How does the story about the Apostle Peter characterize a student? Chekhov A.P.

“Student” is one of A.P.’s favorite stories. Chekhov. The author found it uplifting and positive. Is this really true?

It is known that A.P. Chekhov complained about the lack of childhood in his life. WITH youth he had to work in his father's shop and also sing in church choir. Last fact The biography was reflected in several of the writer’s texts, including the story “Student”.

The first publication of this work took place in 1894 in the newspaper “Russian Vedomosti”. Presumably the story was written in Yalta, while working on the book “Sakhalin Island”. In the first edition, the work had the title “In the Evening,” and the author also made some clarifications to the text: about Vasilisa’s tears, about truth and beauty on earth.

Genre, direction

Undoubtedly, “The Student” is a story, but this complex work is also associated with other genres. The text is close to the genres of parable and sermon. This is evidenced not only by biblical references, but also by the narrative itself: since Ivan Velikopolsky, through turning to the Holy Scriptures and communicating with two widows, finds hope and enlightenment.

“The Student” is not the only work in Chekhov’s work dedicated to spiritual search. Religious themes are present in stories such as The Holy Night, The Holy Mountains, and The Bishop. In Russian literature, this direction was developed by L.N. Tolstoy (“Father Sergius”), L. Andreev (“Bargamot and Garaska”, “Angel”), I. Bunin (“Clean Monday”).

Composition

The composition of “The Student” is linear, the narrative moves smoothly from exposition to denouement. The main dynamics of the text - the path young man home. This movement is very symbolic, it is filled not only physical work, but also spiritual.

The story begins with a description of nature. Joyful spring mood gives way to melancholy and anxiety caused by the cold wind. Student Ivan Velikopolsky, returning home, notices a fire. This is where the action begins. The culmination is the moment of spiritual enlightenment of the protagonist, when Vasilisa began to cry. This episode absolutely changes the state and mood actor, after which Ivan goes home with completely different thoughts.

The essence

On a cold Good Friday evening, Ivan Wielkopolsky returns home after hunting woodcock. He is full of sad thoughts and does not see any prospects in his life. When the student approaches the widow's gardens, he notices the fire and the housewives themselves - Vasilisa and her daughter Lukerya.

Ivan tells the women the story of Peter, known to everyone from the Bible. This story resonates in the souls of the listeners. As the student continues on his way, he ponders their reaction. Main character understands that all events in history are interconnected. This conclusion inspires Ivan and fills his life with meaning.

The main characters and their characteristics

The main character of the work is Ivan Velikopolsky, a student at the Theological Academy. The young man comes from the clergy - the son of a sexton - which indicates the poverty of his family. He cannot hope for changes for the better, so he falls into despair. Before talking with the widows, it is difficult to say that Ivan is happy to devote himself to a righteous life and serving God. Lent, which is especially strict on Holy Week, for a poor student, is only an excuse for hunger related to the financial situation of the family. The Bible becomes for a young man a text that he must know well and be able to interpret.

The hero’s listeners, Lukerya and Vasilisa, are simple, poorly educated women. It would seem that they understand the difficult text of the Gospel? But it's them emotional reaction on biblical history makes Ivan look at the world differently.

Topics

Historical memory. The connection of times is one of the key themes of the story. The inescapability of the narrative is a property of biblical texts. “Student” is not without such characteristics. Feeling historical memory allows the main character to feel unity with Christ. Ivan seems to become involved in the events of Holy Week.
Religion. Ivan Velikopolsky was born and raised in religious family. He knows the Holy Scriptures very well and is well acquainted with all Orthodox rituals. Another question is how does such religiosity affect a young man? After all, on Good Friday he does not pray in church, but goes hunting.
Faith. Thanks to Vasilisa’s tears, the story of Peter for the student becomes something more than just a beautiful story. It becomes as real as a conversation with women around a fire. “Sweet expectation of happiness” testifies to the acquisition of true faith, which for Ivan is much more important than religiosity.

Problems

The text reveals several interrelated problems. For example, the problem of poverty. She is presented in two guises. Firstly, material poverty. The Wielkopolski family would be happy to spend Good Friday in church, but need prevents this. The father is sick, the mother must run the household alone, obviously, hunting is also more than entertainment for Ivan. Secondly, cowardice. It directs the reader to another problem: despair. Ivan loses hope for the best and does not want to return home. If such devastation has existed since the time of Rurik, then what can change life now?

The Evangelical Peter also begins to seem like a coward, but still the student does not want to believe it. The word “woke up” indicates a delusion, an obsession that preceded the events described. Thus, the problems of the story are rich in ambiguous and acute questions about the meaning and value of existence.

Main idea

The story teaches us to believe and hope for salvation. Chekhov's idea was for the reader to find enlightenment through his text in the same way as Ivan the Great through the biblical story of Peter.

The meaning of the work is that a person can always find happiness, even if he is on the verge of poverty, and illness, cold and ignorance reign around him. The author ends the story of Peter on a tragic note, thereby forcing the reader to remember the joyful ending of this biblical episode. Until recently, the hero did not believe that Easter was coming, but now life seems to him “delicious, wonderful and full of high meaning.”

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At the same time, most studies contain some general characteristics works. The uniqueness of our approach to story analysis lies in close attention to the verbal fabric literary text, as well as in a “step-by-step” analysis of it - commented reading.

As you know, the story was written in 1894. From the memories of the writer’s relatives and friends it is known that “The Student” was his favorite work. It reflects some of the author's childhood impressions, raised in a family that strictly observed church traditions. At the same time, the story is distinguished by features characteristic of later works Chekhov: deep spiritual content, philosophical and at the same time pronounced lyricism.

“The Student” stands out for its brevity even among Chekhov’s short stories. On the one hand, it does this work convenient for studying in high school. On the other hand, it is difficult to understand the story due to the extraordinary lexical and semantic “saturation”, “density” of the narrative, containing “clumps” of spiritual meanings. Let us note in this regard that with preliminary independent reading students, as a rule, cannot penetrate into deep meaning this work. IN best case scenario they perceive it as a colorful sketch “from life” - in the tradition of “ natural school"; the spiritual content of the “Student” remains closed to them.

Before a commented reading of a story in class, it is useful to analyze with the students the meaning of individual words and expressions.

For example, some words associated with hunting require explanation - say, the name of one of the migratory birds- woodcock. It is hunted, as a rule, in the spring, on the pull - in the morning and at dusk, the male woodcock begins to pull: he rises on the wing and flies around a small territory in search of a female. At this moment, the hunters are just shooting at the bird (cf. Chekhov: “One woodcock held out, and the shot at it sounded loud and cheerful in the spring air”).

