Analysis of one of the episodes of the story the fate of a person. Episodes most important for revealing the character of Andrei Sokolov “The Fate of a Man”

During the Great Patriotic War Sholokhov, in military correspondence, essays, and the story “The Science of Hatred,” exposed the anti-human nature of the war unleashed by the Nazis and revealed heroism Soviet people, love to motherland. And in the novel “They Fought for the Motherland” the Russian national character, clearly manifested itself in days of difficult trials. Remembering how during the war the Nazis mockingly called Soviet soldier“Russian Ivan,” Sholokhov wrote in one of his articles: “The symbolic Russian Ivan is this: a man dressed in a gray overcoat, who without hesitation gave the last piece of bread and thirty grams of front-line sugar to a child orphaned in the terrible days of the war, a man who selflessly covered his comrade with his body, saving him from imminent death, a man who, gritting his teeth, endured and will endure all hardships and hardships, going to the feat in the name of the Motherland.”

“Oh, brother, it’s not an easy thing to understand that you are not in captivity of your own free will. Anyone who has not experienced this on their own skin will not immediately penetrate into their soul so that they can understand in a human way what this thing means.” His bitter memories speak of what he had to endure in captivity: “It’s hard for me, brother, to remember, and even harder to talk about what I experienced in captivity. When you remember the inhuman torments that you had to endure there in Germany, when you remember all the friends and comrades who died, tortured there in the camps, your heart is no longer in your chest, but in your throat, and it becomes difficult to breathe...”

While in captivity, Andrei Sokolov exerted all his strength to preserve the person within himself, not to exchange it for any relief of fate " Russian dignity and pride." One of the most bright scenes in the story - the scene of the interrogation of the captured Soviet soldier Andrei Sokolov by the professional killer and sadist Muller. When Mueller was informed that Andrei had allowed his dissatisfaction to show hard labor, then he called him to the commandant’s office for interrogation. Andrey knew that death is coming, but decided to “gather up the courage to look fearlessly into the hole of the pistol, as befits a soldier, so that the enemies would not see in last minute that it is difficult for him to part with life...”

The interrogation scene turns into a spiritual duel between the Captured Soldier and the camp commandant, Müller. It would seem that the forces of superiority should be on the side of the well-fed, endowed with the power and opportunity to humiliate and trample the man Muller. Playing with a pistol, he asks Sokolov whether four cubic meters of production is really a lot, and is one enough for a grave? When Sokolov confirms his previously spoken words, Muller offers him a glass of schnapps before the execution: “Before you die, drink, Russian Ivan, to the victory of German weapons.” Sokolov initially refused to drink “for the victory of German weapons,” and then agreed “for his death.” After drinking the first glass, Sokolov refused to take a bite. Then they served him a second one. Only after the third did he bite off a small piece of bread and put the rest on the table. Talking about this, Sokolov says: “I wanted to show them, the damned ones, that although I am perishing from hunger, I am not going to choke on their handouts, that I have my own Russian dignity and pride and that they did not turn me into a beast, no matter how hard we tried."

Sokolov’s courage and endurance amazed the German commandant. He not only let him go, but finally gave him a small loaf of bread and a piece of bacon: “That’s it, Sokolov, you are a real Russian soldier. You are a brave soldier. I am also a soldier and respect worthy opponents. I won't shoot you. In addition, today our valiant troops reached the Volga and completely captured Stalingrad. This is a great joy for us, and therefore I generously give you life. Go to your block..."

Considering the scene of the interrogation of Andrei Sokolov, we can say that it is one of the compositional peaks of the story. It has its own theme - the spiritual wealth and moral nobility of Soviet people, its own idea: there is no force in the world capable of spiritually breaking true patriot, make him humiliate himself before the enemy.

