Victory is always desired. We expect victory from early childhood, playing tag or board games. We need to win at all costs. And the one who wins feels like the king of the situation. And someone is a loser because he doesn’t run so fast or the chips just fell out wrong. Is victory really necessary? Who can be considered the winner? Is victory always an indicator of true superiority?

In Anton Pavlovich Chekhov's comedy “The Cherry Orchard” the conflict is centered on the confrontation between the old and the new. Noble society, brought up on the ideals of the past, has stopped in its development, accustomed to receiving everything without much difficulty, by right of birth, Ranevskaya and Gaev are helpless before the need for action. They are paralyzed, cannot make a decision, cannot move. Their world is collapsing, going to hell, and they are building rainbow projects, starting an unnecessary holiday in the house on the day of the estate auction. And then Lopakhin appears - a former serf, and now the owner of the cherry orchard. Victory intoxicated him. At first he tries to hide his joy, but soon triumph overwhelms him and, no longer embarrassed, he laughs and literally shouts:

My God, my God, my cherry orchard! Tell me that I'm drunk, out of my mind, that I'm imagining all this...

Of course, the slavery of his grandfather and father may justify his behavior, but in the face of, according to him, his beloved Ranevskaya, it looks, at least, tactless. And here it is already difficult to stop him, like a real master of life, a winner he demands:

Hey musicians, play, I want to listen to you! Come and watch how Ermolai Lopakhin takes an ax to the cherry orchard and how the trees fall to the ground!

Maybe, from the point of view of progress, Lopakhin’s victory is a step forward, but somehow it becomes sad after such victories. The garden is cut down without waiting for the former owners to leave, Firs is forgotten in the boarded-up house... Does such a play have a morning?

In the story “The Garnet Bracelet” by Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin, the focus is on the fate of a young man who dared to fall in love with a woman outside his circle. G.S.J. He has long and devotedly loved Princess Vera. His gift - a garnet bracelet - immediately attracted the woman’s attention, because the stones suddenly lit up like “lovely, rich red living lights. “Definitely blood!” - Vera thought with unexpected alarm.” Unequal relationships are always fraught with serious consequences. The alarming premonitions did not deceive the princess. The need to put the presumptuous scoundrel in his place at all costs arises not so much from the husband as from Vera’s brother. Appearing in front of Zheltkov, representatives of high society a priori behave like winners. Zheltkov’s behavior strengthens them in their confidence: “his trembling hands ran around, fiddling with buttons, pinching his light reddish mustache, touching his face unnecessarily.” The poor telegraph operator is crushed, confused, and feels guilty. But only Nikolai Nikolaevich remembers the authorities to whom the defenders of the honor of his wife and sister wanted to turn, when Zheltkov suddenly changes. No one has power over him, over his feelings, except the object of his adoration. No authorities can prohibit loving a woman. And to suffer for the sake of love, to give one’s life for it - this is the true victory of the great feeling that G.S.Zh was lucky enough to experience. He leaves silently and confidently. His letter to Vera is a hymn to a great feeling, a triumphant song of Love! His death is his victory over the insignificant prejudices of pathetic nobles who feel like masters of life.

Victory, as it turns out, can be more dangerous and disgusting than defeat if it tramples on eternal values ​​and distorts the moral foundations of life.

“Reason is given to man to understand: it is impossible to live by reason alone, people live by feelings”

(Erich Maria Remarque)

Reason and feeling... Which of these two components of the human soul is more important? What should we listen to more in life: the voice of reason or the call of the heart? It is these questions that the topic I have chosen makes me think about.

For many centuries, humanity has lived, developed and created precisely thanks to reason. It is the ability to think that distinguishes humans from other animals. But each of us is also endowed with the ability to feel. Reason and feeling are the most important components of a person. In my opinion, they must coexist in each of us in harmony, because if a person lives only by reason, then he is deprived of all the joys given to him by life. If a person lives only by feelings, then there is a high probability that one day he will commit a rash act under the influence of emotions. However, each person gives his own answer to the question of what is more important, and many writers have discussed this.

