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The man in the case the main idea briefly. Analysis "Man in a case" Chekhov

The man in the case the main idea briefly. Analysis "Man in a case" Chekhov

16.07.2019

When I try to imagine Belikov, I see a little man locked in a cramped little black box. A man in a case... What a seemingly strange expression, but how accurately it reflects the human essence.

And the most interesting thing is that this little man does not try to break out of the walls surrounding him, he feels good, comfortable, calm there, he is fenced off from the whole world, the terrible world that makes people suffer, poses them with complex problems, for the solution of which it is necessary to have a certain decisiveness, prudence.

He draws a person who does not need this world, he has his own, which seems better to him. There everything is dressed in a cover, covered with it both inside and outside. Let us recall how Belikov looked: even “in very good weather” he “walked in galoshes and with an umbrella, and certainly in a warm coat with wadding.” Both his umbrella and his watch were in a case, even “... his face, it seemed, was also in a case, since he always hid it in his upturned collar.” Belikov always wore "dark glasses, a jersey, stuffed his ears with cotton, and when he got into a cab, he ordered to raise the top." That is, the desire to go into the case made itself felt always and everywhere.

He “always praised the past and that which never happened”, but the present caused him true disgust. What about his thinking? It is also all clogged, sewn up. He even hid his thought in a case. "For him, only circulars and newspaper articles were clear, in which something was forbidden." Why? Yes, because in the prohibition everything is clear, definite, understandable. Everything is in a case, nothing is impossible! This is the ideal life in the understanding of Belikov.

It would seem that you live in your case - please, live on. But Belikov was not like that. He imposes his chains, chains of rules, unquestioning obedience, true love for superiors to everyone around him.

He oppresses everyone with incredible caution, case-like considerations, puts pressure on people, as if enveloping them with his dark case. Belikov is against everything new, bright, he is constantly afraid, no matter how something happens, no matter how it reaches the authorities! The case “covers” his brain, suppressing positive emotions in the bud. This "black case" does not withstand bright light, so down with everything, even the most innocent, but not put on by the circular entertainment.

Belikov realizes, working in a team, that it would be necessary to maintain relations with colleagues, and therefore tries to show friendliness, to be a good comrade. This, of course, is wonderful, but how do these feelings find expression? He comes to visit someone, quietly sits in a corner and is silent, thereby, as he thinks, fulfilling the duty of a real comrade.

Naturally, no one loves this timid “gray mouse”, and no one expects love from him either. But even in such a person, some feelings wake up, albeit very weak ones, one might say, “still in the bud”, but they are there.

And these feelings arise in relation to Varvara Savvishna Kovalenko, the sister of the new teacher of history and geography. But here, too, Belikov “hides his head in the sand” – everything must be thought over, checked. “I like Varvara Savvishna ... and I know that every person needs to get married, but ... all this, you know, happened somehow suddenly ... We need to think about it.”

Even a wedding at Belikov’s should be strictly “regulated”, otherwise “you get married, and then, what good, you will get into some kind of story.” It is very difficult for Belikov to make a responsible decision. He needs to prepare for a long time, get ready, and then, you see, the problem will be solved by itself, everything will be quiet and calm again.

In addition, Belikov is very touchy, vulnerable. Maybe that's why he's so careful? Let us recall how the caricature affects him, what he experiences when Varya sees him falling down the stairs. These shocks break through the case, and for Belikov this is tantamount to death in the truest sense of the word.

When Belikov dies, it seems that it was for this moment that he lived. “Now, when he was lying in a coffin, his expression was meek, pleasant, even cheerful, as if he was glad that, at last, they put him in a case from which he would never leave.”

Yes, Belikov will not come out; but how many more of these little men are left in the case, how many more there will be!

Perhaps there will be many more.

But let's try to think about what awaits a person leading a cased lifestyle in old age. After all, probably, at the end of a life's journey, it is necessary to feel that not

You lived in vain in this world, you need someone who would take care of you, give you, so to speak, “water to drink”.

And if a person lived in a case, a case “without windows, without doors”, what awaits him? Loneliness, I think, and the unwillingness of others to take any part in his fate. And loneliness is scary, even for those who are covered from head to toe.

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BELIKOV'S FLIGHT FROM LIFE (analysis of A.P. Chekhov's story "The Man in the Case")

A case is an object in which something can be hidden. Anything can fit in it. Anton Pavlovich placed in a case a real, living person who was afraid of everything in the world.

Chekhov has his own peculiarity of narrating. It lies in the fact that the story is in the story. In this work, the hunters gathered around the fire and told each other stories, one such story about a strange resident of the city of our narrator was put by the author as the basis of the story.

There lived a teacher of the Greek language, Belikov, who always doubted everything, except for prohibitions. There was nothing unknown in the bans, it was said you can’t do something, which means you can’t. He was not interested in the reasons why it was impossible, for him the main thing was that it was necessary. As soon as free choice appeared in the life of a teacher, he immediately began to doubt and think that nothing good could come of it.

Everything that Belikov had was kept in cases, he slept under the canopy, covered with a blanket over his head. This man always wore glasses and a high-turned coat collar, which created a kind of case around him. Even the fact that he was a teacher of the ancient language proves that with his help Belikov tried to hide from real life. He tried not to leave his comfort zone, but the unexpected happened. They decided to marry him to the sister of a history teacher, with whom he came into conflict and received two injuries at once: one - mental, and the second - physical. Since during the conflict our hero fell down the stairs right in front of his "future" wife, this greatly affected him from the spiritual side, and then he fell ill and died a month later. As a result, Belikov, as he lived all the time in a case, was buried in it, and those around him sighed calmly, because there was no longer a person who, by his behavior, instilled fear in the whole city, although he did not have any high-ranking rank or rank.

In my opinion, Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, with his usual irony and satire, ridiculed in his story a society that is afraid of progress. As soon as something new and unknown appears in people's lives, many reject it and try to hide in a shell, to protect themselves with a fictional case. Only they forget that, fearing everything in the world, they still won’t be able to protect themselves from something, and sooner or later they will have to leave their little world or die.

