How the attitude of Chelkash to Gavrila changes. Chelkash and Gavrila (comparative characteristics). Work test

“We learn about a little drama that played out between two people” from M. Gorky’s story “Chelkash.” This is one of the writer's best works and a vivid example of late Russian romanticism. The story amazes with psychological collisions and extraordinary images. They study it in 8th grade. An analysis of the work, created according to a generally accepted plan, will help to facilitate preparation for a lesson dedicated to the story.

Brief Analysis

Year of writing- 1894

History of creation- The work is based on the story of a real person. In 1891, M. Gorky was in the hospital, his roommate told him about his fate, and three years later “Chelkash” appeared.

Theme - A broad theme can be identified in the work– the fate of a person and narrow - crime, relationships between people with different views on life.

Composition- Formally, the story consists of three chapters. Plot elements are placed in a logical sequence. The peculiarity of the composition is the framing: the story begins and ends with a picture of the sea.

Genre- Story.

Direction- Realism.

History of creation

The history of the creation of the work “Chelkash” dates back to 1891. Then M. Gorky ended up in the hospital. His roommate turned out to be a tramp. He told the writer about his life. This story formed the basis of a story created in 1894. M. Gorky handed over the finished work to V. G. Korolenko. A fellow writer approved the story and helped publish it in the Russian Wealth magazine.

Critics reacted positively to the work of the young writer, and M. Gorky began to be taken seriously in literary circles.

Subject

The analyzed work displays motifs that are quite common in literature. However, the author managed to interpret traditional images in an original way, delving into psychology.

At the center of the work - theme of human destiny, in the context of which they develop Problems relationships between people, true and false values, freedom, choice, etc. Basis of the problem- moral values. The system of images is unbranched, so the reader’s attention is constantly focused on two heroes - Chelkash and Gavril.

The story begins with a description of the morning in the southern port. The author describes people, focusing on their insignificance in comparison with the “iron colossi”. The man in this episode appears as a miserable slave who works hard in terrible conditions. The beginning plays an important role in conveying the idea.

In such an environment we meet Chelkash, a drunkard and thief. The meaning of the title of the story is connected with his surname. The author immediately tells the reader who to pay attention to. Chelkash is planning a business and is looking for an assistant. The man notices the peasant and decides to persuade him. Chelkash learns that Gavrilo - that is the name of the peasant - wants to earn money to buy his own house, farm, and start a family. By deception, Chelkash gets the guy involved in theft.

Gavrilo resists at first, but, having felt the taste of easy money, he is drawn in. Chelkash is proud that he made the guy his slave. But in the end it turns out that Gavrilo is a slave not to the thief, but to his own desires. He is ready to kill for money. Chelkash turns out to be a more worthy person than Gavrilo. This conclusion suggests itself after observing the guy’s pathetic act.

It is interesting that Chelkash also comes from a peasant background; he once had a family and was a guardsman. Memories of the past make him sad, but he does not want to return to a slave life. A man really loves freedom.

Having observed the characters, it is easy to notice that the work presents internal and external conflicts.

Internal - the doubts of the thief and the peasant, external - the drama between men.

Idea of ​​the work- show how important it is to be free from circumstances and money, to be able to overcome any circumstances with dignity.

Main thought: we make ourselves slaves.

Composition

Formally, the story consists of three chapters. Plot elements are placed in a logical sequence. Exposition - morning landscape and acquaintance with Chelkash, beginning - Chelkash's search for an assistant, the thief's meeting with Gavrila, development of events - attempts to agree on a "fishing trip", theft, climax - a quarrel between thieves; denouement - Chelkash throws money to Gavrila and leaves. What the author teaches is most clearly revealed in the denouement.

A special feature of the composition of M. Gorky’s work “Chelkash” is its framing: the story begins and ends with a picture of the sea.

Genre

The genre of the work is a story, as evidenced by the following signs: a small volume, the main role is played by Chelkash’s storyline, there are only two main characters. The direction of "Chelkash" is realism.

Work test

Rating Analysis

Average rating: 4.5. Total ratings received: 231.

“Chelkash” is one of Gorky’s first significant works, which became one of the most significant creations of late romanticism. It combined the features of several directions and anticipated the emergence of a special movement in literature - socialist realism, within the framework of which the author would develop in the future.

The story was written in 1894 in Nizhny Novgorod. V.G. was very approving. Korolenko to this work and in 1895 contributed to its publication in the magazine “Russian Wealth”. From that moment on, Gorky was seriously talked about in literary circles as a talented young writer, and in 1898 his stories were published in two volumes.

The plot is easily based on the revelation of one tramp heard by the writer in the hospital. Having experienced many adversities and difficulties in his life, Gorky understood well what his roommate told him about. Inspired by what he heard, he wrote “Chelkasha” in two days.