Great benefit for schoolchildren in terms of mastering the lexical richness of Russian literary language brings analysis Church Slavonic vocabulary; we find it mainly in Ivan Velikopolsky’s retelling of the gospel story about Peter’s threefold denial. Ivan retells a passage from the Gospel of Luke, including in his speech individual words in Slavic ( supper, dungeon, loops). However, some others lexical units, contained in Chekhov's story, are of Church Slavonic origin ( sobbing, abundant etc.).

Note that some Slavic words are commented on in Chekhov's text itself: in the student's story the word loops is explained through a synonym: “The rooster will not crow today...” Another example: Peter “ left the yard and bitter-bitter cried. The Gospel says: “And gone there, crying bitterly"".

In the story “Student” it is also important to analyze the elements artistic speech: metaphors ( ice needles; chain of events; smelled of winter; the face flared up; everything was completely buried in the cold evening darkness), metaphorical epithets ( piercing wind, fierce poverty, sweet anticipation of happiness), personifications ( nature is creepy) comparisons (... something living hummed pitifully, as if blowing into an empty bottle...). In addition to the fact that students clarify for themselves the direct and figurative meaning words and expressions, they become familiar with artistic techniques Chekhov, in particular with the means of allegory.

As is known, special role Symbolism plays a role in Chekhov's work. Words and expressions that have a symbolic meaning are analyzed separately.

Researchers have repeatedly written about the symbolism of light and fire in Chekhov’s works. Such words and phrases in the story “Student” as light, fire, bonfire, crimson dawn and some others, are interpreted not only at the level lexical meaning. Their symbolic meaning is revealed in close connection with an analysis of the content of the entire work.

In Chekhov’s text, the word of Church Slavonic origin acquires symbolic meaning desert, as well as derivatives from it: deserted, deserted, which appear repeatedly in the analyzed story (“there were all around deserted", "...the same desert all around...", " deserted village").

As you know, the word desert has several meanings in Russian. The first, most common in modern language, - arid, waterless area with sparse vegetation or even absence thereof (for example, sandy desert; Wed from Pushkin in “Anchar”: “In desert stunted and stingy...").

The second (or rather, the first - in its origin) meaning, less common in modern language, is a deserted area. It is in this sense that the word is used desert in Chekhov's story, as in many other works of Russian classical literature. This is the meaning of the word desert goes back to the texts Holy Scripture, to patristic and hagiographical texts on Church Slavonic language. By the way, this is where the image of the monk comes from - hermit in Russian poetry (cf. Pushkin: “Fathers- hermits…»).

Moreover, the word desert metaphorically reflects the state of a person’s soul. Pushkin writes about the spiritual desert in his “Prophet” (“We are tormented by spiritual thirst, / In desert I was languishing gloomily...").

However, the image of the desert in Pushkin's poem, as in Chekhov's story, cannot be called bleak. This is not only a vale of sorrow, but also a place of a mysterious meeting between man and God: for Pushkin - the poet-prophet, for Chekhov - the theological student.

During the lesson, it is also necessary to invite the students themselves to give an interpretation of the names of historical figures who have fundamentally important to understand Chekhov's story. There aren't many of them. These are the “key” figures in Russian history: Rurik, Ivan the Terrible, Peter(meaning Peter I). In addition, these are persons and events Sacred History New Testament: Jesus Christ, Apostle Peter, Pontius Pilate,Last Supper - in their correlation with the realities of church life in Russia - such as Good Friday, Twelve Gospels, Easter.

As a rule, most students are familiar with these faces and realities. But not all. Their meaning can be tentatively explained, although the deeper meaning of the mention of all these persons and events in Chekhov's story becomes clear only as a result of a holistic analysis of the work.

Having analyzed the meaning of words, expressions, historical figures and events, we move on to a sequential analysis of the story. It is advisable to break the work into semantic parts and comment on each fragment.

The first paragraph of the text describes spring nature, details of hunting on traction, change of weather. Students' attention can be drawn to those artistic media that the writer uses here (metaphors, personifications, epithets - see above).

The weather was good and calm at first. The blackbirds were calling, and in the swamps nearby something living was humming pitifully, as if blowing into an empty bottle. One woodcock held out, and the shot at it sounded loud and cheerful in the spring air. But when it got dark in the forest, a cold, piercing wind blew inopportunely from the east, and everything fell silent. Ice needles stretched across the puddles, and the forest became uncomfortable, deaf and unsociable. It smelled like winter.

The second paragraph introduces us to the main character of the story and his thoughts about Russian history.

Ivan Velikopolsky, a student at the Theological Academy, the son of a sexton, returning home from work, walked all the time along the path through the flooded meadow. His fingers were numb and his face was hot from the wind. It seemed to him that this sudden cold had disrupted the order and harmony in everything, that nature itself was terrified, and that is why the evening darkness thickened faster than necessary. All around it was deserted and somehow especially gloomy. Only in the widows' gardens near the river did the fire glow; Far all around and where the village was, about four miles away, everything was completely buried in the cold evening darkness. The student remembered that when he left home, his mother, sitting on the floor in the hallway, barefoot, was cleaning the samovar, and his father was lying on the stove and coughing; On the occasion of Good Friday, nothing was cooked at home, and I was painfully hungry. And now, shivering from the cold, the student thought that exactly the same wind blew under Rurik, and under Ivan the Terrible, and under Peter, and that under them there was exactly the same severe poverty, hunger, the same leaky thatched roofs, ignorance, melancholy, the same desert all around, darkness, a feeling of oppression - all these horrors were, are and will be, and because another thousand years will pass, life will not get better. And he didn't want to go home.

Important to comment social background hero. He's from clergy (clergy), and from the poorest part of it: son sexton - clergyman, not having holy orders. Even if priests (priests) And deacons were in Russia at that time, as a rule, poor people, then sextons (scribes, psalm-readers) lived extremely poorly, often on the verge of poverty. This is exactly the picture of the life of the main character’s parents that is painted in the quoted passage. Metaphorical epithet " fierce poverty" reflects in Ivan’s thoughts not only a characteristic phenomenon historical life Russia, but also harsh reality of his own youth.