Option 2

The work is an integral and final part of the prose cycle "Little Trilogy", consisting of three short stories.

The writer presents human loneliness as the main theme of the story, the reason for which is the personal decision of a person to exist in his own closed shell, separating himself from society and not recognizing the truth of life.

The central character of the work is Belikov, represented by the writer in the form of a Greek teacher teaching at a district gymnasium. Belikov is described in the story as a person who is frightened by the real life surrounding him and irritated by everything that happens around his person. For this reason, the hero creates his own shell, a personal worldview, the so-called case, having renounced real life.

Also, the writer represents Mikhail Kovalenko, a person distinguished by cheerfulness, sociability and cordiality, as the main character of the work, contrasting him with Belikov, who is characterized by a separate way of life.

The compositional structure of the story consists of easy-to-understand small fragments, each of which has its own semantic load, expressing the essence of the events taking place.

In terms of genre orientation, the work is a story written in a satirical style using a caricature image, which allows demonstrating the senselessness of a closed way of human life, as well as emphasizing the need for various kinds of initiatives and an active life position, since in a full-fledged human life there must be a manifestation of individual character traits, vivid emotions, as well as various communication with the outside world.

The plot line of the story tells about the conflict between the two characters of the work in the images of Belikov and Kovalenko, since the characters express a different position in life in the form of Mikhail's positive thinking and Belikov's passive, lifeless existence, who consciously concluded himself in internal slavery.

In addition to the main theme of the story, the writer touches upon the problems of love and human happiness in the work, expressing them in the actions of the protagonist, who is afraid of close relationships and makes a choice in favor of his own peace.

In the image of Belikov, the writer presents, with his inherent irony, typical representatives of small, insignificant people, fenced off from society and dying in a moral and spiritual sense, unaware of their own misfortune and decay, devoid of real human emotions and feelings.

Analysis of the Man in the Case

This story is built simply original and unique. The basis of this plot combines a tense fight between Belikov and Kovalenko, the characters of the plot who do not coincide at all with characters, with different principles and ideals.

Belikov lived constantly in anxiety, fearing the agents of reality. He praised and even praised past times, expressing disgust for reality, and the ancient languages that he taught children were for him like a cover where he could hide from the real, oppressive life. Children in schools did not need the ancient languages, since they were already irrelevant then, but the highest authorities forced schools to teach them in order to distract young people from harmful hobbies. Thus, he instilled great fear in everyone. All those who surrounded him seemed to see how he eagerly hides even his thoughts from them in the same closed case.

To all his eccentric appearance, the modest atmosphere of his place of residence was added. He slept, Belikov, on a small bed that looked like a box. Lying down in bed, he wrapped himself from head to toe. But even this precaution did not protect Belikov from everything that he was afraid of. But what is most surprising is that the hero of our work does not try to change something in his life, to revive it in some way, no, he is comfortable and calm within the walls of his small “box”, because in this way he does not see this a terrible spoiled world, where there are a huge number of unresolved issues, where people suffer, strive to change their lives for the better, and encountering some kind of trouble along the way, they must be extremely fearless and brave, be able to solve everything and direct it in the right direction.

Anton Pavlovich tells us about a man who renounces the real world, with all its difficulties and joys, because he is completely satisfied with his own, which seems to him the best.

It is surprising that such a barely visible and incomprehensible person, like Belikov, was lucky enough to shackle the whole outside world in his iron chains, the people around him met all the requirements and worldviews of our hero. Belikov - like life itself in all its glory, that worldly dirt, swamp that each of us has to face day after day and at almost every step, that swamp that sucks and sucks deeper and deeper, pollutes everything and suffocates with all its unbearably odorous dirt . Belikov is a public power, fearless in its indestructibility, since it does not feel, it is inaccessible to more than one human interest, passions and desires. The whole power of Belikov is in his environment, in its weak character, in the ill-conceived meanness that forms the social basis of the existence where such individuals as Belikov succeed.

The whole story includes the almost failed wedding of Belikov with Varenka Kovalenko. Ruddy, with a kind heart, deep or attentive, singing, arguing Varechka who carried joy, life, with drooping Belikov. And the bottom line is that one fine day, the head of the gymnasium thought of marrying Belikov with the sister of the newly arrived teacher of geography and history Kovalenko, who, when he saw Belikov, hated him. Kovalenko did not understand how one could endure this official, "this vile mug." And this same “nasty face” also criticized the recruit that he flaunted in a beautiful embroidered shirt, always finding himself on the street with books, plus he also bought a bicycle. Belikov's intention to tell the director about this conversation angered Mikhail Savich and completely drove him crazy. Kovalenko, with all his anger, took Belikov from behind, by the collar and shoved him up the stairs. At the moment when Belikov was falling down the steps, he noticed how at the same moment Varenka (that same sister) came in, accompanied by two ladies, and saw the whole picture. Then he became an object of ridicule for everyone - it's better to "break your neck, both legs ...", he thought. Having recognized Belikov, Varenka burst out laughing: "... with this rolling, flooded" ha-ha-ha "everything ended." After falling down the steps and ridicule of others, Belikov fell ill, lost terribly thin, turned green and was even more drawn into his fictitious case.

The basic detail of the story "The Man in the Case" was the death of the protagonist. He died from shock, from unbearable horror, which was caused by the event, which for Belikov was something crazy, amazing. On the day he was buried, the weather was disgusting, cloudy, like his entire existence. And Belikov himself, as in life, was in a case, which for him had become a coffin forever. Those who buried Belikov concealed their joy in their minds, thinking how wonderful it was that they got rid of the constant control of this eccentric person.

Chekhov is a virtuoso in that he does not limit himself to saying something superfluous, does not allow himself to reprimand directly, as there are such people as his hero the man in a case, he tells us his concept of their fate, of what awaits them if they continue to embarrass and oppress those around them in their limited and bitter case of fear. Anton Pavlovich artistically uses everyday details and invisible trifles of Belikov's life in order to most accurately, most expressively expose his state of mind, which fetters the subconscious of the protagonist of his story.

