Why does Pechorin’s journal take up the bulk of the novel? Essay "Pechorin's Journal" as a "novel within a novel"

A). "Taman"

“Pechorin's Journal” opens with the short story “Taman”. As V.I. Manuilova wrote: “Taman is an action-packed and at the same time the most lyrical story in the entire book.
I believe that “Taman” is a kind of collision of two elements of the novel: realism and romanticism. But everything is ultimately explained in the most ordinary and prosaic way, although initially it is perceived by Pechorin (and by the readers) somewhat romantically and truly poetically. No wonder. For example, Pechorin finds himself in an unusual and atypical situation for a noble hero. The poor hut with its inhospitable inhabitants on a high cliff near the Black Sea seems mysterious to him. And Pechorin invades this incomprehensible world of smugglers, like a stone thrown onto a smooth spring.”
The reader, together with Pechorin, begins to understand that the smuggler girl only played the role of a passionately in love mermaid in order to free herself from the uninvited guest officer.
Belinsky highly valued “Taman”: “We did not dare to make extracts from this story, because it absolutely does not allow them: it is like some kind of lyric poem, all the charm is destroyed by one line released or changed not by the hand of the poet himself; she is all in shape; if you write it out, you must write it out from word to word; retelling it will give you the same idea about it as a story, even an enthusiastic one, about the beauty of a woman whom you yourself have not seen.”

B). "Princess Mary"

The second story, part of the “Pechorin Journal”, “Princess Mary”, develops the theme of the hero of the time surrounded by a “water society”, outlined by Pushkin in the famous stanzas of “Onegin’s Travels” (“Already the eternal watchman of the desert...”);
The system of images in “Princess Mary” is deeply thought out and balanced. In Pechorin's first notes from May 11th and 13th we learn about Grushnitsky and Mary, about Vera and Werner. The circle of main characters is immediately outlined, their full life position is given. On one side of Pechorin are Grushnitsky and Mary, in relations with whom mainly the external side of his life is revealed. On the other side are Werner and Vera, from the relationship with whom we learn about the real Pechorin, the best part of his soul.
Grushnitsky is one of the most realistic objectified images. It displays the type of romantic not by its internal make-up, but by following fashion. This type of romanticism, which “romantic provincial women like madly,” which only “drapes” itself into romantic Extraordinary feelings, sublime passions and exceptional suffering.” His isolation on himself is emphasized by an organic spontaneity to genuine spiritual communication, to “informal dialogue”: “He answers your objections, but he does not listen to you. As soon as you stop, he begins a long tirade, apparently having some connection with what you said, but which in fact is only a continuation of his own speech.
Werner represents a different type. He is from the category of “strange people”. E. Mikhailova rightly noted: “It is characteristic that Pechorin prefers “strange people” to the usual standard secular “society.” He chose Dr. Werner as his only friend, who, like Pechorin, amazes with “a strange interweaving of opposing inclinations.” (Mikhailova E. Proza Lermontov)
Werner is a man, in Pechorin’s opinion, “remarkable for many reasons.” And then Pechorin gives a detailed description of the person in whom the writer captured the type of Russian intellectual, most likely a commoner, a materialist, and a democrat in his convictions, a man of a rich and complex spiritual life, woven, like Pechorin, from contradictions - in appearance, external manifestations and internal qualities. Forced to live and serve in a privileged environment, he is internally close to ordinary people. He is mocking and often secretly mocks his rich high-ranking patients, but Pechorin saw how “He cried over a dying soldier.” Because of his evil epigrams, more than one of the self-satisfied and well-fed “good-natured people” became known as a “vulgar fool.” At the same time, all the “truly decent people who served in the Caucasus” were his friends. And contemporaries recognized the exiled Decembrists in them.
Emphasizing Werner’s outward unpretentiousness, Pechorin especially highlighted in his “irregular features the imprint of a tried and high soul.”
Grushnitsky and Werner are two incarnations of Pechorin’s character that exist in life. The first is an exaggerated image of Pechorin’s purely external features, the second reproduces many of his internal qualities. In the sense that Grushnitsky contrasts with Werner’s unattractive appearance, Grushnitsky’s “ugly selfish soul” is opposed by the charm of Werner’s “spiritual beauty”: in the soul of the first there is “not a penny” of poetry, the other poet is “in fact”; Grushnitsky is a limited egoist, Werner is capable of truly humane feelings, etc. Meanwhile, a simple arithmetic sum of the qualities of one and the other cannot give a character like Pechorin. He is much more complex and significant than them combined, although at times he “falls into Grushnitsky” and is really close to Werner.
Lermontov was also successful in his female characters: the sacrificially loving, thirsty for happiness, but deeply suffering Vera and the intelligent, noble, moral and pure Mary.
Mary is a secular girl, not devoid of spiritual needs, and is somewhat romantically inclined. There is a lot of naive, immature and externality in her romanticism. However, there is also a positive link in this romanticism - the desire for a different, more meaningful life. Werner’s phrase about the Moscow young ladies who, seeing empty flirtation, “set off to study,” acquires particular significance. Mary “knows algebra, reads Byron in English.
The victim of Pechorin’s whim is not a thoughtless coquette, but a young creature with impulses towards the ideal, not only in the bookish-romantic sense; Personally, this is why Mary evokes such sympathy from the reader. Perhaps it is most likely that Mary, if Pechorin had not appeared on her life path, successfully outlived her poetic age and, most likely, turned into an ordinary society lady. Belinsky noted the unique, effective essence of the image of Mary: “In her direction there is something in common with Grushnitsky, although she is incomparably higher than him.”
The image of Vera to some extent sheds light on possible options for Mary’s fate. Vera, obviously, went through the same spiritual “test” of Pechorin’s introduction to the world of hitherto unknown spiritual and moral values ​​and examples, incompatible with the conventional and largely artificial secular life and morality.
The romantic basis of Mary's fate is largely realistically balanced by a psychologically motivated depiction of the gradual emergence and development of a feeling of love in the soul. The same cannot be said about Vera. From the inside it remains unopened. Her all-consuming love for Pechorin is given in a ready-made form; the emergence and development of this love can only be guessed at (which was done in this case). This is the most objectified, lyrical image, representing, as it were, a synthesis of the images of Bela with her naturalness and passion and Mary with her sophistication and complex mental and spiritual organization. In the image of Vera, according to Belinsky, “the subjectivity of the author’s view is especially reflected. But he, too, is devoid of any romantic stiltedness and pomp, and therefore does not fall out of the general life-reliable narrative about the fate of the “strange man”, like Pechorin.
Speaking about “Princess Mary” one cannot fail to mention Pechorin. Here Lermontov is primarily interested in the refraction of Pechorin’s different attitude towards love, as the strongest human feeling, his relationship with Mary - brought to its extreme, in Pechorin’s consistent expression, “the secular science of tender passion, a refined and cruel game of love, a duel in which the winner least amenable to the sincere impulses of the human heart. The full measure of Pechorin’s secular depravity is reflected here, although another, deeper side of his personality immediately appears - the ability to sincerely be carried away by the slightest glimpses of inner, spiritual beauty in a person. Let us remember his questions more than once addressed to himself: “Have I really fallen in love? Am I really in love? I was created so stupidly that this can be expected from me?