Andrei Sokolov has overcome a lot on his way. National pride and the dignity of the Russian Soviet man, endurance, spiritual humanity, indomitability and indestructible faith in life, in his Motherland, in his people - this is what Sholokhov typified in the truly Russian character of Andrei Sokolov. The author showed the unbending will, courage, and heroism of a simple Russian man, who, in the time of the most difficult trials that befell his Motherland and irreparable personal losses, was able to rise above his personal fate, filled with the deepest drama, and managed to overcome death with life and in the name of life. This is the pathos of the story, its main idea.

M. Sholokhov.
"The Fate of Man"

1 What are the features of the composition and plot of this work?
Composition is a story within a story.
The plot is Andrei Sokolov’s story about his fate,
confession of a courageous man.
2 What are the main milestones in the fate of Andrei Sokolov?
1 –
2 –
3……
What helps the hero survive? How it manifests itself
hero in all trials? (List personality traits,
character)

3 In which scenes is it most fully shown?
“Russian dignity and pride”?
4 What role does the meeting with Vanyushka play?
in the fate of Sokolov?

Analysis of the church scene.
Episode location. (main, one of the main,
secondary)
How do people express themselves? (about everyone's position)
Which position is closest to Sokolov?
How did the hero himself behave?
Author's position.
The role of the episode in the story.

In the episode "In the Church" Sholokhov reveals
possible types human behavior in
inhumane circumstances. Various characters
embody here different life positions.
The Christian soldier chooses to die,
rather than submitting to circumstances and giving up
from your beliefs. However, at the same time he becomes
the culprit of death four people.
Kryzhnev is trying to buy his right to life,
paying for it with someone else's life.
The platoon commander awaits his fate resignedly.
Only the position of the doctor, “who is both in captivity and in
in the dark he did his great work,” evokes
Sokolov sincere respect and admiration.

In any conditions, remaining yourself is an attitude
Sokolova. He does not accept either submission or
contrasting your life with the lives of others.
That's why he decides to kill Kryzhnev in order to save
platoon commander
Murder is not easy for Sokolov, especially since
killing one's own. But he can't allow it
injustice.
The episode "In the Church" shows how cruel
a person's character is tested.
Life sometimes presents us with necessity
choice.
The hero acts as his conscience tells him.

How is the author's position expressed in the story?
Sholokhov, in the image of his hero, reveals the tragedy of our entire
people, their misfortunes and sufferings.
The author's pain and sympathy are felt in the tone of the narrative, in
choosing a hero - common man.
The main method of constructing a story - antithesis - also serves
expression of the author's position:
Peaceful life - destructive war;
Goodness and justice - fanaticism, cruelty, inhumanity;
Devotion is betrayal;
Light - darkness...
It's clear which side the author is on.

Soldiers are unbending when they answer to
Commandant Müller, who sentenced him to
execution for campaigning in the camp against
hard labor. Muller offers a drink
a glass of schnapps for the victory of German weapons,
allegedly won in Stalingrad. Sokolov
refuses. Müller suggested something else: “Don’t
Do you want to drink to our victory? In this case
drink to your destruction."

This whole scene is not only an example of Sokolov’s fearlessness, but
and his challenge to those rapists who wanted to humiliate
Soviet person. After drinking a glass of schnapps, Sokolov
thanks for the treat and adds: “I’m ready, Herr
Commandant, come on, sign me up.”
And the fact that he refuses to eat even after the first
glass, and after the second - this is a detail, otherwise not
playing no role, here emphasizes the moral
the resilience of the Russian man.
Sokolov deals with the Nazis as expected
Soviet citizen, representative of the working class.
It is no coincidence that many researchers conduct
parallel between this episode and that event in honor of
which the Germans so arrogantly feast on, -
Battle of Stalingrad, noting that in both cases
it was the Russian soldier who turned out to be the winner.

Now he has found joy. He fell in love with him
abandoned boy, “so small
ragged: his face is all covered in watermelon juice
dust, dirty as dust, unkempt, and little eyes -
like stars at night after the rain!” - says
Sokolov, and in the very tone of his story we feel
how he cares about human destiny.
“A burning tear began to boil inside me...” he says.
Sokolov’s soul became lighter and
lighter. Life gains
high human meaning.
Touching worries appeared
about clothing and feeding
boy waiting for his father:
“At night you will stroke him
sleepy, then the hairs on the cowlicks
you smell it and your heart goes away,
it becomes easier, otherwise it is
I was petrified with grief..."

