An acute sense of the crisis of civilization in I. A. Bunin’s story “Mr. from San Francisco. The role of minor characters in Ostrovsky's play "The Thunderstorm"

In today’s article I’m going to talk about one extremely subtle problem, which, unfortunately, not all novice authors think about. Today we will talk about roles minor characters in a literary work. The fact is that novice authors sometimes either completely forget about the so-called supporting roles, or pay too much attention to a particularly successful secondary character to the detriment of the overall plan of the story. Therefore, in order for such problems to arise as rarely as possible, we will discuss the place of minor characters in general structure artistic text.

I think it’s no secret to you that within the blog “ Literary workshop"I give the most serious attention issues of working on characters, since I am completely confident that a considerable share of the success of the entire work lies in the high-quality portrayal of characters. Of course, it’s up to everyone to share these judgments or reject them, but if you are interested in the issues of competently developing the characters in your work, this article will certainly be useful to you.

Minor characters.

So, at the very beginning, in order to better understand and structure the material, I will have to voice a couple of common truths. It is clear that these are well-known axioms, but without them subsequent investigation into the issue is simply impossible. The first platitude goes something like this: not all characters in a literary work are created equal. Indeed, they can be conditionally divided into main and secondary. And if the authors almost always pay increased attention to the main characters (they try to reveal the character, show the depth of internal experiences), then there is simply not enough of it on the secondary ones. But in vain. Sometimes supporting roles turn out to be no less important than the main ones... But first things first.

In general, the main characters are the characters about whom the story is told. The secondary ones are everyone else.

Second platitude for today: The author himself and readers during the course of the work must clearly understand which characters are the main ones and which ones are insignificant. If confusion or doubt arises among the public, the fault lies entirely with the author. He must clearly separate one from the other, and also be fully aware of what role the main characters play in his opus, and why he uses the secondary ones. And if with the first everything is generally clear (the main characters are the conductors of the main idea of ​​the work, the object of the audience's interest and empathy), then the place and tasks of the second are not always extremely clear and transparent. It is these difficulties that we will talk about later.

Live background.

So, unless our story takes place on a desert island, the main characters are usually surrounded by a lot of people who don't have much influence on the course of the story. In fact, they are only part of the background of our work. They may perform some minor functions (tell the hero the news, take him to the scene of action, step on his foot on a tram, steal a wallet in a crush, etc.), but after that they invariably disappear from sight. The main character cannot be in an absolute vacuum; there are always people around him, creating a moving background, a dynamic setting of the work, otherwise what is happening simply will not be realistic. It is very important that these minor characters do not attract excessive attention, do not interfere with the perception of events and the hero himself.

However, it is not always possible to maintain the right balance between the main and secondary characters. Sometimes the image of some insignificant person turns out to be so vivid that he begins to “pull the blanket over himself” and distract the reader from the main direction of the story. In this case, the writer should think carefully about why this happens? Perhaps the influence of this character should be reduced, even to the point of excluding him from the text altogether, or perhaps it would be more reasonable to change the plot somewhat, allocating more free space to a successful bright image, making him one of the main characters? The author must decide this question independently, based on general plan, ideas of the work.

But in general, of course, The main role of secondary characters is to create a living background for the work.

Stereotyping.

What, by and large, main character literary work differs from ordinary person? In the overwhelming majority of cases, the fact that the hero is capable of actions that an ordinary person would never dare to do. That's why he's a hero. But on the other hand, a hero can only be a hero in the background ordinary people, only in comparison with their stereotyping can he demonstrate his heroism (the ability to deviate from the usual rules and norms, break prohibitions, show courage, etc.). Accordingly, the role of minor characters in the story is also demonstration of society stereotypes. That is, minor characters in any work are typical representatives of society, bearers of its stereotypes. And as soon as one of the heroes violates these same stereotypes, he involuntarily attracts the reader’s attention. The author should use this subtle point as when working on the main characters.

However, these judgments in no way mean that minor characters should be faceless and similar friend on a friend. Not at all. They are also quite allowed to break stereotypes, but they must do this one by one, and not all at once.

Eccentricity and humor.

Characters who do not pretend to be the main roles should also have individuality - small but bright details will make the story more interesting and complete, set the mood, and sometimes add humor. I think it’s no secret that often the main pranksters in works of art It is not the main characters who act, but rather the secondary characters. The main characters are traditionally expected to take serious heroic deeds, saving the world and beautiful maidens, but nothing special is required from the secondary ones, so they can be funny to their heart’s content. Therefore, the eccentric behavior of episodic roles is exactly the resource with which a writer can make his own text more vivid and interesting. This should not be forgotten.

Here we can also mention “obsession” - an extreme version of eccentricity, in which a minor character behaves too intrusively or reacts too emotionally to any events.

This leads to the third function of minor characters: work on short-term entertainment of the audience. The author has the opportunity to make a minor character as eccentric as he likes, because he, in fact, does not affect the development of the plot, but at the same time, similar vivid images make the text more interesting and memorable.

Exaggeration.

A moment of exaggeration when working on episodic roles Its goal is to entertain the reader throughout the narrative, to create vivid emotions in him that are not directly related to the main idea of ​​the work. In general, the whole range of sensations that were already discussed a little higher, in the previous paragraph about humor and eccentricity.

The main method here is the deliberate exaggeration of certain character traits of a secondary character: cruelty or kindness, spontaneity or prudence.

But why, one might ask, is exaggeration used for these purposes? Why not just draw an ordinary character endowed with this very prudence? The whole point is that hypertrophy makes it possible to focus attention on exactly the desired feature, and it is easy to highlight it against the general background of mediocrity.

How can this work? For example, in the form of a simple trick, when a minor character first radiates exaggerated innocence and gentleness, and then, at the right moment, stands out with exaggerated prudence. As you understand, playing with contrasts is understandable always and everywhere. And the greater the contrast, the stronger the effect it usually produces.

That's all for today. We have looked at the three main functions of minor characters: creating a background, depicting stereotypes, entertaining the reader through eccentricity and humor. I hope this will help you be more thoughtful in how you draw your characters. I look forward to your comments and opinions! See you soon!