Genre and direction

Gorky is the founder of a new direction in Russian prose. It was different from the line of Tolstoy and Chekhov, which was characterized by puritan selectivity in favor of good manners and correctness. This applied to both the plot and vocabulary. Peshkov (the writer's real name) significantly expanded the possible themes of the works and enriched the vocabulary of the literary language. The leading tendency of his work was realism, but the early period was characterized by features of romanticism, which was also manifested in “Chelkash”:

1. Firstly, the poeticization of the image of a tramp, obvious sympathy for his life principles.
2. Secondly, images of nature, the variety of colors of the water element: “the sea was calm, black and thick, like butter.”

Such updates in prose were welcomed by many of Gorky's contemporaries. For example, Leonid Andreev, because the same influence was reflected in his early stories (“Angel”, “Bargamot and Garaska”).

Composition

The story consists of an introduction and 3 chapters.

1. The introductory section is an exposition where the scene of the action is described. Here the author gives the reader an idea of ​​the environment of the main characters. The first chapter contains a description of Chelkash, introduces him to his present, to his usual way of life.
2. In the second chapter, we learn about the past of the main character, his inner world is revealed even more deeply to the reader, and his partner becomes the catalyst for this revelation. This is also the climax of the story. In the finale, another hero shows his character - the peasant Gavrila.
3. The story ends with a picture of the sea, which allows us to talk about the ring composition of the work.

Conflict

The space of the story “Chelkash” contains many conflicts of varying significance and scale.

• The conflict between man and scientific progress. This is where the story begins. It would seem that scientific progress should make life easier, make it more comfortable, but Gorky contrasts the shining and luxurious ships with the poor, exhausted people who serve them.
• Vagrancy and peasantry. The main characters do not come to a final conclusion which is better: the freedom of a tramp or the need of a peasant. These destinies are opposite. Chelkash and Gavrila are representatives of different social groups, but both see in each other people close to them: Chelkash finds a dreamer of freedom in a poor young man, and Gavrila finds a fellow peasant in a tramp.
• Chelkash's internal conflict. The main character feels superior to the world, freed from attachment to a specific home, family and other universal values. He is outraged that a typical person who has not overcome this system can love or hate the same things as he does.

The main characters and their characteristics

Chelkash is a romanticized tramp, a real romantic hero. He has his own moral principles that he always follows. His ideology looks more stable and formed than Gavrila’s life position. This is a young peasant who has not yet decided what he wants to achieve. Uncertainty distinguishes him unfavorably from the main character. Gavrila, who without much desire agreed to the “dark business,” looks like a more impartial hero than Chelkash. This inveterate thief even evokes some sympathy from the reader. He has a more complex inner world; behind his smile and lightness one can feel the pain of memories of the past and the severity of the need that haunts him every hour.

The work is built on antithesis and paradox: here an honest thief and a deceitful peasant are opposed to each other. The point of this contrast is to take a fresh look at the positive and negative qualities of a person, as a representative of a certain social group, and at various patterns of behavior. A tramp can be principled and moral, but a peasant can be not only a humble and honest worker.

Themes

• Meaning of life. The main characters talk about the meaning of life. Chelkash, one might say, has already passed his life's path, but Gavrila is still at the beginning. Thus, we are presented with fundamentally different views: that of a young man and that of one who is wise with experience. Gavrila’s thoughts are still subordinated to the generally accepted value system of the peasant: get a house, start a family. This is his goal, the meaning of life. But Chelkash already knows well what it means to be a man in the village. He deliberately chose the path of a tramp, unencumbered by debts, a starving family and other everyday problems.
• Nature. She is presented as an independent, free element. She is eternal, she is certainly stronger than man. She resists people’s attempts to curb her: “The waves of the sea, chained in granite, are suppressed by enormous weights<…>they beat against the sides of ships, against the shores, they beat and murmur, foamed, polluted with various rubbish.” In response, she does not spare people, burning them with the scorching sun and freezing them with the wind. The role of landscape in the work is very large: it embodies the ideal of freedom and creates a colorful atmosphere.
• Freedom. What is freedom: the comfortable life of a family man, burdened with a home, household chores and responsibility, or free vagrancy with a daily search for food? For Chelkash, freedom means independence from money and peace of mind, while Gavrila has only a romantic idea of ​​a free life: “Go for walks as you please, just remember God...”

