Analysis of “The Death of an Official” by Chekhov. Can the general be blamed for the death of Chervyakov? What is the author’s attitude towards the official Chervyakov

The outstanding Russian prose writer and playwright Anton Pavlovich Chekhov is known throughout the world for his brilliant plays, novellas, and short stories. However, Chekhov paved the way to great literature with small comic stories, such anecdotal sketches.

Amazingly, these early attempts at writing are in no way inferior to the mature works of an already established writer. Chekhov generally valued laconicism and strictly followed the rule “to write with talent - that is, briefly.” He never wrote at Tolstoyan length, did not carefully select words like Gogol, and did not philosophize at length like Dostoevsky.

Chekhov’s works are simple and understandable, “his Muse,” Nabokov said, “is dressed in everyday clothes.” But this brilliant everydayness is where the creative method of the prose writer lies. This is exactly how they write in Chekhov.

One example of Anton Pavlovich’s early prose is the humorous collection “Motley Stories.” It has been edited several times by the author himself. Most of the works became textbooks, and their plots became mythologized. These are the stories “Thick and Thin”, “Chameleon”, “Surgery”, “Horse Name”, “Unter Prishibeev”, “Kashtanka”, “Death of an Official” and others.

The history of executor Chervyakov

In the 80s, Chekhov actively collaborated with Moscow and St. Petersburg printed publications (Alarm Clock, Dragonfly, Oskolki and others). A talented young writer, who signed the name Antosh Chekhonte, produced dozens of short funny stories that were very popular among the readership. The author never made up his stories, but spied and eavesdropped on them in real life. He knew how to turn any joke into a witty story.

One day, a good friend of the Chekhov family, Vladimir Petrovich Begichev (writer, manager of Moscow theaters), told an amusing story about how one person accidentally sneezed on another in the theater. He was so upset that the next day he came to ask for forgiveness for the embarrassment that had occurred.

Everyone laughed at the incident told by Begichev and forgot. Everyone except Chekhov. Then his imagination was already drawing images of the executor Ivan Dmitrievich Chervyakov in a tightly buttoned uniform and civil general Brizzhalov from the Department of Railways. And in 1883, a short story “The Death of an Official” with the subtitle “The Case” appeared on the pages of the magazine “Oskolki.”

In the story, the brilliant executor Ivan Dmitrievich Chervyakov goes to the theater to watch The Bells of Corneville. In high spirits, he sits down in the box and enjoys the action on stage. Taking his eyes off the binoculars for a minute, he looks around the auditorium with a blissful look and quite accidentally sneezes. Such an embarrassment can happen to any person and the wonderful executor Chervyakov is no exception. But bad luck - he sprayed the bald head of the man sitting in front of him. To Chervyakov’s horror, he turns out to be civil general Brizzhalov, who is in charge of communication routes.

Chervyakov delicately asks for forgiveness, but Brizzhalov just waves his hand - nothing! Until the intermission, the executor sits on pins and needles; The Bells of Corneville no longer occupies him. During the break, he finds General Brizzhalov and apologizes profusely. The general casually waves it off: “Oh, come on... I already forgot, but you’re still talking about the same thing!”

After consulting with his wife, the next day Chervyakov appears in Brizzhalov’s reception room. He is going to explain to the high-ranking official that he did not sneeze on purpose, without any malicious intent. But the general is too busy, in a hurry he says several times that it’s really funny to apologize for this.

All evening the poor official struggles with the text of the letter for Brizzhalov, but he fails to put the words on paper. So Chervyakov again goes to the general’s reception room for a personal conversation. Seeing the annoying visitor, Brizzhalov shook and barked, “Get out!!!”

Then something snapped in the unfortunate Chervyakov’s stomach. Unconscious, the official left the reception room, walked home and “without taking off his uniform, he lay down on the sofa and... died.”

New "little man"

In the printed version, the story “Death of an Official” takes only two pages. But at the same time, it is part of the large-scale panorama of motley human life that Chekhov paints. In particular, the work touches on the problem of the “little man,” which the writer was very interested in.

At that time, this topic was not new in the literature. It was developed by Pushkin in “The Station Agent”, Dostoevsky in “Poor People”, Gogol in “The Overcoat”. Chekhov, just like his literary predecessors, was disgusted by the suppression of the human personality, division into ranks and unjustified privileges enjoyed by the powerful. However, the author of “The Death of an Official” looks at the “little man” from a new angle. His hero no longer evokes pity, he is disgusting because he voluntarily fawns, fawns and grovels slavishly.