Image tragic fate talented
Russian person. System of images in the story
"The Stupid Artist"
I can’t take it as a fact, but I take it
something about the psyche, character analysis.
N.S. Leskov
The purpose of the lesson:

develop oral speech students; analyze the text of the work and the images of the characters.
Lesson equipment:



story text,
epigraph;
illustrations for “The Stupid Artist”, made by M. Dobuzhinsky, I. Glazunov.
Methodical techniques:




conversation on issues homework,
work with text,
commented reading;
analytical conversation.
1. Analytical conversation.
DURING THE CLASSES
Which artistic media allow the author to better understand the psychology and actions of the characters
"Stupid artist"?
(Object details, speech and portrait characteristics).
What is the role of the portrait of the characters in The Stupid Artist?
Portraiture allows N.S. Leskov to better understand and convey the psychology of the heroes of “Tupeyny”
artist" because between appearance of a person and his inner essence usually is
a certain connection.
What is the meaning of the image of Lyubov Onisimovna?
Lyubov Onisimovna is the narrator in “The Stupid Artist.” All events reflected in the work
appear before readers through the perception of this heroine.
How does N.S. Leskov draw the main character of “The Stupid Artist”?
“...a tall, dry, but very slender old lady. Lyubov Onisimovna was not very old yet, but as white as a harrier;
her facial features were thin and gentle, and her high figure was completely straight and surprisingly well-built, like that of a young woman
girls... She was infinitely honest, meek and sentimental.” This characteristic given by Leskov
the heroine at the beginning of the work, immediately attracts the reader to the image of the narrator. And this is not just like that.
The reader sympathizes with the heroine and her lover, believes everything she says, although they are wary
words that Lyubov Onisimovna “loved the tragic in life and... Sometimes she drank.” Such people are not always
objective in assessing events. They do not allow any halftones, so everyone with whom fate brings Love
Onisimovna are clearly divided into positive and negative. But she wasn't always like this.
At eighteen, Lyubov Onisimovna “was not only in the bloom of her virgin beauty, but also in her very
interesting moment in the development of her multifaceted talent: she “sang in choirs,” danced “the first
pa in “The Chinese Gardener” and, feeling a calling to tragedy, “knew all the roles by sight.”
What groups can the heroes of “The Stupid Artist” be divided into?

As in folklore stories about lovers going through a series of trials,
standing in the way of their love, in “The Stupid Artist” all the characters are divided into groups: the first includes
Arkady Ilyich and Lyubov Onisimovna, to the second - the Kamensky brothers, and to the third group - episodic
characters of the story. And all these heroes are divided into negative and positive (“good” and “evil”).
All goodies stories have telling names: the name Love comes from the Old Slavonic
a word meaning love. Arkady (from the Greek words “arkados” and “arkas”, a resident of Arcadia. Arcadia is
happy, idyllic country of shepherds and shepherdesses). The name Arkady symbolizes active, good and
brave start. All these qualities are inherent in the main character of “The Stupid Artist”. The name Drosida seems
strange to readers, but Leskov also introduces it into the work for a reason. Drosida (in translation from Greek - martyr),
accepted martyrdom for Christ. In the story “The Stupid Artist” Drosida ended up in a cattle station
yard, having suffered for love.
All negative characters do not have names or surnames.
Why?
Why does Leskov mention the surname? negative heroes- Kamensky brothers?
We can only guess about the names of the Kamensky brothers. And it doesn't matter. Mention of the Count's surname
and his brother is necessary for Leskov only to give some connection with historical events on
Orlovschina.
What is the role of the episodic characters in the story?
Episodic characters, like the main ones, are also divided into “good” and “evil”. To the episodic characters of the story
include the cowgirl Drosida, the priest and priest, and the inn janitor. It becomes paradoxical
betrayal of the priest, from the story the reader knows that “the count himself did not believe in God, but spiritual
couldn't stand it; and once at Easter the priests of Boris and Gleb with a cross were hunted down by greyhounds.”
Why did the priest betray the lovers? Could he have acted differently, or did he have stalemate?
Is it possible to justify the betrayal of a priest?
“The motley old woman” Drosida, “elderly, tall, all in blue motley clothes,” helped Lyubov Onisimovna
cope with “psychosis” and survive scary days separation from your loved one. A simple cowgirl turns out to be more
“human” rather than a man of God.
2. Checking homework. A table compiled by a student is checked through a graph projector.
(commented reading and discussion of points comparative characteristics heroes of "Tupeiny"
artist").
Table.
Arkady
Count Kamensky.
“...and he was a man with ideas, in a word, an artist.”
“...he himself is more beautiful than any handsome man, because he was tall
moderate, but slender, it’s impossible to say, the nose is thin and
proud, and his eyes are angelic, kind, and his thick crest is beautiful with
his head hung over his eyes, so that he looked as if from behind
foggy cloud."
"everyone liked it"
“Why I decided - only my chest and the background knows.”
“There is no conspiracy on me, but there is a meaning in me from God: as long as you hand
with a pistol he began to raise it to shoot at me, I would have
I cut your entire throat with a razor.”
“...you should be afraid of him when he shaves with a razor.”
“...was so terribly bad,
through your constant anger,
that for all animals at once
resembled."
“And in natureto the count, to the big
his annoyance was exactly what was missing
of all the more important and "military"
imagination."
“The covenant of chastity could be violated
only “himself”, the one who
set."
“...quiet, very quiet, as if
having calmed down. - He always has this

“...do you agree to die if we don’t leave?”
“take me to be tormented, but she is not guilty of anything: I force her
sped away."
“...and I feel only respect for you.”
happened before the big one
cruelty."
“...I will open the path of honor for you, I
I don't want you to be lower than that
like yourself with the noble
put it in spirit."
What technique does Leskov use when describing the appearance of Arkady and Count Kamensky? (Antithesis -
opposition).
Do you think Count Kamensky is a complete villain?
Only a villain could have “torment such that it is better a hundred times for the one who is destined for death. And the rack and
string, and they hid their heads and turned them upside down: all this happened. State punishment after this is already for
nothing was set. There were secret cellars under the entire house, where people were alive in chains, like bears,
sat. It used to happen that when you were walking past, you could sometimes hear chains rattling and people in chains groaning...
Others, even with bears, were chained, so that the bear could lift it only half an inch with its paw.”
But Count Kamensky cannot be considered a complete villain, since he acted differently with Arkady,
"opening up the path of honor for him." After the punishment, the count called Arkady to him and said: “I will send a letter so that you
Now they’ve sent you straight to war, and you won’t serve as a common soldier, but will be a regimental sergeant and
show your courage. Then it is not my will that is over you, but the king’s.”
For three years Arkady “fought and served the sovereign and shed his blood more than once, and came out (to him) for that
officer rank and noble title." Why not a fairy tale hero?
But this fairy tale does not have a happy ending. Arkady did not have to appear before the villainous count in orders and
crosses, he did not have the chance to ransom Lyubov Onisimovna and marry her “before the throne of the Most High
Creator." Arkady went through fire and water, and was killed treacherously: stabbed to death by an inn janitor at night.
What is the significance of the episode of Arkady's funeral?
Serfs of Count Kamensky went to see how " copper pipes"played at Arkady's funeral: "himself
The governor was at the funeral! Why! The officer, his deacon and priest “Bolyarin” Arkady at mass
they called it and how they lowered the coffin, the soldiers fired empty charges from their guns.” But Arkady's wake
have been going on for many years. For many years, Lyubov Onisimovna’s heart “burns like coal, and there is no source,” and she has to
for an aged nanny to get out of bed at night and pour this coal from the “little bottle.”
What mood will the ending of The Stupid Artist permeate? Feels melancholy, sadness, hopelessness
reader at the end of the story, especially since the story ends with the words: “More terrible and
I have never seen a soul-rending funeral in my entire life.”
What's the mood here?