Theological Academy, where Ivan, in all likelihood, entered after successfully graduating theological seminary, gave an excellent education at that time. Many graduates of theological academies became priests, some, taking monastic tonsured, - church hierarchs: bishops, archbishops, metropolitans. But not always. Sometimes a graduate of a theological seminary or even an academy remained layman and chose a different career - for example, the profession of a teacher at a theological school, seminary, or the same academy without a priestly sana; could have preferred a purely secular path. The point is that reality everyday life spiritual educational institutions In Russia at that time, the life of the clergy was often far from ideal, sometimes even causing rejection from young people. It is no coincidence that not only devotees of piety and martyrs for the faith emerged from seminaries, but also “fiery” revolutionaries.

Let's return to the quoted passage. AND unfavorable change weather conditions and painful hunger lead Ivan to sad thoughts about Russian history. It is important to emphasize here that there are three historical figures mentioned in the hero’s thoughts: Rurik, Ivan the Terrible And Peter- symbolic figures. Historians associate the appearance of the legendary Varangian (Scandinavian) prince Rurik with the name of Kievan Rus - an East Slavic state, from which, in fact, the history of Russia began. Ivan the Terrible is also a symbolic person, personifying both the greatness and suffering of the people in the era Moscow kingdom – Third Rome. Finally, Peter I is a symbol new Russia with its capital in St. Petersburg, Russian Empire. Thus, the three mentioned persons personify the entire thousand-year history of Russia.

Here it is appropriate to compare the originality of the artistic historicism of Chekhov and Tolstoy, for example. To express his ideas about the history of Russia, Tolstoy needed to create a four-volume epic novel - “War and Peace”, mentioning over a hundred historical figures. For Chekhov it was enough to write a few lines and mention only three historical persons Laconicism is a striking, distinctive feature of Chekhov’s work, and this is also evident in his view of history.

So, in the history of Russia, Chekhov’s hero sees only hopeless poverty and immeasurable suffering of the common people. “Severe poverty, hunger... ignorance, melancholy... darkness, a feeling of oppression” are not conceptualized by him as random phenomena, related only to his own family, but as an essential, natural and irresistible feature of the historical existence of his homeland.

However, Chekhov’s hero did not discover anything fundamentally new in his view of the history of the Russian people. Pain about suffering ordinary people Many of Chekhov's contemporaries experienced this. Chekhov himself created the story “The Student” several years after he returned from a trip to Sakhalin, where he saw terrible pictures of the life of the convict population.

But besides this, it is important to understand something else: in the presentation Orthodox man poverty, poverty is a better path to holiness than wealth. It is no coincidence that F.I. Tyutchev in his famous poem about Russia “These poor villages...” saw in the poverty, long-suffering and humility of the Russian people a special blessing from the King of Heaven. The student at the Theological Academy could not help but know that poverty is a trait of holiness. This is essentially different: how to approach this? Should I sympathize with the people, trusting in the mercy of God, prepare myself to serve people through difficult priestly feats, or should I give in to despondency? It is quite obvious that at the beginning of the story the hero’s mood is pessimistic. Why? This is worth looking into.

Ivan went for spring lifting not on an ordinary day, but on Good Friday. Here, before moving on to the analysis of the next episode of the story, it is important to explain to students what the following liturgical realities and church services mean for an Orthodox person: Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday, Maundy Thursday in Slavic) and memories of Last Supper; reading Twelve Gospels at the evening service (at matins) under Good Friday (Good Friday, Good Friday); in the morning on Good Friday – reading Royal Clock; in the afternoon - vespers with rank Deletions(takeaway) Holy Shroud; Friday evening - Matins Great Saturday (Most Blessed Saturday) with rank Burial of the Shroud. Apparently At the end of these services, student Ivan decided to have a little fun and hunt woodcock.

For a deeply religious person who sincerely loves Christ and sympathizes with His suffering on the cross, any entertainment, such as hunting, on Good Friday is impossible. Especially for a student at a theological academy - probably a future clergyman. It is precisely this frivolous activity that, apparently, is the main reason for Ivan’s gloomy mood. And disharmony in nature, bad weather and sad reflections on the centuries-old suffering of the Russian people only increase the hero’s despondency.

The central episode of the story is the student’s meeting with two widows, Vasilisa and her daughter Lukerya. Chekhov notes the common people, poverty, and deprivation of women. In a few words, the writer talks about their difficult life.

The gardens were called widow's gardens because they were maintained by two widows, a mother and daughter. The fire burned hotly, with a crackling sound, illuminating the plowed ground all around. The widow Vasilisa, a tall, plump old woman in a man's sheepskin coat, stood nearby and thoughtfully looked at the fire; her daughter Lukerya, small, pockmarked, with a stupid face, sat on the ground and washed the cauldron and spoons. Apparently they had just had dinner. Men's voices were heard; It was the local workers who watered the horses on the river.

“So winter has come back to you,” said the student, approaching the fire. - Hello!

Vasilisa shuddered, but immediately recognized him and smiled welcomingly.

“I didn’t recognize it, God be with you,” she said. - To be rich.

We talked. Vasilisa, an experienced woman who once served as a mother and then as a nanny for her masters, expressed herself delicately, and a soft, sedate smile never left her face; her daughter Lukerya, a village woman, beaten down by her husband, only squinted at the student and was silent, and her expression was strange, like that of a deaf-mute.

The above passage does not require special interpretation. However, it is worth paying attention to symbolic meaning images of two widows. These women represent in Chekhov's story the same poor and destitute Russian people whose eternal suffering the student was just reflecting on. At the same time, Vasilisa and Lukerya remind the reader about the gospel widows, about the myrrh-bearing women, about Martha and Mary - the sisters of the righteous Lazarus - in a word, about those women devoted to Christ who were next to the Savior, sympathizing with His torment on the cross, and then were rewarded with the sight of Him resurrected

It is no coincidence that it is in a conversation with Vasilisa and Lukerya that Ivan finds consolation, retelling to them the Gospel story of Peter’s threefold denial. In Ivan's words we find exact quotes from the Gospel. They are interspersed in the free presentation of the events of Sacred History. In his retelling, the hero combines phrases colloquial speech and Church Slavonic text. Here, undoubtedly, Chekhov’s own childhood impressions were reflected: reading texts of the Holy Scripture aloud, as well as the perception of church vocabulary and phraseology in the living everyday speech of the writer’s father and uncle. It is no coincidence that Chekhov scholars repeatedly refer to the well-known testimony of I. A. Bunin - that Chekhov was distinguished by “a subtle knowledge of church services and simple believing souls.”

“In exactly the same way, on a cold night, the Apostle Peter warmed himself by the fire,” said the student, stretching out his hands to the fire. “So it was cold then too.” Oh, what a terrible night it was, grandma! An extremely dull, long night!