IN). "Fatalist"

The novel ends with the story "Fatalist". The main character is Vulich.
Vulich’s portrait echoes the reflections on human character crossed out in the draft of “Maxim Makimych”: “The appearance of Vulich’s fellow traveler was entirely consistent with his character.” And immediately we are convinced that he really did not struggle with natural inclinations, he was their prisoner: “There was only one passion that he did not hide: the passion for the game. At the green table he forgot everything and usually lost, but constant failures only fueled his stubbornness.”
This officer belonged to the same generation as Pechorin, that is, to the “pathetic” heirs of heroic times, “wandering on the earth” creatures, devoid of faith and purpose in life (Pechorin reflects on them on the night street of the Cossack village). But Vulich does not complain either about the “heat of the soul wasted in the desert” or about the loss of “constancy of will.” He was content to idlely tease and test fate “without doubting its power over man.”

Sections: Literature

Target: creating conditions for comprehension (analysis, comparison of facts) of a literary work.

Tasks:

1. To trace how Pechorin’s inconsistency stands out sharply against the background of the life of ordinary people, to answer the question: how is the hero’s inner world revealed in “Pechorin’s Journal”?
2. Formation of information and communication competence of students.
3. Developing independence, the ability to interact in a team, and a culture of communication.

Equipment: multimedia: presentation ( Annex 1), excerpts from the film .

During the classes

I. Organizational moment.

Slide 1.

– In previous lessons we got acquainted with the theme, idea, composition of the novel by M.Yu. Lermontov "Hero of Our Time". We analyzed the first chapters of the novel. Today, as we continue to work on the novel, we will try to trace how Pechorin’s inconsistency stands out sharply against the background of the lives of ordinary people, and we will also answer the question: how is the hero’s inner world revealed in “Pechorin’s Journal”?