At the end of his story, Burkin revealed to his listener a wise conceptual thought: “Isn’t it that we live in a city in close quarters, write unnecessary papers, play vint – isn’t this a case?” Case life is just an insignificant human life. Anton Pavlovich Chekhov in his creations is constantly for a full of action, an open life. With the story "The Man in the Case" Chekhov wanted to show that the fear of reality can affect any person in such a way that he can well drive himself into a non-existent case invented by himself. It can be deduced from this, so to speak, that the “case” expressly describes the socio-political coloring: here Chekhov tells in brief, a true, satirical, at times grotesque, characterization of the existence of the entire Russian elite and, in general, all of Russia in the recently ended reign of Alexander III.

"The Man in the Case" is a very interesting and informative story for young people. It has many instructive, educational moments for young people. He teaches children not to withdraw into themselves, but to tell, share their experiences, fears, their insecurity in actions with people who are close to him in spirit, who can give advice that will help them not to withdraw into themselves, but to become open to society, to know the manner of communicating with everyone around, to know this world, to be able to accept the information that sometimes seems inconceivable, but still it is, you need to get used to it and in some moments and be able to make a change in what is happening

6th grade, 10th grade

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Introduction

1. Anton Pavlovich Chekhov - the genius of Russian classical literature

1.1 Biography and work of the writer

1.2 The main theme of the works of A.P. Chekhov

2. A.P. Chekhov "The Man in the Case", specifics and analysis of the work

2.1 Analysis of the specifics of the work "The Man in the Case"

2.2 History of creation

2.3 Heroes of the work and their prototypes

2.4 Storyline

2.5 Sayings from critics

Bibliography

Introduction

Chekhov's literary heritage consists of a couple of dramas and many small, "short" works, in which the writer also seems to be in a hurry to tell readers everything that he thought about Russia of his own time. Everyone knows how our era regards Chekhov?

Chekhov was, as we used to say, a cultured and insightful representative of that best part of the intelligentsia of his era, who realized that it was impossible to live the way our Motherland lived at the end of the 19th century and that it was necessary to believe in some other life, bright and beautiful. . I would very much like to emphasize that Chekhov had no answer to the alarming question of the time: "What is to be done?" It would be bad if we did not note that he only believed that the earth would be reincarnated into a blooming garden, and passionately expected this reincarnation, but when it would happen and who would be the gardener who would grow this garden, Chekhov did not know.

Chekhov, however, speaks in his own works about the newest, “bold, powerful methods of struggle”, about the need to “turn life around”, about the need for a person, as everyone says, complete freedom from any violence and inequality, speaks of the dignity of a person .

In the pre-revolutionary 90s and 900s, the very posing of these questions with the refrain: “It’s unrealistic to live like this!” - acted on society in a revolutionary way, like the novel "Resurrection" by L. Tolstoy. It is no secret to anyone that in this objectively revolutionary meaning lies all the power, as people are used to expressing themselves, of the critical realism of Russian literature of the 19th century. and, namely, Chekhov's realism.

The significance of Chekhov for our modern times is undeniable. It goes without saying that Chekhov is valuable to us both as a master of the artistic word and as a writer, according to whose works we study, as we are accustomed to say, Russian life at the end of the 19th century - “life not prohibited circularly, but not completely resolved ”, - and as our ally in the fight against the remnants of pre-revolutionary philistinism, which from time to time take place in our everyday life.

A. Gorky spoke excellently about the significance of Chekhov’s work: “When Chekhov dies, one of Russia’s best friends dies, an intelligent, impartial, truthful friend, a loving friend, compassionate to her in everything, and Russia will shudder with grief and will not forget him for a long time, for a long time will learn to understand life according to his writings, illuminated by the sad smile of a loving heart, according to a hundred stories, imbued with a deep consciousness of life, wise impartiality and compassion for people, not pity, but the compassion of an intelligent and sensitive person who understood everything.

1. Anton Pavlovich Chekhov - the genius of Russian classical literature

1.1 Biography and work of the writer

CHEKHOV Anton Pavlovich January 17 (29), 1860, Taganrog - July 2 (15), 1904, Badenweiler, South Germany; buried in Moscow at the Novodevichy cemetery Russian writer.

Antosha Chekhonte was born into a large family of a merchant of the third guild, the owner of a grocery store; studied at the classical gymnasium, at the same time helping his father in trade. The gymnasium years include Chekhov's first literary experiments - vaudeville, scenes, essays, anecdotes, etc.; some of them he sends to the editors of the capital's humorous magazines.

After entering the medical faculty of Moscow University (1879), literary work became the main source of income for Chekhov: from that time on, his “humorous little things” were regularly published on the pages of popular illustrated magazines under various pseudonyms (Antosha Chekhonte, The Man Without a Spleen, etc.). After graduating from the university (1884), Chekhov, working as a county doctor, continued to “polywrite”: the main genre in his work of this period was the short story, traditional for mass periodicals, a sketch, sketch, sketch, the plot of which is based on a funny or ridiculous incident, a curious or funny incident from life. Scattered among periodicals, written within a certain volume and within a specified period, the works of this time were collected in the collections Motley Stories (1886) and Innocent Speeches (1887). Artistic discoveries of Chekhov A new stage in Chekhov's creative biography - "entry into literature" - is associated with the beginning of his regular collaboration in the newspaper A.S. Suvorin's "New Time" (since 1886), where Chekhov's works first appeared under his real name, and the release of the collection "At Twilight" (1887), distinguished by criticism from the general flow of mass fiction (the undoubted talent of the writer was recognized, his ability to draw pictures with a few strokes nature and human types, create a poetic mood). In the same 1887, with the play “Ivanov” (staged at the Korsh Theater), Chekhov summed up his early dramatic searches, begun in his high school years, and at the same time laid the foundation for the poetics of the new dramatic art.

Attention from critics, reader sympathy and, most importantly, support from leading writers (D.V. Grigorovich, A.N. Pleshcheev, V.G. Korolenko) were regarded by Chekhov as an invitation to professional literary activity, which required him to reconsider his own attitude to literary pursuits as a way of earning money or fun.