Let us remember the work of A.I. Kuprina. The story “The Garnet Bracelet” tells the love story of poor telegraph operator Grigory Stepanovich Zheltkov for Princess Vera Nikolaevna Sheina. Our heroes have completely different ideas about what is more important in life: feeling or reason. Vera Nikolaevna lives guided by her reason, her life proceeds according to routine. Her life is a monotonous existence. And for Zheltkov, love for the princess, his feelings, became the meaning of life, although he was well aware of the insurmountable gap that lay between them. But the hero chooses the path indicated by his heart, his soul, he loves, and this makes the hero happy. Having devoted eight years of his life to the princess and receiving nothing in return except a note telling him to stop pursuing her, he dies. And only his death brought Vera Nikolaevna to his home and made her understand that Zheltkov’s love was the only true love in her life that every woman dreams of. Her soul was finally reborn. After reading the work, we understand that it was important for the author to show that people who try to live only by reason are doomed to a spiritually empty existence, for only love can give a person true happiness.

As a second argument, I would like to cite the work of Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin “Poor Liza”. The main character of the story, a young girl from a poor family, falls in love with a rich nobleman. She completely surrendered to her feelings and could not even imagine that her beloved could one day betray her. Erast marries a rich elderly widow for money, and upon learning of this, Lisa commits suicide. The author of the story shows us that love is a wonderful feeling that can elevate and transform a person, but sometimes it can destroy a person, as happened with Lisa. She forgot about everything, following the call of her heart; her mind, being in the background, could not save her.

To summarize, I would like to say that you cannot live by one thing alone. We are given feelings to feel the fullness of life, and reason to make the right choice. A person will live a full life only when reason and feelings are harmoniously combined in him.

After reading this work, everyone has the right to say that its main theme is love. This is a great feeling and a great tragedy if it is not mutual and is impossible from the point of view of public morality. You can read about such feelings, perceive them as something unique, as a wonderful gift and true misfortune, but you cannot learn to love. This state exists beyond the limits of human reason and calculation.

Against the backdrop of symbolic, mood-changing descriptions of nature and the elements of the sea, Kuprin's story reveals different shades of relationships between close people - care and trust in marriage, attention to other people's experiences and the ability to forgive. The relationship between the Shein spouses evokes respect, because youthful ardent love is already behind us, and understanding has only strengthened over the years and maintains the warmth of the family hearth. Princess Vera is surrounded by brilliant society, but for some reason in her soul there arises a painful longing for an eternal, selfless feeling that does not require reward.

...the kind of love for which to accomplish any feat, to give, to go to torment is not work at all, but even joy... Love must be a tragedy...”

Using the example of the “little man” telegraph operator Zheltkov, who has been in love with Princess Vera for many years, the author shows that true feelings do not depend on class, and high moral qualities do not depend on poverty or wealth. Worshiping the object of one’s feelings from afar, the desire to be heard, understood and understanding the hopelessness of this all-consuming feeling is the drama of the life of an ordinary person. Even Vera’s husband, Vasily Lvovich, is sympathetic to the suffering of the poor young man and shows true generosity, without ridicule or jealousy.

Only the death of the hero could put an end to everything, and even with this last step he tried to attract the attention of his ideal and hoped for a final meeting.

“If a lady comes and wants to see me, tell her that Beethoven has the best work...”

For Vera, this was not deliverance, but a deep experience. The feeling of guilt and great love that passed by will remain with her until the end of her life. The garnet bracelet, a gift from Zheltkov, is a symbol of how true value can be hidden in the frame of rough and ordinary things.

Since the 2014-2015 academic year, the program for the state final certification of schoolchildren has included a final graduation essay. This format differs significantly from the classic exam. The work is of a non-subject nature, relying on the graduate’s knowledge in the field of literature. The essay aims to reveal the examinee’s ability to reason on a given topic and argue his point of view. Mainly, the final essay allows you to assess the level of speech culture of the graduate. For the examination paper, five topics from a closed list are proposed.