– Open your notebooks and write down the topic of the lesson.

– Today we have an unusual form of work – work in groups. The groups were previously given an assignment on one of the chapters of the Journal. Each student will be assessed at the end of the lesson: there is an assessment sheet on the tables ( Appendix 2), which is filled out by the person responsible in this group.

II. Blitz survey on the content of the novel. Creating motivation.

Slide 2-10

– So, before we move on to working in groups, let's remember the events and characters of the work.

– Fragments from the novel are offered with omissions in place of geographical names.

We need to fill in the gaps.

– Based on excerpts from the novel, you need to guess the character in question.

– Every object needs to find an owner.

III. Updating knowledge. Preparing to perceive something new.

Slide 11

– When was the novel written?

– What are the problems of the work?

(Lermontov is interested in the problems of the individual and society, man and the environment that raised him, man and fate, his idea of ​​faith and predestination, the problem of finding the meaning of life, free will and necessity).

1. Composition

– We have already noted the unusualness of the composition more than once. What is it?

(The novel consists of separate chapters, not arranged in chronological order.)

Those. plot does not match plot. What are PLOT and FABULA? Slide 12

– Name the chapters in plot and chronological order. Slide 13-14

– Why don’t the plot and plot coincide in a novel? Was it by chance that Lermontov abandoned the chronological principle in the arrangement of the stories included in the novel, and the order of their initial publication?

(Thanks to the unusual sequence, we GRADUALLY learn the psychology of the hero and an objective way of presenting the image of Pechorin arises: first he is seen from the outside, in his external manifestations (from the 3rd person - Maxim Maksimych; from the 2nd person - the officer-narrator, and then appears in a SUBJECTIVE way, in diary entries (from the 1st person - Pechorin himself). All other characters also explain in one way or another the personality of the main character. The reader involuntarily compares him with these people and, comparing, evaluates him in a new way and deeper comprehends.)

Yuri Mikhailovich Lotman, literary critic, cultural critic, writes:

“In this way, Pechorin’s character is revealed to the reader gradually, as if reflected in many mirrors, and none of the reflections, taken separately, gives an exhaustive description of Pechorin. Only the totality of these voices arguing among themselves creates the complex and contradictory character of the hero.” Slide 15

– From whose lips do we learn about the fate of the main character?

(There are three narrators in the novel: Maxim Maksimych, a traveling officer and Pechorin himself.)

2. Psychological portrait of Pechorin. Frontal conversation with reference to the text.

– Let’s turn to the chapters of the novel to see how the hero’s inner world is revealed.

The hero in the assessment of Maxim Maksimovich.

– Who introduces Pechorin to us in the chapter “Bela”? (Pechorin appears before the reader in the story of Maxim Maksimovich, in his perception).

– How does Pechorin appear in his story? Find it in the text.

(Reading a fragment from words: “Once, in the fall, a transport arrived...” to the words “... a rich man: how many expensive things he had”).

– Can you trust the opinion of Maxim Maksimovich? (He does not understand that a person does not always strive to expose his feelings, does not understand the reasons for the “unhappy character” of the hero. He believes that the reason for this is spoilage in childhood. For him, Pechorin is strange. Which means he is hidden and mysterious to us, the readers).

The hero in the assessment of the second narrator - a traveling officer.

– Who introduces Pechorin to us in the chapter “Maksim Maksimych”? (The narration is continued by the conditional author, the “publisher” of Pechorin’s diary.)

– What did the traveling officer see in the guise of Pechorin? Give examples from the text.

(The hero’s appearance is woven from contradictions. His portrait explains Pechorin’s character, testifies to his fatigue and coldness, to his unspent strength. Observations convinced the narrator of the richness and complexity of this man’s character).

– This is how we see Pechorin through the eyes of Maxim Maksimych and the traveling officer. Thus, Lermontov creates a detailed psychological picture, the first in Russian literature.

3. Working with the term

– What does a psychological portrait mean? Slide 16. Writing in a notebook

– What is his role?

(The psychological portrait gives us an idea of ​​the inner essence of the hero. The portrait of the hero explains the character of the hero, his contradictions, testifies to the fatigue and coldness of Pechorin, and the unspent strength of the hero).

– Do we understand the hero, since we have considered the point of view of both Maxim Maksimych and the traveling officer? Slide 17

(The hero is, of course, interesting. The more mysterious, the more interesting. Pechorin has a strong individuality, he is endowed with charm, but there is also something alarming about him. He is both strong and weak, hardened and pampered. He is able to fight for love - and he quickly cools down, does not know how to love for a long time. After infatuation, he quickly becomes cold and feels a sense of emptiness in his heart.)