In the story "The Steppe", published in 1888 in the journal "Severny Vestnik", Chekhov's main artistic discoveries were outlined: the absence of a hero, traditional for Russian literature, expressing the author's worldview; reconstruction of the surrounding world, refracted by emotional human perception; conveying the state of mind of the characters through “random” remarks and gestures.

In 1890, Chekhov interrupted the literary work he had begun successfully and went on a long journey through Siberia to the island of Sakhalin to "study the life of convicts and exiles." The creative result of the journey is the book Sakhalin Island (1895), written in the genre of travel notes; it was based not only on personal impressions from numerous meetings, but also on the statistical data he collected on the island.

In the first half of the 1890s. Chekhov becomes one of the most widely read writers in Russia - his works regularly appear in the journals Severny Vestnik and Russkaya Mysl (from 1892), the newspapers Novoye Vremya (until 1893) and Russkiye Vedomosti; separate editions and collections are published (Stories, 1888; Gloomy People, 1890; Tales and Stories, 1894), which are constantly reprinted, causing a wide resonance in literary circles. Without denying Chekhov's growing talent, criticism turns out to be mostly unable to accept the features of his “objective” (as he himself characterized it) artistic manner, accuses the writer of indifference to social problems, of the absence of direct authorial assessments and worldview in general, that he writes “with cold blood”, of excessive “ photographism", etc.; he sees the position of the writer in the statements of the characters: for example, the words of the old professor about his lack of a "general idea" (the story "A Boring Story", 1889) were perceived as the author's recognition and were projected onto all of Chekhov's work. The exception was the story "Ward No. 6" (1892), which was recognized as an indisputable social significance.In general, Chekhov was given the reputation of a writer who shuns social problems, a writer of everyday life and a master of subtle psychological analysis.

In numerous stories of this time, Chekhov turns to the study of the soul of modern man, influenced by various social, scientific and philosophical ideas: pessimism (“Lights”, 1888), social Darwinism (“Duel”, 1891), radical populism (“The Story of an Unknown Man” , 1893); solves issues of family relations that worried society (“Three Years”, “Spouse”, “Ariadne”, all 1895), abnormal phenomena of the psyche (“Black Monk”, 1894), etc. The basis of the plots is not a collision of a person with a rough social environment, but the internal conflict of his spiritual world: Chekhov's heroes are “gloomy”, boring, living “in the twilight” people who turn out to be vitally untenable due to their own inability for creative realization, inability to overcome spiritual alienation from other people; their misfortunes do not have a fatal predetermination and are not historically conditioned - they suffer because of their own worldly mistakes, bad deeds, moral and mental apathy. At the same time, Chekhov continued to work in the dramatic genre, writing small plays, “jokes”, vaudeville (“The Wedding”, 1890), and the comedy “Leshy” (1890).

In the mid 1890s. Chekhov returned to his dramatic searches, trying to transfer the basic principles of “objective” prose into plays: the sharpness of the plot was replaced by an outwardly calm course of events, and all dramatic collisions moved into the sphere of spiritual experiences of the characters. In the plot, the elements of entertainment were weakened, which was made up for by the psychological richness of the action, the tension of which was supported by “random” remarks that acquired symbolic coloring, as well as extra-verbal means (pauses, gestures of characters, “foreign” sounds, trifles of the situation), which together created an extremely significant for perception Chekhov's dramaturgy psychological overtones. However, Russian theaters were not ready for an adequate reproduction of the new drama: the performance of the play “The Seagull” on the stage of the Alexandrinsky Theater (1896) ended in failure, and only the production of the Moscow Art Theater (1898) opened the art of Chekhov the playwright to the public. Chekhov's subsequent plays ("Uncle Vanya", 1899; "Three Sisters", 1901, "The Cherry Orchard", 1904) were performed only on the stage of this theater.

In the late 1890s - early 1900s. Chekhov is a recognized and popular master: magazines seek his participation, the appearance of new works is regarded by critics as an event in literary life, disputes around them develop into socio-political discussions - about the future of the Russian village, about the role of the intelligentsia in society, etc. New themes emerge in his work. True to the principles of “artistic objectivity”, Chekhov creates gloomy pictures of peasant life cut off from culture (“My Life”, 1896; “Men”, 1897; “In the Ravine”, 1900). The theme of moral degradation and spiritual devastation of the Russian intelligentsia, its inability to social and personal life is raised in the story “A House with a Mezzanine” (1896), “a small trilogy” “The Man in a Case”, “Gooseberries”, “About Love” (1898).

At the same time, many of the heroes of his latest works are increasingly experiencing “longing for the ideal”, experiencing a desire for a new, better life (“On Affairs of Service”, 1898; “Bishop”, 1902; “Bride”, 1903). Alien to moral teaching, religious preaching and social utopianism, Chekhov does not prescribe recipes for moral improvement, social reorganization or spiritual transformation, but in the anguish and torment of his heroes, in their dissatisfaction with the meaninglessness of their existence, he sees evidence of the fundamental possibility for a person to arrange his life truthfully, with dignity and joyfully.

Chekhov's artistic discoveries had a huge impact on literature and theater in the 20th century. His dramatic works, translated into many languages, have become an integral part of the world theatrical repertoire.

1.2 Osnew theme of the works of A.P. Chekhov

The artistic talent of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was formed in the era of deaf timelessness of the 80s, when a painful turning point was finally made in the worldview of the Russian intelligentsia. It must be emphasized that the ideas of revolutionary populism and opposing them, liberal theories, which not so long ago reigned supreme in the minds of the seventies, lost, as we put it, their living soul, froze, were transformed into schemes and dogmas, devoid of inspiring inner content. I would like to emphasize that after the "March 1st catastrophe" in 1881 - the assassination of Alexander II by Narodnaya Volya - in general, a government reaction began in the country, accompanied by a crisis of both populist and liberal ideology. It would be bad if we did not note that Chekhov did not have a chance to participate in any serious social movement. It's not a secret for anyone that something else fell to his lot - to be an eyewitness of a bitter hangover at a life feast that was noisy back in the 70s. “It seems that everyone was in love, fell out of love and is now looking for new hobbies,” Chekhov defined the essence of the public life of his time with sad irony.

