The story "Mr. from San Francisco", the meaning of the name of which is explained in this article, is one of the most famous works of Ivan Bunin. This is a kind of parable, which tells about the meaninglessness of wealth and glory before the inevitability of death. The key idea of the work is the comprehension by man of the essence of his being, the realization of how fragile life is, how insignificant it is if it lacks beauty and authenticity.
The meaning of the name
The story "The Master from San Francisco", the meaning of the name of which is disclosed in this article, first saw the light of day in 1915.
The main feature of this work is that the author did not give a name to the protagonist. Even in the title, he is simply referred to as a gentleman from San Francisco. The meaning of the title of the work lies in this.
This gentleman was a representative of a false, boring and monotonous so-called high society. The author despised such people, the circle of communication to which they attributed themselves, for lack of spirit and faith in permissiveness at the expense of money, fake relationships, love of convenience. Because of all this, Bunin did not even give a name to his hero, emphasizing this in the title. This is the meaning of the name "Lord of San Francisco."
Storyline
Having never named the protagonist by name in the story, the author emphasizes his attitude towards him, noting that no one remembered his name either in Capri or in Naples, where he stayed. Together with his family (wife and daughter), he goes to the Old World. Bunin in The Lord of San Francisco writes that the heroes intended for two whole years only to have fun and move from place to place. Mr. worked hard the past few years, now he can afford such a vacation.
The family is sailing on a huge ship - Atlantis. It looks more like a fashionable hotel, which has everything you need for a comfortable trip.
Life on the ship in Bunin’s short story “The Master from San Francisco” flows very slowly. In the morning, passengers drink chocolate, then go to take baths, do gymnastics, and walk staidly along the decks filled with people who are just as happy with life. All this in order to build an appetite. Only after an exercise in the fresh air go for breakfast.
After eating, read the fresh press in anticipation of a second breakfast. Then they devote two hours to rest. To do this, comfortable reed chairs are installed on the decks, on which you can conveniently fall apart, hiding in a blanket. Here travelers spend their time before dinner, admiring the cloudless sky.
In the afternoon, a small snack - tea with cookies. In the evening, lunch. For holidaymakers on the Atlantis, this can be said to be the main goal of existence.
In the huge hall, where the rich spend every evening, an orchestra plays. And outside the walls at this time the ocean is rustling. But these men in tuxedos and women in low-cut evening dresses do not even remember him. Every evening after dinner, dances begin in the hall.
Graduate men go to the bar, where they drink liquors and cocktails. Negroes in obligatory red camisoles serve them.
Old woman europe
The first big boat stop is in Naples. In this city, a San Francisco lord's family is housed in a luxury hotel. But their daily routine does not change from this. In the early morning breakfast, afternoon cultural program - visiting museums and temples. Then a second breakfast, afternoon tea, and then preparation for an evening dinner. A hearty lunch - a kind of cherry on the cake of every day.
Only the weather in Naples spoils the impression. The Heroes of The Lord of San Francisco arrive in December. At this time of year there are constant inclement weather - strong winds, occasional heavy rain, dirt underfoot. Therefore, the family decides to move to the island of Capri. All around them assure that on it they will be as if in paradise. The family will be surrounded only by the sun, warmth and blooming lemons.
Americans on Capri
Heroes of "The Lord of San Francisco" move to the island. They sail on a small steamboat. On the way, they suffer from seasickness, as the ship is chatting strongly on the waves.
But here they are on the shore. The funicular delivers them to the miniature town located on the top of the mountain. They settle in a hotel in which they are met by friendly staff. And immediately begin to prepare for dinner.
The protagonist dresses before his loved ones and walks alone to the hotel’s comfortable reading room, where he gets to know the latest press. He begins to read, but suddenly the lines begin to jump in front of him. The master, wriggling with his whole body, slides to the floor. A guest who was nearby was calling for help, everyone was worried. The owner of the hotel seeks to reassure guests, but in vain. The evening is already ruined.
Death
The gentleman from San Francisco is put in the cheapest and smallest room. His wife and daughter are standing in horror. What happens is what they were most afraid of - he is dying.
The wife of the protagonist wants to transfer the body to her apartment. But the owner is against. He appreciates these rooms too much and is afraid that guests will start to avoid staying with him if they find out that there was a corpse. After all, Capri is a small island, and everyone will immediately know about it. To get the coffin is also problematic, it is possible to find only a long box in which bottles of soda water used to stand.
Return trip
Mr. San Francisco’s family sets off on the return trip. On the same "Atlantis" on which they sailed here, they go home.
But now the dead are being driven into a coffin, which is hidden from others in the hold. And on the decks at this time, the usual measured life continues. Everyone has breakfast, prepares for dinner every night and still admires the ocean outside.
Story analysis
The analysis of “The Master from San Francisco” should begin by deciding on the purpose of the story. It is revealed when the family is on Capri. This is where Bunin's philosophical plan becomes clear.
After the death of the protagonist, a paradoxical thing happens. He is taken to the most dirty and disgusting room that was only in the hotel, and the body is sent to the ship in a box from the bottles so that as few as possible guests know about the tragedy.
This is the main theme of "Mr. from San Francisco." After death, wealth, fame and honor become completely unimportant. So the author clearly demonstrates the essence of human being. Money and respect, which were so important in life, become completely useless after death.
Bunin also applies symbolic contrast, describing the representatives of the bourgeois and poor people. In the analysis of "Mr. from San Francisco" it is worth noting that the images of ordinary people in the author are lively, real and attractive. But he describes the rich with undisguised neglect.
The problem of “Mr. from San Francisco” also lies in the fact that luxury and money do not protect a person from real life. People who care only about their wallet, according to Bunin, are doomed to moral baseness.