1. Introduction
2. Main part - thesis and arguments
3. Conclusion - conclusion

The final essay 2016 requires a volume of 350 words or more.

The time allotted for the examination work is 3 hours 55 minutes.

Topics for the final essay

The questions proposed for consideration are usually addressed to the inner world of a person, personal relationships, psychological characteristics and concepts of universal morality. Thus, the topics of the final essay for the 2016-2017 academic year include the following areas:

1. "Experience and mistakes"

Here are concepts that the examinee will have to reveal in the process of reasoning, referring to examples from the world of literature. In the final essay 2016, the graduate must identify the relationships between these categories based on analysis, building logical relationships and applying knowledge of literary works.

One of these topics is “Experience and Mistakes.”

As a rule, works from a school literature course are a large gallery of different images and characters that can be used to write a final essay on the topic “Experience and Errors.”

• Novel by A.S. Pushkin “Eugene Onegin”
• Novel by M.Yu. Lermontov “Hero of Our Time”
• Novel by M. A. Bulgakov “The Master and Margarita”
• Roman I.S. Turgenev "Fathers and Sons"
• Novel by F.M. Dostoevsky “Crime and Punishment”
• The story of A.I. Kuprin “Garnet Bracelet”

Arguments for the final essay 2016 “Experience and mistakes”

• “Eugene Onegin” by A.S. Pushkin

The novel in verse “Eugene Onegin” clearly demonstrates the problem of irreparable mistakes in a person’s life, which can lead to serious consequences. Thus, the main character, Eugene Onegin, by his behavior with Olga in the Larins’ house, provoked the jealousy of his friend Lensky, who challenged him to a duel. The friends came together in a mortal battle, in which Vladimir, alas, turned out to be not as agile a shooter as Evgeniy. Misbehavior and a sudden duel between friends, thus, turned out to be a big mistake in the hero’s life. It is also worth turning here to the love story of Eugene and Tatiana, whose confessions Onegin cruelly rejects. Only years later does he realize what a fatal mistake he made.

• “Crime and Punishment” by F. M. Dostoevsky

The central question for the hero of the work F . M. Dostoevsky begins to desire to understand his ability to act, to decide the destinies of people, neglecting the norms of universal morality - “Am I a trembling creature, or do I have the right?” Rodion Raskolnikov commits a crime by killing an old pawnbroker, and later realizes the full gravity of the committed act. The manifestation of cruelty and inhumanity, a huge mistake that led to Rodion’s suffering, became a lesson for him. Subsequently, the hero takes the right path, thanks to the spiritual purity and compassion of Sonechka Marmeladova. The crime committed remains a bitter experience for him for the rest of his life.

• “Fathers and Sons” by I.S. Turgenev

Essay example

On his life's path, a person has to make a large number of vital decisions, choose what to do in a given situation. In the process of experiencing various events, a person acquires life experience, which becomes his spiritual luggage, helping in future life and interaction with people and society. However, we often find ourselves in difficult, contradictory conditions when we cannot guarantee the correctness of our decision and be sure that what we consider correct now will not become a big mistake for us.

An example of the influence of the actions he has committed on a person’s life can be seen in A.S. Pushkin’s novel “Eugene Onegin.” The work demonstrates the problem of irreparable mistakes in a person’s life, which can lead to serious consequences. Thus, the main character, Eugene Onegin, by his behavior with Olga in the Larins’ house, provoked the jealousy of his friend Lensky, who challenged him to a duel. The friends came together in a mortal battle, in which Vladimir, alas, turned out to be not as agile a shooter as Evgeniy. Misbehavior and a sudden duel between friends, thus, turned out to be a big mistake in the hero’s life. It is also worth turning here to the love story of Eugene and Tatiana, whose confessions Onegin cruelly rejects. Only years later does he realize what a fatal mistake he made.

It is also worth turning to I. S. Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and Sons,” which reveals the problem of errors in the unshakability of views and beliefs, which can lead to disastrous consequences.