The purpose of the lesson: reveal the philosophical content of Bunin’s story.

Methodical techniques: analytical reading.

During the classes.

I. The teacher's word.

The First World War was already underway, and there was a crisis of civilization. Bunin addressed current problems, but not directly related to Russia, to current Russian reality. In the spring of 1910 I.A. Bunin visited France, Algeria, Capri. In December 1910 - spring 1911. I was in Egypt and Ceylon. In the spring of 1912 he again went to Capri, and in the summer of the following year he visited Trebizond, Constantinople, Bucharest and other European cities. From December 1913 he spent six months in Capri. The impressions from these travels were reflected in the stories and stories that made up the collections “Sukhodol” (1912), “John the Weeper” (1913), “The Cup of Life” (1915), “The Master from San Francisco” (1916).

The story "Mr. from San Francisco" ( original title“Death on Capri”) continued the tradition of L.N. Tolstoy, who depicted illness and death as major events, revealing the true value of an individual (“Polikushka”, 1863; “The Death of Ivan Ilyich”, 1886; “The Master and the Worker”, 1895). Along with the philosophical line, Bunin’s story developed social issues related to a critical attitude towards the lack of spirituality of bourgeois society, towards the exaltation of technical progress to the detriment of internal improvement.

Bunin does not accept bourgeois civilization as a whole. The pathos of the story lies in the feeling of the inevitability of the death of this world.

Plot built on a description of an accident that unexpectedly interrupted an established life and hero's plans, whose name “no one remembered.” He is one of those who, until the age of fifty-eight, “worked tirelessly” to become like the rich people “whom he once took as a model.”

II. Conversation based on the story.

What images in the story have symbolic meaning?

(Firstly, the ocean steamer with meaningful name"Atlantis", on which a nameless millionaire is sailing to Europe. Atlantis - sunken legendary, mythical continent, symbol lost civilization, unable to withstand the onslaught of the elements. Associations also arise with the Titanic, which sank in 1912. “The ocean that walked behind the walls” of the steamship is a symbol of the elements, nature, opposing civilization.
The image of the captain, “a red-haired man of monstrous size and bulk, similar... to a huge idol and very rarely appearing in public from his mysterious chambers,” is also symbolic. The image is symbolic title character (reference: the title character is the one whose name is in the title of the work; he may not be the main character). The gentleman from San Francisco is the personification of a man of bourgeois civilization.)

To more clearly imagine the nature of the relationship between “Atlantis” and the ocean, you can use a “cinematic” technique: the “camera” first glides along the floors of the ship, demonstrating the rich decoration, details emphasizing the luxury, solidity, reliability of “Atlantis”, and then gradually “sails away” showing the enormity of the ship as a whole; moving further, the “camera” moves further and further away from the steamer until it becomes like a nutshell in a huge raging ocean that fills the entire space. (Let's remember the final scene of the movie "Solaris", where the seemingly acquired Father's house turns out to be only imaginary, given to the hero by the power of the Ocean. If possible, you can show these shots in class).

What is the significance of the main setting of the story?

(The main action of the story takes place on the huge steamship of the famous Atlantis. The limited plot space allows us to focus on the mechanism of functioning of bourgeois civilization. It appears as a society divided into upper “floors” and “basements.” Upstairs, life goes on as in a “hotel with everyone comforts", measuredly, calmly and idlely. There are "many" "passengers" living "prosperously", but there are much more - "a great multitude" - of those who work for them "in the cooks', sculleries" and in the "underwater womb" - at the “gigantic fireboxes.”)

What technique does Bunin use to depict the division of society?

(The division has the nature of the antithesis: rest, carelessness, dancing and work, unbearable tension are contrasted”; “the radiance... of the palace” and “the dark and sultry depths of the underworld”; “gentlemen” in tailcoats and tuxedos, ladies in “rich”, “lovely” “toilets” and “drenched in acrid, dirty sweat and naked to the waist, people crimson from the flames.” A picture of heaven and hell is gradually being built.)

How do “tops” and “bottoms” relate to each other?

(They in a strange way connected to each other. “Good money” helps to get to the top, and those who, like “the gentleman from San Francisco,” were “quite generous” to people from the “underworld,” they “fed and watered... from morning to evening they served him, warning his slightest desire, protected his cleanliness and peace, carried his things...".)

Why is the main character deprived of a name?

(The hero is simply called “master,” because that is precisely his essence. At least he considers himself a master and revels in his position. He can afford to go “just for the sake of entertainment” “to the Old World for two whole years” can enjoy all the benefits guaranteed by his status, believes “in the care of all those who fed and watered him, served him from morning to evening, warned his slightest desire,” can contemptuously throw out to the ragamuffins through gritted teeth: “Go away! Via!” ("Away!").)

(Describing the gentleman’s appearance, Bunin uses epithets that emphasize his wealth and his unnaturalness: “silver mustache”, “golden fillings” of teeth, “strong bald head”, compared to “old ivory”. There is nothing spiritual about the gentleman, his goal is becoming rich and reaping the benefits of this wealth came true, but he did not become happier because of it. The description of the gentleman from San Francisco is constantly accompanied by the author's irony.)

When does the hero begin to change and lose his self-confidence?