A chill towards Chekhov's official appears from the very first lines of the story. The author manages to achieve this with the help of the telling surname Chervyakov. To enhance the comic effect, the writer uses the epithet “beautiful.” So, in a luxurious theater box in a buttoned up and carefully ironed uniform with an elegant pair of binoculars in his hand sits the wonderful executor Ivan Dmitrievich... and suddenly - Chervyakov! A completely unexpected turn of events.

Ivan Dmitrievich's further actions, his comical pestering, vile groveling, veneration for rank and slavish fear only confirm his dissonant surname. In turn, General Brizzhalov does not evoke negative emotions. He kicks Chervyakov out only after he has finally tortured him with his visits.

One might think that Chervyakov died from the fear he experienced. But no! Chekhov “kills” his hero for another reason. Ivan Dmitrievich asked for forgiveness not because he was afraid of reprisals from the general. In fact, Brizzhalov had nothing to do with his department. Executor Chervyakov simply could not act differently. This model of behavior was dictated by his slave consciousness.

If the general had yelled at Chervyakov in the theater, arrogantly shamed him or showered him with threats, our executor would have been calm. But Brizzhalov, despite his high rank, treated Chervyakov as an equal. The usual scheme by which Chervyakov lived all these years no longer worked. His world collapsed. The idea was ridiculed. Life has lost its meaning for the wonderful executor. That is why he lay down on the sofa and died without taking off his uniform, which was for him the main human characteristic.

Chekhov, before his contemporaries, decided to expand the theme of the “little man.” A few years after the publication of “The Death of an Official,” Anton Pavlovich wrote to his older brother Alexander (also a writer) to stop describing the humiliated and oppressed collegiate registrars. According to Chekhov Jr., this topic had lost its relevance and clearly smacked of mothballs. It is much more interesting to show the registrar who turns the life of “His Excellency” into a living hell.

Death of the main character
Most of all, the writer was disgusted by the slave philosophy, which completely destroys the beginnings of the human personality. That is why Chekhov “kills” his Chervyakov without a shadow of pity.

For the author, the main character is not a person, but a machine with a few simple settings, and therefore his death is not taken seriously. To emphasize the comical absurdity of what is happening, instead of the final “died,” “died,” or “died,” the author uses the colloquial verb “died.”

The absurd realism of Anton Chekhov

After the story “The Death of an Official” appeared in Oskolki, many critics accused Chekhov of having composed some kind of absurdity. After all, a person can’t lie down on the sofa and just die of grief! Anton Pavlovich just threw up his hands with his characteristic good-natured mockery - a story no less absurd than life itself.

Another instructive humorous story by Chekhov “Burbot”, in which the author described the habits of this fish. As always, Chekhov skillfully makes fun of people who always know how and what to do, trying to make others look like fools.

We recommend reading a summary of Chekhov's story “The Slut,” which explores an important question: “Is it easy to be strong?”

Later, the writer’s biographers found among his personal papers a letter from a friend from his native Taganrog. The letter said that the city postmaster threatened the offending official to bring him to justice. He tried to ask for forgiveness, and after failure he went to the city garden and hanged himself.

Despite the critical attacks of his contemporaries, Chekhov was no less a realist than Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, he simply used other artistic tools to describe reality - humor, satire, irony. Working in the small prose genre, he could not afford the luxury of lengthy descriptions and internal monologues. Therefore, in “The Death of an Official,” as in most other stories, there is no image of the author. Chekhov does not evaluate the actions of his heroes, he only describes them. The right to draw conclusions remains with the reader.