Problems

• Greed. The characters have different attitudes towards money, and the problems of the story “Chelkash” are based on this opposition. It would seem that a tramp in constant need should have a greater need for funds than a peasant who has a job and housing. But in reality it turned out to be quite the opposite. Gavrila was possessed by a thirst for money so strong that he was ready to kill a man, and Chelkash was happy to give everything to his partner, leaving himself only part of the proceeds for food and drink.
• Cowardice. The ability to show cold prudence in the right situation is a very important human quality. This speaks of willpower and strong character. This is Chelkash, he knows what money is, and warns the young man: “It’s a disaster!” The hero is contrasted with the cowardly Gavrila, trembling for his life. This trait speaks of the character’s weak character, which is revealed more and more as the work progresses.

Meaning

Since Gorky himself spent half his life in need and poverty, he often touched upon themes of poverty in his works, which the reader did not see, because he was mainly fed stories about the destinies and life of the nobles. So, the main idea of ​​the story “Chelkash” is to make the audience take a different look at the social stratum, the so-called outcasts. The work conveys the idea that if you are a peasant with some income, then you can be considered a person, “you have a face.” What about the “wobbly ones”? Are they not people? Gorky’s author’s position is the defense of people like Chelkash.

The hermit is painfully hurt by Gavrila’s phrase: “Unnecessary on earth!” Gorky places the heroes in equal conditions, but during the “walk” each manifests itself differently. For Chelkash, this is a common thing; he has nothing to lose, but he doesn’t particularly strive to gain. To eat and drink - that’s his goal. What is happening to Gavrila? The hero, who spoke about how important it is to remember God, loses his moral character and tries to kill the “master”. For the young man, Chelkash is a pathetic tramp that no one will remember, but he calls his accomplice brother! Is it fair to consider Gavrila a full member of society after this, and deprive Chelkash of the right to call himself a human being? This is exactly what Gorky makes us think about, which is why he makes the image of a thief and a tramp arouse sympathy among the reader, and Gavrila is seen as an exclusively negative hero.

Of course, we must not forget that it is Gavrila who falls under the destructive influence of a robber and a drunkard. But it is not his strength that is most terrible, but money. They are evil, according to the author. This is the main idea of ​​the story “Chelkash”.

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Gavrila is one of the central characters in M.A.’s story. Gorky "Chelkash". The narrative is based on the contrast between Chelkash (an experienced and clever thief and an experienced drunkard) and Gavrila (a young unemployed peasant). Let us dwell in more detail on the analysis of the image of the latter.

Gavrila is a stocky village youth. He failed trying to make money in the city to support himself and his mother. Now all he had to do was return home, marry a wealthy bride and become a farm laborer. Chelkash immediately disliked him for the strength and health that the young man radiated: “... I hated him because he had such clear blue eyes, a healthy tanned face, short strong arms...”, while the main character at first sight I was attracted by the good nature and gullibility of the peasant.

At the same time, Gavrila is a coward - by agreeing to deal with a thief-smuggler, he appears to the reader as a coward. He is scared to the point of tears, he does not want to complete the matter and wants Chelkash to let him go. Already here we can see the contrast between a fearless and, most importantly, free drunken adventurer and a frightened slave of his life. Chelkash convinces him to finish the job, but then the essence of the hero is revealed to the reader in a new light.

Gavrila receives a small part of the total proceeds and greed awakens in his soul. The poor peasant is overcome by an uncontrollable feeling of greed, while he feels weaker than his partner, falling to his knees and begging him for money. He is dependent, unlike Chelkash, dependent on his condition, dependent on his passions (greed), dependent on a drunkard he barely knows. The emotions that arise in an unhappy person push him to a rash act - he throws a stone at Chelkash. His tossing and turning - he either runs away, then returns and bitterly repents of what he has done - again testifies to us of the weakness of his personality. He cannot be consistent here either. Fearfulness, cowardice - this is the weakness of his human soul.

It is important to talk about how Chelkash himself sees his partner. He does not understand how he can torture himself so much for the sake of money; pity for the poor man is combined with disgust for such a vision of the world. Chelkash feels superior to Gavrila, he calls him “young calf” and “child”. He gives the money to the peasant, realizing that nothing can fix such a soul. It is in the comparison of Chelkash and Gavrila that we understand all the pettiness and meanness of the second.

Lack of self-esteem, steadfastness of character and moral values, fearfulness and greed of Gavrila - these are the qualities that are emphasized by M. Gorky. He lacks that thirst for freedom that is inherent in Chelkash, therefore, despite the fact that in the end most of the money remains with Gavrila, it is Chelkash who emerges from the little drama on the seashore as the winner.

In the early work of the writer, the main place is occupied by romantic moods. The inseparable connection between man and nature, special attention to the individual, which combines loneliness and freedom, a challenge to society and its laws, the conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist - these features of romanticism are reflected in the story “Chelkash”.

