Arguments on the topic of an unfulfilled dream. "The Captain's Daughter", A

Let's try to figure it out. A dream is a desire for something specific, for which a person begins to act. Sets goals for himself to make his dream come true. Everyone has dreams. More often we dream about something real and concrete, sometimes about something difficult to achieve. Some dreams are easy to turn into reality, others are never destined to come true. The main thing is that a person must dream. Otherwise, he will have nowhere to strive. But the dream must also be correct. I’ll try to prove this by turning to fiction: Leo Tolstoy’s epic novel “War and Peace.”

Pierre Bezukhov, one of the main characters of the work, dreams of being useful to people and the state.

This dream leads him to the Freemasons, he tries to improve the lives of his peasants: he builds schools, hospitals (albeit not entirely successfully), makes an attempt to kill Napoleon and even... finds himself in the center of the Battle of Borodino. What if he didn’t have such a dream? He would have drowned in family squabbles with the immoral Helen, in the pleasures of secular society. The dream of being useful leads him through life, making him stronger and wiser.

What does Helen Bezukhova dream of? About wealth and fame in high society. And she also achieves a lot. She is considered not only the most beautiful woman, but also the smartest. Only Pierre knows that behind the external shine there is emptiness. Helen's salon becomes the most fashionable.

But she can't stop. She needs more and more money and fame. She forgets about morality. There is a war going on, and Bezukhova is changing her faith and doesn’t know who to choose from among the suitors. Such a dream leads the heroine to death.

Thus, it is imperative to dream. It is the dream that makes us act and leads us through life. But dreams are different. Don’t dream only about something for yourself, something material. These are dangerous dreams that can turn your life into an eternal pursuit of the unattainable. In this pursuit you will lose more than you gain. Learn to think not only about yourself. The main thing is to dream. And turn your dreams into reality. Everything depends only on us.

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Updated: 2018-10-10

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Original text

Most often, a person is looking for his dream, but it also happens that a dream finds a person. Like a disease, like the flu virus. It seems that Kolka Velin never looked at the sky with bated breath, and the voices of birds soaring in the blue heights did not make his heart tremble. He was an ordinary student, moderately diligent and diligent, went to school without much enthusiasm, was quieter than water in class, loved to fish...

Everything changed in one day. He suddenly decided that he would become a pilot.

In a remote, remote village, where the nearest station is more than a hundred kilometers away, where any trip becomes a whole journey, this very thought seemed madness. The life path of every person here was smooth and straight: after school, boys received a license to drive a tractor and became machine operators, and the bravest ones completed driving courses and worked as drivers in the village. Traveling on the ground is the destiny of man. And then fly on an airplane! They looked at Kolka as an eccentric, and the father hoped that the absurd idea would somehow disappear from his son’s head by itself. You never know what we want in our youth! Life is a cruel thing, it will put everything in its place and indifferently, like a painter, will paint over with gray paint our ardent dreams drawn in our youth. But Kolka did not give up. He dreamed of silver wings carrying him over the wet snow of clouds, and thick elastic air, clean and cold, like spring water, filled his lungs.

After the graduation party, he went to the station, bought a ticket to Orenburg and took the night train to enter the flight school. Kolka woke up early in the morning from horror. Horror, like a boa constrictor, squeezed his numb body with cold rings and dug its toothy mouth into his very chest. Kolka went down from the top shelf, looked out the window, and he became even more scared. Trees protruding from the semi-darkness stretched crooked hands to the glass, narrow lanes, like gray steppe vipers, crawled through the bushes, and from the sky, filled to the brim with shreds of tattered clouds, darkness flowed down to the ground in purple-black paint. Where am I going? What will I do there alone? Kolka imagined that he would now be dropped off and he would find himself in the boundless emptiness of an uninhabited planet...

Arriving at the station, he bought a return ticket that same day and returned home two days later. Everyone reacted calmly to his return, without mockery, but also without sympathy. I feel a little sorry for the money spent on tickets, but I went, looked, checked myself, calmed down, and will now throw all nonsense out of my head and become a normal person. These are the laws of life: everything that flies up sooner or later returns to the ground. A stone, a bird, a dream—everything comes back...

Kolka got a job at the forestry enterprise, got married, is now raising two daughters, and goes fishing on weekends. Sitting on the bank of a muddy river, he looks at jet planes flying silently in the sky and immediately determines: here is a MiG, and there is a Su. His heart groans from aching pain, he wants to jump higher and at least once take a sip of that freshness that the sky generously feeds the birds. But there are fishermen sitting nearby, and he timidly hides his excited gaze, puts the worm on the hook, and then waits patiently for it to start biting.

(According to S. Mizerov)

Composition

In this text, S. Mizerov talks about how the choice of life path is born.

Does the environment influence a person's choice of life path? What prevents him from staying true to his dream?

S. Mizerov believes that the influence of everyday traditions and habits often forces a person to change his dream and does not allow him to fully realize his abilities. The hero of the story, Kolka Velin, could not overcome the feeling of fear of the new, he betrayed his dream and became like everyone else.

It is difficult to disagree with the author of the text. Often a person gets lost in the face of difficulties. And he, in my opinion, should not just want something, but strive to realize his dream. And then the realized dream will make his life fuller and more interesting.

The hero of the story by B. Polevoy, pilot Alexey Meresyev (aka Alexey Maresyev in life), left without legs, dreamed of flying. How much he had to suffer to get back at the helm of the plane!

Maria from V. Zakrutkin’s story “Mother of Man”, in incredibly difficult conditions, dreaming of surviving and preserving an unborn child as a memory of the past, was able to overcome her fear and give life to a new person.

You don’t need to give up, lose your composure, but you need to believe in your strength, in your dream, and then your heart won’t groan from “aching pain.”

arguments for an essay

The problem of dreams and its implementation often becomes central to works of fiction.

So, the landowner Manilov dreams

But his dreams do not have the slightest connection with reality, and there is no one to make them come true, because... the hero lies more on the sofa, having transferred all household affairs to the clerk. For example, Manilov imagines an underground passage from the house or a bridge across a pond, on which merchant shops with various goods will be located. And at the same time, the author shows us that this very pond has long been abandoned and overgrown with mud. No one takes care of the flower beds around the house, and instead of peace and joy, they, like an abandoned pond, evoke only a sad sigh from those who look at them. Manilov's house itself is uncomfortable; it stands on a hill, blown by all the winds. But the hero is already imagining how he will build another house, with such a high belvedere that even Moscow will be visible from it, and will drink tea on the balcony in the evenings and indulge in conversations about pleasant subjects. Gogol uses a variety of artistic means to show us that the hero’s dreams will never come true. For example, the futility of his dreams is emphasized by such details as the book on page fourteen, which the owner has been reading for two years now, as well as the names of his sons - Alcides and Themistoclus - in honor of ancient Greek heroes.

Unlike Manilov, the main character of the poem, Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, has a great desire to realize his dream. But his dream is exclusively material in nature: he wants to get rich. The hero well remembered his father’s instruction, given to him as a child, that he should take care and save a “kopeck.” And Chichikov, trying to get closer to his goal, does not pay attention to the means. He starts a bold scam with the purchase of dead souls, deceives, flatters, bribes, in general, shows “miracles of enterprise.”

Indulging in dreams, lying on the sofa, and another hero -

Smart, kind, understanding the psychology of people, dreaming of a wonderful life for himself and his loved ones, Oblomov is struck, according to N. Dobrolyubov, by a terrible disease to which many people of the noble class were susceptible - “Oblomovism.” Indeed, the hero knows the value of people, sees their true aspirations, which are often aimed only at obtaining ranks, titles, awards, and “warm places” in the service. By the absence of a high goal in the lives of these people, Oblomov explains the emptiness in their souls, indifference to everything. He calls “members of the world and society” dead people, sleeping people, and says that they sleep sitting up all their lives. And this justifies his inaction and lying on the couch. According to Oblomov, it is better to lie down than to spend life in meaningless vanity. It is not for nothing that N. Dobrolyubov, already mentioned by us, called Ilya Ilyich a man looking for something, thinking about something; according to the critic, Oblomov is not a stupid and apathetic nature. Despite all this, the hero’s dreams of a renovated estate, a happy life surrounded by a loving wife, children and friends are not destined to come true: not accustomed to work since childhood, because... All the blessings of life went to Oblomov thanks to the title of nobility and the liberties granted to this class; the hero is unable to overcome his laziness. He spends whole days half asleep, drawing up a project for renovating the estate for many years now, he is afraid of moving to another apartment, he is unable to refuse the house to worthless people, like Alekseev or Tarantiev, who only want to dine at his expense or borrow money. Only one person stands out from this environment. This is Andrei Stolts, a childhood friend with whom the main character spent wonderful years of study; it was with him that he always shared his dreams and views on life. Only to him did Oblomov reveal his best side. Unlike Ilya Ilyich, Andrei Stolts is a very purposeful person. He was not a nobleman by birth, his father served as a manager on an estate adjacent to Oblomovka and from childhood taught his son to help him run his business, made him a tutor in his boarding house and paid him a small salary for this. The desire to achieve something in life pushed Stolz to endless work and self-education. Without any patronage, Andrei, only thanks to his own efforts, achieved a significant position in society, received the rank of court councilor, which gave him the right to become a nobleman. Stolz realized his dream of gaining a position in society, but, having become rich and respected, the hero did not cease to be a good person. He still considered work an integral part of life, was engaged in science, traveled a lot, and improved his enterprises. But, most importantly, he remained a good friend. So, the hero helped Oblomov, taking care of his business affairs, and besides, trying to somehow stir up the main character, he forced him to read, took him out into society, and introduced him to interesting people.