Why did the writer introduce an image into the work?
narrator?
Lets give portrait characteristic
Andrey Sokolov: 274 – 275.
And provide an epic volume to the story.
The narrator turns out to be an intermediary between
hero and reader. Andrey's point of view
is refracted in the author’s perception, so
way objectivity is born from
set of views on
reality of individuals.
Finally, the author here is not opposed
to his hero, he himself turns out to be
a man of the people, no wonder Andrey
Sokolov takes him for “his brother-
driver."

Compositionally, Sokolov’s story is a series of short stories,
each of which talks about some episode of his life.
The fate of Andrei Sokolov is painful. In the story
There are two contrasting pictures:
his family accompanies him to the front - his wife Irina, son, two
daughters.
Towards the end of the war, when Sokolov arrived at that place on vacation,
I saw something else: a deep crater filled with rusty water,
a belt of weeds... A direct hit from a German bomb - and it was gone
houses, wives, daughters. No trace.

What are the facets of the Russian national character?
embodies Andrei Sokolov?
Common man, soldier, father
acts as
defender
life, its foundations, moral laws.
Sholokhov's hero defends the meaning and truth of himself
human existence.
Andrei Sokolov fought on the battlefield, fought as best he could, and in captivity
defended human dignity and the honor of his homeland.
Every turn of his fate is simultaneously projected onto history,
on the fate of his native people, of which he is an integral part
is.

Title of the story.
"Fate" has meanings:
Coincidence of circumstances
depending on the will of man, the course
life events
According to superstitious beliefs,
"an otherworldly force"
predetermining everything that
happens in life."

- What is your idea of
is fate characteristic of a hero?

But man, no matter how hard things get
circumstances, can act as required
human dignity. Human can
treat circumstances actively.
“We had to hurry”
“I have to rush through and that’s it!” 282/4.
“And I don’t need to run alone,”
“I had to deliver him alive” - about escaping from
captivity;
“I wanted to show them, the damned ones,” - about the fight
with Mueller.

Not the “life” of a person, Sholokhov called the story, but
chose different words “fate”. - The most beautiful
in life (and it is indestructible) - a man, a worker,
people.
"Man" can also be understood as
specifically (Andrey Sokolov), and generally
(a person who is placed by war in conditions
the power of circumstances over him; and only strong
able to oppose this in spirit
circumstances your will, your ideas about
duty and freedom).
The fate of Andrei Sokolov is the fate of everything
Russian people who have passed terrible war,
fascist camps, the loss of the closest people, -
but not completely broken.

Analyze the hero's speech. How
the originality of Andrei Sokolov's speech
helps to understand the idea
works?
1 Sholokhov was reproached that Andrei Sokolov’s speech bore little resemblance to speech
an ordinary driver, although it is full of driver’s professionalism….
2 With the help of folk poetic inclusions, he appears as if from
on behalf of the entire Russian people. Because it is full of vernaculars:
(“yes, my heart swayed, piston
needs to be changed"
"chilled like dogs"
“tooth doesn’t meet tooth”
“but even here I got a complete

misfire",

“Rodney – at least roll a ball”,
"Basta"
"blow"

What is important for Sholokhov is not that Sokolov is a driver, but
not that he is from Voronezh. Character matters
generated by historical circumstances.
The poet Sholokhov does not focus on
professional and dialectal in his speech
hero. But do without these verbal colors
the writer also cannot, since he is a realist,
he needs to create a credible image.
Sholokhov creates the image of a living person,
developing into a symbol.

The Great Patriotic War, even after many decades, remains the greatest blow for the whole world. What a tragedy this is for the fighting Soviet people, who lost the most people in this bloody battle! The lives of many (both military and civilian) were ruined. Sholokhov's story “The Fate of Man” truthfully depicts these sufferings, not individual person, but of all the people who stood up to defend their Motherland.