(“The gentleman” changes only in the face of death, it is no longer the gentleman from San Francisco that begins to appear in him - he was no longer there - but someone else.” Death makes him human: “his features began to become thinner, brighter... ". "Deceased", "deceased", "dead" - this is how the author now calls the hero. The attitude of those around him changes sharply: the corpse must be removed from the hotel so as not to spoil the mood of other guests, they cannot provide a coffin - only a box from - under soda ("soda" is also one of the signs of civilization), the servants, who were in awe of the living, mockingly laugh at the dead. At the end of the story, the "body of a dead old man from San Francisco" is mentioned, which returns "home, to the grave, to the shores of the New World ", in the black hold. The power of the "master" turned out to be illusory.)

How is society shown in the story?

(Steamboat - the last word technicians - is a model human society. Its holds and decks are the layers of this society. On upper floors the ship, which looks like “a huge hotel with all the amenities,” flows steadily life of the rich who have achieved complete “well-being”. This life is indicated by a long, vaguely personal sentence, occupying almost a page: “we got up early, ... drank coffee, chocolate, cocoa, ... sat in baths, stimulating appetite and good health, performed daily toilets and went to the first breakfast.. ." These proposals emphasize the impersonality and lack of individuality of those who consider themselves masters of life. Everything they do is unnatural: entertainment is needed only to artificially stimulate appetite. “Travelers” do not hear the evil howl of a siren, foreshadowing death - it is drowned out by the “sounds of a beautiful string orchestra.”
The ship's passengers represent the nameless “cream” of society: “There was a certain great rich man among this brilliant crowd, ... there was a famous Spanish writer, there was a world-famous beauty, there was an elegant couple in love...” The couple pretended to be in love, were “hired by Lloyd to play at love.” for good money." It is an artificial paradise filled with light, warmth and music.
And there is also hell. The “underwater womb of the steamship” is like hell. There, “gigantic furnaces cackled dully, devouring with their red-hot mouths piles of coal, with a roar thrown into them by people drenched in acrid, dirty sweat and naked to the waist, crimson from the flames.” Let us note the alarming coloring and threatening sound of this description.)

How is the conflict between man and nature resolved?

(Society only looks like a well-oiled machine. Nature, which seems to be an object of entertainment along with “ancient monuments, tarantella, serenades of wandering singers and ... the love of young Neapolitan women,” recalls the illusory nature of life in the “hotel.” It is “huge,” but around it - "water desert" of the ocean and "cloudy sky". Man's eternal fear of the elements is drowned out by the sounds of the "string orchestra". It is reminded of by the siren "constantly calling" from hell, moaning "in mortal anguish" and "furious anger", but they hear her "few." All the rest believe in the inviolability of their existence, protected by a "pagan idol" - the commander of the ship. The specificity of the description is combined with symbolism, which allows us to emphasize the philosophical nature of the conflict. The social gap between rich and poor is nothing compared to the abyss that separates man from nature and life from non-existence.)

What is the role of the episodic characters in the story - Lorenzo and the Abruzzese highlanders?

(These characters appear at the end of the story and are in no way connected with its action. Lorenzo is “a tall old boatman, a carefree reveler and a handsome man,” probably the same age as the gentleman from San Francisco. Only a few lines are dedicated to him, but he is given a sonorous name, unlike from the title character. He is famous throughout Italy, more than once he served as a model for many painters. “With a regal demeanor" he looks around, feeling truly “royal,” enjoying life, “showing off with his rags, a clay pipe and a red woolen beret lowered on one ear.” The picturesque poor old man Lorenzo will live forever on the canvases of artists, but the rich old man from San Francisco was erased from life and forgotten before he could die.
The Abruzzese highlanders, like Lorenzo, personify the naturalness and joy of being. They live in harmony, in harmony with the world, with nature: “They walked - and the whole country, joyful, beautiful, sunny, stretched under them: and the rocky humps of the island, which almost all lay at their feet, and that fabulous blue, in which he swam, and the shining morning vapors over the sea to the east, under the dazzling sun...” A goatskin bagpipe and a highlander's wooden shank are contrasted with the steamship's "beautiful string orchestra." With their lively, artless music, the mountaineers give praise to the sun, the morning, “the immaculate intercessor of all those who suffer in this evil and wonderful world, and born from her womb in the cave of Bethlehem...” That's what it is true values life, in contrast to the brilliant, expensive, but artificial, imaginary values ​​of the “masters.”)

What image is a general image of the insignificance and perishability of earthly wealth and glory?

(This is also an unnamed image, in which one recognizes the once powerful Roman Emperor Tiberius, who lived the last years of his life on Capri. Many “come to look at the remains of the stone house where he lived.” “Humanity will forever remember him,” but this is the glory of Herostratus : “a man who was unspeakably vile in satisfying his lust and for some reason had power over millions of people, inflicting cruelties on them beyond all measure.” In the word “for some reason” there is an exposure of fictitious power, pride; time puts everything in its place: gives immortality to the true and plunges the false into oblivion.)

III. Teacher's word.

The story gradually develops the theme of the end of the existing world order, the inevitability of the death of a soulless and spiritual civilization. It is contained in the epigraph, which was removed by Bunin only in latest edition 1951: “Woe to you, Babylon, strong city!” This biblical phrase, reminiscent of Belshazzar's feast before the fall of the Chaldean kingdom, sounds like a harbinger of great disasters to come. The mention in the text of Vesuvius, the eruption of which destroyed Pompeii, reinforces the ominous prediction. Sharp feeling the crisis of a civilization doomed to oblivion is coupled with philosophical reflections on life, man, death and immortality.