The main character also dreams of love and family happiness

But in her husband’s family, Katerina Kabanova sees only hypocrisy and tyranny. Everyone in the house is afraid of Katerina’s mother-in-law, Kabanikha. The main character's husband is scared to death of his mother, not daring to say a word against it, much less stand up for his wife. Katerina strives to live not according to the statutes of Domostroy, but according to the dictates of her heart. Looking for protection, support, care and tenderness, the heroine decides to take a bold step - she enters into a relationship with another man. Katerina hopes that in this relationship she will feel happy, but her drama lies in the fact that, unlike her sister-in-law Varvara, who secretly goes on dates and does not think there is a big sin in this, she cannot forgive herself for betrayal, in which she sees betrayal against God. Thus, Katerina, dreaming of freedom and happiness, is the only one who is not afraid to do at least something to achieve her dream, even if this dream costs her life.

The problem of dreams becomes central and

The main character, Assol, believes that one day a beautiful young man will come for her on a ship with scarlet sails and take her and her father Longren. Their family lives in a small village on the seashore and feeds only by selling wooden toys that Longren makes. Assol and her father are not liked by the villagers, blaming the head of the family for the death of a rich shopkeeper. They are outcasts, whom few are willing to help, so Assol dreams of leaving for a beautiful country where people know how to love and forgive, and do not dream only of the most primitive and rude things. And her wish comes true.

Hero

Danko dreams of freedom for the people of his tribe, for the sake of this he does not spare his own life, tearing out the heart from his chest so that with its bright fire it will illuminate the path along which the tribe is trying to get out of the impenetrable forest and stinking swamps. The hero does this, despite the fact that people are angry with him and want him dead, not believing that he can fulfill his promise and lead them to freedom. Danko loves and pities people, that’s why his dream is connected with them, with a better life for them, that’s why he sacrifices himself without regret.

The problem of pursuing a dream becomes central and

The little girl Zoe has one dream: she wants to become a dancer. But life is harsh on the heroine, and she is not accepted into the dance club because she does not fit the physical parameters. Zoyka, as everyone around her calls her, does not give up her dream, she dances just like that, puts on amateur performances in a communal apartment, where she is undoubtedly the most talented. Subsequently, she proves to the examination committee at the theater school that she is worthy of becoming an artist. To do this, the girl needed, in her words, to “climb the wall,” i.e. Depict in front of teachers the situation of climbing a high wall. Later, when she became an excellent dancer and gained fame, to all questions about how she managed to achieve her dream, the heroine answered: “I just really wanted to dance!”

Reality is

1.Objectivelyexistingphenomenon, reality, fact. ThisNotdream, Areality.

2. Allexisting, T. e. material world AndAllhisperfectproducts. criterionR. objects, processes, events, facts, propertiesAndT. d. issocieties. practice .

Synonyms : materiality, possibility, feasibility, givenness, reality, achievability, truth, concreteness, materiality, matter, presence, nature, feasibility, tangibility, evidence, authenticity, objectivity, reality, materiality, fact, factuality, reality

Antonyms : unreality, fantasy, science fiction

Main aspects of the topic

1. The relationship between dreams and reality (the connection between these concepts, the differences between concepts). Internal and external conflicts that arise when dreams collide with reality.

2. Dream, its role and function in a person’s life (mobilizing, demobilizing, etc.):

A mobilizing dream, forcing a person and society to move forward;

A dream that lifts a person above reality;

The dream is beautiful, inactive, demobilizing;

A dream that takes you into the world of dreams, saving you from unbearable reality;

Life without a dream, a high goal in a pragmatic world.

3. Types of dreams: unattainable dream, “small” dream, great dream, etc.

4. Dream - desire - goal - fantasy. Similarities and differences between these concepts.

5. Types of dreamers and realists in literature. How do a person’s dreams characterize them?

6. Dream in utopia, dystopia, fantasy. Dystopia as a genre that describes the consequences of realizing the dream of an ideal world.

Comment on the direction

A DREAM is an image created by the imagination of something valuable and desirable, but currently inaccessible. In psychology, a dream is often interpreted as a typeimagination , facing the sphere of the desired distant future.

The category “dream” is closely related to the categories “imagination, desire and value " From category "target “A dream is distinguished by a separation from reality: the object of a dream can be, in principle, an inaccessible object of desire, the unattainability of which is recognized by the dreamer and which, due to this, is not a guideline for human activity.

From concepts such as "wish " or "need ", a dream is distinguished, firstly, by the obligatory participation of the imagination in creating the image of the desired and, secondly, by the high value of the desired. The concept of “dream”, as a rule, is applied in relation to the most valuable objects of desire for a given person or community, due to which this concept becomes close to the conceptideal .

The most important characteristic property of a dream is the unattainability of what is desired at the moment, and sometimes at all. It is this feature that makes this word synonymous with words such asdream, vision, ghost . The unattainability of dreams prompts the widespread use in advertising and propaganda of such expressions as “dream come true", "dream come true ", etc., which are inherently paradoxical.

The high value of a dream allows it to be used as a measure of an individual or collective worldview: a dream can be used to judge an individual or a community, since the dream embodies their life values. This property of dreams gives rise to stereotypical ideas about dreams that are characteristic of different communities: the “American Dream” is about rapid material success, the “Russian Dream” is about a miracle, etc. The embodiment of stereotypical dreams in works of literature leads to the creation of a genreutopias, and also facing the futurescience fiction .

Lack of dreams, inability to dream, is usually associated withpracticality, whose strength is a good, albeit superficial, knowledge of the surrounding reality, and whose weakness is the lack of the ability to set long-term goals. Traditionally, the dream is considered the most importantfactor motivating cognitive and creative activity . In this regard, the dream is considered as the first stage of the cycle of human activity, the final stage of which should be a scientific discovery, business venture, etc. At the same time the dream can play a rolepsychological tool for escapism . Thus, depending on the volitional properties of the individual, the same dream can play bothmobilizing , sodemobilizing function.

Reality , on the one hand, this is an objectively existing reality. It is important for a person to distinguish between what is reality and what is a fictional world. Most life goals begin to turn into tangible things only thanks to a person’s imagination and dreams. But sometimes people can lose the connection between material objects and fictional ones. This phenomenon is calleddistorted or subjective reality. Sometimes reality can be unbearable for a person, and then he looks for a way out of the existing situation: from the struggle to change the surrounding reality in accordance with his dreams and ideas to escaping from difficult reality into the world of illusions and fantasies. The way a person exists in objective reality and his relationship to it largely characterizes the personality.

A.S. Pushkin "Eugene Onegin". A dream can be perceived as an image of an ideal future and an ideal “I”. But at the same time, it is necessary to distinguish the line between dream and reality; the dream must be consistent with reality. We find this idea of ​​a dream in A.S. Pushkin in the novel “Eugene Onegin”.

The poet replaces the idealized idea of ​​a dream that existed in early poems with a more rational one. The main dreamer in the poem is Tatyana Larina, a lover of secular novels:

She liked novels early on;
They replaced everything for her;
She fell in love with deceptions
And Richardson and Russo.
<…>
Now with what attention she pays
Reads a sweet novel
With such living charm
Drinks seductive deception!
Happy power of dreams
Animated creatures
Lover of Julia Volmar,
Malek-Adele and de Linard,
And Werther, the rebellious martyr,
And the incomparable Grandison,
Which brings us to sleep, -
Everything for the tender dreamer
They have clothed themselves in a single image,
Merged into one Onegin.

Tatyana Larina dreamed of true, great love. But the heroine sees the line between dreams and reality, which does not lead her to a sad end, but allows her to live on, having experienced disappointment in her feelings.

A. Green - extravaganza “Scarlet Sails”. A dream come true is the basis of A. Green’s plot. The little girl Assol holds in her hands a toy - a boat with scarlet sails, and for Green it becomes a symbol of fulfilled hopes, happiness, and the victory of good over evil. The world in which the girl lives is cruel and gloomy, she is surrounded by ordinary people, and there is no place for dreams in their lives. Children don’t want to play with Assol, they tease her, adults consider her a village fool, an eccentric, and make fun of her. And the girl leaves the rough, gray reality. The storyteller Egle predicts that she will meet a prince sailing on a sailboat with scarlet sails, and she sincerely believes in it. In the finale, Captain Gray, having fallen in love with the girl, gives her her childhood dream - a sailboat with scarlet sails. And then he will say wonderful words: “I understood one simple truth. It’s about doing so-called miracles with your own hands.”

M. Gorky “At the Bottom”. The heroes of the work are inhabitants of a city shelter who find themselves at the bottom of their lives for various reasons. The characters for the most part are people broken by circumstances who have lost their moral guidelines. At the same time, every inhabitant of the “bottom” lives a dream that has nothing to do with reality. For example, young Nastya dreams of pure love, and the book “Fatal Love” helps her maintain hope in the harsh reality. The Drunken Actor once shone on stage long ago; audiences knew him as Sverchkov-Zadunaisky. Now he only has a nickname, reminiscent of his former life. His dream is to go to a hospital, and then to go on stage again. Vaska Pepel dreams of starting a new life with Natasha in distant Siberia. But, alas, the dreams of the night shelters are not destined to come true. Any inhabitant of the shelter wishes for a better life, but does nothing to correct the situation. It is much easier to listen to the comforting words of the wanderer Luke, instilling hope for the realization of fantasies. His ideology lies in the phrase: “What you believe in is what it is.” But a dream that is not supported by action is destructive.

The parable about the righteous land that Luke told the night shelters helps to understand the author’s position: “I knew one man who believed in the righteous land. He was poor, his life was bad... and when it was so difficult for him that he could even lie down and die, he did not lose his spirit, and everything happened, he just grinned and said: “Nothing! I'll be patient! A few more, I’ll wait... and then I’ll give up this whole life and go to the righteous land...” The end of this story is tragic. A man who believed in a “righteous land” dies when he learns from an exiled scientist that there is no such place on the map. The meaning of this story, according to Luke, is that the man died because that exiled scientist did not have compassion on his neighbor in time. If he had lied that there was a “righteous land,” the person would have continued to live in peace, otherwise... But the author himself thinks differently.