The story "The Fate of Man" is based on real events: M.A. Sholokhov met a man who told him his tragic biography. This story was almost a ready-made plot, but did not immediately turn into literary work. The writer nurtured his idea for 10 years, but put it on paper in just a few days. And dedicated it to E. Levitskaya, who helped him print main novel his life" Quiet Don».

The story was published in the Pravda newspaper on the eve of the new year, 1957. And soon it was read on All-Union Radio, heard throughout the country. Listeners and readers were shocked by the power and truthfulness of this work, and it gained well-deserved popularity. IN literary respect this book opened up for writers new way reveal the theme of war through the fate of a little man.

The essence of the story

The author accidentally meets the main character Andrei Sokolov and his son Vanyushka. During the forced delay at the crossing, the men started talking, and a casual acquaintance told the writer his story. This is what he told him.

Before the war, Andrei lived like everyone else: wife, children, household, work. But then thunder struck, and the hero went to the front, where he served as a driver. One fateful day, Sokolov’s car came under fire and he was shell-shocked. So he was captured.

A group of prisoners was brought to the church for the night, many incidents happened that night: the shooting of a believer who could not desecrate the church (they didn’t even let him out “until the wind”), and with him several people who accidentally fell under machine gun fire, help from a doctor to Sokolov and others wounded. Also, the main character had to strangle another prisoner, since he turned out to be a traitor and was going to hand over the commissioner. Even during the next transfer to the concentration camp, Andrei tried to escape, but was caught by dogs, who stripped him of his last clothes and bit him so much that “the skin and meat flew into shreds.”

Then the concentration camp: inhuman work, almost starvation, beatings, humiliation - that’s what Sokolov had to endure. “They need four cubic meters of production, but for the grave of each of us, one cubic meter through the eyes is enough!” - Andrei said imprudently. And for this he appeared before Lagerführer Müller. They wanted to shoot the main character, but he overcame his fear, bravely drank three glasses of schnapps to his death, for which he earned respect, a loaf of bread and a piece of lard.

Towards the end of hostilities, Sokolov was appointed driver. And finally, an opportunity arose to escape, and even together with the engineer whom the hero was driving. Before the joy of salvation had time to subside, grief arrived: he learned about the death of his family (a shell hit the house), and all this time he lived only in the hope of a meeting. One son survived. Anatoly also defended his homeland, and Sokolov and he simultaneously approached Berlin from different directions. But right on the day of victory, the last hope was killed. Andrey was left all alone.

Subjects

The main theme of the story is a man at war. These tragic events– indicator personal qualities: V extreme situations those character traits that are usually hidden are revealed, it is clear who is who in reality. Before the war, Andrei Sokolov was not particularly different; he was like everyone else. But in battle, having survived captivity and constant danger to life, he proved himself. His truly heroic qualities were revealed: patriotism, courage, perseverance, will. On the other hand, a prisoner like Sokolov, probably also no different in ordinary peaceful life, was going to betray his commissioner in order to curry favor with the enemy. Thus, the theme of moral choice is also reflected in the work.

Also M.A. Sholokhov touches on the topic of willpower. The war took away from the main character not only his health and strength, but also his entire family. He has no home, how can he continue to live, what to do next, how to find meaning? This question has interested hundreds of thousands of people who have experienced similar losses. And for Sokolov, caring for the boy Vanyushka, who was also left without a home and family, became a new meaning. And for his sake, for the sake of the future of his country, you need to live on. Here is the disclosure of the theme of the search for the meaning of life - its real man finds love and hope for the future.