Anton Chekhov

Death of an official

One fine evening, an equally wonderful executor, Ivan Dmitrich Chervyakov, sat in the second row of chairs and looked through binoculars at “The Bells of Corneville.” He looked and felt at the height of bliss. But suddenly... This “but suddenly” is often found in stories. The authors are right: life is so full of surprises! But suddenly his face wrinkled, his eyes rolled up, his breathing stopped... he took the binoculars away from his eyes, bent down and... apchhi!!! He sneezed, as you can see. Sneezing is not forbidden to anyone anywhere. Men, police chiefs, and sometimes even privy councilors sneeze. Everyone sneezes. Chervyakov was not at all embarrassed, wiped himself with a handkerchief and, like a polite person, looked around him: had he bothered anyone with his sneezing? But here I had to be embarrassed. He saw that the old man sitting in front of him, in the first row of seats, was diligently wiping his bald head and neck with a glove and muttering something. Chervyakov recognized the old man as civil general Brizzhalov, an employee of the Department of Railways. “I sprayed him! - thought Chervyakov. - Not my boss, a stranger, but still awkward. I need to apologize." Chervyakov coughed, leaned his body forward and whispered in the general’s ear: - Sorry, yours, I sprayed you... I accidentally... - Nothing, nothing... - For God's sake, I'm sorry. I... I didn't want to! - Oh, sit down, please! Let me listen! Chervyakov became embarrassed, smiled stupidly and began to look at the stage. He looked, but no longer felt bliss. He began to feel uneasy. During the intermission he went up to Brizzhalov, walked around him and, having overcome his shyness, muttered: - I sprayed you, yours... Forgive me... I... it’s not that... - Oh, completeness... I already forgot, but you’re still talking about the same thing! - said the general and impatiently moved his lower lip. “I forgot, but there’s malice in his eyes,” thought Chervyakov, looking suspiciously at the general. - And he doesn’t want to talk. I should explain to him that I didn’t want to at all... that this is a law of nature, otherwise he’ll think that I wanted to spit. If he doesn’t think about it now, he’ll think so later!..” Arriving home, Chervyakov told his wife about his ignorance. His wife, it seemed to him, took the incident too lightly; she only got scared, and then, when she found out that Brizzhalov was a “stranger,” she calmed down. “Still, go and apologize,” she said. “They’ll think that you don’t know how to behave in public!” - That’s it! I apologized, but he was somehow strange... He didn’t say a single good word. And there was no time to talk. The next day, Chervyakov put on a new uniform, cut his hair and went to Brizzhalov to explain... Entering the general’s reception room, he saw many petitioners there, and among the petitioners the general himself, who had already begun accepting petitions. After interviewing several petitioners, the general looked up at Chervyakov. “Yesterday in Arcadia, if you remember, yours,” the executor began to report, “I sneezed, sir, and... accidentally sprayed... Iz... - What nonsense... God knows what! Anything you want? - the general turned to the next petitioner. “He doesn’t want to talk! - thought Chervyakov, turning pale. “He’s angry, that means... No, you can’t leave it like that... I’ll explain to him...” When the general finished his conversation with the last petitioner and headed to the inner apartments, Chervyakov stepped after him and muttered: - Yours! If I dare to disturb your life, it is precisely out of a feeling, I can say, of repentance!.. Not on purpose, you know for yourself, sir! The general made a tearful face and waved his hand. - Yes, you’re just laughing, sir! - he said, hiding behind the door. “What kind of ridicule is there? - thought Chervyakov. - There is no ridicule here at all! General, he can’t understand! When this happens, I will no longer apologize to this fanfare! To hell with him! I’ll write him a letter, but I won’t go! By God, I won’t!” This is what Chervyakov thought as he walked home. He did not write a letter to the general. I thought and thought and couldn’t come up with this letter. I had to go explain it myself the next day. “Yesterday I came to bother your—st,” he muttered when the general raised questioning eyes to him, “not to laugh, as you deigned to say.” I apologized for the fact that when I sneezed, I sprayed, sir..., but I didn’t even think of laughing. Do I dare laugh? If we laugh, then there will be no respect for people... there will be no... - Go away!! - the general, blue and shaking, suddenly barked. - What, sir? - Chervyakov asked in a whisper, dying of horror. - Go away!! - the general repeated, stamping his feet. Something came off in Chervyakov’s stomach. Seeing nothing, hearing nothing, he backed away to the door, went out into the street and trudged... Arriving automatically home, without taking off his uniform, he lay down on the sofa and... died.

1.1.1. Why does Chervyakov so persistently apologize to General Brizzhalov?

1.2.1. What does the phrase “burn the hearts of people with a verb” mean?

Read the fragment of the work below and complete tasks 1.1.1-1.1.2.

The next day, Chervyakov put on a new uniform, cut his hair and went to Brizzhalov to explain... Entering the general’s reception room, he saw many petitioners there, and among the petitioners the general himself, who had already begun accepting petitions. After interviewing several petitioners, the general looked up at Chervyakov.