Gorky opposes comforting illusions. After all, if delusion has gone, then life, therefore, has gone with it. This is confirmed by the fate of the Actor, who hanged himself, deprived of Luke’s comforting stories. Thus, even the brightest innermost dreams, if inactive, are forever doomed to remain so, since the cruel reality is much stronger...

N.V. Gogol "Dead Souls". Gogol's Manilov from the poem "Dead Souls" is a "big dreamer". The essence of Manilov's character is complete idleness. Lying on the sofa, he indulges in dreams, fruitless and fantastic, which he will never be able to fulfill, since any work, any activity is alien to him. He indulges in his his favorite and only “thing”: thinking about the “well-being of a friendly life”, about how “nice it would be to live with a friend on the banks of some river.” His peasants live in poverty, the house is in disarray, and he dreams of how nice it would be to build a stone bridge across the pond or an underground passage from the house... His dreams take him further and further from reality.

N.M. Karamzin “Poor Liza” In Karamzin's story "Poor Liza" the problem of dreams and reality is posed very acutely. Let's start with the fact that the writer himself, in his dreams, wanted to unite a poor peasant woman with a representative of an aristocratic society. The world of dreams and the world of reality collide in the space of the story. Erast dreams of idyllic love, sincerely wanting to forget class conventions. But reality destroys these intentions. Political, psychological, financial, social - what kind of circumstances do not interfere with the relationship of lovers! Even one of them would be enough for Erast’s dreams to crumble like a house of cards, so unsteady and fragile are his moral foundations. Lisa's fate was predetermined from the very moment when she believed that the fairy tale about Cinderella could become a reality in her and Erast's case. Until this moment, she tried to look at the situation soberly, but the desire to become a wife for her beloved made her vulnerable. Following her dream, she lost her head, and it ended in tragedy.

N.V. Gogol “Nevsky Prospekt” N.V. Gogol’s story “Nevsky Prospekt” explores the conflict between dreams and reality using the example of two heroes: Pirogov and Piskarev. Lieutenant Pirogov is not prone to daydreaming; all his desires are easily achievable and fulfillable. His concepts of the world do not include ideals and the desire for perfection. Therefore, failure to choose a woman for entertainment does not lead to any tragic experience: not one, but the other - in principle, it does not matter to him. Piskarev is a completely different matter. Real life is detrimental to his subtle nature; he wants to live in an ideal world, which he himself invented in his dreams. On Nevsky Prospect he met a girl who seemed to him a model of perfection and beauty. When she turned out to be a vulgar “street butterfly,” Piskarev could not survive it, since rough reality was not for him. Nevsky Prospekt is a mirage, a deception - “everything is not what it seems.” And people in this deceptive world are not able to see things in their true light. This comes from the fact that some cannot rise above their animal state and exist only in reality, while others are in the clouds and do not want to descend to the sinful earth.

I.S. Turgenev “The Noble Nest” The novel “The Noble Nest” by I.S. Turgenev is based on the story of the unhappy love of Fyodor Lavretsky and Lisa Kalitina. The dream of a happy life together was shattered by the whim of Varvara Pavlovna. Before meeting Lisa, Lavretsky was married to Varvara, a stupid woman, but with acumen. She sees her husband only as a money bag and is not going to give up on him. Lavretsky married her very young, dreaming of an ideal; the beautiful Varvara seemed to him an angel. The reality turned out to be so cruel that he became disillusioned with women. The meeting with Lisa seemed like a gift of fate to him, this girl turned out to be so pure and noble. Love for her revived him to life, and her loss deprived him of hope for happiness. But he humbly accepted this test, deciding to suffer and endure, to plow the land and live by his labors. And Lisa went to the monastery. “The Noble Nest” is a symbol that contains a dream of happiness and a wonderful life, but this dream cannot come true while people like Varvara Pavlovna are in charge in real life.

L.N. Tolstoy “After the Ball” In the story “After the Ball,” Leo Tolstoy talks about how dreams are destroyed when faced with cruel reality. Ivan Vasilyevich, the narrator of the work, recalls the days of his youth, when he was young and full of happy hopes. He was in love and danced with his chosen one at the governor's ball all night. He lost only one dance to another - Varenka's father, for whom he felt the same enthusiastic feeling of love as for his daughter. The whole world seemed joyful and happy to the lover. Until the morning came after the ball. The narrator could not fall asleep and went for a walk, during which he saw a monstrous action - an inhumane execution of a fugitive Tatar, which was led by Varenka’s father. So reality destroyed dreams of happiness - the young man could not marry a girl whose father was capable of participating in such a monstrous business. The voluntary renunciation of a dream is explained by the fact that one cannot enjoy happiness when at the same time someone is being tortured and tormented.

In the storyA. P. Chekhov “Ionych” the hero dreams of his realization in the profession. He wants to make a big contribution to the development of medicine, wants to help people and bring good to this world. But Dmitry finds himself in a remote province, where his sincere impulses towards the light are drowned out by the impenetrable darkness of philistinism and vulgarity. The entire environment of the young doctor drags him into a swamp of monotony and boredom. Here no one strives for anything, no one craves anything. Everything is going as usual. And Startsev betrays his dream, becoming an ordinary, fat, middle-aged man. He is rude and grumbling, serving annoying patients, whom he views solely as a source of income. Now he just wants to sit in the club and gamble. Using his example, we understand that betrayal of one’s ideals and dreams promises complete spiritual degradation.

Not all dreams are destined to come true, and this is the norm. This thesis is proven by A.P. Chekhov in the book “Ionych”. Katerina dreams of becoming a virtuoso pianist, but can she do it? Hardly. Not all people are given true talent. But the heroine does not understand this, boasting of her ability to drum on the keys. She even rejects Dmitry's proposal, leaves her father's house and spends several years in the capital, trying to learn to be a pianist. So what's the end result? Youth fades, beauty fades, and dreams turn into painful stings of ambition. The girl returns home with nothing, vaguely aware of her own mediocrity. Was it worth rejecting the young man? No. But the past cannot be returned, and Katerina tries in vain to remind Dmitry of her old feelings. Thus, not all dreams can be realized by a person, and he must accept this fact courageously and calmly, directing his efforts in another, more suitable direction.

In the playA. N. Ostrovsky “Thunderstorm” the main character dreams of a happy and free life. But the marriage did not live up to her hopes: the husband found himself under the iron heel of his mother, who reproached every day of the young family’s existence. If the son could still escape for a while to a tavern or on business, then his wife took upon herself the full burden of the relationship with her mother-in-law. Reality cruelly deceived the expectations of a sublime and romantic girl. She thought that all families, like her parents, lived in harmony and understanding. But her dream of love is not destined to come true even outside Kabanikha’s house. Boris was another disappointment. His love did not extend beyond his uncle's ban. As a result, from the collision of reality with the world of dreams, the heroine loses the strength to live and kills herself. Thus, the conflict between reality and dreams can lead to tragedy.

Dreams come true, but not by themselves. Something needs to be done for this. But often people do not understand simple truths, and A. N. Ostrovsky described such an example in the drama “The Thunderstorm.” Tikhon loves his wife and dreams of living with her in the harmony of the family hearth, but the hero’s mother constantly pesters the young people with her eternal desire to control everything. It would seem that this problem can be corrected, but Tikhon is a weak-willed and apathetic person to whom any task seems an unbearable burden. He is afraid of his mother, although he has already become a grown man. As a result, he drags along the burden of a difficult life, not trying to realize his desires. This was enough to drive unfortunate Katerina to suicide. In the finale, the hero mourns his wife and reproaches his mother for the collapse of all his hopes. But he alone is to blame.

In the novelI. A. Goncharova “Oblomov” the hero gets bogged down in fantasies all his life, hiding from reality in a warm robe on his favorite sofa. He practically never leaves the house, but he often thinks about going out and doing something. Ilya Ilyich only brushes aside all the demands of reality (theft in Oblomovka, the need to leave the apartment, etc.), trying at any cost to transfer worries about business to someone else. Therefore, Oblomov is always surrounded by scammers who benefit from their friend’s continuous escape from reality, where they shamelessly rob him. Ilya Ilyich's daydreaming leads him to a dead end. Living his days in illusions, he has forgotten how to do anything, so he loses his beloved Olga, squanders the rest of his inheritance and leaves his son an orphan without a fortune. Oblomov dies in the prime of his life from his way of life, although no, from his way of thinking, because it is he who brings a man to complete physical and spiritual degradation. Thus, excessive daydreaming threatens a person with irreparable and serious consequences.

Our dreams do not always lead us down the right path. Sometimes they entangle us in the depths of labyrinths, from where it is difficult to get back. Therefore, it is necessary in time to distinguish our true desires from false and imposed ideas about what we want. In I. A. Goncharov’s novel “Oblomov” there is just such an example. Olga Ilyinskaya imagined herself to be the savior of Ilya Ilyich and began to stubbornly remake him. She did not spare his habits, did not take his opinion into account, and did not love him as he was in real life. She saw in front of her only an illusion that she dreamed of making. Therefore, their relationship did not work out, and the heroine herself found herself in a stupid position. She, young and beautiful, almost herself proposed to the lazy fat man, who avoided such conversations in every possible way. Then the woman realized that she had been living in illusions and had invented love for herself. Olga, fortunately, found a more suitable husband and said goodbye to false desires that could have made her unhappy if they had come true. Thus, not all dreams lead us to a happy future.