Issues

The problem of choice occupies an important place in the story. Every person faces a choice every day. But not everyone has to choose on pain of death, knowing that your fate depends on this decision. So, Andrei had to decide: to betray or remain faithful to the oath, to bend under the blows of the enemy or to fight. Sokolov was able to stay worthy person and a citizen, because he determined his priorities, guided by honor and morality, and not by the instinct of self-preservation, fear or meanness.
In the whole fate of the hero, in his life trials, reflects the problem of the defenselessness of the common man in the face of war. Little depends on him; circumstances are falling on him, from which he is trying to get out at least alive. And if Andrei was able to save himself, then his family was not. And he feels guilty about it, even though he isn't.
The problem of cowardice is realized in the work through minor characters. The image of a traitor who, for the sake of immediate gain, is ready to sacrifice the life of a fellow soldier, becomes a counterbalance to the image of a brave and strong in spirit Sokolova. And there were such people in the war, says the author, but there were fewer of them, that’s the only reason we won.
The tragedy of war. Numerous losses were suffered not only by the military units, but also by civilians who could not defend themselves in any way.

Characteristics of the main characters

Andrey Sokolov – a common person, one of many who had to leave peaceful existence in order to defend the Motherland. He exchanges a simple and happy life for the dangers of war, without even imagining how he can remain on the sidelines. In extreme circumstances, he maintains spiritual nobility, shows willpower and perseverance. Under the blows of fate, he managed not to break. And find new meaning life, which reveals his kindness and responsiveness, because he sheltered an orphan.
Vanyushka is a lonely boy who has to spend the night wherever he can. His mother was killed during the evacuation, his father at the front. Tattered, dusty, covered in watermelon juice - this is how he appeared before Sokolov. And Andrei could not leave the child, introduced himself as his father, giving a chance for further normal life both for myself and for him.

What is the meaning of the work?

One of the main ideas of the story is the need to take into account the lessons of the war. The example of Andrei Sokolov shows not what war can do to a person, but what it can do to all of humanity. Prisoners tortured in concentration camps, orphaned children, destroyed families, scorched fields - this should never be repeated, and therefore should not be forgotten.

No less important is the idea that in any, even the most scary situation, we must remain human, not become like an animal that, out of fear, acts only on the basis of instincts. Survival is the main thing for anyone, but if this comes at the cost of betraying oneself, one’s comrades, one’s Motherland, then the surviving soldier is no longer a person, he is not worthy of this title. Sokolov did not betray his ideals, did not break, although he went through what to the modern reader It’s hard to even imagine.

Genre

The story is short literary genre, revealing one storyline and several images of heroes. “The Fate of Man” refers specifically to him.

However, if you look closely at the composition of the work, you can clarify general definition, because this is a story within a story. First, the story is narrated by the author, who, by the will of fate, met and talked with his character. Andrei Sokolov himself describes his difficult life; the first-person narration allows readers to better understand the hero’s feelings and understand him. The author's remarks are introduced to characterize the hero from the outside (“eyes, as if sprinkled with ashes,” “I didn’t see a single tear in his seemingly dead, extinct eyes... only his large, limply lowered hands trembled slightly, his chin trembled, his hard lips trembled”) and show how deeply this strong man suffers.

What values does Sholokhov promote?

The main value for the author (and for readers) is peace. Peace between states, peace in society, peace in the human soul. The war destroyed the happy life of Andrei Sokolov, as well as many people. The echo of the war still does not subside, so its lessons must not be forgotten (although often in Lately this event is overestimated for political purposes that are far from the ideals of humanism).

Also, the writer does not forget about eternal values personality: nobility, courage, will, desire to help. The time of knights and noble dignity has long passed, but true nobility does not depend on origin, it is in the soul, expressed in its ability to show mercy and empathy, even if the world is collapsing. This story - great lesson courage and morality for modern readers.

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Mikhail Aleksandrovich Sholokhov is the author of famous stories about the Cossacks, the Civil War, and the Great Patriotic War. In his works, the author talks not only about the events that took place in the country, but also about people, very aptly characterizing them. So is famous story Sholokhov "The Fate of Man". will help the reader to gain respect for the main character of the book, to know the depth of his soul.