Yesterday at Arcadia, if you remember, Your Excellency,” the executor began to report, “I sneezed, sir, and... accidentally sprayed... Iz...

What nonsense... God knows what! Anything you want? - the general turned to the next petitioner.

“He doesn’t want to talk! - thought Chervyakov, turning pale. “He’s angry, that means... No, you can’t leave it like that... I’ll explain to him...”

When the general finished his conversation with the last petitioner and headed to the inner apartments, Chervyakov stepped after him and muttered:

Your Excellency! If I dare to disturb your people, it is precisely out of a feeling, I can say, of repentance!.. Not on purpose, you know for yourself, sir!

The general made a tearful face and waved his hand.

You're just laughing, sir! - he said, hiding behind the door.

“What kind of ridicule is there? - thought Chervyakov. - There is no ridicule here at all! General, he can’t understand! When this happens, I will no longer apologize to this fanfare! To hell with him! I’ll write him a letter, but I won’t go! By God, I won’t!”

This is what Chervyakov thought as he walked home. He did not write a letter to the general. I thought and thought and couldn’t come up with this letter. I had to go explain it myself the next day.

“I came yesterday to bother your Highness,” he muttered when the general raised his questioning eyes to him, “not to laugh, as you deigned to say.” I apologized for the fact that when I sneezed, I sprayed, sir... but I didn’t even think of laughing. I Dare I laugh? If we laugh, then there will be no respect for people... there will be no...

Go away!! - the general, blue and shaking, suddenly barked.

What? - Chervyakov asked in a whisper, dying of horror.

Go away!! - the general repeated, stamping his feet.

Something came off in Chervyakov’s stomach. Seeing nothing, hearing nothing, he backed away to the door, went out into the street and trudged... Arriving automatically home, without taking off his uniform, he lay down on the sofa and... died.

A. P. Chekhov “Death of an Official”

Read the work below and complete tasks 1.2.1-1.2.2.

PROPHET We are tormented by spiritual thirst, In the dark desert I dragged myself, - And the six-winged seraph He appeared to me at a crossroads. With fingers as light as a dream, He touched my eyes. The prophetic eyes have opened, Like a frightened eagle. He touched my ears, And they were filled with noise and ringing: And I heard the sky tremble, And the heavenly flight of angels, And the reptile of the sea underwater, And the valley of the vine is vegetated. And he came to my lips And my sinner tore out my tongue, And idle and crafty, And the sting of the wise snake My frozen lips He put it with his bloody right hand. And he cut my chest with a sword, And he took out my trembling heart, And coal blazing with fire, He pushed the hole in the chest. I lay like a corpse in the desert, And God’s voice cried out to me: “Rise up, prophet, and see and listen, Be fulfilled by my will, And, bypassing the seas and lands, Burn the hearts of people with the verb.”

A. S. Pushkin

1.1.2. Can the general be blamed for the death of Chervyakov?

1.2.2. Why does A.S. Pushkin use numerous Church Slavonicisms and outdated words in this poem?

Explanation.

1.1.2. The theme of a little man, humiliated by his social role, exchanging his own life for fear of the powerful of this world, the conflict between tyrant and victim, beloved in our classics, is solved in a new way by Chekhov. The general in the story behaves extremely “normally”, but the behavior of the “victim” is implausible, Chervyakov is exaggeratedly stupid, cowardly and annoying, he “winds up” himself, the feeling of servility in him is so strong that it is incompatible with life itself.

1.2.2. The theme of the poet’s prophetic service to people, important for Pushkin, is revealed in the poem in a high, solemn style, replete with Church Slavonicisms and outdated words. This is due, first of all, to the fact that the plot of the poem is based on the biblical legend about the prophet Isaiah, which was uniquely reinterpreted by the poet. The special language of the poem, which turns us to the mentioned part of the Bible - the book of the prophet Isaiah, helps to convey Pushkin's intention - to show the poet as a prophet, a preacher of the Most High will on earth.

Explanation.

1.1.1. Chekhov solves in a new way the conflict between tyrant and victim, beloved in our classics: if the general behaves extremely “normally,” then the behavior of the “victim” is implausible, Chervyakov is exaggeratedly stupid, cowardly and annoying - this does not happen in life. The main object of ridicule in Chekhov's story was a small official who acts meanly and grovels when no one forces him to do so. Chervyakov’s increased, painful attention to the little things of everyday life stems from his spiritual emptiness and self-inadequacy, his “smallness” and worthlessness. The story combines the funny, the bitter and even the tragic: behavior that is ridiculous to the point of absurdity; bitter awareness of the insignificant value of human life; the tragic understanding that the worms cannot help but grovel, they will always find their brizhals.