F. M. Dostoevsky in his work "Crime and Punishment" described a very dangerous dreamer who should be careful about what he wishes for. Rodion Raskolnikov sought to restore social justice and distribute the surplus of rich people to the poor. To do this, he chose the first victim - the moneylender Alena Ivanovna. This old woman shrouded dozens of honest but poor families in debt networks. The hero kills her, and at the same time takes the life of her sister, who witnessed the massacre. But the fulfillment of his dream turns into the collapse of all his bright hopes. The stolen money did not help anyone, but only destroyed the peace of mind of the murderer and thief. Thus, some desires really should be feared, since in reality they can only be embodied in ugliness and sinfulness.

Reality is sometimes unable to desecrate a dream, as the author of the book “Crime and Punishment”, F. M. Dostoevsky, proves to us. Sonya Marmeladova dreamed of guiding Rodion on the righteous path of atonement for sin. Therefore, the girl undertakes a moral feat: she goes to hard labor after her beloved. The harsh realities of prison life did not break the sublime soul. The heroine adapted to the cruel order and supported many prisoners with her care. Everyone loved her. Even the cold heart of proud Rodion melted. As a result, Sonya's wish came true: her chosen one renounced the inhuman theories. Thus, even the most seemingly unrealizable dream can break into reality and not be desecrated by it if a person passionately believes in what he is doing.

In the work"War and Peace" L.N. Tolstoy depicts different types of dreams:

1. A magical dream of the miraculous. This is exactly Natasha Rostova’s dream - to learn to fly. Natasha represents the image of a person free from stereotypes and public opinion. She is free to dream, including about things that will never come true.

2. A down-to-earth dream. Thus, Princess Marya dreams of a woman’s happiness: a loving husband, a strong family: “In the thought of marriage, Princess Marya dreamed of family happiness, of children, but her main, strongest and hidden dream was earthly love.”

3. A lofty dream, a dream of service. Andrei Bolkonsky dreams of heroism and glory. Perhaps the defining feature of Prince Andrei is his consciousness in all his aspirations. He always wanted to take an “active part in life.” In his soul he dreamed of the glory of Napoleon. Bolkonsky sincerely dreamed of a feat that other people would notice and appreciate. He considered Napoleon, to whom Toulon had brought glory, his idol. Prince Andrey sought approval and recognition. Under Austerlitz, Bolkonsky understands that he can get everything or nothing. Prince Andrei dreams of accomplishing a feat. A unique opportunity opens up before him. The hero already imagines how he runs with the banner and saves the entire army. The day of battle arrives. The dream becomes reality. Andrei Bolkonsky sees chaos and panic in the troops. He takes the banner and leads the army. But his unexpected injury interrupts his ambitious plans. The eternal, endless sky appears before the prince in all its grandeur. In comparison, earthly battles seem meaningless and insignificant. The hero felt the immensity of the universe in comparison with personal interests. A spiritual turning point occurs in the soul of Prince Andrei. He returns to Bald Mountains as a different person. Prince Andrei wants to change the life of the country and participates in Speransky’s reforms. His dreams are always active, creative, guided by the desire to serve people.

4. Pierre Bezukhov also dreams of being useful and finding his purpose. Over time, the heroes’ dreams transform and “grow up” with them, but one thing remains unchanged - the sublimity of their desires.

Quotes and sayings

The only reality is Life! Richard Bach

Blessed is he who sometimes lives in the future; Blessed is he who lives in a dream. — Alexander Nikolaevich Radishchev

Reality is like a powerful slap in the face... Daniel Keyes.

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. — Eleanor Roosevelt

In grief, in misfortune, they console themselves with dreams. (Alexander Humboldt)

There is a side to a dream that is better than reality; in reality there is a better side than the dream. Complete happiness would be a combination of both. (Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy)

Reality is an illusion, albeit a very persistent one. Albert Einstein

Reality is like the weather - no one can change it except itself. Feng Jicai.

And I dreamed that what I considered reality was a dream, and a dream was reality. Anton Pavlovich Chekhov.

We all dream of some magical rose garden that lies beyond the horizon, instead of enjoying the roses that bloom right outside our window. (Dale Carnegie)

Dreams compare favorably with reality due to the luxury of non-fulfillment. G. E. Malkin.

Everything that a person can imagine in his imagination, others can bring to life. (Jules Verne)

You can judge a person much more accurately by his dreams than by his thoughts. (Victor Hugo)

Dream big, small dreams don't set your heart on fire.Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Dreams will not come true on their own.Paulo Coelho

It's a shame when your dreams come true for others!Mikhail Zhvanetsky

Only the world of dreams is eternal.Valery Bryusov

Dreams make up half of reality.Joseph Joubert

Main points:

• The relationship between dreams and reality (the connection between these concepts, the differences between concepts). Internal and external conflicts that arise when faced with reality.
• Dream: unattainable, “small”, great, etc.
• Dream/desire/goal/fantasy…. Similarities and differences between these concepts.
• Dream, its role and function in a person’s life (mobilizing, demobilizing, etc.)
• Types of dreamers in literature. Types of realists. Characteristics of a person depending on his dreams.
• A dream in utopia/dystopia/science fiction. Dystopia as a genre that describes the consequences of realizing the dream of an ideal world. Dream in realism, romanticism.

Arguments “Dream and Reality” (problems):

Only by staying true to your dream can you make it come true. This is confirmed by A.S. Pushkin in his work “The Captain’s Daughter”. Masha Mironova dreamed of always being close to Pyotr Grinev and marrying him, but fate constantly separated her from her beloved. The first obstacle was the slander of Alexei Shvabrin, who told Grinev Sr. that the dowry woman had coveted the wealth of Peter’s family and wanted to trick him into marrying herself. The old man in response did not approve of his son’s marriage to the captain’s daughter. After Pugachev’s capture of the Belgorod fortress, Marya is captured by Shvabrin. He starves her and insists on accepting his marriage proposal, but the girl does not agree and waits for help from Peter. When Grinev frees Mironova, separation overtakes them again - the young officer is condemned for helping Pugachev. To prove the falsehood of the accusations, Marya goes to the empress herself and saves Peter from exile to Siberia. Thanks to her firm belief in her dream, Mironova makes it come true: lovers become happy spouses.

In the same novel we see that a dream may not come true if you go to it in a dishonest way. Shvabrin showed baseness, meanness and hypocrisy in order to get Mironova as his wife. He deliberately denigrated the girl’s reputation in front of the family of her lover Pyotr Grinev. When a young officer, defending the honor of his bride, challenged Shvabrin to a duel, he used a forbidden technique and seriously wounded his opponent. Alexey demonstrated his corruption when the rebels captured the fortress - he went over to Pugachev’s side, betraying his comrades and the fatherland. His dream was closer than ever: Marya became his captive. But even here, Alexei showed himself to be a man without high moral principles: he humiliated Mironova, starved her, and forced her to become his wife. Grinev came to the girl’s aid in time, freeing her from the clutches of the scoundrel. The unscrupulousness and vileness of Shvabrin’s actions made his dream unattainable.

The injustice of the surrounding world did not become an obstacle to the realization of the dream of Sonya Marmeladova, one of the main heroines of F. M. Dostoevsky’s novel “Crime and Punishment.” The girl’s greatest desire was to return to the righteous path of her beloved Rodion Raskolnikov. Sonya goes to get the young man to hard labor and there provides him with spiritual support, surrounding him with tenderness and care. Rodion's hardened heart softens over time, and he abandons his ideas of the insignificance of everything that exists, starting to study the Bible. Strong faith in the Almighty and the dream give their result: Sonya managed to “resurrect” her lover to a new life and rethinking of values.

A. S. Pushkin. "Blizzard"

The main character of A. S. Pushkin’s story “The Snowstorm,” Marya Gavrilovna, is in love with a poor army ensign and dreams of marrying Vladimir, although her parents are against an unfavorable match. The couple decides to get married secretly, but a snowstorm becomes an obstacle. Due to bad weather, Vladimir does not have time to go to church, and Marya is mistakenly married to a stranger. The young man falls into despair and goes to war, where he dies in the battle for Borodino. After the death of her father, Marya becomes an enviable bride, to whom suitors begin to woo. The girl mourns for Vladimir, carefully storing things that remind him of him. And then on Marya’s path she meets that same “random” husband, officer Burmin. Love arises between the characters, and they are happily married. This way, sometimes the reality can be better than the dream.

Vladimir’s dream from A. S. Pushkin’s story “The Snowstorm” was destroyed when he learned about Marya’s wedding to another man. The young man loses heart, withdraws into himself, making no attempt to explain himself to his beloved. In despair, he leaves for the war, where he dies in the Battle of Borodino. Vladimir did not make any effort towards his dream, so it was not destined to go astray.

The Moscow writer Master dreamed of publishing the main novel in his creative career. For the sake of the book, he quit his job and spent all his lottery winnings on renting and furnishing a basement on Arbat. But the Master suffered a great disappointment: the published excerpt of the “anti-Soviet” novel about Pontius Pilate was severely criticized and banned from publication. The writer burns his manuscripts, and then he is locked in a psychiatric hospital. As we see, some desires can be dangerous: the dream in reality led the Master to a tragic fate.

In contrast to the big pipe dream, Bulgakov cites the insignificance of the desires of cowardly, envious and petty people. At a performance at Variety, Woland ridicules the vanity and materialism of Muscovites, making their dreams of status and wealth come true. Stacks of banknotes fly from the stage towards the audience, and women dress in luxurious outfits. The insignificance of such aspirations is revealed when expensive clothes disappear into thin air and money turns into pieces of paper.