Option 2

In his work (Chelkash), Maxim Gorky pays special attention to the personality and inner shell of a person, revealing to the reader how deceptive the outer shell can be. The main theme of the novel is the confrontation between two heroes, Chelkash (a thief and a drunkard) and the unemployed ordinary peasant Gavrila.

Gavrila is a strong, healthy guy, with brown hair and broad shoulders. It was not possible to make money in Kuban, and he was again forced to return to his village. After the death of his father, Gavrila was forced to go to work as a farm laborer to feed himself and his mother. The young man has a good disposition, beautiful appearance and an open look. It was for this reason that Chelkash was disliked. Although, on the other hand, he liked Gavrila’s simplicity and kind soul.

Their meeting happened completely by chance. A dispute between them about dexterity and courage led to the fact that the young man agrees to go on a “dark deed” with a smuggler thief. It is this incident that completely reveals the entire essence and nature of Gavrila. He turns out to be an ordinary coward.

Gavrila experiences panic and tries in every possible way to avoid what is happening. But Chelkash convinces Gavrila to complete his plan. Having received a small amount, the young man is overwhelmed by a feeling of greed and greed. He falls to his knees in front of Chelkash and begins to beg for more money. This moment shows the entire inner essence of Gavrila, he is dependent on circumstances and his own greed.

The young man is so tormented by his flaring emotions that out of despair, without thinking, he throws a stone at Chelkash. Personal weakness lies in constant confusion and one’s own weakness. The young guy either becomes a coward and runs away, then returns again and repents of what he has done. Chelkash has ambivalent feelings for Gavrila. On the one hand, it is pity and misunderstanding how one can torment oneself so much for the sake of money. On the other hand, he is disgusted by this state of the human soul. In the end he gives most of the money to Gavrila. Chelkash understands all the pettiness and meanness of the young man’s nature.

The image of Gavrila is the essence of a petty, mean and greedy person who lacks self-esteem and moral values. He is completely dependent on his own desires and circumstances. Cowardice and weakness are the main traits of Gavrila.

Essay about Gavrila from the work Chelkash

Maxim Gorky's story "Chelkash" tells the story of a thief. Grigory Chelkash is well known to people who live on the coast. Everyone knows him as an avid drunkard and a brave thief.

Gavrila, an ordinary peasant man. In Gorky's story, he appears to the reader as a nice guy who works to support his mother and home.

Such two different people meet completely by chance. A dispute ensues between them about who is better and more dexterous. Chelkash decides to take Gavrila on the case. To do this, he treats the guy in a tavern and thereby gains confidence in him. Chelkash becomes something of a master for Gavrila. He feels strength in Grigory, begins to trust him, and Gavrila is imbued with a certain feeling of gratitude and submission to him.

While the men are sailing to steal, Gavrila is overcome with fear many times. Here the reader understands that this “nice guy,” a simple peasant, is in fact a coward. Gavrila asks Chelkash to let him go. Because of this, there is noise in the boat and they are almost overtaken by the keepers of order. But everything goes well, the business is completed, and the men sail to sell their booty.

Gavrila, who was cowardly and timid before the sea, seeing how much money Chelkash received for the stolen thing, begins to think about how much he could do on his land if he had so much money. Here the most terrible human vice awakens in the “nice guy” - greed. The author of the story describes the feeling that arose in Gavril as very exciting, exciting and revealing in a person all the worst that can be.

Chelkash, although a thief, kept his word and gave Gavrila money. But this was not enough for the hero. Then Gavrila decided to beg Chelkash for all the money. The drama that takes place on the seashore between two people shows the reader the consequences of greed. In this story, Gavrila was ready to kill a person just to get all the money for the stolen item.

At the beginning of Maxim Gorky's story "Chelkash" Gavrila appears as an ordinary peasant who farms the land and works to feed his family. But subsequently the author reveals in this hero the lowest and most terrible human qualities such as cowardice, greed and anger.

This story teaches the reader that a person must be honest, be able to live within his means and find the good sides in his life.

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I usually wake up early around 7 o'clock in the morning. I make the bed, wash my face and do my exercises. After that I have breakfast and go to school.

The story “Chelkash” belongs to the early work of Maxim Gorky. In it, the author tells a story that happened to a tramp named Grishka Chelkash. Despite the fact that this hero was far from ideal, he was engaged in theft and drinking, but it was in him that the writer saw a genuine human soul. The many-wise Litrekon offers you a detailed analysis of the story “Chelkash”, in which the themes, problems and ideas revealed by Gorky in the work are explained in detail and clearly.