1.2.1. In the poem "Prophet" Pushkin reveals the theme of "poet and poetry." For Pushkin, a poet is an ordinary mortal man, but he differs from everyone else in that he is given the ability to see, hear, and understand what is beyond the control of any person. That is why the poet must use the word - “verb” to reach every heart, bringing people truth, light, goodness. This is the meaning of the phrase “With a verb, burn the hearts of people.”

A.P. Chekhov’s story “The Death of an Official” is one of the writer’s early works, which was included in the collection “Motley Stories” in 1886. It was written in the spirit of artistic realism. This trend in literature in Russia developed in the second half of the 19th century. At the end of the work, the writer goes beyond its scope, since he considered ridicule of death unacceptable.

Chekhov, “The Death of an Official”: summary, analysis

The theme of the “little” person - the official, who is often in constant uncertainty and confusion for no reason, is brought to the fore here. This is exactly how the author protests against any suppression of the individual. The summary of Chekhov's story “The Death of an Official” very clearly reflects all the consequences of such treatment.

Heroes

There are only three characters in the story. This is a low-ranking official, Ivan Dmitrievich Chervyakov, his wife and General Brizzhalov. The main focus of the work is on the official who has become the object of ridicule. But the character of the remaining characters is left undisclosed by A.P. Chekhov. “The Death of an Official” (summary) describes Chervyakov as a small, pitiful and comical person. His stupid and absurd persistence evokes genuine laughter, and his humiliation generates pity. In his persistent apologies to the general, he goes beyond all limits and renounces his human dignity.

Opposition

Analyzing the topic “Chekhov, “Death of an Official”: summary, analysis,” it should be noted that the author contrasts two personalities in the plot. This is the boss and the subordinate.

It is with the conflict that A.P. Chekhov begins his story “The Death of an Official.” The summary shows its traditional development: General Brizzhalov eventually shouted at his subordinate, because of this Chervyakov dies of cardiac arrest. It would seem like a familiar plot pattern. However, the work contains the presence of certain innovative techniques, because the general shouted at his subordinate only after he himself brought him down with his annoying apologies.

A comic and somewhat unexpected turn of events lies in the worldview of the official Chervyakov, who died not at all because of fear, but because the general, as a man of high rank, violated his “sacred principles.”

Chekhov has not changed his style; his brevity is amazing. His works always contain a deep meaning, which can only be understood through artistic details.

Summary of the story “The Death of an Official”, Chekhov

Now, in fact, we can proceed to the plot of the work itself. Petty official Ivan Dmitrievich Chervyakov, acting as the caretaker of the institution, sits in the second row, looks through binoculars and enjoys the operetta of the French composer Plunkett “The Bells of Corneville”. Then his face wrinkled, his eyes rolled up, his breath caught, he bent over and sneezed. Chervyakov was a very polite man, he wiped himself with a handkerchief and looked around to see if he had hurt anyone with his sneeze. And suddenly I discovered that the old man sitting in front was wiping his bald spot with a handkerchief and muttering something. Taking a closer look, Ivan Dmitrievich saw that it was none other than State General Brizzhalov. This makes him feel sick. He awkwardly pulled himself up to him and began to whisper words of apology in his ear.

Trifles

Chekhov continues “The Death of an Official” (we present a summary of the work in the review) with the fact that the general replied that, in general, nothing terrible happened. But he continued to apologize, then the general asked to let him calmly listen to the rest of the operetta. But the official did not let up and even during the intermission approached the general and began to ask for forgiveness, to which he replied that he had long forgotten about it.

But now it seemed to Chervyakov that the general was being sarcastic and probably thought that he wanted to spit at him. The official came home and told his wife about what had happened; she was frightened and said that her husband had taken this too lightly, that she needed to go to a reception with the general and ask for forgiveness again.

The next day, dressed in a new uniform, he goes to the general. Which turned out to have a lot of visitors in the waiting room. After interviewing several visitors, the general saw Chervyakov, who again began with his ridiculous apologies for yesterday. Brizzhalov answered with dignity: “Yes, that’s enough! What nonsense!