L. N. Tolstoy. "After the ball"

At a ball in the house of his beloved Varenka, Ivan Vasilyevich feels absolutely happy: next to him is a beautiful girl and her generous father, who is ready to do anything for his daughter, even wear homemade boots. Great music is playing in the elegant room, everyone is dancing and having fun. All night long Ivan Vasilyevich enjoys the action, and leaving the governor’s house, he is ready to love the whole world. But the morning struck the young student with horror: Varenka’s father was participating in inhuman torture of a fugitive soldier. At the same moment, the world in Ivan Vasilyevich’s soul turned upside down, and he could no longer imagine himself next to a girl whose father was a tyrant. His dream was shattered by cruel reality.

A.P. Chekhov. "Ionych"

Dmitry Ionych Startsev's dream came true: he became a zemstvo doctor in Dyalizh. The young man gladly receives patients, goes on foot to calls, since at the beginning he does not even have a horse. At the same time, the remote province oppresses the educated intellectual - the villagers are illiterate and are unable to hold a conversation on serious topics. But soon Ionych begins to get involved and get used to the situation. Material interests come to the fore: Ionych acquires a carriage with horses, lives in abundance, gambles, treating medical practice purely as a source of income, nothing more. Thus, Ionych betrays his dream, which promises him complete spiritual degradation.

In parallel, in the story of A.P. Chekhov, we see the collapse of the dream of young Katerina Turkina, who saw herself as a great pianist. For the sake of her career, the girl rejected the marriage proposal of the young doctor Dmitry Startsev, which she later regretted. The years spent in the capital did not produce results, and Kotik did not become a musician. Returning home, the girl realizes that she does not have the proper talent and tries to remind Ionych of his past feelings, but is refused. Ambition and blind pursuit of a dream leads to Turkina being left alone, losing her youth and beauty over the years.

I. S. Turgenev. "Noble Nest"

Fyodor Lavretsky’s dream of an ideal family with Lisa Kalitina was broken by his ex-wife Varvara Pavlovna, a woman greedy for money and other people’s happiness. She does not take into account her husband’s feelings and is not going to give him up to anyone. Lavretsky, disappointed in women after Varvara Pavlovna’s betrayal, meets the open and kind Liza, for whom he develops feelings. The girl does not want to be an obstacle to the family reunion and goes to the monastery. Lavretsky humbly accepts this decision and, in order to remain a decent person, renounces personal happiness. Thus, the dream can be dashed by insurmountable circumstances created by vile people like Varvara Pavlovna.

A. N. Ostrovsky. "Storm"

Having gotten married, the main character of A. N. Ostrovsky’s drama “The Thunderstorm,” Katerina, dreams of a happy married life and tender, warm relationships like those in her family. But in reality, she faces humiliation and suffering that the girl has to endure from her despotic mother-in-law Kabanikha and her spineless husband Tikhon, who indulges his mother in everything. Another disappointment for Katerina was Boris, who broke her heart and abandoned their love to please his uncle. The girl's dreamy nature cannot withstand the cruelty of the world around her, and she sees no other way out but to commit suicide. Hence the conclusion: desires that do not coincide with reality can lead to tragedy.

To make your dream come true, you need to make an effort. But people like Tikhon Kabanov from A. N. Ostrovsky’s drama “The Thunderstorm,” spineless “mama’s boys,” are not given this. Having married Katerina, he dreams of family comfort and harmony, but cannot put his domineering mother in her place, who constantly interferes in the lives of the young. Tikhon obediently carries out Kabanikha’s orders and does not say a word against him, even in defense of his wife, which soon drives the unfortunate wife to suicide. Mourning Katerina, he blames his mother for everything, although he himself did nothing to make his dream come true.

N. M. Karamzin. "Poor Lisa"

The peasant woman Liza, having met the nobleman Erast, sincerely fell in love with him and dreamed of becoming his wife. Each date with a young man strengthened the girl’s faith in a happy future. But after the intimacy that happened, everything changed in the couple’s relationship. Erast lost interest in Lisa and soon left for the war. The girl was waiting for her lover and accidentally saw him in the city. The meeting turned out to be fatal: Erast admitted that he was engaged to someone else, after which Lisa committed suicide. Thus, blindly following your dreams can lead to tragedy.

After meeting Lisa, Erast decided that he had finally found true happiness. The girl amazed the young man with her beauty and naturalness, and he swore eternal love to her. But the weakness of his character did not allow him to overcome class inequality, and Erast chose material benefits over love. Having betrayed his dream, he was unhappy until the end of his days.

N.V. Gogol. "Nevsky Avenue"

The collision of dreams with reality is clearly demonstrated in N.V. Gogol’s story “Nevsky Prospekt”. The heroes of the work are two friends Pirogov and Piskarev. Lieutenant Pirogov does not set high goals for himself. He easily gives up his desires if any obstacles arise on the way, and does not worry if he fails with women. The sublime and sophisticated artist Piskarev is another matter. He lives in a world he has invented, where all people are ideal and blameless. Having met a girl of easy virtue on Nevsky Prospect, the artist believes that with his love he can return her to the righteous path. But hearing only ridicule in response, he commits suicide. Different perceptions of reality lead to the fact that some live at the level of animal instincts, others have their head in the clouds and do not want to objectively assess the surrounding reality.

Arguments in the direction of “Fathers and Sons”

Abstracts in the direction “Fathers and Sons”

• Misunderstanding between generations arises due to differences in worldviews
• Parents' advice means a lot to children
• A person’s attitude towards his parents can be used to judge his moral qualities.
• Not taking care of your parents means betraying them
• Parents are not always good to their children.
• Many are ready to sacrifice the most precious things in order for their children to be happy
• Correct relationships between children and parents are built on love, care, support
• Sometimes the truly close person becomes not the one who gave birth, but the one who raised

I. S. Turgenev. "Fathers and Sons"

This work clearly demonstrates the problem of relationships between two generations. “Fathers” are brothers Nikolai and Pavel Kirsanov, “children” are Arkady Kirsanov, the son of Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov, and Evgeny Bazarov, Arkady’s friend. Students are passionate about nihilism. Representatives of the older generation remain faithful to generally accepted morals. The conflict of views ends in a duel between Evgeny Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov. Later, Arkady abandons Bazarov's nihilistic teachings, starts his own family and returns to his father's estate.

N.V. Gogol. "Taras Bulba"

Father Taras Bulba sees his sons Ostap and Andriy, who returned from studying in Kyiv, as real Zaporozhye Cossacks in the future and takes them to the slaughter. From there they go to war with the Poles, where they are distinguished by their daring and courage. Taras is proud of his sons and predicts a successful future for them as atamans. But Andriy, unlike Ostap, does not live up to expectations (he falls in love with a Polish girl), and his father kills him for betrayal. Ostap selflessly fights in battle with the Poles and is captured, where he is then publicly executed in front of his father.

A. S. Griboyedov. "Woe from Wit"

And the play depicts the relationship between a major official, Famusov, and his daughter Sophia. The main values ​​for the landowner are rank and money, so for Sophia he looked for the rich Colonel Skalozub as a husband. But his thoughts do not coincide with the desires of his daughter, who shows sympathy for her father’s secretary Molchanin, who has no ranks or titles. The conflict arises from the father’s desire to impose his views on life on his daughter, without taking into account her interests.

Sending his son Peter to Orenburg to serve, Andrei Petrovich Grinev gives parting words to the 17-year-old boy: “Take care of your shirt again, and take care of your honor from a young age.” The young man makes these words his main life guide and even in situations that threaten him with death he does not lose his dignity. It is truly important for Peter to remain an honest man in front of his father and Motherland. This is an example of education when true values ​​are passed on to children.

A story about the selfless love of parents for their children. The station superintendent Vyrin doted on his only daughter, the beautiful Duna, who was taken away by deceit by the young hussar Minsky. The old man went to St. Petersburg to fetch his daughter, but the meeting greatly upset him. The richly dressed daughter, seeing her father, fainted, and his son-in-law pushed him over the threshold. Returning home, the old man suddenly died of melancholy. Later, the narrator learned that later a young lady came with three youngsters and lay for a long time on the caretaker’s grave.

K. G. Paustovsky. "Telegram"

Katerina Petrovna’s daughter Nastya worked as a secretary at the Union of Artists in Leningrad and did not come to visit her mother in the village of Zaborye for years. Even when the woman wrote that she had recently become weak and would not live to see spring, Nastya chose to participate in organizing an exhibition of paintings and not respond to the letter. Only after receiving a telegram with a message about her mother’s serious condition, Nastya began to think that Katerina Petrovna was the only one who truly loved her, and went to Zaborye. She did not find her loved one alive, which she later bitterly regretted.

S. A. Yesenin. "Letter to Mother"

In the poem, the poet turns to his mother and asks her not to worry about him, not to believe rumors, and promises to return to his home in the spring. And at the same time, he reminds that he is no longer that boy who needs to be taught, but a tired man who wants to take a break from rebellious melancholy in the company of his dearest and closest person. Despite the different views on life, the mother still remains the only spiritual joy for the poet.

F. M. Dostoevsky. "Crime and Punishment"

The motive for the murder for Rodion Raskolnikov was love for his family. In order to avoid the unwanted wedding of Dunya's sister with the court councilor Luzhin for the sake of improving his well-being, the poor student decides to kill the old money-lender and save his mother and sister from the torments of poverty.

L. N. Tolstoy “War and Peace”

The work demonstrates that children most often inherit their parents’ views. The older and younger generations of the Rostovs embody the best features of the nobility: spiritual generosity, openness, morality. Honesty, nobility, and education can be traced in three generations of the Bolkonskys, starting with the old Prince Nikolai Andreevich and up to his grandson Nikolenka. The Kuragins (Prince Vasily, his son Anatole and daughter Helen) are shown as vile, low and greedy people.