The creative history of the story “Chelkash” is very unusual and includes interesting facts from the life of young Maxim Gorky. In 1891, then Alexey Peshkov went on a trip to Rus'. In the village of Kandybino, Nikolaev region of Ukraine, the writer witnessed the torture of a wife unfaithful to her husband by a crowd. The future writer decided to stand up for the woman, for which he was severely beaten, then taken far beyond the village and thrown into the mud. An organ grinder on his way from a rural fair picked him up and took him to the hospital in Nikolaev. There his roommate turned out to be a tramp. Gorky later recalled:

“...I was amazed at the good-natured mockery of the Odessa tramp who told me the incident I described in the story “Chelkash.”

Three years later, the writer V. G. Korolenko prompted Gorky to create a story:

“...you tell a good story... try to write something longer, for a magazine... They will publish you in a magazine, and, I hope, you will begin to take yourself more seriously!”

The aspiring author, inspired by the praise of a respected publicist, wrote his first work, “Chelkash,” in just two days. Korolenko, having read the drafts, was very impressed by the story. With his support, “Chelkash” was first published in the 6th issue of the magazine “Russian Wealth” in 1895.

Genre and direction

The genre of "Chelkasha" is a story. The small volume of the work tells us this, one storyline built around an episode from the life of the main character, a small number of characters.

The story mixes two literary trends. Signs such as the ordinary, everyday life of the characters, pronounced social problems and language close to real speech clearly indicate realism. But there are also features of romanticism, namely the individualism of the protagonist and spectacular and vivid descriptions of nature, especially the sea. Based on this, we can safely say that the literary direction of the story is romantic realism.

Composition and Conflict

The story consists of a prologue and three parts.

• In the prologue, we are presented with an exposition - a description of the place where all subsequent events of the story will unfold. A greenish sea, a cramped harbor, giant steamships, a loud roar, whistles, screams, people and their slave labor - this is the picture the author paints for us.
• The first part of the story introduces us to the main character - Grishka Chelkash. The plot also takes place here, namely the meeting of the hero with Gavrila and their agreement about “night fishing”.
• We can see the development of actions in the second part. Chelkash and Gavrila go by boat to the sea. Here the author increasingly reveals to the reader the spiritual world, the insides of both heroes.
• The third part includes the climax - Gavrila’s attack on Chelkash, and the denouement - Chelkash with disgust throws money at Gavrila, and they disperse. The characters' characters are now fully revealed. The story ends with a description of the sea waves that washed away all traces of the recent conflict.

As the work progresses, the central conflict is revealed - the conflict of two different worldviews. Chelkash, a tramp who is completely free, not tied to home, family, or work, is contrasted with Gavrila, an ordinary peasant who needs money to ensure a decent existence for himself and his future family. Through the development of the conflict, we are shown the essences, characters, different attitudes towards freedom, money and the life of the heroes, which allows the reader to understand the motivation of their actions, their thoughts and feelings, and take the side of one of the characters.

The gist: what is the story about?

Grishka Chelkash, an inveterate thief, appears at the port during lunch break. He's clearly looking for someone. Having asked the watchman Mishka about his partner, he learns that his leg was crushed and he is now in the hospital. Chelkash, thinking that he couldn’t handle the case at night without a partner, sees a young, strong guy and decides to talk to him. From the dialogue he learns that the guy's name is Gavrila. He complains to Chelkash that he mowed the grass, but received mere pennies for his work. The main character, in turn, says that he is a fisherman and invites the guy to help him fishing at night. He, although he suspects that they will not go far to fish, still agrees.

That evening the heroes set off on business. Gavrila is filled with fear and regrets that he agreed to help Chelkash. The thief threatens the young guy that he will get rid of him without a twinge of conscience if they are noticed. The heroes arrive at their destination - a huge dark wall. Chelkash takes the boy’s knapsack with his passport and oars so that he cannot swim away anywhere, and climbs the wall. After some time, he lowers heavy loads to Gavrila, descends himself, and they sail away.

When a customs cruiser sailed past them, Gavrila was so frightened that he fell to the bottom of the boat, closed his eyes and did not want to get up. The main character again threatened the young man that he would kill him if they were arrested because of him. The danger is over. Chelkash felt sorry for the guy, he began to calm him down, saying that he had earned good money and could buy a lot of things with this money.

Soon they sailed to the ship, where they were met by sailors familiar to Chelkash. They climb on board, hand over the cargo and go to the cabin to sleep. The next morning, the main character receives the money, and he and Gavrila go back to shore. Of the 540 rubles he earned, the thief gives Gavrila 40, keeping the rest for himself.