Apologies

But Chervyakov did not stop and even suggested writing an explanatory letter. And then the general could not stand it and shouted at him, believing that he was simply mocking him. However, Chervyakov muttered in bewilderment that he was not laughing at all.

In general, when he came home, he thought about it and decided to go to the general again tomorrow. The next day, Brizzhalov simply could not stand it and yelled at him: “Get out!”

This is how Chekhov ends “The Death of an Official.” The summary at the end tells that Chervyakov felt ill, he backed towards the door and mechanically trudged home. Returning to the apartment, he lay down on the sofa in his uniform and died.

“The world of a “little” man in a small story by A.P. Chekhov's "Death of an Official". The right to grovel.

Plot, genre, chronotope.

Target: development of reading culture and understanding of the author's position.

Subject study results:

Personal results:
- encourage students to think about human dignity.
Metasubject results:
- ability to listen, reason, comment, draw conclusions;

Work with text, find the necessary information in it, process it; master speech (monologue, dialogical);
Subject results:
in the cognitive sphere- the ability to analyze a story, characterize Chervyakov, understand and formulate a theme, an idea;
in the value-orientation sphere– evaluate the author’s idea, express your opinion;
in the communication field– perceive the reading of a story by ear, answer questions about the text, construct a monologue text;
in the aesthetic sphere– understand the role that artistic detail plays in creating an image.

Visual material.

Multimedia presentation, portrait of Chekhov.

Handout.

Text of the story "Death of an Official".

Appendix 1. Student work card (for each).

Appendix 2. Additional material (on the desk).

Board design

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

"Death of an Official"

The world of the “little man” in Chekhov’s short story ??????? Right to grovel

Illustrations for the story.

??????? Why did Ivan Dmitrich Chervyakov die?

Plot, genre, chronotope. Epigraph for the lesson.

Recognize your insignificance, do you know where? Before God

perhaps before intelligence, beauty, nature, but not before

people. Among people you need to be aware of your

dignity.

A. Chekhov - brother Mikhail

During the classes

Goal setting

Today we continue the conversation about the wonderful writer Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. We remembered his biography, analyzed the story “Tosca”, and went on an excursion to the A.P. House-Museum. Chekhov. Thus, at least for a little while, we plunged into the world of the writer. You have already seen, I hope, that it is not without reason that they talk about the beauty of Chekhov’s work, where words are cramped and thoughts spacious, where every word is meaningful and capacious, like a deep vessel with a narrow neck: you look into it, but you won’t see the bottom... But you definitely need to see: for this you need to get used to it - then your eyes will begin to discern many things that you can’t see right away, in bright light...

Let us turn to his story “The Death of an Official.”

Written on the board TWO LESSON TOPICS. Unusual...I would like you to decide for yourself at the end of the lesson which topic was more important for you.

Today we will analyze Chekhov's story "The Death of an Official".

??? What would you suggest to cover in class?(students' answers)

GOALS: In today's lesson

Let’s analyze the story, talk about its plot, genre, chronotope;

let's characterize the main character;

Let's track how the theme of the "little man" develops in Chekhov's work;

Let's answer the question: Why did Ivan Dmitrich Chervyakov die?

As you work through the lesson, you fill out the cards in front of you.

Today we will need a dictionary for the story and additional material.

What is the story behind the creation of the story “Death of an Official”?

(students tell using additional material)

History of creation:

According to Chekhov’s recollections, the plot of the story “Death of an Official” was told to Anton Pavlovich Begichev(former director of Moscow theaters). It was simple: some man, who carelessly sneezed in the theater, came to a stranger the next day and began to apologize for causing him trouble in the theater. Funny anecdotal incident.“The Death of an Official” refers to the so-called early stories of the writer. Published in 1883 in the magazine "Oskolki" with subtitle - "Happening".“The Death of an Official,” like other stories of the writer, are included by the author in 1886 collection “Motley Stories.”

Motivation for cognitive activity

Before reading. Forecast.

??? What is this work about? The title is “Death of an Official.” Your forecast: what will we talk about?

Getting to know the text.

Your impressions...

Formation of skills and abilities

Analysis of the epigraph for the lesson.

(Teacher reads lines)

Recognize your insignificance, do you know where? Before God, perhaps, before intelligence, beauty, nature, but not before people. Among people you need to be aware of your dignity.

????This is what Anton Pavlovich wrote to his brother Mikhail. How do you understand this idea? What does this quote have to do with "Death of an Official"?