In the work of I.S. Turgenev Evgeny Bazarov is a progressive-minded young man, a nihilist who denies the value of the experience of previous generations. He says that he does not believe in feelings at all: “Love is rubbish, unforgivable nonsense.” The hero meets Anna Odintsova, with whom he falls in love and is afraid to admit it even to himself, because this would mean a contradiction to his own beliefs of universal denial. However, later he becomes fatally ill, without admitting it to his family and friends. Being seriously ill, he finally realizes that he loves Anna. Only at the end of his life does Eugene realize how greatly he was mistaken in his attitude towards love and nihilistic worldview.

Thus, it is worth talking about how important it is to correctly evaluate your thoughts and actions, analyzing actions that can lead to a big mistake. A person is constantly developing, improving his way of thinking and behavior, and therefore he must act thoughtfully, relying on life experience.

Still have questions? Ask them in our VK group:

"Experience and mistakes"

Official comment:

Within the framework of the direction, discussions are possible about the value of the spiritual and practical experience of an individual, a people, humanity as a whole, about the cost of mistakes on the path to understanding the world, gaining life experience. Literature often makes you think about the relationship between experience and mistakes: about experience that prevents mistakes, about mistakes without which it is impossible to move along the path of life, and about irreparable, tragic mistakes.

“Experience and errors” is a direction in which a clear opposition of two polar concepts is less implied, because without errors there is and cannot be experience. A literary hero, making mistakes, analyzing them and thereby gaining experience, changes, improves, and takes the path of spiritual and moral development. By assessing the actions of the characters, the reader gains invaluable life experience, and literature becomes a real textbook of life, helping not to make one’s own mistakes, the price of which can be very high. Speaking about the mistakes made by the heroes, it should be noted that a wrong decision or an ambiguous act can affect not only the life of an individual, but also have the most fatal impact on the destinies of others. In literature we also encounter tragic mistakes that affect the destinies of entire nations. It is in these aspects that one can approach the analysis of this thematic area.

Aphorisms and sayings of famous people:

 You should not be timid for fear of making mistakes; the biggest mistake is to deprive yourself of experience. Luc de Clapier Vauvenargues

 In all matters, we can only learn by trial and error, falling into error and correcting ourselves. Karl Raymund Popper

 Learn from every mistake. Ludwig Wittgenstein

 Shyness may be appropriate everywhere, but not in admitting one’s mistakes. Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

 It is easier to find error than truth. Johann Wolfgang Goethe

List of literature in the field of “Experience and mistakes”

A. S. Pushkin “The Captain's Daughter”

L. N. Tolstoy “War and Peace”

F. M. Dostoevsky “Crime and Punishment”

M. Yu. Lermontov “Hero of Our Time”

A. S. Pushkin “Eugene Onegin”

I. S. Turgenev “Fathers and Sons”

I. A. Bunin “Mr. from San Francisco”

A. I. Kuprin “Garnet Bracelet”

A. S. Griboedov “Woe from Wit”

Guy de Maupassant "The Necklace"

Materials for literary arguments.

M. Yu. Lermontov novel “Hero of Our Time”

Only after losing Vera did Pechorin realize that he loved her. The worst mistake is not appreciating what you have.

A socialite and relative of Princess Mary, Vera, came to Kislovodsk. Readers learned that Pechorin was once passionately in love with this woman. She also retained a bright feeling for Grigory Alexandrovich in her heart. Vera and Gregory met. And here we saw a different Pechorin: not a cold and angry cynic, but a man of great passions, who had not forgotten anything and felt suffering and pain. After meeting with Vera, who, being a married woman, could not unite with the hero who was in love with her, Pechorin threw himself into the saddle. He galloped over mountains and valleys, greatly exhausting his horse.

On a horse exhausted from fatigue, Pechorin accidentally met Mary and frightened her.