Having sailed back to the shore, Gavrila rushes to Chelkash and begins to beg him to give him the entire amount he has earned. He claims that this money is more necessary and useful to him, and a thief and drunkard like Chelkash will spend it in one day. The main character becomes disgusted with the guy’s greed and greed, he throws money at him with contempt. Gavrila, having taken the money, admits that while still in the boat he had the idea to hit the main character with an oar, take the proceeds from him and throw him overboard, assuring that no one would miss him. Chelkash was angry about this, he takes the money from his partner and is about to leave. The same one, not intending to give up, throws a stone at Chelkash and, frightened, runs away. But, having come to his senses, he comes back and begins to tearfully beg the main character to forgive him. Chelkash feels contempt for the selfish guy; with disgust, he shoves all the proceeds into him, not wanting to be as greedy for money. Gavrila initially resists, but soon takes the money, and the characters go their separate ways.

The main characters and their characteristics

• Chelkash- “an inveterate drunkard and a clever, brave thief,” a middle-aged man, a tramp, a swindler and a ragamuffin. He has an unkempt appearance, which is justified by his vagrancy. Born into a wealthy peasant family, in his youth he served in the guard, and was married to a girl, Anfisa. At the time of the events told in the work, the character has been leading a tramp lifestyle for 11 years. Chelkash is a truly romantic hero. He has his own moral values. He does not like greedy and greedy people like Gavrila. Despite the external severity, the hero can experience pity and sympathy. His life philosophy is based on freedom; he stands out from the crowd with his independence. Chelkash is not attached to anything, he lives one day at a time, without thinking ahead. He has the same attitude towards money, he is not attached to it, there is no commercialism in him, so he easily gives all the proceeds to his partner. The hero loves to admire nature; what attracts him most is the sea. It is the wide, endless and powerful sea that he associates with real freedom. The main character's attitude towards Gavrila changes throughout the story. At first he sees him as a young guy, “whose life has fallen into his wolf’s paws.” He feels sorry for him in a fatherly way. During their voyage, Chelkash begins to understand what the young man is like; he begins to dislike his cowardice. At the end of the work, when all of Gavrila’s greed and meanness comes out, the main character feels only disgust and disgust towards him.
• Gavrila- a young poor peasant. He is very trusting, good-natured and naive, but at the same time he also harbors a dark side. The hero was forced to come to work to provide for himself and his elderly mother, but he is unable to get enough money. The only way out for him is to marry a rich bride and work for his father-in-law for the rest of his life, and this prospect does not make the young man happy. He dreams of earning enough money to marry his beloved and not depend on her father. Helping Chelkash, the hero shows his cowardice, is frightened by the lantern, cries, and asks to let him go. Unlike the main character, Gavrila’s attitude towards the sea is different; it only poses a danger to him and instills fear in him. But his attitude towards money is different: the hero loves money very much, so much so that he is ready to kill Chelkash twice just to get the entire proceeds. He also shows his timidity when, having thrown a stone at Chelkash, he runs away. But still, there is humanity in him, he returns and asks for forgiveness from the main character, and at first he even refuses to take the money, but, in the end, his greed breaks out and he takes most of what they both earned.

Themes

The theme of the story “Chelkash” is characteristic of Gorky’s romanticism:

• Scenery. Landscape plays a huge role in the story. Nature is the personification of true freedom and independence. The landscape creates a mood and gives a certain color to the work; the moods of the characters are also conveyed through descriptions of the weather. The author, although he compares the states of the characters and nature, still elevates it above human feelings, makes it stronger, more powerful and more powerful in comparison with petty and insignificant human passions.
• Liberty- the main theme of the story . It's different for everyone. For Chelkash, freedom is to be independent of anything, to live one day at a time, without worrying about what will happen tomorrow. In such a life lies his moral satisfaction and peace. For Gavrila, freedom means having enough money to provide for yourself, your mother and your future wife. Both heroes fight for their freedom. At the end of the story, each of them essentially finds themselves in conditions of their own freedom: Chelkash is left without much income, not burdened with any worries, and Gavrila receives enough money not to worry about anything in the near future.
• Fate. The theme of fate flows smoothly from the theme of freedom. Chelkash has been a wanderer for many years; he is truly lonely. When his partner admits that he wanted to kill him and throw him into the sea, without worrying that someone would look for him, he most likely turns out to be right. At the very end of the story, when both heroes disperse, the fate of Chelkash remains unknown to us; who knows whether he got where he wanted, or died in the forest from loss of blood. Gavrila’s fate can be predicted. Apparently, he returned to his village, marries his sweetheart and lives a relatively comfortable life.

Problems

The problems of the story “Chelkash” are interesting and rich.