All of Chekhov's work is a call for spiritual liberation and emancipation of man. It's no secret that the principled friends of the writer unanimously noted inner freedom as the main sign of his character. M. Gorky said to Chekhov: "You seem to be the first free and non-worshipping person whom I have seen." Everyone has long known that a minor novelist, an acquaintance of Chekhov, wrote to him: "Among us, you are the only free and free person, and in soul, mind, and body a free Cossack. We are all shackled in the routine, we will not break out of the yoke."

Unlike his predecessor writers, Chekhov is moving away from artistic preaching. I would very much like to emphasize that the position of a person who knows the truth, or at least claims to know it, is alien to him. I must say that the author's voice in his works is hidden and almost invisible. “You can cry and moan over stories, you can suffer along with your characters, but I think you need to do it in such a way that the reader does not notice. The more objective, the stronger the impression also comes out,” Chekhov said about his own writing style. “When I write,” he remarked, “I fully rely on the reader, believing that he will add the subjective elements missing in the story himself.” I would very much like to emphasize that one of the critics of the early twentieth century rightly wrote that Chekhov's reticence affects the reader more than grand words: "And when he was bashfully silent about something, he was silent so deeply, meaningfully, that he seemed to speak expressively" .

Chekhov felt the exhaustion of those forms of life that our old Motherland was wearing out by the end of the 19th century, and was, like no one else, inwardly free from them. Of course, we all know very well that the more attentively he peered into life, frozen in complacency and phlegmatic dullness, the sharper and more penetrating, with intuition, as people used to say, the smartest artist felt breaking through dead forms to the light is still, as usual, tremors of some other, newest life, with which Chekhov entered into a "spiritual alliance." Everyone knows what it will be like directly, the writer did not know, but he believed that at its base there should be such a “general idea” that would not truncate the living fullness of being, but would embrace it like a vault of heaven: “A person needs not three arshins of land, not a manor, but the whole globe, all nature, where in the open space he could manifest all the properties and characteristics of his own free spirit.

Already in his early humorous stories, Chekhov examined various types of "false ideas" - stereotypes of life programs, standards by which all human behavior is built. And it's not even necessary to say that later the writer will finally find for this phenomenon, as everyone knows, an accurate and, as we used to say, capacious formula - "case". Chekhov case degradation intelligentsia

2. A.P. Chekhov "The Man in the Case", the specifics and analysis of the work

2.1 Analysis withspecificAndworks "The Man in the Case"

A.P. Chekhov is one of the Russian writers who understood that money, rank, authority, power - all these are just external ways of enslaving the human person. The real tool, the all-pervading tool, is fear.

Some kind of manic fear of life completely dominated the soul of Belikov, the central figure in Chekhov's story "The Man in the Case", published in 1898. Belikov is a “man in a case”, an absurd, insignificant creature, who, however, managed to intimidate the whole city: “We teachers were afraid of him. And even the director was afraid. Come on, our teachers are all thinking people, deeply decent, brought up on Turgenev and Shchedrin, but this man ... held the entire gymnasium in his hands for fifteen whole years. Yes, high school! The whole city!"

There are many influential people among Chekhov's characters: generals, governors, secret advisers, millionaires. But the hero who holds the whole city in his hands is only one - "the man in the case." The power of fear comes into contact with the dominion of nothingness. The purpose of this story A.P. Chekhov, it seems to me, is to convey to people the essence of fear: “Under the influence of people like Belikov, over the past ten or fifteen years in our city they have become afraid of everything. They are afraid to speak loudly, to send letters, to make acquaintances, to read books, they are afraid to help the poor, to teach them to read and write.”

The disclosure of the image of Belikov is facilitated by a compositional technique, which Chekhov often resorts to in his work - a story within a story. The hunters, who settled down for the night in the barn of the headman Prokofy, told different stories. One of them, by the name of Burkin, told about a resident of his city, a teacher of the Greek language Belikov. What was special about this man? Only by the fact that “even in very good weather he went out in galoshes and with an umbrella, and certainly in a warm coat with wadding.” In addition, “he had an umbrella in a case, and a watch in a case made of gray suede, and when he took out a penknife to sharpen a pencil, he also had a knife in a case.” His face, too, seemed to be covered with a case, as he always hid it in his upturned collar. Belikov, according to the narrator, wore dark glasses, a sweatshirt, stuffed his ears with cotton wool, and when he got into a cab, he ordered to raise the top. What it is, a fad or Belikov's way of life, Burkin does not explain. However, he notices that this person had a constant desire to “surround himself with a shell, create for himself, so to speak, a case”, which allegedly protected him from the outside world, secluded him.

Belikov lived in constant anxiety, fearing the irritants of reality. Belikov praised the past, expressing disgust for the present, and the ancient languages that he taught were the same umbrella and galoshes where he hid from real life. And this strange man instilled fear in everyone. Those around him seemed to feel that Belikov was hiding his thought in a case: “For him, only circulars and newspaper articles were clear, in which something was forbidden.” If, for example, a circular forbade pupils to go outside after nine o'clock, this was clear and definite to him. Belikov always doubted the resolution of something and was afraid "as if something did not work out."

The atmosphere of his dwelling was added to the appearance and way of thinking. Belikov's bedroom was small, like a box, the bed was with a canopy. Going to bed, the hero covered himself with his head. But even this could not protect Belikov from the fears that haunted him, he was always afraid of everything.

One day, the director of the gymnasium came up with the idea to marry Belikov and the sister of the new teacher of geography and history Kovalenko, who, however, hated Belikov at first sight. Kovalenko could not understand how people tolerate this fiscal, "this vile mug." And this “vile mug” also blamed the young man: he walks in an embroidered shirt, constantly on the street with some books, and then he also started a bicycle. Belikov's threats to report this whole conversation to the director brought Mikhail Savvich out of balance. Kovalenko grabbed "him from behind by the collar and shoved him." And when Belikov fell down the stairs, he saw that just at that moment Varenka (that same sister) entered with two ladies. He became a laughing stock - it's better to "break your neck, both legs."