He looked around at the darkness, shook his head convulsively and asked:

– Probably, you were at the Twelve Gospels?

“It was,” Vasilisa answered.

– If you remember, during the Last Supper, Peter said to Jesus: “With You I am ready to go to prison and to death.” And the Lord responded to him: “I tell you, Peter, today the nooses, that is, the rooster, will not crow before you deny three times that you do not know Me.” After the supper, Jesus was mortally sad in the garden and prayed, and poor Peter was weary in soul, weakened, his eyelids became heavy, and he could not overcome sleep. Slept. Then, you heard, Judas kissed Jesus that same night and handed Him over to the tormentors. They led him bound to the high priest and beat him, and Peter, exhausted, tormented by melancholy and anxiety, you know, not getting enough sleep, sensing that something terrible was about to happen on earth, followed. He passionately, madly loved Jesus, and now saw from afar how they beat Him...

Lukerya left the spoons and fixed her fixed gaze on the student.

“They came to the high priest,” he continued, “they began to interrogate Jesus, and meanwhile the workers lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard, because it was cold, and warmed themselves.” One woman, seeing him, said: “And this one was with Jesus,” that is, that he, too, should be brought in for questioning. And all the workers who were near the fire must have looked at him suspiciously and sternly, because he was embarrassed and said: “I don’t know Him.” A little later, again someone recognized him as one of Jesus’ disciples and said: “And you are one of them.” But he again denied. And for the third time someone turned to him: “Didn’t I see you today with Him in the garden?” He renounced for the third time. And after this time, the rooster immediately crowed, and Peter, looking at Jesus from afar, remembered the words that He said to him at the evening... He remembered, woke up, left the yard and cried bitterly. The Gospel says: “And he went out, weeping bitterly.” I imagine: quiet, quiet, dark dark garden, and in the silence you can barely hear muffled sobs...

If the student's story can be called sermon, as some researchers of Chekhov claim, then, of course, it does not fully correspond to the genre of a church sermon delivered by a priest in a church; This is still a casual conversation between familiar people, in which, indeed, you can see some elements of a sermon.

The hero's retelling of the Gospel of Luke, combined with a lively conversation with two women, forms a special narrative plot in Chekhov's work, requiring a special explanation.

The interpretation of the Gospel texts has a long patristic tradition. Our tasks do not include detailed analysis passage on the basis of which the student tells the story of Peter's threefold denial. It is important to focus students’ attention on only a few facts of Sacred History. Simon, son of Jonah and brother Apostle Andrew, was the most zealous disciple of the Savior, for which he received from Him the name Peter (“Πετρος” means ‘stone’ in Greek). As is known, at the moment of the betrayal of Judas, when the Savior was captured, Peter showed courage: he drew his sword and cut off the ear of Malchus, the servant of the high priest [John. 18:10]. We also know that at that moment the other disciples of Jesus (except for the Apostle John) fled, but Peter followed Him. But while in the courtyard of the high priest, Peter showed spiritual weakness, denying his Teacher three times. Remembering that the Lord had warned him about this, he cried and repented of his cowardice.

At this point the student's story ends. Meanwhile, as you know, the Gospel story of the Apostle Peter has its continuation, which is important for understanding Chekhov’s story. By his renunciation, Peter deprived himself of apostolic dignity, but the Savior’s love for the fallen disciple did not weaken. True, the risen Christ, in the words of the Angel who appeared to the myrrh-bearing women, had not yet called Peter His disciple: “Tell His disciples And Peter (my italics - A.M.), that He goes before you into Galilee" [Mk. 16:8]. And yet, the Lord, after His resurrection, appeared to Peter, and during a meal on Lake Tiberias (also at the fire) restored His disciple to apostolic dignity - asking him three times about his love for Himself and predicting to him martyrdom on the cross [Jn. 21:15–18]. Undoubtedly, both Ivan Velikopolsky and Vasilisa and Lukerya know about the end of the Gospel story about Peter, about the Savior’s forgiveness of His disciple. This episode of Sacred History was also remembered by Chekhov’s contemporaries - the readers of his story.

For a believer, the mentioned gospel events have a special meaning. If the Lord forgave His disciple who showed spiritual weakness and did not stop loving him, then, without a doubt, He will forgive every person who repented of his sin. It is no coincidence that a student at the Theological Academy, also a disciple of Christ, remembered precisely Peter while warming himself by the fire in the company of two widows; he even compared himself to Peter: “In the same way, on a cold night, the Apostle Peter warmed himself by the fire,” said the student, stretching out his hands to the fire...” In this regard, the words of Ivan Velikopolsky, telling the story of Peter’s abdication, can hardly be called a sermon. Here, rather, something reminiscent confession, repentance…

The following fragment of Chekhov's story describes the reaction of the listeners to the student's words.

The student sighed and thought. Continuing to smile, Vasilisa suddenly sobbed, large, abundant tears flowed down her cheeks, and she shaded her face from the fire with her sleeve, as if ashamed of her tears, and Lukerya, looking motionless at the student, blushed, and her expression became heavy, tense, like a person holding back severe pain.

The lively, emotional response of the kind women to the story about Peter amazed the hero, setting him up for painful thoughts (the text from the words “The workers were returning from the river” to the words “... has something to do with her”); their result was spiritual insight. It does not happen immediately, but a little later, after Ivan broke up with the widows.

The workers were returning from the river, and one of them on horseback was already close, and the light from the fire trembled on him. The student wished the widows Good night and moved on. And darkness came again, and my hands began to feel cold. A fierce wind was blowing, winter was indeed returning, and it didn’t look like the day after tomorrow was Easter.

Now the student was thinking about Vasilisa: if she cried, then everything that happened that terrible night with Peter has something to do with her.

He looked back. A lone fire blinked calmly in the darkness, and no people were visible near it. The student again thought that if Vasilisa cried and her daughter was embarrassed, then, obviously, what happened nineteen centuries ago is related to the present - to both women, and, probably, to this deserted village, to himself, to everyone to people. If the old woman cried, it was not because he knew how to tell a touching story, but because Peter was close to her, and because she was interested with all her being in what was happening in Peter’s soul.

And joy suddenly stirred in his soul, and he even stopped for a minute to catch his breath. The past, he thought, is connected with the present by a continuous chain of events flowing from one another. And it seemed to him that he saw both ends of this chain: he touched one end, as the other trembled.

Ivan Velikopolsky discovered the spiritual connection of times. Here special meaning acquires symbolic image chains: “The past, he thought, is connected with the present in a continuous chain of events, following one from the other. And it seemed to him that he saw both ends of this chains: touched one end, as the other trembled.”

