town, and in the end, his rival, the doctor Khobotov, was seeking the removal of Andrei Efimovich from the post of doctor. He spends his last money on a trip in order to unwind a bit from thoughts of dismissal. Upon arrival, he lives on credit.
Chekhov's “Chamber number 6” ends sadly, but still fair. Khobotov places Ragin in ward number 6. And only after falling into this hell, realizing how unfairly he was treated, the former doctor understands the fallacy of his philosophy and begins to fight. Although it’s too late: despite attempts to escape, screaming and screaming, society remains adamant.
Andrei Efimovich is beaten by guard Nikita, and he dies from an
apoplexy blow. Ward number 6 is a parody of Russia, which is trying to destroy thinking people, in this case, Ivan Gromov.
The collapse of Ragin’s philosophy of life becomes the main theme of Chekhov’s work “Chamber Number 6”. The summary outlined above will help the reader prepare for the exams and at the same time think about the need to be a humanist. In more detail, especially the dialogues of the doctor with the patient Gromov, which carry the deepest meaning, the reader can study by reading the story in full.