1. Slavery. The important social problem of slavery was raised by Gorky in his story. Slaves are first depicted as workers at the port, toiling in terrible and dangerous conditions. Afterwards, Gavrila becomes a kind of “slave” of Chelkash; during their voyage, he carries out all the orders of the protagonist. For Chelkash, peasant life in general is slavery, since it always involves dependence on land, family and work. Gavrila turns out to be not only a “slave” of Chelkash, but also a slave of his desires. It is for the sake of the funds that he so dreams of that he agrees to help the thief, and then he himself thinks about theft and murder.
2. Greed. The problem of greed is the main one in the work. It is most clearly revealed by the character of Gavrila. For the sake of money, he is ready to do anything, even kill. With the gradual increase in the manifestation of greed in the hero, his other negative traits are revealed: lack of spirituality, selfishness, cruelty, meanness. After this, against his background, even the thief-smuggler Chelkash appears in a better light, who, although he is engaged in an illegal business, has moral values.
3. Happiness. Which of the two heroes is truly happy? Although throughout the entire story we are shown the main character who enjoys complete freedom and independence, is he happy? Chelkash is lonely, no one needs him. He sadly remembers his father, mother and wife, his former life, which he abandoned in favor of vagrancy. At the beginning of the work, we see Gavrila saddened by the situation in his life, but at the end, when he got what he wanted, we can predict his future, most likely, happy fate.

main idea

Gorky was always close to the theme of the life of tramps. The main idea of ​​the story “Chelkash”, which the author wanted to convey to readers, is that people like Chelkash are no worse than ordinary peasant workers, and sometimes even on the contrary, they are more moral and conscientious people in comparison with them. The writer compares a freedom lover, a thief and a drunkard with a young hard-working peasant and proves that the first impression is not always correct. At the beginning of the story, the reader sympathizes more with Gavrila, but with the revelation of the characters and their characters, everything falls into place, and by the end Chelkash appears before us as noble and generous. The author's position is revealed, Gorky is clearly on the side of Chelkash, he is also disgusted by people like Gavrila, and is impressed by freedom-loving tramps.

The point of the story “Chelkash” is to show different life values ​​and what they lead to. Chelkash does not need literally anything, he stands out among others for his high spiritual qualities, but this does not make him the happiest on earth. Gavrila adheres to the foundations on which society rests, he is attached to his family and home, which makes him dependent and pushes him to do terrible things, but in the end, he turns out to be happy in his own way.

What does it teach?

Maxim Gorky in his story “Chelkash” taught moral lessons to readers. He showed that there is no need to judge the inner qualities of a person by his appearance or social status, that it is necessary to always remain honest, selfless and noble, that one should not allow oneself to become so mercantile and greedy as not to stoop to the most terrible and base acts.

The main conclusion in the story “Chelkash” is the idea that although money gives some kind of freedom, it also burdens a person with duties and responsibilities, and perfect freedom is not a guarantee of unlimited happiness.

What does the author make you think about? The writer wanted to convey to readers that, despite any life situations, it is necessary to always remain human, to be a generous, kind and worthy person, not to show bad and disgusting qualities such as greed, cruelty, immorality. This is the moral of the work “Chelkash”.

Artistic details

In “Chelkash” the landscape plays an important role. It creates a kind of frame for the events taking place in the work. At the very beginning we see an industrial landscape: a harbor, a sky clouded with dust, hot sun, greenish water, sea waves bound by granite. An even greater immersion effect is created by the sounds described: the ringing of chains, the rumble of carriages, the “metallic scream of iron sheets,” whistles and shouts. This whole gloomy picture makes readers think that what awaits them is a far from cheerful and carefree story.

The most important artistic detail of the work is the image of the sea. It allows you to convey the mood and characters of the characters even more deeply. We can say that the sea personifies the main character. Chelkash, like it, is free and independent, lives “with the flow.” The hero loves the sea; in his opinion, it “infuses calm into a person’s soul.” His partner Gavrila, on the contrary, feels only fear in relation to the sea. Its unbridledness and vastness frightens him. The sea emphasizes and enhances the differences between the characters in the story.

The work also ends with a description of the sea and weather, which, after the conflict between the characters, rebelled and washed away all the remnants of their quarrel without a trace. Thus, the author showed that, unlike people and their relationships, nature is infinite, powerful and majestic.

Criticism

Contemporaries warmly and positively received the story of the aspiring writer. They began to respect him, and in literary circles they began to take him seriously.

The writer and statesman A.V. Lunacharsky noted the tramp-like nature of Gorky’s story, saying that the writer

“it was possible to create completely original and unforgettable paintings and symphonies, in which individual elements of truth almost merged with the fundamental untruth, that is, with a romantic takeoff towards a straightened person, towards a free individuality.”

Writer A. M. Anichkova, critic V. L. Lvov-Rogachesky and publicist M. V. Gelrot spoke about the depth, strength, sincerity and significance of the story. The poet and journalist A. A. Korinfsky and the publicist and critic A. I. Bogdanovich also admired “Chelkash”. They noted that the main character is a strong, frank and free person.