Let's look at the last fragment of Chekhov's story, where the reader is revealed to the hero's new, optimistic attitude.

And when he crossed the river on a ferry and then, climbing the mountain, looked at his native village and to the west, where a cold crimson dawn shone in a narrow strip, he thought that the truth and beauty that guided human life there, in the garden and in the courtyard of the high priest, continued continuously to this day and, apparently, always constituted the main thing in human life and in general on earth; and the feeling of youth, health, strength - he was only 22 years old - and the inexpressibly sweet expectation of happiness, unknown, mysterious happiness took possession of him little by little, and life seemed to him delightful, wonderful and full of high meaning.

It is advisable to draw students’ attention to the original, primordial meanings of words familiar to them, Church Slavonic in origin: unknown(from verb. know– know), that is, previously unknown; mysterious(from n. secret); amazing(from verb. delight, prefix meaning re-- upward movement), that is, delighting the soul of a person in higher spheres; wonderful(from n. miracle).

The hero’s meeting with God was completed: they returned to his heart Divine love and true faith. It is noteworthy that in the story “Student” these spiritual values are interpreted in a special way, in Chekhov’s way. Key concepts become Chekhov's Truth And beauty. It is clear that we are talking here about the truth of Christ and the beauty of His life and teaching, inseparable from true love: “The truth and beauty that guided human life there in the garden and in the courtyard of the high priest continued uninterrupted to this day and, apparently, have always been the main thing in human life and on earth in general.” Chekhov's hero suddenly realized and felt that true love, which lives in the hearts of ordinary people, despite all the hopelessness of their earthly life - in the past and in the present.

The story ends with the hero's thoughts about happiness and about the truth revealed to him meaning of life. It is clear that Ivan Velikopolsky anticipates happiness not as material well-being, but as the possibility of all-encompassing love, which, according to the Apostle Paul, “never fails...”. Life seems to him full of “high meaning.” Epithet high emphasizes here a certain spiritual content, inseparable from true faith and Divine love.

As already noted, the motive is very important in Chekhov's story Sveta. The image of light, fire (as, indeed, the images darkness, haze, darkness) has a symbolic meaning in the work. Mentioned at the beginning of the story is distant fire in widows' gardens cannot dispel the evening darkness. It emphasizes the desolation and gloominess the terrain through which the student is walking is shaded darkness in the soul of the hero himself. Then the hero approaches bonfire. This fire reminds the student of another bonfire which is spoken of in the Gospel. His fire illuminated consciousness Chekhov's character, illuminated his soul.

Let’s return once again to the text of the last fragment of Chekhov’s story and pay attention to two details left without comment: “... when he was crossing by ferry through river and then, climbing up mountain..." It would be inappropriate to talk here about any unambiguous parallels and associations, but one of the interpretations of this place in the story “Student” may be like this. Crossing the river, climbing the mountain... These details of the landscape in Chekhov's story again amazingly remind us of the events that took place nineteen centuries ago in Jerusalem: about the crossing of the Savior and His disciples on that “terrible night” across the Kidron stream [John. 18:1] and their ascent to the Mount of Olives [Lk. 22:39], where the Lord prayed until bloody sweat, and then was captured by his torturers.

Upon completion of the commented reading of Chekhov’s work, one can again reflect on the writer’s view of the historical existence of the Russian people in its correlation with the events of Sacred History described in the story and their liturgical recollection, experience on Good Friday.

Indeed: if you see in the history of Russia only outside, then it really appears before the reader in disappointing pictures that open in the imagination of Chekhov’s hero at the beginning of the story: “severe poverty, hunger... ignorance, melancholy... darkness, a feeling of oppression.” But there is another, spiritual history of the fatherland, which does not take place in external events, but in the spiritual work of ordinary believers. That is why the landscape details of ancient Jerusalem and the images of persons from the gospel narrative are surprisingly correlated by Chekhov with symbolic images and Ancient Rus', and contemporary Russia. It turns out that Sacred History, captured in the Gospel, and spiritual history home country– links one chains. Chekhov's hero felt his involvement in this story in his heart. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the story contains such iconic landscape details as desert, mountain, water flow, light evening dawn, reflecting non-evening light in the soul of a hero. These images help the writer convey the spiritual image of Rus' as the New Jerusalem, residing in the hearts of ordinary Russian people.

How will it turn out? later life Ivan Velikopolsky? What's it like own place V thousand years of history Russia and the centuries-old history of all mankind, what was he just thinking about? Will this Chekhovian hero become a priest or choose a different path? What next? We should not forget that the mature years of a student at a theological academy will coincide with a time of terrible, unprecedented persecution of the Church and Christians. Will he, like the Apostle Peter, suffer the crucifixion? Or will his faith be shaken again, and his love become scarce, and this Russian disciple of Christ will renounce his Teacher?

In Chekhov's story we do not find the answer to these questions. But he will inevitably ask himself young reader, trying to comprehend the history of Russia, and the history of mankind, and the historical existence of an individual in the spiritual channel that the great Russian writer reveals to us in his brilliant work.

A lot of research has been devoted to literary analysis of A.P. Chekhov’s story “Student”. Among recent publications we will name the following: Jackson R.L. “Man lives for those who have passed and those to come”: About the story by A.P. Chekhov “Student” // Questions of Literature. – 1991. – No. 8. – pp. 125–130; Dunaev M. M. Orthodoxy and Russian literature. Part IV. – M.: “Christian Literature”, 1998. (analysis of “Student” – pp. 598–599); Kataev V. B. A. P. Chekhov // Russian literature XIX– XX centuries: In 2 vols. – T. I. – 9th ed. – M.: Publishing house Mosk. University, 2008 (analysis of “Student” - pp. 498–501); Zlochevskaya A.V. A.P. Chekhov’s story “Student” //Russian literature. – 2001. – No. 8. – pp. 24–29.

About the image of light in the story “Student”, see the above-mentioned work by V. B. Kataev. – pp. 500–501.

In the Orthodox tradition, a new church day begins in the evening of the previous calendar day; therefore, Good Friday Matins with the reading of the Twelve Gospels is usually celebrated the day before, on Thursday evening.

See R. L. Jackson's work cited above on this.

I. A. Bunin. Collection of op. in 9 vols. – M.: Publishing house “Hud. lit.”, 1967. – T. 9. – P. 170.

V.B. Kataev does not agree with this point of view, expressed, in particular, by A.V. Zlochevskaya (see above) (op. cit. - P. 500).

See the above work by V. B. Kataev.