A. N. Ostrovsky. "Storm"

The powerful widow Kabanikha keeps her family very strictly, interferes in the married life of her son Tikhon and daughter-in-law Katerina, and tries to control her daughter Varvara. The son meekly obeys his mother, humiliating himself and his wife. The situation heats up to the limit when Katerina, tired of moralizing and reproaches, cheats on Tikhon with a visiting young man, Boris. The girl sees no other way out but to commit suicide. After which Tikhon finally decides to “revolt” against his oppressive mother.

A. Aleksin “Division of property”

The story describes the ungrateful and consumerist attitude of children towards their parents. Anisiya Ivanovna, having given up what she loved, volunteered to help her daughter-in-law and son care for their daughter Vera, who had suffered a severe birth trauma, and included a girl. The granddaughter became very attached to her grandmother and even began to call her mom, which caused dissatisfaction with her own mother. This caused a conflict - the family went to court for the division of property. As a result, Anisiya Ivanovka leaves for the village, and Verochka has a serious attack.

D. I. Fonvizin “Minor”

Mitrofan Prostakov is as malicious and ignorant as his oppressive mother, Mrs. Prostakova. The absolute opposite is the orphan Sophia, who was sheltered by the Prostakovs for selfish reasons. The girl is educated, polite, has high moral principles, like her uncle Starodum. The play clearly shows the influence of parental education on children's behavior. Prostakova’s excessive guardianship over her son results in Mitrofan easily agreeing to leave the house and go to serve.

M. Yu. Lermontov “Mtsyri”

Young Mtsyri rebels against his upcoming monastic tonsure, since he did not choose this path for himself and sees his life completely differently in his native lands in the Caucasus. He decides to escape, but it lasts only 3 days, after which the monks find the young man and take him back to the monastery. Mtsyri, never having seen his native lands, dies from an illness that was the result of a battle with a leopard in the forest. The poem traces the rebellion of the younger generation against the usual foundations of society created by their fathers.

M. Tsvetaeva “To Grandma”

A poem dedicated to her grandmother, whom Tsvetaeva saw only in a portrait. In her work, the poetess looks for similarities with her deceased grandmother, both external and spiritual, tries to capture the “rebellious” character traits, guess the joys and experiences of a woman. The poem does not discuss the conflict of generations; on the contrary, the poetess wants to restore the lost connection of times.

N.V. Gogol. "Dead Souls"

The harmful influence of vicious parents on children can be traced in the character of Chichikov, who from birth was accustomed by his father to lies, hypocrisy and corruption. Even his comrade called him “the seller of Christ,” because he could sell anyone for a certain price.

I. A. Goncharov “Oblomov”

The novel clearly observes the influence of fathers on the fate of their children. Ilya Ilyich Oblomov lived exactly like his parents: slowly, monotonously. He was lazy and afraid of change, which is why he even lost his beloved. The absolute opposite of Oblomov is his best friend Andrei Ivanovich Stolts. He was raised in a hardworking, educated family of entrepreneurs, and therefore grew up to be a purposeful and successful young man who achieved fame in the highest circles of society.

A. P. Chekhov “The Cherry Orchard”

The problem of intergenerational relationships in the play is shown from a different perspective, when children take on the role of parents. Ranevskaya's native and adopted daughters Lyubov Andreevna themselves have to deal with the bankrupt family estate and think about their future after selling the house and garden for debts. While the naive Ranevskaya does not believe to the last that the estate will be taken away, but in the end she loses everything.

M. A. Sholokhov “Quiet Don”

Panteley Melekhov, the father of Grigory, Peter and Dunyasha Melekhov, keeps his children strict. Having learned about the relationship of his eldest son with a married woman, he forcibly married him to Natalya Korshunova. But family life did not work out, and Grigory went to war with Peter, who left his wife Daria in his father’s house. The girl soon desecrated the name of the family, for which she was flogged by her father-in-law Pantelei. But after the revolution, the father’s power weakens, and the children no longer obey his Cossack laws.

B. Vasiliev “Tomorrow there was war”

In the center of the work are mature Komsomol schoolchildren. Iskra Polyakova is a class activist, raised in strictness by her overbearing mother-commissar. She is harsh with everyone, even with her mother. Vika Lyuberetskaya is a girl from an intelligent, wealthy family of an engineer, lives with her father, who treats her with tenderness and makes all sorts of concessions. Iskra does not like her classmate, but when trouble happens to Vika, she is the first to support her. Lyuberetskaya herself cannot withstand the accusations against her father and commits suicide.

Arguments in the direction of "Revenge and generosity"

Theses on the problem “Revenge and generosity”

• Revenge. Reasons for revenge: resentment, envy, etc. The influence of revenge on the “avenger” himself and the object of revenge (revenge-retribution). Consequences of revenge. Forgiveness and its consequences.
• Revenge and forgiveness as a difficult moral choice. Revenge and generosity are like two sides of the same coin.
• Generosity and cruelty in a socio-historical context. Moral choice in war or in difficult conditions. Generosity towards the enemy.
• Ideas about good and evil, about mercy and cruelty, about peacefulness and aggression as a determining factor in human behavior, in particular, when choosing between revenge and forgiveness.
• Revenge as a feeling and action.
• Blood feud as a socio-historical phenomenon

Arguments (problems):

L. N. Tolstoy. "War and Peace"

Andrei Bolkonsky is very disappointed in his beloved Natasha Rostova when he finds out that the girl has become interested in a young man, Anatoly Kuragin. He shares his experiences with Pierre Bezukhov, telling him that “I have never loved or hated anyone more than her.” But still, when meeting before his death, he was able to show generosity and forgive the girl, whose feelings for him turned out to be sincere and burned with even greater force.

A. S. Pushkin. "Captain's daughter"

In A. S. Pushkin’s story “The Captain’s Daughter,” generosity is inherent in Pugachev when, despite his reputation as a robber, he acts according to his conscience: he saves the life of Pyotr Grinev, who at one time showed kindness to the rebel. He also shows nobility towards Marya Mironova, releasing her from the fortress. Grinev values ​​Pugachev for justice, so the execution of the rebel makes Peter sad.

A. S. Pushkin “The Queen of Spades”

Wanting to get rich quickly, the main character of A. S. Pushkin’s story “The Queen of Spades,” military engineer Hermann, tries in every way to find out the old countess’s secret about three win-win cards. He begins to court her pupil Lisa and, having achieved reciprocity, tricks his way into the house, but not on a date with the girl, but into the old woman’s chambers. The Countess cannot stand Hermann's interrogation and dies. But her ghost shows generosity to the failed engineer and reveals to him the secret of the winning combination in exchange for a promise to marry Lisa. Hermann does not keep his word and loses all his acquired fortune in the last game, after which he goes crazy. Thus, you should not make impossible promises, as this may threaten severe retribution.

A. S. Pushkin “Eugene Onegin”

An absurd revenge caused the death of the young poet Lensky at the hands of his friend Onegin, the main character of A. S. Pushkin’s story “Eugene Onegin”. Having received a letter with a declaration of love from Tatyana, Evgeny refuses her and does not want to attend the girl’s name day. Lensky persuades him to attend the reception. In revenge, Onegin decides to joke with his friend and hit on the poet’s beloved Olga. The stupid idea ends in a duel between the young people and the death of Lensky. Onegin, defending imaginary justice, could not show generosity and explain himself to his friend. The consequence was a wasted life.

The heroine of A. S. Pushkin’s story “Eugene Onegin”, Tatyana Larina, became an example of generosity. After Onegin rejects her love, the girl accepts a marriage proposal from the general, who dotes on her. Tatyana respects her husband and is grateful to him for his sincere feelings. Even when Onegin realizes that he loves Larina and confesses this to her, the girl prefers to save her family, rejecting personal happiness.

A. S. Pushkin. "Dubrovsky"

In A. S. Pushkin’s story “Dubrovsky,” the author tells how one revenge gave birth to another. A trivial conflict between two landowners Dubrovsky and Troekurov develops into the latter’s desire to take revenge for a blow to his pride. By dishonest means, he takes away the property of a friend, as a result of which he dies of an attack. Dubrovsky's son cannot forgive Troekurov for the death of his father and becomes a robber and robber, taking away property from rich landowners. Only love for Masha Troekurova forces him to show generosity and give up his main revenge.

N.V. Gogol “Terrible Revenge”

Revenge became the cause of all the disasters of the heroes of the story. In an effort to punish Peter for his own and his son’s death, Ivan, appearing before God, asks to bring a curse on his brother’s entire family. The last descendant of the murderer is born as an evil sorcerer-murderer who commits terrible atrocities. Peter experiences bitter torment underground, and Ivan, seeing from heaven how innocent people suffer, realizes his mistake, but is unable to change anything. None of the brothers showed generosity at one time, for which they doomed themselves to eternal torment.

M. Gorky. "At the bottom"

The inhabitants of the shelter are bitter and vindictive people. Everyone believes that someone else is to blame for the fact that they are at the bottom. And if someone tries to escape from the “abyss,” they try to pull him back in so as not to give him a chance to live better than them. Vasilisa, the wife of the owner of the flophouse, turns out to be the most vindictive. She asks her lover Ash to kill her husband, but when this happens, she testifies against him in order to send him to hard labor, away from her younger sister Natasha. Lacking her own happiness, Vasilisa cannot come to terms with the well-being of others.

The generosity in this work is demonstrated by the wanderer Luke. His life is not easy: behind him is hard labor, from which he escaped. But the old man has not lost his human appearance; he tries to support each inhabitant of the shelter and inspire them to break the vicious circle. But, feeling that in a poisoned environment no one hears him and does not want to take good advice into account, he quietly leaves. From this example we learn: you can only help those who really want help.