IV. Analysis of the composition and conflict of the story.
Material for teachers.

Composition The story has a circular character. The hero's journey begins in San Francisco and ends with a return "home, to the grave, to the shores of the New World." The “middle” of the story - a visit to the “Old World” - in addition to the specific one, also has a generalized meaning. " New person", returning to history, reassesses his place in the world. The arrival of the heroes in Naples and Capri opens up the opportunity to include in the text the author’s descriptions of a “wonderful,” “joyful, beautiful, sunny” country, the beauty of which “human words are powerless to express,” and philosophical digressions, conditioned by Italian impressions.
The climax is the scene of “unexpectedly and rudely falling” on the “master” of death in the “smallest, worst, most damp and cold” room of the “lower corridor”.
This event, only by coincidence of circumstances, was perceived as a “terrible incident” (“if it weren’t for the German in the reading room” who burst out of there “screaming”, the owner would have been able to “calm down... with hasty assurances that it was so, a trifle..."). The unexpected departure into oblivion in the context of the story is perceived as the highest moment of the collision of the illusory and the true, when nature “roughly” proves its omnipotence. But people continue their “carefree”, crazy existence, quickly returning to peace and quiet.” They cannot be awakened to life not only by the example of one of their contemporaries, but even by the memory of what happened “two thousand years ago” during the time of Tiberius, who lived “on one of the steepest slopes” of Capri, who was the Roman emperor during the life of Jesus Christ.
Conflict The story goes far beyond the scope of a particular case, and therefore its denouement is connected with reflections on the fate of not just one hero, but all past and future passengers of Atlantis. Doomed to the “hard” path of overcoming “darkness, ocean, blizzard”, locked in a “hellish” social machine, humanity is suppressed by the conditions of its earthly life. Only the naive and simple, like children, have access to the joy of joining “the eternal and blissful abodes.” In the story, the image of “two Abruzzese highlanders” appears, baring their heads in front of the plaster statue of the “immaculate intercessor of all those who suffer,” remembering her “blessed son,” who brought the “beautiful” beginning of good into the “evil” world. The master of the earthly world remained the devil, watching “from the rocky gates of two worlds” the actions of the “New Man with an old heart.” What will he choose? where will he go humanity, whether it can defeat the evil inclination within itself, is a question to which the story gives a “suppressing... soul” answer. But the denouement becomes problematic, since the finale affirms the idea of ​​a Man whose “pride” turns him into the third force of the world. A symbol of this is the ship’s path through time and the elements: “The blizzard beat in its rigging and wide-necked pipes, white with snow, but it was steadfast, firm, majestic and terrible.”
Artistic originality The story is associated with the interweaving of epic and lyrical principles. On the one hand, in full accordance with the realistic principles of depicting a hero in his relationships with the environment, on the basis of social and everyday specifics, a type is created, the reminiscent background for which, first of all, is images “ dead souls"(N.V. Gogol. “Dead Souls”, 1842), Moreover, just like Gogol, thanks author's assessment, expressed in lyrical digressions, the problems deepen, the conflict acquires a philosophical character.

Additional material for teachers.

The melody of death begins to sound latently from the very first pages of the work, gradually becoming the leading motive. At first, death is extremely aestheticized and picturesque: in Monte Carlo, one of the activities of rich idlers is “shooting pigeons, which soar very beautifully and perch over the emerald lawn, against the backdrop of a sea the color of forget-me-nots, and immediately hit the ground with white lumps.” (Bunin is generally characterized by the aestheticization of things that are usually unsightly, which should rather frighten than attract the observer - well, who else but him could write about “slightly powdered, delicate pink pimples near the lips and between the shoulder blades” on the daughter of a gentleman from San Francisco, compare the whites of the eyes of blacks with “flaky hard balls” or call it young man in a narrow tailcoat with long tails “handsome, like a huge leech!”) Then a hint of death appears in verbal portrait the crown prince of one of the Asian states, sweet and pleasant in general person, whose mustache, however, “saw like a dead man’s,” and the skin on his face was “as if stretched.” And the siren on the ship is choking in “mortal melancholy,” promising evil, and the museums are cold and “deadly pure,” and the ocean is moving “mourning mountains of silver foam” and hums like a “funeral mass.”
But the breath of death is felt even more clearly in the appearance of the main character, in whose portrait yellow-black-silver tones prevail: a yellowish face, gold fillings in the teeth, an ivory-colored skull. Cream silk underwear, black socks, trousers, and a tuxedo complete his look. And he sits in the golden-pearl glow of the dining hall. And it seems that from him these colors spread to nature and the whole the world. Except that an alarming red color has been added. It is clear that the ocean rolls its black waves, that crimson flames escape from the fireboxes of the ship, it is natural that Italian women have black hair, that the rubber capes of cab drivers give off a black look, that the crowd of footmen is “black,” and that musicians may have red jackets. But why does the beautiful island of Capri also approach “with its blackness”, “drilled with red lights”, why even “humble waves” shimmer like “black oil”, and “golden boas” flow along them from the lit lanterns on the pier?
This is how Bunin creates in the reader an idea of ​​the omnipotence of the gentleman from San Francisco, capable of drowning out even the beauty of nature! (...) After all, even sunny Naples is not illuminated by the sun while the American is there, and the island of Capri seems like some kind of ghost, “as if it never existed in the world,” when the rich man approaches him...

Remember in the works of which writers there is a “talking color scheme”. What role does Dostoevsky play in creating the image of St. Petersburg? yellow? What other colors are significant?

Bunin needs all this to prepare the reader for the climax of the story - the death of the hero, which he does not think about, the thought of which does not penetrate his consciousness at all. And what kind of surprise can there be in this programmed world, where formal dressing for dinner is done in such a way as if a person is preparing for a “crowning” (that is, the happy pinnacle of his life!), where there is a cheerful smartness, albeit middle-aged, but well-shaven and yet a very elegant man who so easily overtakes an old woman who is late for dinner! Bunin has only one detail in store that “stands out” from the series of well-rehearsed actions and movements: when the gentleman from San Francisco gets dressed for dinner, his neck cuff does not obey his fingers. She doesn’t want to button up... But he still defeats her. Painfully biting “the flabby skin in the recess under the Adam’s apple,” he wins “with eyes shining from tension,” “all gray from the tight collar squeezing his throat.” And suddenly at that moment he utters words that in no way fit with the atmosphere of general contentment, with the delight that he was prepared to receive. “- Oh. This is terrible! - he muttered... and repeated with conviction: “This is terrible...” What exactly seemed terrible to him in this world designed for pleasure, the gentleman from San Francisco, not used to thinking about the unpleasant, never tried to understand. However, it is amazing that before this an American who spoke mainly English or Italian (his Russian remarks are very short and are perceived as “passing”) repeats this word twice in Russian... By the way, it is generally worth noting his abrupt, how barking speech: he does not utter more than two or three words in a row.
“Terrible” was the first touch of Death, never realized by a person in whose soul “for a long time there were no longer any mystical feelings left.” After all, as Bunin writes, the intense rhythm of his life did not leave “time for feelings and reflection.” However, he still had some feelings, or rather sensations, though they were simple, if not base... The writer repeatedly points out that the gentleman from San Francisco perked up only at the mention of the tarantella performer. (his question, asked “in an expressionless voice,” about her partner: is he not her husband - just reveals hidden excitement), only imagining how she is, “swarthy, with feigned eyes, looking like a mulatto, in a flowery outfit ( ...) dances,” only anticipating “the love of young Neapolitan women, albeit not entirely disinterested,” only admiring the “living pictures” in the dens or looking so openly at the famous blonde beauty that his daughter felt embarrassed. He feels despair only when he begins to suspect that life is slipping out of his control: he came to Italy to enjoy himself, but here there is fog, rain and terrifying pitching... But he is given the pleasure of dreaming about a spoonful of soup and a sip of wine.
And for this, and also for his entire life, in which there was self-confident efficiency, and cruel exploitation of other people, and endless accumulation of wealth, and the conviction that everyone around was called to “serve” him, “to prevent his slightest desires,” “ carry his things,” for the absence of any living principle, Bunin executes him and executes him cruelly, one might say, mercilessly.
The death of the gentleman from San Francisco is shocking in its ugliness and repulsive physiology. Now the writer makes full use of the aesthetic category of “ugly” so that the disgusting picture is forever imprinted in our memory. Bunin spares no repulsive details to recreate a man whom no wealth can save from the humiliation that follows his death. Later, the dead man is also granted genuine communication with nature, which he was deprived of, which, being alive, he never felt the need for: “the stars looked at him from the sky, the cricket sang with sad carefreeness on the wall.”