Soon Grushnitsky, with ardent feeling, began to prove to Pechorin that after all his antics he would never be received in the princess’s house. Pechorin argued with his friend, proving the opposite.
Pechorin went to the ball with Princess Ligovskaya. Here he began to behave unusually courteously towards Mary: he danced with her like a wonderful gentleman, protected her from a tipsy officer, and helped her cope with fainting. Mother Mary began to look at Pechorin with different eyes and invited him to her house as a close friend.

Pechorin began to visit the Ligovskys. He became interested in Mary as a woman, but the hero was still attracted to Vera. On one of their rare dates, Vera told Pechorin that she was terminally ill with consumption, so she asked him to spare her reputation. Vera also added that she always understood the soul of Grigory Alexandrovich and accepted him with all his vices.

Pechorin, however, became friends with Mary. The girl admitted to him that she was bored with all the fans, including Grushnitsky. Pechorin, using his charm, out of nothing to do, made the princess fall in love with him. He couldn’t even explain to himself why he needed this: either to have fun, or to annoy Grushnitsky, or perhaps to show Vera that someone needed him too and, thereby, to provoke her jealousy. Gregory got what he wanted: Mary fell in love with him, but at first she hid her feelings.

Meanwhile, Vera began to worry about this novel. On a secret date, she asked Pechorin never to marry Mary and promised him a night meeting in return.

Pechorin began to get bored in the company of both Mary and Vera.

Vera confessed to her husband her feelings for Pechorin. He took her out of town. Pechorin, having learned about Vera’s imminent departure, mounted his horse and tried to catch up with his beloved, realizing that he had no one more dear to her in the world. He drove a horse that died before his eyes.

A. S. Pushkin novel “Eugene Onegin”

People tend to do rash things. Eugene Onegin rejected Tatyana, who was in love with him, which he regretted, but it was too late. Mistakes are thoughtless actions.

Evgeniy lived an idle life, walking along the boulevard during the day and visiting luxurious salons in the evening, where famous people of St. Petersburg invited him. The author emphasizes that Onegin, “fearing jealous condemnation,” was very careful about his appearance, so he could spend three hours in front of the mirror, bringing his image to perfection. Evgeniy returned from the balls in the morning, when the rest of the residents of St. Petersburg were rushing to work. By noon the young man woke up and again

“Until the morning his life is ready,
Monotonous and colorful."

However, is Onegin happy?

“No: his feelings cooled down early;
He was tired of the noise of the world.”

Evgeniy withdraws from society, locks himself at home and tries to write on his own, but the young man does not succeed, since “he was sick of persistent work.” After this, the hero begins to read a lot, but realizes that literature will not save him: “like women, he left books.” Evgeny, from a sociable, secular person, becomes a reserved young man, prone to “caustic argument” and “joking with bile in half.”

Evgeniy lived in a picturesque village, his house was located by the river, surrounded by a garden. Wanting to somehow entertain himself, Onegin decided to introduce new orders in his domains: he replaced corvee with “light rent.” Because of this, the neighbors began to treat the hero with caution, believing “that he is a most dangerous eccentric.” At the same time, Evgeny himself avoided his neighbors, avoiding getting to know them in every possible way.

At the same time, the young landowner Vladimir Lensky returned from Germany to one of the nearest villages. Vladimir was a romantic person. However, among the villagers, Lensky’s special attention was attracted by the figure of Onegin, and Vladimir and Evgeniy gradually became friends.

Tatiana:

“Wild, sad, silent,
Like a forest deer, fearful.”

Onegin asks if he can see Lensky's beloved and his friend invites him to go to the Larins.

Returning from the Larins, Onegin tells Vladimir that he was pleased to meet them, but his attention was more attracted not by Olga, who “has no life in her features,” but by her sister Tatyana, “who is sad and silent, like Svetlana.” Onegin's appearance at the Larins' house caused gossip that perhaps Tatiana and Evgeniy were already engaged. Tatyana realizes that she has fallen in love with Onegin. The girl begins to see Evgeniy in the heroes of the novels, to dream about the young man, walking in the “silence of the forests” with books about love.