Varenka, recognizing Belikov, could not contain her laughter: "... with this rolling, flooded "ha-ha-ha" everything ended." Belikov became very ill, and a month later he died. Like his whole life, the weather on the day of the funeral was overcast. And the hero, as in life, was in a case, which now became a coffin for him. The people who buried Belikov hid the pleasure that they got rid of the vigilant supervision of this man.

Concluding his story, Burkin expresses a deeply philosophical thought: “But is it that we live in a city in close quarters, write unnecessary papers, play vint - isn’t this a case?” Case life is just existence. And Chekhov in his work always advocated a full life. With the story “The Man in the Case”, the author wanted to say that fear of reality can imprison a person in a case he himself created. Moreover, the “case” has a clearly socio-political coloring: here Chekhov gives a brief, precise, satirical, sometimes grotesque, description of the life of the entire Russian intelligentsia and Russia in general in the just ended reign of Alexander I.

2.2 History of creation

The idea to create this series came from Chekhov in the summer. The "Little Trilogy" series, consisting of three stories: "The Man in the Case", "Gooseberries", "About Love", should not have ended with the story "About Love". During the writing of the stories, there was a decline in the activity of creativity, and later Chekhov was distracted by tuberculosis.

Chekhov worked on the story in May-June 1898 in Melikhovo. At the beginning of June 1898 the story was being prepared for publication, and on June 15, 1898 the manuscript was sent to the journal.

Chekhov wrote about this story in his notebooks:

2.3 Heroes of the work and their prototypes

The exact prototype of Belikov is unknown. Some contemporaries (including V.G. Bogoraz and M.P. Chekhov) believed that the prototype of the “man in a case” was the inspector of the Taganrog gymnasium A.F. Dyakonov, while others described Dyakonov's character traits, refuting the opinion of the first. So, P.P. Filevsky noted the generosity of Dyakonov and wrote: “I positively affirm that between“ The Man in the Case ”and A.F. The Dyakonovs have nothing in common, and no local flavor can be found in this work by A.P. Chekhov.

Yu. Sobolev believed that the well-known publicist M. O. Menshikov could become a probable prototype of Chekhov's hero, Chekhov wrote about him in one of his diaries: “M. in dry weather, he walks in galoshes, wears an umbrella so as not to die from sunstroke, is afraid to wash himself with cold water, complains of a sinking heart. However, the similarity between Menshikov and Belikov can only be noted externally. Chekhov himself wrote about his brother I.P. Chekhov:

From all these facts, we can conclude that the image of the Greek teacher Belikov is collective.

Now the expression "Man in a case" has become a common noun in Russian, meaning a lonely person who closes himself from the whole world, creating a shell around himself, a "case".

Characters

Heroes of the "Little Trilogy":

· Ivan Ivanych Chimsha-Himalayan- veterinarian, nobleman. A tall thin old man with a long mustache.

· Burkin - Gymnasium teacher and comrade of I. I. Chimshi-Gimalaysky. Tells a story about Belikov

Heroes of Burkin's story:

· Belikov - Greek teacher. He worked together with Burkin in the gymnasium. His favorite phrase: "Whatever happens"

· Cook Athanasius - an old man 60 years old. Drunk and half-witted servant of Belikov.

· Mikhail Savvich Kovalenko- teacher of history and geography. A young, swarthy, tall man.

· Varenka - beloved Belikov 30 years old. Sister Kovalenko. Tall, slender, black-browed, red-cheeked girl.

2.4 Plotline

The story begins with a description of the overnight stay of two hunters: Ivan Ivanych Chimsha-Gimalaysky and Burkin. They stopped in the shed of the village headman and told each other different stories. The conversation turned to the topic of people "lonely by nature, who, like a hermit crab or a snail, try to escape into their shell." Burkin tells a story about a certain Belikov, who recently died in his town.

Belikov was "The Man in the Case". Even in the warmest weather, he went out in a coat with galoshes and an umbrella. And his umbrella had a case, and a watch, and a penknife. And his very face seemed to be in a case, he constantly hid it behind his collar. This man had an irresistible desire to create a shell for himself, behind which he would hide from reality. Even the smallest violation or deviation from the rules made him worry. At the pedagogical councils, he oppressed everyone with his suspiciousness and caution. With his sighs and whining, he put pressure on everyone and everyone yielded to him. Everyone was afraid of him. Belikov had a strange habit - to walk around the teachers' apartments. He came, sat down and was silent. So he "maintained good relations with his comrades."

Once a new teacher of history and geography was appointed to the gymnasium, and he arrived not alone, but with his sister Varenka. She charmed everyone at the director's name day, even Belikov. And then everyone decided to marry them. Varenka was not averse to getting married. But Belikov doubted, he constantly talked about Varenka, about family life and that marriage is a serious step.

Varenka's brother hated Belikov from the first day they met. He even gave the name to Belikov "swallow the spider".

Once someone drew a caricature of Belikov: Belikov is walking, and Varenka is on his arm and below is the inscription: "Anthropos in love." All teachers and officials received this caricature. Belikov has not yet recovered from the incident with the caricature, and then Varenka rides out on a bicycle with his brother. Belikov becomes numb and turns pale, it seems indecent to him to ride a bicycle. The next morning, he comes to Kovalenko and starts talking to him about how indecent it is to ride a bicycle. Their meeting ends in a fight. Kovalenko lowers Belikov down the stairs. Here Varenka comes in and sees a rumpled Belikov. She thinks he fell down the stairs himself and starts laughing. With this laughter, everything ended: both the matchmaking and the life of Belikov. Belikov goes to his house, lies down and does not get up again. A month later, Belikov died. Everyone buried him, and after the funeral they felt not sadness, but relief.

At the end of the story, the friends talk about the people in the case and go to bed.

2.5 SayingsTohrithikov

The story received a great response from both critics and the common people.