We proceed directly to the analysis of the work. Plot.

??? What is a plot?

The course of events in a literary text.

??? What are the plot elements?

Exposition, plot, development of action, climax, fall of action, epilogue.

Assignment: Find and write down plot elements in a story(entry in work cards)

1.Exposition. Ivan Chervyakov in the theater.
2. The beginning. The official sneezed and sprayed the general.
3. Development of action. Chervyakov goes to apologize to the general.
4. Climax. The general shouted and stamped his feet.
5.Decoupling. The official died.

Task: Make a quotation story (entry in work cards)

“...Ivan Dmitrich Chervyakov sat in the second row of seats and...felt at the height of bliss.”
2. “...bent over and...apchhi!!!”
3. “...the old man...was diligently wiping his bald spot...”
4. “You need to apologize.”
5. “I apologized, but he was somehow strange...”
6. “What nonsense...”
7. “General, he can’t understand!”
8. “Get out!!!”
9. “...he lay down on the sofa and...died.”

CONCLUSION: What does this alignment of events give us? As always, Chekhov’s simplicity of plot hides a deep meaning. And it can only be known through artistic details, which are designed to convey to the reader the main idea.

3. Next stage: Chronotope.

??? What is a chronotope?

Chronotope is time and space in a work of art.

Exercise(group work)

Let's analyze the time and space of "Death of an Official" together.

Time

Space

One fine evening

Theater "Arcadia"

That same evening

At home

Next day

General's reception room

Same day

At home

Next day

General's reception room

Same day

At home

??? What features of the chronotope did you notice?

Just three days, alternating official locations.

CONCLUSION: What did the analysis of time and space in the work give us???

It is as if the plot is being threaded together.

We see the so-called suffering of the hero.

You can determine the genre of the work.

4. Genre “Death of an Official”

??? What is the genre of the work? Define a story.

The story is an epic genre of small volume, requiring at least two events and a shock ending. The story is characterized by an economy mode.

??? Prove it's a story(students' answers)

The story “Death of an Official” has a very small volume, three , a minimum of events, an economical narrative, an unexpected ending.

Philologists claim that Chekhov's story is a fusion of anecdote and parable.

Chekhov's story is rooted in the tradition of anecdote and parable. Chekhov's stories are a fusion of anecdote and parable.
(Joke(Greek) - a short entertaining story about an unexpected event with an unpredictable ending.
Parable- a short story in an edifying form, claiming to be a universal generalization)

5. Very often writers use so-called Speaking Names in their works.

??? What kind of reception is this?

??? Why do writers use telling names in their works?

??? Remember the telling names in works of Russian literature?

??? Why does Chervyakov have a first name, patronymic, and last name, but the general only has a last name? (for Chekhov, the general is a minor figure. Chervyakov is important to him. The general is deprived of a name and patronymic, and this is natural, because we see him through the eyes of Chervyakov, and he sees only the uniform (this word is often repeated in the text) of an important person)

Look at the meanings of the names.

Ivan(Old Hebrew) - God granted, the mercy of God.
Dmitriy(ancient Greek) – dedicated to Demeter, the goddess of fertility and agriculture.
Chervyakov- a worm, a worm, a ringed, legless animal that crawls, reptiles
Brizzhalov- to rattle - to strum, to tremble, to chatter; disdain – shout in a sharp voice, grumble

??? Why this choice?

Ivan. God gave life to the hero.

Dmitriy. Connection with the ground on which it crawls.

Worm. An animal that crawls on the ground is a reptile.

CONCLUSION: God himself gave the hero the life of a man, and he turned it into the life of an animal.

6. Keywords

Exercise. Write down the key words (verbs) that create the image of the official.

I looked - 5 times. Sneezed 6 times. Confused - 3 times.
Sprayed - 5 times. Apologize – 7 times. Explain – 5 times.
Muttered - 3 times. Sorry - 1 time. Understand – 1 time

??? How do they characterize Chervyakov?

As we work on the image of Chervyakov, we write down the characteristics on the board.

Chervyakov's image:

modest official, "little man"

official not by line of service, but by nature

grovelling voluntarily

constantly humiliated

renounced his human dignity, etc.

7. Creative task. Imagine that a general found out about Chervyakov’s death. Compose a monologue of a general after the death of an official.

8. Interpretation of the story. "The Little Man" by Chekhov

A.P. Chekhov addresses the traditional theme of the “little man”

??? What heroes in Russian literature are “little people”? Give examples.