A little about the writer

M. A. Sholokhov - Soviet writer, who lived 1905-1984. He witnessed many historical events events taking place in the country at that time.

Started my creative activity writer from feuilletons, then the author creates more serious works: “Quiet Don”, “Virgin Soil Upturned”. Among his works about the war one can highlight: “They Fought for the Motherland,” “Light and Darkness,” “The Fight Continues.” Sholokhov’s story “The Fate of a Man” is on the same topic. Analysis of the first lines will help the reader mentally transport himself to that setting.

Meeting Andrei Sokolov, who had a real prototype

The work begins with an introduction to the narrator. He was traveling on a chaise to the village of Bukhanovskaya. Swam across the river with the driver. The narrator had to wait 2 hours for the driver to return. He positioned himself not far from a Willys car and wanted to smoke, but the cigarettes turned out to be damp.

A man with a child saw the narrator and approached him. It was main character narration - Andrey Sokolov. He thought that the person trying to smoke was a driver, like him, so he went up to talk to his colleague.

This begins Sholokhov’s short story “The Fate of a Man.” Analysis of the meeting scene will tell the reader that the story is based on real events. Mikhail Alexandrovich was hunting in the spring of 1946 and there he got into a conversation with a man who told him his fate. Ten years later, remembering this meeting, Sholokhov wrote a story in a week. Now it is clear that the narration is conducted on behalf of the author.

Biography of Sokolov

After Andrei treated the person he met to dry cigarettes, they started talking. Or rather, Sokolov began to talk about himself. He was born in 1900 in During Civil War fought in the Red Army.

In 1922, he left for Kuban in order to somehow feed himself during this time of hunger. But his entire family died - his father, sister and mother died of hunger. When Andrei returned to his homeland from Kuban, he sold the house and went to the city of Voronezh. He first worked here as a carpenter and then as a mechanic.

Next he talks about significant event in the life of his hero M.A. Sholokhov. “The Fate of Man” continues with the young man marrying a good girl. She had no relatives, and she was brought up in orphanage. As Andrei himself says, Irina was not particularly beautiful, but it seemed to him that she was better than all the girls in the world.

Marriage and children

Irina had a wonderful character. When the newlyweds got married, sometimes the husband would come home from work angry from fatigue, so he would lash out at his wife. But a smart girl did not respond to offensive words, but was friendly and affectionate with her husband. Irina tried to feed him better and greet him well. Having been in such a favorable environment, Andrei realized that he was wrong and asked his wife for forgiveness for his incontinence.

The woman was very flexible and did not scold her husband for sometimes drinking too much with friends. But soon he stopped even occasionally abusing alcohol, as the young couple had children. First a son was born, and a year later two twin girls were born. My husband began to bring his entire salary home, only occasionally allowing himself a bottle of beer.

Andrei learned to be a driver, began driving a truck, earning good money - the family’s life was comfortable.

War

So 10 years passed. The Sokolovs set themselves new house, Irina bought two goats. Everything was fine, but the war began. It is she who will bring a lot of grief to the family and make the main character lonely again. M. A. Sholokhov spoke about this in his almost documentary work. “The Fate of Man” continues with a sad moment - Andrei was called to the front. Irina seemed to feel that a big disaster was about to happen. Seeing off her beloved, she cried on her husband’s chest and said that they would not see each other again.

In captivity

After some time, 6 German machine gunners approached him and took him prisoner, but not him alone. First, the prisoners were taken to the west, then they were ordered to stop for the night in a church. Here Andrey was lucky - the doctor set his arm. He walked among the soldiers, asked if there were any wounded and helped them. These were the kind of people among Soviet soldiers and officers. But there were others too. Sokolov heard one man named Kryzhnev threatening another, saying that he would hand him over to the Germans. The traitor said that in the morning he would tell his opponents that there were communists among the prisoners, and they shot members of the CPSU. What did Mikhail Sholokhov talk about next? “The Fate of a Man” helps to understand how indifferent Andrei Sokolov was, even to the misfortune of others.