The story was written in 1894. From the memoirs of the writer’s relatives and friends it is known that “The Student” was Chekhov’s favorite work. It reflects some of the author's childhood impressions, raised in a family that strictly observed church traditions. At the same time, the story is distinguished by features characteristic of Chekhov’s later works: deep spiritual content, philosophicalness and at the same time pronounced lyricism.
In Chekhov's stories. timed to coincide with the Easter holiday ("Bishop", "On Holy Week", "Cossack", etc.), even non-believers awaken. Chekhov believed in the possibility internal transformation The author, like many writers, was afraid of “spiritual blackness”; he was convinced that by losing faith, a person loses the highest ethical ideals.

“The Student” stands out for its brevity even among Chekhov’s short stories. Before reading a story in class, it is useful to pay attention to the meaning of individual words and expressions.

For example, some words associated with hunting require explanation, for example, the name of one of the migratory birds - woodcock. It is usually hunted in the spring, on traction – In the morning and evening dawn, the male woodcock begins to pull: he rises on the wing and flies around a small territory in search of a female. At this moment, the hunters are just shooting at the bird (cf. Chekhov: “One woodcock held out, and the shot at it sounded loud and cheerful in the spring air”). Analysis Church Slavonic vocabulary- we find it mainly in Ivan Velikopolsky’s retelling of the gospel story about Peter’s threefold denial. Ivan retells a passage from the Gospel of Luke, including in his speech certain words in Slavic ( supper, dungeon, loops). However, some other lexical units contained in Chekhov’s story are of Church Slavonic origin ( sobbing, abundant etc.).

Note that some Slavic words are commented on in Chekhov’s text itself: in the student’s story the word loops is explained through a synonym: “The rooster will not crow today...” Another example: Peter “ left the yard and bitter-bitter cried. The Gospel says: “And gone there, crying bitterly"".

In the story “Student” it is also important to analyze the elements of artistic speech: metaphors ( ice needles; chain of events; smelled of winter; the face flared up; everything was completely buried in the cold evening darkness), metaphorical epithets ( piercing wind, fierce poverty, sweet anticipation of happiness), personifications ( nature is creepy) comparisons (... something living hummed pitifully, as if blowing into an empty bottle...). In addition to the fact that students clarify for themselves the direct and figurative meanings of words and expressions, they become familiar with Chekhov’s artistic techniques, in particular with the means of allegory.

As you know, symbolism plays a special role in Chekhov’s work. Words and expressions that have a symbolic meaning are analyzed separately.

Researchers have repeatedly written about the symbolism of light and fire in Chekhov’s works. Such words and phrases in the story “Student” as light, fire,bonfire, crimson dawn and some others, are interpreted not only at the level of lexical meaning. Their symbolic meaning is revealed in close connection with the analysis of the content of the entire work.

As you know, the word desert has several meanings in Russian. The first, most commonly used in modern language, is an arid, waterless area with sparse vegetation or even the absence of it (for example, sandy desert; Wed from Pushkin in “Anchar”: “In desert stunted and stingy...").

The second (or rather, the first - in its origin) meaning, less common in modern language, is a deserted area. It is in this sense that the word is used desert in Chekhov's story, as in many other works of Russian classical literature. This is the meaning of the word desert goes back to the texts of the Holy Scriptures, to patristic and hagiographical texts in Church Slavonic. By the way, this is where the image of the monk comes from - hermit in Russian poetry (cf. Pushkin: “Fathers- hermits…»).

However, the image of the desert in Pushkin’s poem, as in Chekhov’s story, cannot be called bleak. This is not only a vale of sorrow, but also a place of a mysterious meeting between man and God: for Pushkin - the poet-prophet, for Chekhov - the theological student.

The interpretation of the names of historical figures is of fundamental importance for understanding Chekhov's story. There aren't many of them. These are the “key” figures in Russian history: Rurik, Ivan the Terrible, Peter(meaning Peter I). In addition, these are the persons and events of the Sacred History of the New Testament: Jesus Christ, Apostle Peter,Pontius Pilate,Last Supper - in their correlation with the realities of church life in Russia - such as Good Friday, Twelve Gospels, Easter.

Having analyzed the meaning of words, expressions, historical figures and events, we move on to a sequential analysis of the story.

The story takes place on the evening of Good Friday, when thousands of years ago Christ spoke in prayer about the cup of suffering that he had to drink for human sins. Ivan Velikopolsky was returning home from the water meadow along the path ( significant image the road, which becomes a place for understanding life).
It is advisable to break the work into semantic parts and comment on each fragment.

The second paragraph introduces us to the main character of the story and his thoughts about Russian history. The author pushes the boundaries of time and space. The story combines two planes: everyday and historical. Inner monologue the hero emphasizes the pessimism of the hero’s ideas.
It is important to comment on the hero's social background. He's from clergy (clergy), and from the poorest part of it: son sexton - clergyman, not having holy orders. Even if priests(priests) And deacons were in Russia at that time, as a rule, poor people, then sextons (scribes, psalm-readers) lived extremely poorly, often on the verge of poverty. This is exactly the picture of the life of the main character’s parents that is painted in the quoted passage. Metaphorical epithet " fierce poverty” reflects in Ivan’s thoughts not only a characteristic phenomenon of the historical life of Russia, but also the harsh reality of his own youth.

Theological Academy, where Ivan, in all likelihood, entered after successfully graduating theological seminary, gave an excellent education at that time. Many graduates of theological academies became priests, some, taking monastic tonsured, - church hierarchs: bishops, archbishops, metropolitans. But not always. Sometimes a graduate of a theological seminary or even an academy remained layman and chose a different career - for example, the profession of a teacher at a theological school, seminary, or the same academy without a priestly sana; could have preferred a purely secular path. The fact is that the realities of everyday life in Russian religious educational institutions of that time, the life of the clergy, were often far from ideal, sometimes even causing rejection from young people. It is no coincidence that not only devotees of piety and martyrs for the faith emerged from seminaries, but also “fiery” revolutionaries.

Both the unfavorable change in weather and the painful hunger lead Ivan to sad thoughts about Russian history. It is important to emphasize here that there are three historical figures mentioned in the hero’s thoughts: Rurik, Ivan the Terrible And Peter- symbolic figures. Historians associate the appearance of the legendary Varangian (Scandinavian) prince Rurik with the name of Kievan Rus- an East Slavic state, from which, in fact, the history of Russia began. Ivan the Terrible is also a symbolic person, personifying both the greatness and suffering of the people in the era Moscow kingdom – Third Rome. Finally, Peter I is a symbol of the new Russia with its capital in St. Petersburg, Russian Empire. Thus, the three mentioned persons personify the entire thousand-year history of Russia.