What works can you name where the death of the hero is described in detail? What significance do these “finals” have for understanding ideological plan? How is the author's position expressed in them?

The writer “rewarded” his hero with such an ugly, unenlightened death in order to once again emphasize the horror of that unrighteous life, which only could end in such a way. And indeed, after the death of the gentleman from San Francisco, the world felt relief. A miracle happened. The very next day, the morning blue sky turned golden, “peace and tranquility returned to the island,” ordinary people poured into the streets, and the city market was graced with the presence of the handsome Lorenzo, who serves as a model for many painters and, as it were, symbolizes beautiful Italy.. .

/ / / The role of minor characters in Ostrovsky’s play “The Thunderstorm”

From the pen of A.N. Ostrovsky published about 60 plays, which glorified the name of the author and made him eternal in the memory of Russian literature. One of the most decisive and frank is the play “”, in which we observe the world of tyrants and their boundless actions, which ultimately lead to tragic consequences.

The action takes place in the most ordinary town of Kalinov. But what happens in it attracts our attention. We, the readers, are observing the suffocating situation in which the residents of Kalinov find themselves. They are exposed to cruel merchants of all-permissible status on a daily basis.

There are quite a lot of minor characters in the play. They help the author reveal the types of relationships between people of that time and reveal the character traits of the main characters. Conventionally, we can divide the characters into pairs that are somewhat similar.

Very similar to each other (Kabanikha) and Dikoy. They are powerful people, no one dares to contradict them. Dikoy dominates the town of Kalinov, and Kabanikha dominates her estate. Both persons treat each other with respect, because they consider themselves similar and the same.

Kabanova's daughter is Katerina's friend. Girls always tell each other secrets. Varvara learned and adapted to life in her mother's house. And her main skill was lying. In her speech, she directly states that it is impossible to live in their family without this. She is similar in habits and character to her mother. Another character is equal to her - Ivan Kudryash. He is lively and playful, he is cocky and boastful. In some ways he reminds us of the Wild One himself. The couple Curly and Varvara end up running away from the city. But will they be able to become different people and free themselves from the principles of tyranny? Only the author knows this.

There are two similar male characters in the play. This is Katerina’s husband, Tikhon, and her beloved Boris. Both of them can be considered weak and spineless. could not protect Katerina from the constant oppression of Kabanikha and silently obeyed the will of his mother. But Boris could not take the girl with him to Siberia, and thereby save her from suicide. He was completely dependent on his uncle Diky. Both characters simply do not deserve attention, much less Katerina’s love.

The wanderer Feklusha and also stand in a pair, only these are completely opposite images. Feklusha is an adherent of the “dark kingdom”. She always comes to the defense of tyrants. Kuligin, on the other hand, opposes the images of the Wild One, Kabanikha and other similar persons. It was he who was able to make an indictment against Marfa Kabanova after Katerina’s death.

Thanks to such a variety of minor characters, we see fate against their background main character Katerina, who has no equal in this play. Only she was able to deal an irreparable blow to the “dark kingdom” and express an open protest against cruelty, callousness and lawlessness.

Lesson 5. An acute sense of the crisis of civilization

in the story by I. A. Bunin “Mr. from San Francisco”

The purpose of the lesson: reveal the philosophical content of Bunin's story.

Methodical techniques: analytical reading.

During the classes

I. Teacher's word

The First World War was already underway, and there was a crisis of civilization. Bunin addressed current problems, but not directly related to Russia, to current Russian reality. In the spring of 1910, I. A. Bunin visited France, Algeria, and Capri. In December 1910 - spring 1911. I was in Egypt and Ceylon. In the spring of 1912 he again went to Capri, and in the summer of the following year he visited Trebizond, Constantinople, Bucharest and other European cities. From December 1913 he spent six months in Capri. The impressions from these travels were reflected in the stories and stories that made up the collections “Sukhodol” (1912), “John the Weeper” (1913), “The Cup of Life” (1915), “The Master from San Francisco” (1916).

The story “The Gentleman from San Francisco” (originally titled “Death on Capri”) continued the tradition of L. N. Tolstoy, who depicted illness and death as the most important events that reveal the true value of an individual (“Polikushka”, 1863; “The Death of Ivan Ilyich”, 1886; “Master and Worker”, 1895). Along with the philosophical line, Bunin’s story developed social issues related to a critical attitude towards the lack of spirituality of bourgeois society, towards the exaltation of technical progress to the detriment of internal improvement.

Bunin does not accept bourgeois civilization as a whole. The pathos of the story lies in the feeling of the inevitability of the death of this world.

Plot is based on a description of an accident that unexpectedly interrupted the well-established life and plans of the hero, whose name “no one remembered.” He is one of those who, until the age of fifty-eight, “worked tirelessly” to become like the rich people “whom he once took as a model.”

II. Conversation based on the story

What images in the story have symbolic meaning?

(Firstly, the symbol of society is an ocean steamer with the significant name “Atlantis”, on which a nameless millionaire is sailing to Europe. Atlantis is a sunken legendary, mythical continent, a symbol of a lost civilization that could not resist the onslaught of the elements. Associations also arise with those who died in 19I2 year “Titanic.” “The ocean that walked behind the walls” of the ship is a symbol of the elements, nature, opposing civilization.

The image of the captain, “a red-haired man of monstrous size and bulk, similar... to a huge idol and very rarely appearing in public from his mysterious chambers,” is also symbolic. The image of the title character is symbolic (reference: the title character is the one whose name is in the title of the work; he may not be the main character). The gentleman from San Francisco is the personification of a man of bourgeois civilization.)