A. I. Kuprin. "Duel"

The main character of A. I. Kuprin’s story “The Duel,” the dreamy and noble Romashov, finds it difficult to get along in the society of empty and indifferent people. He is burdened by his service in the regiment, he is tired of his relationship with the adventuress Raisa. At the next meeting, Georgy tells her that he wants to break up, but receives threats in response. Raisa decides to compromise the second lieutenant in the face of Lieutenant Nikolaev, accusing him of having an affair with Alexandra Petrovna, the wife of Vladimir Efimych. The slander leads to a duel between the rivals, in which Romashov dies. Revenge led to a tragic ending: an innocent man was killed, and it is impossible to bring him back.

M. Yu. Lermontov. "Hero of our time"

The tragic consequences of revenge are depicted in M. Yu. Lermontov’s novel “A Hero of Our Time.” A hot-tempered mountaineer, Kazbich, is in love with the daughter of a Circassian prince, the beautiful Bela, and wants to win her heart. But the girl is kidnapped by a young officer of the tsarist army, Grigory Pechorin, and with her the horse Kazbich for Bela’s brother Azamat. The Circassian decides to take revenge. Having tracked Bela when she is left alone, he steals her and tries to take her away, but, noticing the chase, mortally wounds the girl and throws her on the road. Bela dies, and Kazbich achieves nothing with his revenge and is left with nothing.

A. Dumas “The Count of Monte Cristo”

To avenge a broken fate is the main task facing the main character of A. Dumas’s novel “The Count of Monte Cristo”. Envious conspirators write a false denunciation against the sailor Dantes, after which he is thrown into prison straight from the wedding. While imprisoned, a young man meets an abbot who helps him escape and find riches. Having become the noble Count of Monte Cristo, Dantes begins to repay his debts to his offenders. Revenge overtakes all traitors; he shows generosity only towards his former lover Mercedes, without harming her son. But the count also remembers good deeds. Monte Cristo saves his former owner from bankruptcy by paying off the debts for the ship, and then makes his son Maximilian the heir to his wealth.

M. Yu. Lermontov. "Song about the merchant Kalashnikov"

The merchant Kalashnikov dared to take revenge on the Tsar's guardsman Malyutin in order to justify his wife and restore dignity to the family. In a fair fist fight, he kills his opponent, for which Ivan the Terrible sends Stepan Paramonovich to execution, since Kiribeevich’s death occurred as a result of a prohibited technique. But the tsar shows generosity towards Kalashnikov and fulfills his dying wish: he does not leave the orphaned family without support.

V. A. Zakrutkin “Mother of Man”

The Great Patriotic War took away the most precious things from Mary: her husband and son. Seeing the wounded fascist, she rushed at him with a pitchfork to take revenge on the enemies for the death of her relatives and all their inhumane acts. But the woman was stopped by the German’s words: “Mom! Mother!" Mary’s heart trembled, and she spared the young man. With this example, the author demonstrates the highest degree of generosity of a Russian woman.

Arguments for the direction "Arts and Crafts"

Theses in the direction of "Art and Craft"

• Art, artists. Their role in the life of society. The influence of art on human life, the purpose of the artist.
• Talent/lack of talent. True/imaginary talent.
• Craft/art. Commonalities and differences in goals, etc. The border between craft and art. Craftsmen/Artists.
• The phenomenon of creativity, the role of labor, creation in human life.
• Enthusiast/philistine as a worldview category.

L. N. Tolstoy. "War and Peace"

The influence of art on a person’s perception of the world is shown in L. N. Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace.” Having lost heavily at cards, Nikolai Rostov does not know how to inform his family, which is experiencing financial difficulties, about this. But his worries are dispelled by the singing of his sister Natasha. Having heard the magnificent performance of the composition, he calms down and understands the insignificance of his mental torment in comparison with the greatness of art.

Natasha Rostova not only had a magnificent voice, but also had a keen sense of music. The girl was delighted not only by the compositions played at receptions and balls, she was no stranger to dancing to the guitar, inviting with perky tunes. By this, the author shows that true art is not subject to times and mores.

A. Tvardovsky. "Vasily Terkin"

A simple guy, Vasily Terkin, appears before the reader as a courageous soldier and at the same time a great optimist. His enthusiasm more than once raises the morale of his colleagues. One day in the middle of winter, he is picked up by a passing truck full of soldiers. A cheerful guy plays the accordion for them, which makes the fighters feel warmer and they start dancing. Thus, music helped people escape from difficult thoughts about what was happening and forget about the war for a while.

N.V. Gogol. "Portrait"

In the story “Portrait” N.V. Gogol talks about two artists, one of whom worked on paintings with inspiration, selflessly, honing and improving his talent, while the second squandered the gift given to him, turning it into a source of income. This problem of choice faces every creative person on the path of his development. But, as you know, true masterpieces of art live and glorify their authors for centuries, and those created for the sake of enrichment bring only material benefits.

M. A. Bulgakov. "Master and Margarita"

Craftsmanship in the field of art is clearly shown in M. A. Bulgakov’s novel “The Master and Margarita.” The capital's writers have long put their works on stream; they are more concerned about vacations at the dacha, trips to Yalta and the notorious “housing issue.”

The Master's attitude towards creativity is completely different: the novel about Pontius Pilate absorbs him completely. In order to create freely, the writer rents a small basement on Arbat and uses all the money he wins in the lottery to buy literature with the information necessary for the book. When criticism falls on the novel and it is not allowed to be published, the Master feels devastated, burns the manuscripts, and then ends up in a psychiatric hospital. Thus, we see how true creativity is replaced by stereotyped works performed to please the authorities.

A. S. Pushkin. "Conversation between a bookseller and a poet"

The attitude towards creativity as a commodity disgusted A.S. Pushkin, and he reflects his thoughts on this matter in the poem “Conversation of a Bookseller with a Poet.” The problem is viewed from two opposite sides. The bookseller is a clever entrepreneur who believes that works of art are the same product as handicrafts; the main thing is to know the tastes and preferences of the consumer. The poet tries to argue with the merchant, telling him about inspiration and emotional impulses. The bookseller replies that money rules the world, and only those who have it can feel freedom. Ultimately, the poet agrees to sell his work, and Pushkin’s poem ends with a non-rhyming phrase, like a hint of dying creativity.

A. S. Pushkin. "Mozart and Salieri"

A. S. Pushkin’s play “Mozart and Salieri” tells the story of two composers whose views on creating music radically diverged. Young Mozart is talented, and he can create anywhere and anytime, the main thing is inspiration. Old Salieri is sure that art is like a craft, and only hard work can achieve a good result. He envies the brilliant Mozart and poisons him, but still does not recognize the secret of his great talent, because the gift is given to a person from above.

I. A. Kuprin. "Ballroom pianist"

Young pianist Yuri Azagarov, by chance, ends up in a rich family for a Christmas party and from the first chords gathers a crowd of listeners, among whom is the famous composer Rubinstein. He takes the talented boy as his student, providing him with a brilliant future. I. A. Kuprin, with his work “Taper,” proves that the true gift of a musician cannot be confused with mechanical playing from notes. Yuri Azagarov was not an insensitive tapper, but performed melodies with inspiration, for which he received a worthy reward.

A.P. Chekhov. "Rothschild's Violin"

Undertaker Yakov Ivanov works part-time as a violinist together with his fellow Jew Rothschild. The second one often lies, which annoys his friend. But Yakov himself does not take music seriously, only after the death of his wife, having learned that he did not have long to live, he plays the violin soulfully, causing tears in those around him. The undertaker bequeaths the instrument to a Jewish friend and dies. Rothschild, deeply touched by the melody he heard, reproduces it on a donated violin. The composition brings him fame and recognition and becomes immortal.

V. Korolenko. "The Blind Musician"

Peter was born blind, but had good hearing and sense of touch. Since childhood, the boy was interested in the groom Joachim's playing of the pipe; he himself began to master the pipe, and then the piano. Music helped him perceive and “see” the world. Peter had to overcome many trials to accept himself as he is. But the talented musician managed to achieve recognition from others and find personal happiness.

A.P. Chekhov. "Gull"

Nina Zarechnaya dreams of becoming a famous actress. Her parents do not share the girl’s views and oppose it. But Nina still runs away from home to the city to play in the theater. Her career, like her personal life, is not working out. She does not reach the level of a talented actress: she plays poorly, “with howls.” Her child dies almost immediately after birth, and her loved one loses interest in her. Nina decides to radically change her life: go to the provinces and start building a career there from scratch. The girl cannot help but think that she is destined to be a great actress.

A. Mikhailov. "Mayakovsky"

In the work “Mayakovsky” A. Mikhailov describes the life of the poet and playwright Mayakovsky, who was always accompanied by criticism and shockingness. The scandalous futurist publishes his first book on yellow wrapping paper with a burlap cover, and spends his speeches in an absurd yellow coat, which makes him stand out from the gray mass. Many did not see the depth and did not understand the meaning of Mayakovsky’s works, which raise important problems to the surface.

A. Akhmatova. "Requiem"

In her work “Requiem,” A. Akhmatova describes the times of severe repression, when people were sent into exile without trial or investigation, without telling their relatives anything. Mothers and wives had to stand in endless lines for months, waiting for any news from their sons and husbands. With this poem, the poetess challenged the Stalinist regime, for which her other works became banned from publication. Akhmatova had to endure humiliation and suffering for her position in art that was undesirable to the authorities.

Arguments in the direction of “Kindness and Cruelty”

Theses on the problem “Kindness and Cruelty”

• Kindness and cruelty as opposite moral qualities inherent in man.
• Kindness and cruelty as an internal and external conflict.
• Kindness and cruelty towards others, loved ones, those who are weaker, enemies, etc.
• Kindness and cruelty towards nature, animals, etc.
• Kindness and cruelty towards yourself. Self-flagellation, self-pity, etc.
• True and false kindness.
• Kindness and cruelty in war.
• Showing kindness and cruelty. A person’s actions, his behavior, manner of communication, etc.