One of the first to share his opinion about the story was A.A. Izmailov, who wrote:

“Beginning with a smile on the lips, the comic story is told in a serious voice, in which a slight trembling is heard. The very background of the picture becomes gloomy and solemnly majestic. Criticism was confused by the combination of a comedic caricature character and the seriousness of Chekhov's gaze, the seriousness of the background.

N. Vilenkin believed that this contradiction is connected with the skill of the writer. Even Skabichevsky, who did not have a “special love for Chekhov” and considered him an unprincipled writer, called Belikov “Chekhov’s wonderful artistic revelation” and put the image of the “man in a case” on a par with Oblomov and Chichikov. In October 1898, Chekhov's story was analyzed by the critic and publicist Bogdanovich, who highly appreciates it, notices the skill of creating a portrait of Belikov. Bogdanovich believes that Belikov is social life itself, "worldly mud", and therefore criticizes Chekhov for the hopelessness of the finale and the lack of hope. However, despite the generally positive assessments, K.P. Medvedsky, in the reactionary journal Moskovskie Vedomosti, expressed a rather rude opinion about the story and the writer's work as a whole.

Bibliography

1) Gromov M.P. Chekhov. -- M., 1993

2) Skaftymov A.P. Moral quests of Russian writers. -- M., 1972

3) Chekhov in the memoirs of his contemporaries. -- M., 1960

4) Chekhov M.P. around Chekhov. -- M., 1985

5) Chudakov A.P. Chekhov's world: emergence and assertion. -- M., 1986.

6) http://www.abc-people.com/data/chehov/bio2.htm

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Genre, conflict and composition

It is quite easy for the reader to get acquainted with the work, because it is written in simple language, which, nevertheless, is capable of evoking a huge amount of impressions. Style is expressed in compositions: the text is divided into small semantic fragments, focusing on the most important.

In the story we see conflict between two characters. The author contrasts Kovalenko (life-affirming, active position, positive thinking) and Belikov (passive and lifeless vegetation, internal slavery), which helps him to reveal the problem even better. The case becomes an artistic detail that describes the whole essence and meaning of the work, shows the inner world of the hero.

literary genre- a story that is part of a "small trilogy" of three separate stories, but combined with one idea. "The Man in the Case" is written with a clear satirical coloring, in this way the writer ridicules the very essence of the "little man" who is simply afraid to live.

The meaning of the name

In his story, Chekhov warns us that absolutely any person, unwittingly, can imprison himself in a “case”, this is where such a name came from. The case refers to fixation on the unwritten set of rules and restrictions that people shackle themselves with. Dependence on conventions turns into a disease for them and prevents them from rapprochement with society.

The secluded world of prohibitions and barriers seems much better to the inhabitants of the cases, they surround themselves with a kind of shell so that the influence of the outside world does not touch them. However, to live locked up with their own orders and attitudes is cramped, the other person will not fit there. It turns out that a resident of a stuffy, clogged corner is doomed to loneliness, so the title of the story is fundamentally given in the singular.

Main characters

The main character of the story is Belikov Greek teacher at the high school He sets certain rules in his life, and most of all he is afraid that something will not go as planned. Belikov, even in the clearest and warmest weather, is dressed in galoshes and a warm coat with a raised collar, he hides his face behind dark glasses and a hat in order to protect himself as best as possible from the influence of the environment: not only natural, but also social. He is frightened by modern reality and annoyed by everything that happens around, which is why the teacher puts on a kind of case both externally and internally.
Mikhail Kovalenko- a new teacher of history and geography, who comes to work at the gymnasium with his sister. Mikhail is a young, sociable and cheerful man of high stature, a big fan of laughing and even laughing heartily.
His sister Varenka- a woman of 30 years old, very cheerful and happy, loves to have fun, sing and dance. The heroine shows interest in Belikov, who, in turn, devotes time to her and agrees to walks in order to argue that marriage is too serious a thing. The woman still does not lose hope to stir up the gentleman, which betrays in her such qualities as perseverance and determination.

Themes

The main theme of Chekhov's story is closed and isolated human life who is shy of the world around him and shuns any manifestation of feeling. He hides his eyes from the people around him, constantly carries all his things in a case, whether it is a small knife designed for sharpening a pencil, or an ordinary umbrella, which is so convenient to hide his face. Many spiritual values were wild to the main character, and emotions were incomprehensible. This expresses his limitedness, which poisons existence.
Love Theme the story reveals Varenka's attitude towards Belikov. The girl is trying to interest the hero and return him to a full life. She believes to the last that he can still change for the better. But he also closes himself from her, because the prospect of marriage and the obsessive conversations of his colleagues about their marriage begin to frighten him.
Chekhov explains to the reader that the worst thing that can happen to a person is indifference to life. Belikov became so self-contained that he stopped distinguishing the colors of the world, enjoying communication, and striving for something. He no longer cares what happens outside of his case, as long as numerous decorums are observed.
The man in the case is a collective image of timid people who are afraid of their own feelings and emotions. They abstract from the world around them and withdraw into themselves. That's why theme of loneliness is also important in the story of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov.

Main problems

Conservative. The author realizes with horror and pity that some of his contemporaries create a shell for themselves in which they perish morally and spiritually. They exist in the world, but do not live. People go with the flow, moreover, they cannot even allow fate to intervene and change something for the better. This fear of new events and changes makes people passive, inconspicuous and unhappy. Due to the abundance of such conservatives in society, stagnation is formed, through which it is difficult for young shoots to break through, capable of developing and developing the country.
The problem of meaningless life. Why did Belikov live on earth? He never made anyone happy, not even himself. The hero is shaking over his every act and constantly repeats: "No matter how something happens." Bypassing fictitious sorrows and suffering, he misses happiness itself, thus, his price of psychological comfort is too high, since it destroys the very essence of people's existence.
looms before the reader the problem of happiness, more precisely, the problem of its achievement, essence and price. The hero replaces him with peace, but, on the other hand, he himself has the right to determine what is the highest value for him.
The problem of fear of love. The people who surround him are just as unhappy, they find themselves on the wrong side of a fictional case, Belikov simply cannot open up and let someone closer. The hero was never able to develop his feelings for the girl he liked, he just got scared of them and was left with nothing.
The Problem of Sociopathy. The teacher is afraid of society, despises it, fences himself off, not allowing anyone from the people around him to help him. They would be happy, but he himself does not allow it.