To more clearly imagine the nature of the relationship between “Atlantis” and the ocean, you can use a “cinematic” technique: the “camera” first glides along the floors of the ship, demonstrating the rich decoration, details emphasizing the luxury, solidity, reliability of “Atlantis”, and then gradually “sails away” showing the enormity of the ship as a whole; moving further, the “camera” moves further and further away from the steamer until it becomes like a nutshell in a huge raging ocean that fills the entire space. (Let us remember the final scene of the movie “Solaris”, where the seemingly acquired father’s house turns out to be only imaginary, given to the hero by the power of the Ocean. If possible, you can show these shots in class).

What is the significance of the main setting of the story?

(The main action of the story takes place on the huge steamship of the famous Atlantis. The limited plot space allows us to focus on the mechanism of functioning of bourgeois civilization. It appears as a society divided into upper “floors” and “basements.” Upstairs, life goes on as in a “hotel with everyone comforts", measuredly, calmly and idlely. There are "many" "passengers" living "prosperously", but there are much more - "a great multitude" - of those who work for them "in the cooks', sculleries" and in the "underwater womb" - at the “gigantic fireboxes.”)

What technique does Bunin use to depict the division of society?

(The division has the character of an antithesis: relaxation, carefreeness, dancing and work, unbearable tension are opposed"; "the radiance... of the palace" and "the dark and sultry depths of the underworld"; "gentlemen" in tailcoats and tuxedos, ladies in "rich", " “delightful” “toilets” and “drenched in acrid, dirty sweat and naked people to the waist, crimson from the flames.” A picture of heaven and hell is gradually being built.)

How do “tops” and “bottoms” relate to each other?

(They are strangely connected with each other. “Good money” helps to get to the top, and they “fed and watered” those who, like “the gentleman from San Francisco,” were “quite generous” to people from the “underworld.” . from morning to evening they served him, preventing his slightest desire, guarding his cleanliness and peace, carrying his things...".)

Why is the main character deprived of a name?

(The hero is simply called “master,” because that is precisely his essence. At least he considers himself a master and revels in his position. He can afford to go “just for the sake of entertainment” “to the Old World for two whole years” can enjoy all the benefits guaranteed by his status, believes “in the care of all those who fed and watered him, served him from morning to evening, warned his slightest desire,” can contemptuously throw out to the ragamuffins through gritted teeth: “Go away! Via! ("Away!").)

(Describing the gentleman’s appearance, Bunin uses epithets that emphasize his wealth and his unnaturalness: “silver mustache”, “golden fillings” of teeth, “strong bald head”, compared to “old ivory”. There is nothing spiritual about the gentleman, his goal is becoming rich and reaping the benefits of this wealth came true, but he did not become happier because of it. The description of the gentleman from San Francisco is constantly accompanied by the author's irony.)

When does the hero begin to change and lose his self-confidence?

(“The gentleman” changes only in the face of death, it is no longer the gentleman from San Francisco that begins to appear in him - he was no longer there - but someone else.” Death makes him human: “his features began to become thinner, brighter... ". "Deceased", "deceased", "dead" - this is how the author now calls the hero. The attitude of those around him changes sharply: the corpse must be removed from the hotel so as not to spoil the mood of other guests, they cannot provide a coffin - only a box from - under soda ("soda" is also one of the signs of civilization), the servants, who were in awe of the living, mockingly laugh at the dead. At the end of the story, the "body of a dead old man from San Francisco" is mentioned, which returns "home, to the grave, to the shores of the New World ", in the black hold. The power of the "master" turned out to be illusory.)

How is society shown in the story?

(The steamship - the latest technology - is a model of human society. Its holds and decks are the layers of this society. On the upper floors of the ship, which looks like “a huge hotel with all amenities,” the life of the rich, who have achieved complete “well-being,” flows measuredly. This life is designated with a long, vaguely personal sentence, taking up almost a page: “they got up early, ... drank coffee, chocolate, cocoa, ... sat in the baths, stimulating their appetite and good health, performed their daily toilets and went to their first breakfast...”. These sentences emphasize the impersonality, lack of individuality of those who consider themselves masters of life. Everything they do is unnatural: entertainment is needed only to artificially stimulate the appetite. “Travelers” do not hear the evil howl of a siren, foreshadowing death - it is drowned out by the “sounds of a beautiful string orchestra.”

The ship's passengers represent the nameless “cream” of society: “There was a certain great rich man among this brilliant crowd, ... there was a famous Spanish writer, there was a world-famous beauty, there was an elegant couple in love...” The couple pretended to be in love, were “hired by Lloyd to play at love.” for good money." This is an artificial swarm, flooded with light, warmth and music. And there is also hell.

The “underwater womb of the steamship” is like hell. There, “gigantic furnaces cackled dully, devouring with their red-hot mouths piles of coal, with a roar thrown into them by people drenched in acrid, dirty sweat and naked to the waist, crimson from the flames.” Let us note the alarming coloring and threatening sound of this description.)

How is the conflict between man and nature resolved?

(Society only looks like a well-oiled machine. Nature, seeming like antiquity, a tarantella, serenades of wandering singers and... the love of young Neapolitan women, recalls the illusory nature of life in the “hotel”. It is “huge”, but around it is the “water desert” of the ocean and "cloudy sky". Man's eternal fear of the elements is drowned out by the sounds of the "string orchestra". It is reminded of by the siren "constantly calling" from hell, moaning "in mortal anguish" and "furious anger", but "few" hear it. Everyone else believe in the inviolability of their existence, protected by a "pagan idol" - the commander of the ship. The specificity of the description is combined with symbolism, which allows us to emphasize the philosophical nature of the conflict. The social gap between rich and poor is nothing compared to the abyss that separates man from nature and life from non-existence.)

What is the role of the episodic characters in the story - Lorenzo and the Abruzzese highlanders?

(These characters appear at the end of the story and are in no way connected with its action. Lorenzo is “a tall old boatman, a carefree reveler and a handsome man,” probably the same age as the gentleman from San Francisco. Only a few lines are dedicated to him, but he is given a sonorous name, unlike from the title character. He is famous throughout Italy, more than once he served as a model for many painters. “With a regal demeanor" he looks around, feeling truly “royal,” enjoying life, “showing off with his rags, a clay pipe and a red woolen beret lowered on one ear.” The picturesque poor old man Lorenzo will live forever on the canvases of artists, but the rich old man from San Francisco was erased from life and forgotten before he could die.