IV. Analysis of Pechorin's journal.

– Where is the hero’s inner essence most fully revealed?

(If the first two stories in the genre are travel notes (the narrator noted: “I am writing not a story, but travel notes”), then the next stories are Pechorin’s diary - “Pechorin’s Journal,” which explains the mysteries of his character.

1. Working with the term “diary”. Slide 18

– Pechorin was sure that he was writing “this magazine... for himself,” which is why he was so open in describing them.

– What parts does “Pechorin’s Journal” consist of?

– Who represents the hero to us? (The hero himself receives the floor, analyzing himself with the utmost degree of penetration and giving the reader the opportunity to look into his soul from the inside.)

V. Group work.

1. Working with the table:

– In the course of working in groups, we answer the question: how is the hero’s inner world revealed in Pechorin’s Journal? The results of observations are entered into a table as the discussion progresses ( Appendix 3).

2. Analysis of the story “Taman”. Slide 19

– So, what will the reader learn from Taman? ( condensed retelling).

– What surprised Pechorin in the heroes of the chapter “Taman”?

Watching an episode from the film: dialogue between a blind man and an undine girl.

– Think about how Pechorin’s character manifests itself in this episode?

– Why did he need to “get the key” to the smugglers’ riddle? (Pechorin is an active person. Here, as in “Bel,” the hero’s desire to get closer to the original sources of existence, a world full of danger, the world of smugglers, is manifested. But Pechorin understands that among “honest smugglers” it is impossible to achieve that fullness of life , the happiness that his soul so longs for. In this world, his prosaic side, real life contradictions, are revealed to him).

– Why is he sad at the end of their story? What does this reveal about his character? (Watching the meeting of the blind man and Yanko causes sadness in the hero, reveals his the ability to sympathize with the hero. Pechorin feels sorry for the deceived boy. He understands that he has scared off the “honest smugglers”; their lives will now change. Watching the boy cry, he realizes that he is also lonely. For the first time throughout the story, he there is a feeling of unity of feelings, experiences, destinies.)

– Why does the hero’s activity bring misfortune to people? With what feeling does the hero pronounce the words: “And what do I care about human joys and misfortunes?” ( The hero's activity is directed towards himself, she does not have a high goal, he just curious. Hero looking for real action, but finds its semblance, a game. He is annoyed with himself for the fact that invading people’s lives does not bring them joy; he is a stranger in this world.)

Conclusion:

– What features of the hero’s character are revealed in the story “Taman”?

(Shows himself as man of action. Decisive, courageous, but his activity turns out to be pointless. He does not have the opportunity to indulge in major activities, to perform actions that would be remembered, for which Pechorin feels the strength. He wastes himself, getting involved in other people's affairs, interfering in other people's destinies, invading other people's lives and upsetting other people's happiness).

– What did you write down in the table?

To the table: determination, courage, interest in a new circle of people, the ability to sympathize, hope for a romantic adventure, adventurism.

3. Analysis of the story “Princess Mary”. Slide 20

– Which story most fully reveals Pechorin’s spiritual world?

(Stories “Princess Mary.”)

– What kind of society surrounds the hero this time? How is it different from the highlanders, the smugglers? (These are people equal to him in social origin - representatives of secular society).

-Then why did the conflict occur between this society and Pechorin?

(Among the people of this society there were no people equal to him intellectually. For these people, the main thing is not the inner world of a person, but his appearance; the feelings of women are fleeting and shallow.)

– Why do you think the hero so persistently seeks the love of a young girl, Princess Mary, whom he will never marry?

(Pechorin cannot always sort out his feelings).

– How does this characterize Pechorin?

(One can note the hero’s consumer attitude towards women, his selfishness, even cruelty. Pechorin does not take into account the simple truths that you need to think about other people, you cannot bring them suffering. Pechorin loves himself too much to give up the pleasure of torturing others.)

– Read this episode(“I stood opposite her” to the words “I thanked, bowed respectfully and left”).

(Pechorin is not playing here. He developed feelings that are natural for a person in this situation - pity, compassion. He wants to be honest with Mary, so he directly explains that he laughed at her and she should despise him for this. At the same time, it’s not easy for Pechorin himself).

– But is his soul so callous? Why did Pechorin’s heart beat stronger than usual when remembering Vera? Do you think Pechorin is capable of love?