Evgeny, who even in his youth was disappointed with relationships with women, was touched by Tatyana’s letter, and that is why he did not want to deceive the gullible, innocent girl.

Having met Tatyana in the garden, Evgeniy spoke first. The young man said that he was very touched by her sincerity, so he wants to “repay” the girl with his “confession.” Onegin tells Tatyana that if a “pleasant lot had commanded” him to become a father and husband, he would not have looked for another bride, choosing Tatyana as his “girlfriend of days.”<…>sad." However, Eugene “was not created for bliss.” Onegin says that he loves Tatyana like a brother and at the end of his “confession” turns into a sermon to the girl:

“Learn to control yourself;
Not everyone will understand you like I do;
Inexperience leads to disaster."

After the duel with Lensky, Onegin leaves

The narrator again meets the now 26-year-old Onegin at one of the social events.

At the evening, a lady appears with a general, who attracts everyone's attention from the public. This woman looked “quiet” and “simple.” Evgeny recognizes Tatyana as a socialite. Asking a friend of the prince who this woman is, Onegin learns that she is the wife of this prince and indeed Tatyana Larina. When the prince brings Onegin to the woman, Tatiana does not show her excitement at all, while Eugene is speechless. Onegin cannot believe that this is the same girl who once wrote him a letter.

In the morning, Evgeniy receives an invitation from Prince N., Tatiana’s wife. Onegin, alarmed by memories, eagerly goes to visit, but the “stately”, “careless Lawgiver of the hall” does not seem to notice him. Unable to bear it, Evgeniy writes a letter to the woman in which he confesses his love to her.

One spring day, Onegin goes to Tatyana without an invitation. Eugene finds a woman crying bitterly over his letter. The man falls at her feet. Tatyana asks him to stand up and reminds Evgenia how in the garden, in the alley she humbly listened to his lesson, now it’s her turn. She tells Onegin that she was in love with him then, but found only severity in his heart, although she does not blame him, considering the man’s act noble. The woman understands that now she is in many ways interesting to Eugene precisely because she has become a prominent socialite. In parting, Tatyana says:

“I love you (why lie?),
But I was given to another;
I will be faithful to him forever"

And he leaves. Evgeny is “as if struck by thunder” by Tatiana’s words.

“But a sudden ringing sound rang out,
And Tatyana’s husband showed up,
And here is my hero,
In a moment that is evil for him,
Reader, we will now leave,
For a long time... forever...”

I. S. Turgenev novel “Fathers and Sons”

Evgeny Bazarov - the path from nihilism to acceptance of the diversity of the world.

Nihilist, a person who does not take principles for granted.u.

Hearing Nikolai Kirsanov play the cello, Bazarov laughs, which causes Arkady's disapproval. Denies art.

An unpleasant conversation took place during evening tea. By calling one landowner a “rubbish aristocrat,” Bazarov displeased the elder Kirsanov, who began to argue that by following principles, a person benefits society. Eugene responded by accusing him of living meaninglessly, like other aristocrats. Pavel Petrovich objected that the nihilists, with their denial, are only aggravating the situation in Russia.

Friends come to visit Odintsova. The meeting made an impression on Bazarov and he, unexpectedly, became embarrassed.

Bazarov behaved differently than always, which greatly surprised his friend. He talked a lot, talked about medicine and botany. Anna Sergeevna willingly supported the conversation, as she understood the sciences. She treated Arkady like a younger brother. At the end of the conversation, she invited the young people to her estate.

While living on the estate, Bazarov began to change. He fell in love, despite the fact that he considered this feeling a romantic billbird. He could not turn away from her and imagined her in his arms. The feeling was mutual, but they did not want to open up to each other.

Bazarov meets his father’s manager, who says that his parents are waiting for him, they are worried. Evgeniy announces his departure. In the evening, a conversation takes place between Bazar and Anna Sergeevna, where they try to understand what each of them dreams of getting from life.