The Abruzzese highlanders, like Lorenzo, personify the naturalness and joy of being. They live in harmony, in harmony with the world, with nature: “They walked - and the whole country, joyful, beautiful, sunny, stretched under them: and the rocky humps of the island, which almost all lay at their feet, and that fabulous blue, in which he floated, and the shining morning vapors over the sea to the east, under the dazzling sun...” The goat-skin bagpipes and the wooden foregrip of the Highlanders are contrasted with the “beautiful string orchestra” of the steamship. With their lively, artless music, the mountaineers give praise to the sun, the morning, “the immaculate intercessor of all those who suffer in this evil and beautiful world, and the one born from her womb in the cave of Bethlehem...”. These are the true values ​​of life, in contrast to the brilliant, expensive, but artificial, imaginary values ​​of the “masters.”)

What image is a general image of the insignificance and perishability of earthly wealth and glory?

(This is also an unnamed image, in which one recognizes the once powerful Roman emperor Tiberius, who last years lived his life in Capri. Many “come to look at the remains of the stone house where he lived.” “Humanity will forever remember him,” but this is the glory of Herostratus: “a man who was unspeakably vile in satisfying his lust and for some reason had power over millions of people, inflicting cruelties on them beyond all measure.” In the word “for some reason” there is an exposure of fictitious power and pride; time puts everything in its place: it gives immortality to the true and plunges the false into oblivion.)

III. Teacher's word

The story gradually develops the theme of the end of the existing world order, the inevitability of the death of a soulless and spiritual civilization. It is contained in the epigraph, which was removed by Bunin only in the last edition in 1951: “Woe to you, Babylon, strong city!” This biblical phrase, reminiscent of Belshazzar's feast before the fall of the Chaldean kingdom, sounds like a harbinger of great disasters to come. The mention in the text of Vesuvius, the eruption of which destroyed Pompeii, reinforces the ominous prediction. An acute sense of the crisis of a civilization doomed to oblivion is coupled with philosophical reflections on life, man, death and immortality.

IV. Analysis of story composition and conflict

Material for teachers

Composition The story has a circular character. The hero's journey begins in San Francisco and ends with a return "home, to the grave, to the shores of the New World." The “middle” of the story - a visit to the “Old World” - in addition to the specific one, also has a generalized meaning. The “New Man,” returning to history, reassesses his place in the world. The heroes’ arrival in Naples and Capri opens up the opportunity to include in the text the author’s descriptions of a “wonderful,” “joyful, beautiful, sunny” country, the beauty of which “the human word is powerless to express,” and philosophical digressions conditioned by Italian impressions.

The climax is the scene of “unexpectedly and rudely falling” on the “master” of death in the “smallest, worst, most damp and cold” but least “lower corridor”.

This event, only by coincidence of circumstances, was perceived as a “terrible incident” (“if it weren’t for the German in the reading room” who burst out of there “screaming”, the owner would have been able to “calm down... with hasty assurances that it was so, a trifle..."). The unexpected departure into oblivion in the context of the story is perceived as the highest moment of the collision of the illusory and the true, when nature “roughly” proves its omnipotence. But people continue their “carefree”, crazy existence, quickly returning to peace and quiet.” They cannot be awakened to life not only by the example of one of their contemporaries, but even by the memory of what happened “two thousand years ago” during the time of Tiberius, who lived “on one of the steepest slopes” of Capri, who was the Roman emperor during the life of Jesus Christ.

Conflict The story goes far beyond the scope of a particular case, and therefore its denouement is connected with reflections on the fate of not just one hero, but all past and future passengers of Atlantis. Doomed to the “hard” path of overcoming “darkness, ocean, blizzard”, locked in a “hellish” social machine, humanity is suppressed by the conditions of its earthly life. Only the naive and simple, like children, have access to the joy of joining “the eternal and blissful abodes.” In the story, the image of “two Abruzzese highlanders” appears, baring their heads in front of a plaster statue of the “unvicious intercessor of all those who suffer,” remembering her “blessed son,” who brought the “beautiful” beginning of good into the “evil” world. The master of the earthly world remained the devil, watching “from the rocky gates of two worlds” the actions of the “New Man with an old heart.” What will humanity choose, where will humanity go, will it be able to defeat the evil inclination within itself - this is a question to which the story gives a “suppressing... soul” answer. But the denouement becomes problematic, since the finale affirms the idea of ​​a Man whose “pride” turns him into the third force of the world. A symbol of this is the ship’s path through time and the elements: “The blizzard beat in its rigging and wide-necked pipes, white with snow, but it was steadfast, firm, majestic and terrible.”

Artistic originality The story is associated with the interweaving of epic and lyrical principles. On the one hand, in full accordance with the realistic principles of depicting the hero in his relationships with the environment, on the basis of social and everyday specifics, a type is created, the reminiscent background for which, first of all, are images of “dead souls” (N.V. Gogol. “The Dead” souls”, 1842), At the same time, just like in Gogol, thanks to the author’s assessment, expressed in lyrical digressions, the problems deepen, the conflict acquires a philosophical character.

2. Prepare to review the stories, think about their problems and linguistic and figurative features.

Additional material for teachers 1

The melody of death begins to sound latently from the very first pages of the work, gradually becoming the leading motive. At first, death is extremely aestheticized and picturesque: in Monte Carlo, one of the activities of rich idlers is “shooting pigeons, which soar very beautifully and perch over the emerald lawn, against the backdrop of a sea the color of forget-me-nots, and immediately hit the ground with white lumps.” (Bunin is generally characterized by the aestheticization of things that are usually unsightly, which should rather frighten than attract the observer - well, who else but him could write about “slightly powdered, delicate pink pimples near the lips and between the shoulder blades” on the daughter of a gentleman from San Francisco, compare the whites of the eyes of blacks with “flaking hard balls” or calling a young man in a narrow tailcoat with long tails “a handsome man who looks like a huge leech!”) Then a hint of death appears in a verbal portrait of the crown prince of one of the Asian states, a sweet and pleasant person in general , whose mustache, however, “saw like a dead man’s,” and the skin on his face was “as if stretched.” And the people on the ship are choking in “mortal melancholy,” promising evil, and the museums are cold and “deadly pure,” and the ocean is moving with “mourning mountains of silver foam” and hums like a “funeral mass.”

Lesson development By Russian literature XIX century. 10 Class. 1st half of the year. - M.: Vako, 2003. 4. Zolotareva I.V., Mikhailova T.I. Lesson development By Russian literature ...