M. A. Sholokhov. "Quiet Don"

Injustice can make a person cruel. The hero of M. A. Sholokhov's novel "Quiet Don" Grigory was a kind and honest fellow, but his domineering father forcibly married him, choosing Natalya Korshunova as his wife. The young man’s heart belonged to the married Cossack woman Aksinya. Gregory acted cruelly with loving Natalya, abandoning his family for the sake of personal happiness. But in this situation, the girl should only blame herself, because when she got married, she knew that the feelings were not mutual. Thus, Gregory’s cruelty was provoked by unjust circumstances.

The war fostered callousness and cruelty in Gregory’s soul. Having gone to the front, the young Cossack selflessly fights the enemy, with human blood and suffering on his hands. But high services to the state for victories in battles do not bring him joy. He sees the injustice and indifference of political forces to the common people of the Don. Gregory comes to understand his mistake: he should not have taken up arms and killed, he is not a soldier, but a simple peasant, whose destiny is to sow and grow grain. Cruelty cannot achieve good, but the hero realized this too late, when he irretrievably lost his family and friends.

F. M. Dostoevsky “Crime and Punishment”

The cruelty of the surrounding world oppressed Rodion Raskolnikov. He could not calmly watch how the poor suffered in poverty, and the rich lived in luxury, and believed that his calling was to restore justice. Cruelty begets cruelty: Raskolnikov kills the old money-lender, whom he considers worthless and unworthy of existence, and then, not intentionally, takes the life of her sister. But the crime does not bring the hero the expected relief; on the contrary, it dooms him to torment and suffering. In difficult moments of loneliness, he meets Sonya Marmeladova - an example of virtue and philanthropy. The girl brings Raskolnikov back to life, forcing him to abandon inhumane ideas and change his worldview.

I. S. Turgenev. "Fathers and Sons"

The cruel attitude of children towards their parents is shown in the novel by I. S. Turgenev “Fathers and Sons”. As an adult, Evgeny Bazarov rarely visits his family. Even after a three-year absence, he does not want to listen to his father’s timid reproaches and does not pay attention to his mother’s tears. His parents are afraid to upset Evgeniy in any way and try to please him in everything. But for him, his own ideological beliefs are in the foreground, which do not coincide with the views of the older generation. Unfortunately, the young man never admitted the error of his behavior towards his parents, but the old people retained their love for their son, and they alone mourned him after his death.

In the novel “Fathers and Sons,” I. S. Turgenev describes kindness and cruelty using the example of the two Kirsanov brothers. The elder Pavel, a former military man, a lonely bachelor, does not recognize the marriage of Nikolai and Fenechka, ignoring the girl when they meet. When his nephew and his friend appear in the house, he does not show hospitality, behaves coldly and rudely. Due to differences of opinion, without hesitation he arranges a duel with Bazarov. The author shows Nikolai Kirsanov as a kind and decent family man. He lives with a simple girl, Fenechka, with whom he has a one-year-old son. In front of Arkady's friend, Bazarov tries to justify his brother's behavior, tries to smooth out the conflict. It is thanks to his kindness and understanding that the eldest son abandons nihilistic ideas and returns to the family.

I. A. Goncharov. "Oblomov"

The main character of I. A. Goncharov’s novel “Oblomov” is a person without initiative and lazy, but sincere and kind. For these qualities, Oblomov is loved and appreciated by his friend Stolz. Every meeting with Ilya Ilyich is like an outlet for him. Oblomov also attracts Olga with his kindness. He is ugly and ineloquent, but open and simple-minded, which is what wins the beauty’s heart. Ilya Ilyich is trusting, never seeks benefit from anything, and meekly accepts the blows of fate. Even after learning that Olga married Stolz, she is sincerely happy for her friend and former lover. Using the example of Oblomov, the author demonstrates that sincere kindness is always selfless and is appreciated by people.

Andrei Stolts appears before us as a kind person in I. A. Goncharov’s novel “Oblomov”. Without the support of his father, he achieved a high position in society and, thanks to his intelligence and prudence, amassed his own capital. But the struggle for a place in the sun did not make him a cruel person. He was kind to his loser friend Oblomov, supported him in difficult life circumstances, several times scared off profit-hungry swindlers from him, and when Ilya Ilyich died, he took his son in to raise him. For his kindness, Stolz was rewarded with a happy family life with Olga Ilyinskaya.

N.V. Gogol “Taras Bulba”

The main character of the story, Taras Bulba, raises his two sons to be true Cossacks: brave and courageous. After studying in Kyiv, he sends them to the fray to strengthen their character. But the Cossacks do not fight with anyone, which does not suit Taras, so he removes the Koschevoy and sends the army together with his sons to the Poles. Because of Bulba’s cruelty, bloody battles claim the lives of hundreds of people, and residents of the besieged city of Dubno are dying of hunger. Therefore, the reader does not show kindness and compassion to the old man when he loses both of his sons.

An example of kindness in N.V. Gogol’s story “Taras Bulba” is Andriy, the youngest son of the Cossack Taras Bulba. In the war with the Poles, it was decided to starve out Dubno. The Cossacks surrounded the city in a blockade ring to prevent access to supplies. At night, the lady’s maid, whom he accidentally met in Kyiv, makes her way to Andriy and delivers a message asking him to give some food for his dying mother. Andriy showed kindness and decided to personally take a bag of bread to the starving people, because, in his opinion, women and children should not suffer from war.

A. I. Solzhenitsyn. "Matrenin's Dvor"

An example of true kindness is the heroine of A. I. Solzhenitsyn’s story “Matryona’s Dvor” Matryona. The woman never refuses to help her fellow villagers, sincerely rejoices at the harvests in the gardens of others, and she herself is content with little: what she has grown in her own garden bed. She doesn’t even spare her hut for her pupil Kira, giving her a room to dismantle in the middle of winter. But while transporting cargo across the railway, a woman dies under the wheels of a train. The narrator notes that now it has become difficult for the village without the righteous Matryona. After all, a simple-minded and selfless woman really made people, those next to her, better.
The highest measure of cruelty is shown by the author of the story “Matrenin’s Dvor” A.I. Solzhenitsyn in the image of Thaddeus. He did not forgive the insult to Matryona and his brother because they got married. The girl considered Thaddeus missing, so she agreed with Efim. But he returned and harbored a grudge. Out of spite, he married another girl named Matryona, whom he beat and offended. The author shows the limit of cruelty when Thaddeus, in the middle of winter, dismantles the upper room of his former lover in order to transport her to his daughter Kira, and enjoys the spectacle of how the old woman, with her last strength, helps him drag heavy boards. Even at the funeral, he thinks not about Matryona, who died under the train, but about the sleigh, which after the accident needs to be taken from the railway.

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

Kindness is characteristic of Pyotr Grinev from A. S. Pushkin’s story “The Captain’s Daughter.” Finding himself in a snowstorm, he meets a stranger, to whom he gives his rabbit sheepskin coat free of charge. Sometimes Grinev has to show cruelty, for example, towards Savelyevich in a dispute over a debt to Zurin. But later he softens and asks for forgiveness for his temper. In response, Savelyevich also shows kindness and at one time persuades the executioners not to execute Grinev. According to Pushkin, goodness begets goodness.
Emelyan Pugachev is shown as a cruel person in A. S. Pushkin’s story “The Captain’s Daughter”. The rebel mercilessly deals with the Mironov family and other inhabitants of the fortress, injures the Bashkir, cutting off his tongue, nose and ears. But the robber is not without acts of kindness. He spares Grinev, remembering the officer’s former generosity, and also, at Peter’s request, frees Masha Mironova from Shvabrin’s captivity. Thus, reciprocal kindness is possible even in the harsh conditions of war.

M. Yu. Lermontov “Hero of Our Time”

The main character of M. Yu. Lermontov’s novel “A Hero of Our Time,” tsarist army officer Grigory Pechorin, appears to the reader as an egoist and cruel person. For fun, he drives the dreamy young cadet Grushnitsky to despair and kills him in a duel. He doesn’t feel sorry for the beautiful Bela either. Because of Gregory, her father and brother were killed, and then she was overtaken by death at the hands of Kazbich, who wanted revenge on Pechorin. The hero is driven only by his own whims. Such behavior towards others is unfair and cruel.

We notice manifestations of kindness in Pechorin only occasionally. For example, he feels sorry for the blind boy, and when he sees the grieving old woman, he is the first to rush at the criminal who hacked to death her son Vulich, and, risking his life, ties up the villain. If Gregory had shown sympathy for people more often, he could have become a true hero of his time.

N. V. Gogol “The Overcoat”

N.V. Gogol’s story “The Overcoat” shows the cruelty of a society in which an opinion about a person is formed by his appearance, rank, and salary. The kind and harmless Akaki Akakievich is not appreciated in the service and is often laughed at for the threadbare overcoat he wears. But Bashmachkin himself loves his work. He even takes it home to copy documents with pleasure. And when he buys a new overcoat for his hard-earned pennies, they begin to look at him differently, and even invite him to his name day. But in a cruel world there is no justice: the robbers take away Akaki Akakievich’s overcoat, and he again becomes the subject of ridicule. It turns out that a kind person who is not capable of evil deeds has no place in a society where lawlessness, hypocrisy and a lack of true values ​​reign.

N. S. Leskov “Fool”

The hero of N. S. Leskov’s story “The Fool” will present us with an example of kindness and self-sacrifice. Panka says that he hates it when others are offended, he is ready to endure sorrows in their place, and his soul will rejoice from this. He is always eager to help everyone, for which he is considered a fool. So, Panka saved Petka from being caned, taking the blow upon himself; asked to become a recruit, leaving his sons to weeping mothers. This is a model of true virtue to which everyone should strive.