So, in the history of Russia, Chekhov’s hero sees only hopeless poverty and immeasurable suffering of the common people. “Severe poverty, hunger... ignorance, melancholy... darkness, a feeling of oppression” are interpreted by him not as random phenomena related only to his own family, but as an essential, natural and irresistible feature of the historical existence of his homeland.

However, Chekhov’s hero did not discover anything fundamentally new in his view of the history of the Russian people. Many of Chekhov's contemporaries felt the pain of the suffering of ordinary people. Chekhov himself created the story “The Student” several years after he returned from a trip to Sakhalin, where he saw terrible pictures of the life of the convict population.

But, besides this, it is important to understand something else: in the minds of an Orthodox person, poverty is a better path to holiness than wealth. It is no coincidence that F.I. Tyutchev, in his famous poem about Russia “These poor villages...” saw in the poverty, patience and humility of the Russian people a special blessing of the King of Heaven. The student at the Theological Academy could not help but know that poverty is a trait of holiness. This is essentially different: how to approach this? Should I sympathize with the people, trusting in the mercy of God, prepare myself to serve people through difficult priestly feats, or should I give in to despondency? It is quite obvious that at the beginning of the story the hero’s mood is pessimistic. Why? This is worth looking into.

It is worth paying attention to the symbolic meaning of the image of two widows. These women represent in Chekhov's story the same poor and destitute Russian people whose eternal suffering the student was just reflecting on. At the same time, Vasilisa and Lukerya remind the reader about the gospel widows, about the myrrh-bearing women, about Martha and Mary - the sisters of the righteous Lazarus - in a word, about those women devoted to Christ who were next to the Savior, sympathizing with His torment on the cross, and then were rewarded with the sight of Him resurrected

It is no coincidence that it is in a conversation with Vasilisa and Lukerya that Ivan finds consolation, retelling to them the Gospel story of Peter’s threefold denial. In Ivan’s words we find exact quotes from the Gospel. They are interspersed in the free presentation of the events of Sacred History. In his retelling, the hero combines the turns of colloquial speech and Church Slavonic text. Here, undoubtedly, Chekhov’s own childhood impressions were reflected: reading texts of the Holy Scripture aloud, as well as the perception of church vocabulary and phraseology in the living everyday speech of the writer’s father and uncle.

Let us pay attention to the obvious parallels between the gospel realities in the student’s story and the details of the situation surrounding the narrator and his interlocutors: in both cases there is cold, a fire, workers. These parallels, as we will see later, are not accidental.
The legend told by the young man performed a miracle: women touched the secret of human history.
It is not by chance that Chekhov turns to the story of Peter: he is attracted by the human weakness of the apostle. Meanwhile, as we know, the gospel story of the Apostle Peter has its continuation, which is important for understanding Chekhov’s story. By his renunciation, Peter deprived himself of apostolic dignity, but the Savior’s love for the fallen disciple did not weaken. True, the risen Christ, in the words of the Angel who appeared to the myrrh-bearing women, had not yet called Peter His disciple: “Tell His disciples And Peter, that He goes before you into Galilee" [Mk. 16:8]. And yet, the Lord, after His resurrection, appeared to Peter, and during a meal on Lake Tiberias (also at the fire) restored His disciple to apostolic dignity - asking him three times about his love for Himself and predicting his martyrdom on the cross [John. 21:15–18]. Undoubtedly, both Ivan Velikopolsky and Vasilisa and Lukerya know about the end of the Gospel story about Peter, about the Savior’s forgiveness of His disciple. This episode of Sacred History was also remembered by Chekhov’s contemporaries - the readers of his story.

The following fragment of Chekhov's story describes the reaction of the listeners to the student's words

The moment of spiritual insight, enlightenment of the hero becomes the culmination in Chekhov's narrative. This moment is no longer associated with external circumstances, but with a description of the character’s internal state. In fact: nothing has changed around him. It is no coincidence that the writer again returns to the theme of bad weather, bad weather: “A cruel wind was blowing, winter was actually returning, and it didn’t look like the day after tomorrow was Easter.” Chekhov thereby emphasizes that the turning point event occurs not in the surrounding world, which is still in a state of disharmony, but in the soul of the hero. Ivan is trying to establish a connection between the gospel story and the feeling that it evoked in the hearts of two women.
The movement of the hero in the story is the way out of the emptiness of loneliness for people. At the end of Good Friday, the young man discovered the truth: it is never too late to go to the light of divine love. Ivan Velikopolsky discovered the spiritual connection of times. Here the symbolic image takes on special significance chains: “The past, he thought, is connected with the present in a continuous chain of events, following one from the other. And it seemed to him that he saw both ends of this chains: touched one end, as the other trembled.”

Let's look at the last fragment of Chekhov's story, where the reader is revealed to the hero's new, optimistic attitude.

The hero’s meeting with God was completed: Divine love and true faith returned to his heart. It is noteworthy that in the story “Student” these spiritual values are interpreted in a special way, in Chekhov’s way. The key concepts become in Chekhov Truth And beauty. It is clear that we are talking here about the truth of Christ and the beauty of His life and teaching, inseparable from true love: “The truth and beauty that guided human life there in the garden and in the courtyard of the high priest continued uninterrupted to this day and, apparently, have always been the main thing in human life and on earth in general.” Chekhov's hero suddenly realized and felt that true love that lives in the hearts of ordinary people, despite all the hopelessness of their earthly life - in the past and in the present.

In Chekhov's story the motive is very important Sveta. The image of light, fire (as, indeed, the images darkness, haze, darkness) has a symbolic meaning in the work. Mentioned at the beginning of the story is distant fire in widows' gardens cannot dispel the evening darkness. It emphasizes the desolation and gloominess the terrain through which the student is walking is shaded darkness in the soul of the hero himself. Then the hero approaches bonfire. This fire reminds the student of another bonfire which is spoken of in the Gospel. His fire illuminated consciousness of Chekhov's character, illuminated his soul.

Let’s return once again to the text of the last fragment of Chekhov’s story and pay attention to two details left without comment: “... when he was crossing by ferry through river and then, climbing up mountain..." It would be inappropriate to talk here about any unambiguous parallels and associations, but one of the interpretations of this place in the story “Student” may be like this. Crossing the river, climbing the mountain... These details of the landscape in Chekhov's story again amazingly remind us of the events that took place nineteen centuries ago in Jerusalem: about the crossing of the Savior and His disciples on that “terrible night” across the Kidron stream [John. 18:1] and their ascent to the Mount of Olives [Lk. 22:39], where the Lord prayed until he sweated blood, and then was captured by his tormentors.