The critic A. M. Skabichevsky was struck by the work of the young author, he called the story

“one of the best pearls of Russian literature for its poetic charm, drama and deep content.”

The story “Chelkash”, the analysis of which is presented in the article, was written in 1894. It is one of those works of art where not only the heroes of the work themselves conflict (internal, artistic conflict), but where in the assessments discrepancies between the writer and the reader, and between the readers themselves, are inevitable. “Chelkash” is one of Gorky’s most controversial and debatable stories.

From an artistic point of view, it is exemplary traditional. All compositional elements are present: exposition - sea, harbor, port; this is the background against which the action takes place; three parts, inside of which the plot is the meeting of Chelkash and Gavrila; development of the action - preparation for a night thieves' raid and division of money; climax - Gavrila’s blow to Chelkash in the back; denouement - Chelkash gives the money to Gavrila; epilogue - sea waves washing away the traces of Chelkash and Gavrila, going in different directions.

The storyline, as in many of the writer’s stories, is not complicated. The thief Chelkash accidentally meets a poor peasant guy, Gavrila, whose main dream is not so much to get rich as to get money for a tolerable peasant life. Chelkash involves Gavrila in his nightly thievery, for which, according to Gavrila, he receives fabulous money - five hundred and forty rubles. His “income” exceeds all expectations: Chelkash gives away almost everything, leaving only a little money for himself, and in a fit of gratitude the man repents to the thief that he wanted to kill him for money. In anger, Chelkash beats Gavrila and takes the money, but then, softening, he gives it back again. That's all, actually. “Simple” in the storyline, but not at all simple in identifying the artistic idea.

Who is Chelkash? A thief, confident in his impunity and permissiveness? Gorky gives the basis for this assumption at the beginning of the first chapter: “<...>Grishka Chelkash, an old poisoned wolf, well known to the people of Havana, an inveterate drunkard and a clever, brave thief.” The portrait of the hero does not evoke sympathy for him - he looks too much like a predator.

Very little time will pass, and this hostile attitude towards Chelkash will no longer be so categorical. The reason for the softening is that the man Gavrila he meets will begin to awaken in Gregory almost gone, forgotten, half-decayed memories of his former peasant life.

The story is interspersed with the story of Chelkash’s dobosyatsky life, and there is no reason in his story for Grigory to leave for another life. The fact that the father has become “bent over by work” or the mother who has “settled to the ground” has grown old cannot serve as an excuse for going “to the bottom.” But Gorky is not talking about the justification of Chelkash through the mouth of the narrator, but about the gradual revelation of the character of the hero. The impossible for him is about to happen to Grigory Chelkash - some kind of spiritual connection with Gavrila will be established. The very idea of ​​rapprochement is unacceptable to Chelkash. Even at the beginning of the story, Grigory “boils” from inner envy of Gavrila and even more from the hint of similarity of thoughts with him.

The image of Gavrila is clearer and simpler. A peasant boy, cut off from the village, dreams of making money by some miracle. The enterprise proposed by Chelkash is unnatural for him, but, on the other hand, peasant ingenuity tells him that perhaps this is the only chance that he never even dreamed of - a chance to quickly get the coveted money.

The enterprise was a success, he receives his forty rubles, then receives more - in a fit of sentimental concern for the man, Chelkash gives almost everything. And either talkativeness or grateful sincerity fails Gavril, and he talks about his dark plan. Next - loss of money, Chelkash hit from behind with a stone, repentance, return of money, leaving... In different directions with Chelkash.

Chelkash's path is clear - he became a thief and will die a thief. He is unlikely to think about anything else. The reader will think: why does Gorky poeticize the thief, endowing him with romantic qualities, forcing him to perform acts that are noble and almost fantastic for him. Either from following tradition, continuing the stories about the noble Robin Hood, defender of the disadvantaged, but in new social conditions. Either in order to emphasize: a thief, a man of the “bottom”, a tramp has qualities that are hardly inherent in rich and powerful masters of life. This interpretation of the story has been in circulation for a long time. Or is the story being told to make the reader think: “No, dear man, you gave it away easily, because it was easy and simple for you to get it.” After all, such a turn in the perception of what happened is possible. Chelkash’s lifestyle and behavior may evoke sympathy in some, surprise in others, and contempt in others.

It seems that Gavrila’s path is clear - to the village, to the house, to the sons-in-law. What if he is seduced by the thought of easy money? After all, such a turn in the character’s fate is quite likely. Many of Gorky’s heroes ended up at the bottom, “at the bottom.” But everyone came there in their own way.

M. Gorky's stories touched a nerve, helped many people to know themselves, make the right decision, and try to change their lives and destiny.