The main character could not bear such injustice; he told the communist, who was a platoon commander, to hold Kryzhnev’s legs and strangle the traitor.

But the next morning, when the Germans lined up the prisoners and asked if there were commanders, communists, or commissars among them, no one handed anyone over, since there were no more traitors. But the Nazis shot four who looked very much like Jews. They mercilessly exterminated the people of this nation in those difficult times. Mikhail Sholokhov knew about this. “The Fate of Man” continues with stories about Sokolov’s two captive years. During this time, the main character was in many areas of Germany, he had to work for the Germans. He worked in a mine, at a silicate plant and in other places.

Sholokhov, “The Fate of Man.” Excerpt showing the heroism of a soldier

When, not far from Dresden, together with other prisoners, Sokolov was extracting stones at a quarry, arriving at his barracks, he said that the output was equal to three cubes, and one was enough for each person’s grave.

Someone conveyed these words to the Germans, and they decided to shoot the soldier. He was called to the command, but even here Sokolov showed himself to be a real hero. This is clearly visible when you read about the tense moment in Sholokhov’s story “The Fate of a Man.” Analysis of the following episode shows the fearlessness of the ordinary Russian person.

When camp commandant Müller said that he would personally shoot Sokolov, he was not afraid. Müller invited Andrei to drink German weapons for the victory, the Red Army soldier did not, but agreed for his death. The prisoner drank a glass of vodka in two sips and did not eat, which surprised the Germans. He drank the second glass in the same way, the third more slowly and bit off quite a bit of bread.

The amazed Müller said that he was giving such a brave soldier life and rewarded him with a loaf of bread and lard. Andrei took the treat to the barracks so that the food could be divided equally. Sholokhov wrote about this in detail.

“The Fate of Man”: a soldier’s feat and irreparable losses

Since 1944, Sokolov began working as a driver - he drove a German major. When an opportunity presented itself, Andrei rushed to his people in a car and brought the major with valuable documents as a trophy.

The hero was sent to the hospital for treatment. From there he wrote a letter to his wife, but received an answer from a neighbor that Irina and her daughters died back in 1942 - a bomb hit the house.

One thing now only warmed the head of the family - his son Anatoly. He graduated from the artillery school with honors and fought with the rank of captain. But fate was willing to take away the soldier and his son; Anatoly died on Victory Day - May 9, 1945.

Named son

After the end of the war, Andrei Sokolov went to Uryupinsk - his friend lived here. By chance, in a tea shop, I met a grimy, hungry orphan boy, Vanya, whose mother had died. After thinking, after some time Sokolov told the child that he was his dad. Sholokhov talks about this very touchingly in his work (“The Fate of Man”).

Heroism simple soldier the author described, talking about his military exploits, about the fearlessness, the courage with which he met the news of the death of his loved ones. He will certainly raise his adopted son to be as unbending as himself, so that Ivan can endure and overcome everything on his way.

During the Great Patriotic War, Sholokhov, in military correspondence, essays, and the story “The Science of Hate,” exposed the anti-human nature of the war unleashed by the Nazis, revealed the heroism of the Soviet people and love for the Motherland. And in the novel “They Fought for the Motherland,” the Russian national character was deeply revealed, clearly manifested in the days of difficult trials. Recalling how during the war the Nazis mockingly called the Soviet soldier “Russian Ivan,” Sholokhov wrote in one of his articles: “The symbolic Russian Ivan is this: a man dressed in a gray overcoat, who, without hesitation, gave away the last piece of bread and front-line thirty grams of sugar to a child orphaned during the terrible days of the war, a man who selflessly covered his comrade with his body, saving him from inevitable death, a man who, gritting his teeth, endured and will endure all the hardships and hardships, going to the feat in the name of the Motherland.”