How will the future life of Ivan Velikopolsky develop? What is his own place in the thousand-year history of Russia and the centuries-old history of all mankind, what was he just thinking about? Will this Chekhovian hero become a priest or choose a different path? What next? We should not forget that the mature years of a student at a theological academy will coincide with a time of terrible, unprecedented persecution of the Church and Christians. Will he, like the Apostle Peter, suffer the crucifixion? Or will his faith be shaken again, and his love become scarce, and this Russian disciple of Christ will renounce his Teacher?

In Chekhov's story we do not find the answer to these questions. But they will inevitably be asked by a young reader who is trying to comprehend the history of Russia, the history of mankind, and the historical existence of an individual in the spiritual direction that the great Russian writer reveals to us in his brilliant work.

Analysis of Chekhov's story Student
The story The Student was written by Chekhov at a creative turning point, when the writer
already recovered from his lungs humorous stories, but still discovered his talent
playwright. During this period of creativity, Chekhov discovered the theme
relationships inner world person with others. Human nature
shown from an unusual angle. The student who is the main character of this story
from a feeling of pessimism comes to harmony and understanding of the highest meaning of life
Truth and beauty+ have always been the main thing in human life and in general
earth. The composition of the story is subordinated to this idea.
The central place in the work is occupied by the scene of Wielkopolsky’s conversation with
peasants mother and daughter around the fire. The student tells the widows one of
The most dramatic episodes of the Gospel are the story of how one of the twelve
apostles, Peter, denied his teacher three times on the night when he was betrayed in
hands of the Jewish high priests. The student's story takes place on the eve of Easter. IN
This is the time when a person’s soul must be cleansed of evil. Suddenly the student understands
what change has happened to him, he feels the connection of himself with the past, which
represents a continuous chain of events that followed one from the other. He
touched one end, the other trembled. Having reached the truth, hero
acquires good mood, a range of feelings merged in his soul: and feeling
youth, health, strength, an inexpressibly sweet expectation of happiness. Its depth
feelings are shown through contrast. Chekhov describes the same landscapes,
each of which mirror image another. Both are colored by mood
Ivana. At first he sees only darkness, melancholy, horror, ignorance around him, and he
It seems that another thousand years will pass, life will not get better. At the end of the story
again looks at his native village, thatched roofs, but now life
seems to him delightful, wonderful and full of high meaning.
A person ceases to be lonely, lost in huge world, in the end everything
falls into place: he is Ivan Velikopolsky, a student at the theological seminary, the son
sexton is a small link complex chain existence, a piece of a single whole, exactly
just like Vasilisa and Lukerya, Rurik and Ivan the Terrible, the Apostle Peter and Jesus,
like everyone who lived and lives on Earth.
Chekhov changes colors from blue, dark green, brown to blue,
orange, pink. Human life full of hope for a colorful future.
The Eternal connects these lives into one single chain. And mine, and yours, and life
others are just one link in a long chain, connected by truth and beauty.

A. P. Chekhov’s story “Student” differs from other works of the writer in its deep philosophical meaning, lack of sarcasm. Schoolchildren get acquainted with him in the 10th grade. “The Student” amazes with its masterful interweaving of biblical and everyday motifs and colorful images. We offer an analysis of the story that will become a good helper in preparation for the lesson and the Unified State Exam.

Brief Analysis

Year of writing- unknown, probably 1894

History of creation- Researchers believe that the story is based on A.P. Chekhov’s memories of childhood. Anton Pavlovich worked in his father’s church shop and sang in the church choir.

Subject- The work reveals traditional theme the meaning of life, the connection between the past, present and future.

Composition- Semantic and formal organization The story has its own peculiarities. The plot is linear: all its elements are located in correct sequence. At the center of the story is a dialogue between a student and a widow. Through this conversation, biblical themes are introduced.

Genre- A story in which there are signs of a sermon and a parable.

Direction- Realism.

History of creation

The exact year The Student was written is unknown. Researchers suggest that the work appeared in the same year as it was published - in 1894. Then the writer was in Yalta, writing the book “Sakhalin Island”. In letters to A. Suvorin, Anton Pavlovich said that he wrote prose in Crimea. The work was first seen by the world in the Russian Vedomosti magazine. Later, the student was included in the collection “Tales and Stories,” but before publication the author finalized his story.

Researchers of the writer’s life and work suggest that the impetus for writing was A.P. Chekhov’s memories of his childhood spent in his father’s church shop and of singing in the church choir.

Subject

In the story “Student,” the analysis should begin with a description of the main motives.

Motive the relationship between the past, present and future is traditional for Russian and world literature. However, not every writer took on it, since it is not an easy task. It’s surprising how original the approach was to the disclosure eternal theme satirist A.P. Chekhov. IN issues The works reflected biblical, philosophical and everyday issues of human existence.

The events of the story take place in the autumn in the village. The atmosphere itself inspires thinking about the eternal. In the first paragraphs, the reader meets a theological seminary student. The young man returns home. The gloomy weather does not make him happy, and the sadness intensifies when the hero remembers the poverty of his family. He realizes that this is how it has always been and will always be. Hopelessness depresses the guy.

Gloomy thoughts disappear when the student notices the widow Vasilisa and her daughter Lukerya in the garden. A conversation ensues between the characters. A student tells the women the biblical story of the Apostle Peter. He notices that his story touches the souls of his interlocutors. A ray of bright thoughts breaks into the student’s soul. The young man suddenly realizes that all eras are connected by one thread, and he is able to touch both the past and the present, and even open this curtain to others. This, in his opinion, is the meaning of life.

The work implements idea that all events of the past and present are connected, memory of the past can save you from many mistakes.

Main idea– each of us must remember that he came into this world for a reason, that his life is a gift from God.

Composition

The semantic and formal organization of A.P. Chekhov’s story “Student” has its own peculiarities. The plot is linear: all its elements are located in the correct sequence. The story begins with a landscape sketch, which gradually leads the reader to the main problems. At the center of the story is a dialogue between a student and a widow. Biblical themes are introduced through this conversation.

Genre

The genre of "Student" is a story. The work reveals one storyline, an unbranched system of images. Researchers believe that the work contains signs of a parable and a sermon. The author teaches a person to remember the meaning of life, and he does this through retelling biblical story. A.P. Chekhov was a representative of realism, and “The Student” was written in this direction.