the main idea

Chekhov was not only a doctor by training, but also a healer of souls by vocation. He realized that a spiritual illness sometimes turns out to be more dangerous than a physical ailment. The idea of the story "The Man in the Case" is a protest against the lonely closed vegetation under the shell. The author puts into the work the idea that the case must be ruthlessly burned in order to feel freedom and treat life with ease.
Otherwise, the fate of a closed person can be deplorable. So, in the finale, the main character dies alone, leaving no grateful descendants, no followers, no achievements. The writer shows us how uselessly the earthly path of a “case” person can end. Colleagues and acquaintances who are present at his funeral are mentally happy that they finally said goodbye to Belikov and his importunity.

Anton Pavlovich puts socio-political overtones into his work, emphasizing the importance of social activity and civil initiative. He advocates a rich and fulfilling life, endows the protagonist with repulsive character traits in order to prove to people how miserable and pitiful the inhabitant of the “case” looks, wasting himself.

Thus, Chekhov describes the fate of many clerks who lived gray in a stuffy city, sorting out papers that no one needed. He ironically plays on the type of "little man", breaking the literary tradition of portraying him in idyllic colors. His authorial position is not contemplative or sentimental, but active, without compromise. The inhabitants of the case should not savor their insignificance and wait for pity, they need to change and squeeze a slave out of themselves.

What does the author teach?

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov makes us think about our own lives and ask ourselves an interesting question: “Are we building ourselves the same case that the main character Belikov had?”. The author literally teaches us to live, showing by example how a person who crawls before conventions and stereotypes can fade and disappear. Chekhov was really able to instill in people an aversion to a gray, worthless life, to show that inaction and indifference is the worst thing that can happen to us.

The fear of discoveries and accomplishments destroys the personality in a person, he becomes miserable and helpless, unable to show even the simplest feelings. The writer believes that human nature is much richer and more capable than what fear and laziness turn it into. Happiness, according to Chekhov, lies in a full life, where there is a place for strong emotions, interesting communication and individuality.

Interesting? Save it on your wall!

In the late 90s, Chekhov created a "small trilogy" that combined three stories: "The Man in the Case", "Gooseberry", "About Love". These stories are connected by a common theme - the theme of rejection of the case, whatever it may be. "The Man in the Case" The most important work relating to the theme of "case life" and giving it its name is the story "The Man in the Case", written in 1898. This story is a combination of social satire, material related to a certain historical era, and philosophical generalizations of eternal, universal questions. Both the title of the story and the name of its protagonist were immediately perceived as a social generalization. The main character, the teacher of the gymnasium Belikov, is so afraid of troubles that he constantly wants to hide from life, he tries to protect himself from "external influences" with the help of any protective devices: he constantly wears black glasses; stuffs ears with cotton; in any weather, he puts on galoshes, gloves and does not part with an umbrella; watch, pocketknife hides in "covers". In the gymnasium, he teaches the ancient Greek language, which is deeply symbolic, because in a dead language everything is once and for all subject to strict rules. Even Belikov also seeks to hide his thoughts in a case, most likely, again, out of fear "no matter how something happens." From the description of a simple gymnasium teacher, clearly marked signs of the era grow: a carefully concealed thought, which they try to hide deeper in a case; complete prohibition of any public activity; the rise of espionage and denunciations. The result of all this, its direct consequence is universal fear. Belikov oppressed teachers, put pressure on everyone, they began to be afraid of everything, obeyed, endured. The description of Belikov's behavior and habits contains a paradox: a person who should feel most at home in an environment he himself creates, in the customs he instills, he is the first to suffer from them. The same Belikov, whom everyone is so afraid of, cannot even sleep peacefully at night. He is scared even in his case, he is afraid of his cook Athanasius, thieves and thinks, "whatever happens." Such a miserable "case life" is opposed in the story by another life, free, filled with movement and laughter. This life is personified in the story by Varenka Kovalenko, the sister of the new teacher of history and geography. Love can also be a kind of case, as, for example, it becomes one for Olenka Plemyannikova (the story "Darling"). At first glance, it seems that at least some human weaknesses and feelings have finally appeared in the soul of a person in a case. "Gooseberry" This story shows another version of the "case" existence. The hero of the work is Nikolai Ivanovich Chimshi-Himalayan. All his thoughts are aimed at acquiring an estate with a garden in which gooseberries grow. Chekhov again uses the technique of a "speaking" surname. The ridiculous double surname enhances the parody of the image. In the description of Nikolai Ivanovich, Chekhov uses satirical techniques, which contributes to the creation of a repulsive image:. "About love". The heroes of the last story from the "little trilogy" loved sincerely and deeply, but were afraid to reveal their feelings. The story "About Love" prompts the reader to think about the complexity and incomprehensibility of human feelings. The characters of the story have lengthy conversations about love, as if trying to understand this complex and multifaceted phenomenon. At the very beginning, the conversation is based on the story of Pelageya's love for the cook Nikanor. The cook was a drunkard, and besides, he had a violent temper, which, however, did not prevent the woman from loving him sincerely and with all devotion. That is why the speakers have a completely logical question: “How is love born, why didn’t Pelageya fall in love with someone else, more suitable for her in terms of her spiritual and external qualities, but fell in love with Nicanor?” Discussing such issues, everyone present does not come to any definite conclusion. A person is driven by society into a "case". And Chekhov demonstrates this especially well on the example of Alekhine, who, it would seem, wants to change his monotonous life, to break out of the "case", but at the same time does not dare to part with the calmness and comforts of an established life. Anna Alekseevna also prefers a "case" existence and does not dare to change. She wants love, but a gray, familiar life with a husband and children is closer and more understandable to her than a new one, in which, most likely, she will be rejected by a society that does not forgive any attempts to destroy the existing order.