Bazarov confesses his love to Odintsova. In response, he hears: “You didn’t understand me,” and feels extremely awkward. Anna Sergeevna believes that without Evgeny she will be calmer and does not accept his confession. Bazarov decides to leave

They were received well in the house of the elder Bazarovs. The parents were very happy, but knowing that their son did not approve of such a manifestation of feelings, they tried to remain more restrained. During lunch, the father talked about how he runs the household, and the mother just looked at her son.

Bazarov spent very little time at his parents’ house, as he was bored. He believed that with their attention they were interfering with his work. There was an argument between friends that almost escalated into a quarrel. Arkady tried to prove that it was impossible to live like this, Bazarov did not agree with his opinion.

Parents, having learned about Evgeniy’s decision to leave, were very upset, but tried not to show their feelings, especially his father. He reassured his son that if he had to leave, then he had to do it. After leaving, the parents were left alone and were very worried that their son had abandoned them.

On the way, Arkady decided to take a detour to Nikolskoye. Friends were greeted very coldly. Anna Sergeevna did not come down for a long time, and when she appeared, she had a dissatisfied expression on her face and from her speech it was clear that they were not welcome.

Having met with Odintsova, Bazarov admits his mistakes. They tell each other that they want to remain just friends.

Arkady confesses his love to Katya, asks for her hand in marriage and she agrees to become his wife. Bazarov says goodbye to his friend, angrily accusing him of being unsuitable for decisive matters. Evgeniy goes to his parents' estate.

Living in his parents' house, Bazarov does not know what to do. Then he begins to help his father, treating the sick. While opening up a peasant who died of typhus, he accidentally injures himself and becomes infected with typhus. A fever begins, he asks to send for Odintsova. Anna Sergeevna arrives and sees a completely different person. Before his death, Evgeniy tells her about his real feelings, and then dies.

Eugene rejected the love of his parents, rejected his friend, denied feelings. And only on the verge of death was he able to understand that he had chosen the wrong behavior in his life. We cannot deny what we cannot explain. Life is multifaceted.

I. A. Bunin story “Mr. from San Francisco”

Is it possible to gain experience without making mistakes? In childhood and adolescence, our parents protect us and advise us on problematic issues. This largely protects us from mistakes, helps us form character, and gain only useful experience in this life, although not everything always works out well. But we understand the real essence of life when we take the wing on our own. A more meaningful view of what is happening and a sense of responsibility make big changes in our lives. An adult makes decisions independently, is responsible for himself, understands from his own experience what life is, and looks for his own path through trial and error. You can understand the true essence of the problem only by experiencing it yourself, but it is unknown what trials and difficulties this will bring, and how a person will be able to cope with it.

In Ivan Alekseevich Bunin’s story “The Gentleman from San Francisco,” the main character does not have a name. We understand that the author puts deep meaning into his work. The hero image refers to people who make the mistake of postponing their lives for later. A gentleman from San Francisco devoted his whole life to work, he wanted to save enough money, become rich, and then start living. All the experience that the main character gained was related to his work. He paid no attention to his family, friends, or himself. I could tell he wasn't paying attention to life, he wasn't enjoying it. Going on a trip with his family, the gentleman from San Francisco thought that his time was just beginning, but as it turned out, that’s where it ended. His main mistake was that he put his life on hold, devoting himself only to work, and over the years he acquired nothing but wealth. The main character did not put his soul into his own child, did not give love and did not receive it himself. All he achieved was financial success, but during his lifetime he never learned the most important thing.

The experience of the main character would become invaluable if others learned from his mistakes, but, unfortunately, this does not happen. Many people continue to put off their lives for later, which may not come. And the price for such an experience will be a one and only life.

A. I. Kuprin story “Garnet Bracelet”

On her name day, September 17, Vera Nikolaevna was expecting guests. My husband left on business in the morning and had to bring guests for dinner.

Vera Nikolaevna, whose love for her husband had long been reborn into “a feeling of lasting, faithful, true friendship,” supported him as best she could, saved, and denied herself much.