1. They all occupy one of lowest places in the social hierarchy.
2. Humiliation combined with a feeling of injustice, wounded pride.
3. “Little Man” often performs in opposition to a "significant person", and the development of the plot is constructed mainly as a story of resentment, insult.

??? Chervyakov – “little man”?

Chervyakov could be ranked among the traditional “little man” type in Russian literature.

Chekhov presents us with the theme of the “little man” in a completely different way.

??? TO then he can say: where did Chekhov’s innovation manifest itself?

Behind the anecdotal situation in Chekhov's humorous stories there often appears psychological paradox. Paradox– unexpected, unusual, contrary to common sense.

??? What psychological paradox are we talking about in the story “The Death of an Official”?

The traditional pairing of a formidable general and a timid official in Russian prose about the “little man” was turned upside down in Chekhov’s story: the modest official turned into an oppressor (executioner), and his excellency into an oppressed victim. Brizzhalov's high bureaucratic rank did not prevent him from remaining a normal person. Chervyakov, on the contrary, even with his low rank, is not a person.
He wrote to his brother Alexander in 1885 (after the creation of the story “The Death of an Official”) about “little” people: “Have mercy on your oppressed college registrars! Can’t you just smell that this topic has already become obsolete and is making you yawn? And where in Asia do you find the torment that the chino-shi experience in your stories? Truly I tell you, it’s scary to even read! It is now more realistic to portray collegiate registrars who do not allow their excellencies to live.”

??? Do you agree with this thought of M. Rybnikova: “ This is a story about FEAR. The general was a major official, and Chervyakov was a minor official. Such was the way of life, such was the system, that the younger ones were terribly afraid of the older ones. He apologized ten times, he yelled at him, Chervyakov got scared and died” (students’ answers)

It's not about fear. Chervyakov does not understand why the general did not curse him. After all, that’s the way it’s supposed to be. And Chervyakov died not from fright at all, but from the fact that a man of high rank violated his sacred principles.

??? Why is Chervyakov pursuing the general?

In Chekhov's works there are many characters with stereotypical thinking who live according to the “program”. Chervyakov believes that the general must humiliate and punish a minor official for any mistake. Shown here program crash: Chervyakov does not understand, why the general does not listen to his apologies. It seems to be doing everything right, but achieving the opposite effect.

??? Why did Chervyakov die?

If Chervyakov was humiliated in his human dignity, it was by no means by General Brizzhalov. Chervyakov humiliates his human dignity, at the same time very persistently, only myself. So, Chekhov's Chervyakov is an official not by type of service or position, but by nature. This type exists in any environment and in any people. He, alas, is eternal, immortal. Hero of "Death of an Official" died because he was not understood and satisfied with the RIGHT TO CROSS.

??? Why did Chervyakov die without taking off his uniform?

Violation of logic in actions people in Chekhov's works are a reflection of illogicality, the absurdity of reality itself. The title is preceded by a hint about the incompatibility of some concepts: the death is not of a person, but of a bureaucrat, a slave. The author constantly draws attention to the inconsistency, the contrast of cause and effect (the official sneezed - the official “died”). Harmless Chervyakov turns out to be a kind of tyrant, despot. Chervyakov scary because on it, on it voluntary groveling, the whole system holds sycophancy, rank, humiliation And self-humiliation.

??? How does Chekhov feel about his hero?

In Chekhov's creative development, his early stories play a very important role. In particular, the writer’s attitude towards a downtrodden and humiliated person, who became like this through his own fault, changes dramatically. Instead of the pity traditional for previous literature, one feels contempt to people like this. And an excellent illustration of this is the story “The Death of an Official.” There is no hopelessness in Chervyakov’s situation, and his suffering is far-fetched. He's himself voluntarily drives into spiritual slavery by constantly humiliating himself, annoying the general with his apologies. Therefore, it is unlikely that Chekhov’s sympathies could be on the side of such a character. Rather, this is the “anti-ideal” of the author.

Reflection.

???What topic will you write on your work card? Why?

??? What does this story make us think about?

That a person should always remain human, never lose his dignity and value others primarily by their human qualities, and not by their positions. And the writer convinced us of this by laughing at the absurd death of the official Chervyakov, who forgot about his human dignity and became like a worm.

??? What to do to avoid becoming like the official Chervyakov?

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