Andrei Sokolov appears before us as such a modest, ordinary warrior in the story “The Fate of a Man.” Sokolov talks about his courageous actions as if it were a very ordinary matter. He bravely performed his military duty at the front. Near Lozovenki he was tasked with transporting shells to the battery. “We had to hurry, because the battle was approaching us...” says Sokolov. “The commander of our unit asks: “Will you get through, Sokolov?” And there was nothing to ask here. My comrades may be dying there, but I’ll be sick here? What a conversation! - I answer him. “I have to get through and that’s it!” In this episode, Sholokhov noticed the main feature of the hero - a sense of camaraderie, the ability to think about others more than about oneself. But, stunned by the explosion of a shell, he woke up already in captivity of the Germans. He watches with pain as the advancing German troops march to the east. Having learned what enemy captivity is, Andrei says with a bitter sigh, turning to his interlocutor: “Oh, brother, it’s not an easy thing to understand that you are not in captivity because of your own water. Anyone who has not experienced this on their own skin will not immediately penetrate into their soul so that they can understand in a human way what this thing means.” His bitter memories speak of what he had to endure in captivity: “It’s hard for me, brother, to remember, and even harder to talk about what I experienced in captivity. When you remember the inhuman torment that you had to endure there in Germany, when you remember all the friends and comrades who died, tortured there in the camps, your heart is no longer in your chest, but in your throat, and it becomes difficult to breathe...”

While in captivity, Andrei Sokolov exerted all his strength to preserve the person within himself, and not to exchange “Russian dignity and pride” for any relief in fate. One of the most striking scenes in the story is the interrogation of the captured Soviet soldier Andrei Sokolov by the professional killer and sadist Muller. When Müller was informed that Andrei had allowed his dissatisfaction with hard labor to show, he summoned him to the commandant’s office for questioning. Andrei knew that he was going to his death, but decided to “gather his courage to look into the hole of the pistol fearlessly, as befits a soldier, so that his enemies would not see at the last minute that it was difficult for him to part with his life...”.

The interrogation scene turns into a spiritual duel between the captured soldier and camp commandant Müller. It would seem that the forces of superiority should be on the side of the well-fed, endowed with the power and opportunity to humiliate and trample the man Muller. Playing with a pistol, he asks Sokolov whether four cubic meters of production is really a lot, and is one enough for a grave? When Sokolov confirms his previously spoken words, Muller offers him a glass of schnapps before the execution: “Before you die, drink, Russian Ivan, to the victory of German weapons.” Sokolov initially refused to drink “for the victory of German weapons,” and then agreed “for his death.” After drinking the first glass, Sokolov refused to take a bite. Then they served him a second one. Only after the third did he bite off a small piece of bread and put the rest on the table. Talking about this, Sokolov says: “I wanted to show them, the damned ones, that although I am perishing from hunger, I am not going to choke on their handouts, that I have my own Russian dignity and pride and that they did not turn me into a beast, no matter how hard we tried."

Sokolov’s courage and endurance amazed the German commandant. He not only let him go, but finally gave him a small loaf of bread and a piece of bacon: “That’s it, Sokolov, you are a real Russian soldier. You are a brave soldier. I am also a soldier and I respect worthy opponents. I won't shoot you. In addition, today our valiant troops reached the Volga and completely captured Stalingrad. This is a great joy for us, and therefore I generously give you life. Go to your block..."

Considering the scene of the interrogation of Andrei Sokolov, we can say that it is one of the compositional peaks of the story. It has its own theme - the spiritual wealth and moral nobility of Soviet people, its own idea: there is no force in the world capable of spiritually breaking a true patriot, making him humiliate himself before the enemy.

Andrei Sokolov has overcome a lot on his way. The national pride and dignity of the Russian Soviet man, endurance, spiritual humanity, indomitability and ineradicable faith in life, in his Motherland, in his people - this is what Sholokhov typified in the truly Russian character of Andrei Sokolov. The author showed the unbending will, courage, and heroism of a simple Russian man, who, in the time of the most difficult trials that befell his Motherland and irreparable personal losses, was able to rise above his personal fate, filled with the deepest drama, and managed to overcome death with life and in the name of life. This is the pathos of the story, its main idea.