After dinner, everyone except Vera sat down to play poker. She was about to go out onto the terrace when the maid called her. On the table in the office where both women entered, the servant laid out a small package tied with a ribbon and explained that a messenger had brought it with a request to hand it over personally to Vera Nikolaevna.

Vera found a gold bracelet and a note in the package. First she began to look at the decoration. At the center of the low-grade gold bracelet were several magnificent garnets, each about the size of a pea. Examining the stones, the birthday girl turned the bracelet, and the stones flashed like “lovely deep red living lights.” With alarm, Vera realized that these lights looked like blood.

He congratulated Vera on Angel Day and asked her not to hold a grudge against him for having dared to write letters to her and expect an answer several years ago. He asked to accept a bracelet as a gift, the stones of which belonged to his great-grandmother. From her silver bracelet, he exactly repeated the arrangement, transferred the stones to the gold one and drew Vera’s attention to the fact that no one had ever worn the bracelet. He wrote: “however, I believe that in the whole world there is not a treasure worthy to adorn you” and admitted that all that now remains in him is “only reverence, eternal admiration and slavish devotion”, an every-minute desire for happiness to Faith and joy if she's happy.

Vera was wondering whether she should show the gift to her husband.

On the way to the carriage waiting for the general, Anosov talked with Vera and Anna about how he had never met true love in his life. According to him, “love must be a tragedy. The greatest secret in the world."

The general asked Vera what was true in the story told by her husband. And she gladly shared with him: “some madman” pursued her with his love and sent letters even before marriage. The princess also told about the parcel with the letter. In thought, the general noted that it was quite possible that Vera’s life was crossed by the “single, all-forgiving, ready for anything, modest and selfless” love that any woman dreams of.

Shein and Mirza-Bulat-Tuganovsky, Vera’s husband and brother, paid a visit to her admirer. He turned out to be the official Zheltkov, a man of about thirty to thirty-five.Nikolai immediately explained to him the reason for coming - with his gift he had crossed the line of patience of Vera’s loved ones. Zheltkov immediately agreed that he was to blame for the persecution of the princess. Zheltkov asked permission to write his last letter to Vera and promised that visitors would not hear or see him again. At Vera Nikolaevna’s request, he stops “this story” “as soon as possible.”

In the evening, the prince conveyed to his wife the details of his visit to Zheltkov. She was not surprised by what she heard, but was slightly worried: the princess felt that “this man would kill himself.”

The next morning, Vera learned from the newspapers that due to the waste of public money, the official Zheltkov committed suicide. All day Sheina thought about the “unknown man” whom she never got to see, not understanding why she foresaw the tragic outcome of his life. She also remembered Anosov’s words about true love, perhaps meeting her on the way.

The postman brought Zheltkov’s farewell letter. He admitted that he regards his love for Vera as a great happiness, that his whole life lies only in the princess. He asked to forgive him for having “cut into Vera’s life like an uncomfortable wedge,” thanked her simply for the fact that she lived in the world, and said goodbye forever. “I tested myself - this is not a disease, not a manic idea - this is love with which God wanted to reward me for something. As I leave, I say in delight: “Hallowed be Thy name,” he wrote.

After reading the message, Vera told her husband that she would like to go and see the man who loved her. The prince supported this decision.

Vera found an apartment that Zheltkov was renting. The landlady came out to meet her and they started talking. At the request of the princess, the woman told about Zheltkov’s last days, then Vera went into the room where he was lying. The expression on the deceased’s face was so peaceful, as if this man “before parting with life had learned some deep and sweet secret that resolved his entire human life.”

At parting, the owner of the apartment told Vera that if a woman suddenly dies and a woman comes to him to say goodbye, Zheltkov asked her to tell her that Beethoven’s best work - he wrote down its title - “L. van Beethoven. Son. No. 2, op. 2. Largo Appassionato.”

Vera began to cry, explaining her tears with the painful “impression of death.”

Vera made the main mistake in her life, she missed out on sincere and strong love, which is very rare.