(In Vera’s love for Pechorin there is that sacrifice that Mary does not have. Pechorin’s feeling for Vera is strong, sincere. This is the true love of his life. And yet, for Vera, he also does not sacrifice anything, as for other women. On the contrary, he kindles there is jealousy in her, dragging after Mary. But there is a difference: in his love for Vera, he not only satisfies his passionate need of the heart and love, he not only takes, he also gives a part of himself).

“This quality is especially evident in the episode of the crazy, desperate chase on a wildly galloping horse for Vera, who has left forever. Read it out.

Reading the episode.

– This episode has a deep symbolic meaning. Pechorin forever lost not only Vera, his beloved woman, but also hope for the future and love for people.

– What are Pechorin’s views on friendship? How is Pechorin characterized by his relationship with Werner and Grushnitsky?

– What can pride and lack of friends lead to?

(To loneliness, of course).

– How does Pechorin behave in the duel scene?

(During the duel, Pechorin behaves like a human courageous. Outwardly he is calm. Only after feeling the pulse did Werner notice in it signs of excitement. The details of the description of nature that Pechorin wrote down in his diary also reveal his experiences: “... down there it seemed dark and cold, like in a coffin; Mossy jagged rocks... awaited their prey.”)

– Does the hero experience the triumph of a winner?

(Pechorin hard: “I had a stone on my heart. The sun seemed dim to me, its rays did not warm me... The sight of a person was painful for me: I wanted to be alone...").

(To highlight the true depth and originality of the main character. Grushnitsky is a caricature of Pechorin, he is very similar to him, but at the same time is his complete opposite. Grushnitsky has all the negative properties of Pechorin - selfishness, lack of simplicity, self-admiration. Pechorin’s duel with Grushnitsky is Pechorin’s attempt to kill the petty side of his own soul).

– So, what features of Pechorin are revealed in the chapter “Princess Mary”? What was written down in the table?

To the table: selfishness, cruelty, lack of simplicity, self-admiration, masculinity, insight, demonstrates the ability to love.

4. Questions and tasks for discussing the chapter “Fatalist”

– We examined the image of Pechorin when meeting with danger. Further, in the hero’s reasoning, his life philosophy emerges. Let's turn to the chapter "Fatalist".

Working with a term

– What is fatalism and who is a fatalist? Slide 21

The problem of fate, predestination, worried Lermontov’s contemporaries, and people of the previous generation worry us today. Pechorin was also worried about this problem. Is there destiny? What influences a person's life? Slide 22

– What is Vulich’s attitude towards predetermination in fate? At Pechorin's? Which of them has it ambiguous and why?

(Vulich does not doubt the existence of predestination and suggests “trying for yourself whether a person can arbitrarily dispose of his life, or whether everyone... has a fateful moment assigned in advance”;

U Pechorina there are no ready answers to questions related to the existence or absence of a predetermined human destiny, predestination, but he understands that character is of considerable importance in a person’s destiny. The character of the hero has a desire to actively intervene in the lives of people he meets along the way. Of all the events depicted in the story, the hero comes to an idea: under any circumstances, no matter what, you need to act, show your will and determination).

– What action of Pechorin confirms these thoughts? (Scene of the capture of a drunken Cossack)

– How does Pechorin behave? What conclusions does it draw?

Reading the episode from the words: “I ordered Esaul to start a conversation with him...” to the words “The officers congratulated me - and definitely, there was something!”

– What did the officers congratulate Pechorin on?

(Pechorin commits a heroic act: for the first time he sacrifices himself for others. The egoistic will, which previously did evil, now becomes good, devoid of self-interest. It is filled with social meaning. Thus, Pechorin’s act at the end of the novel reveals the possible direction of his spiritual development).

– Why does the story end up last in the novel, despite the fact that its place is different chronologically?

(Sums up the philosophical understanding of the life experience that befell Pechorin. The hero experiences trust in fate for the first and last time, and fate this time not only spares him, but also elevates him. The fatal predetermination of human fate collapses, but tragic social predetermination remains ( inability to find one's place in life).

To the table: capable of sacrificing himself for the sake of others, capable of developing spiritually.

VI. Systematization of knowledge.

Slide 23

– Analyze the contents of the table and draw a conclusion: how does Pechorin appear before us in the “Journal”?

– A few days before the duel, the hero is occupied with the question of the meaning of life. What does he see as the purpose of his own existence?

Student reading a passage by heart("...why did I live? For what purpose was I born?...)

– Noble aspirations, according to the hero, are the most significant thing in a person’s life.

– Why can’t Pechorin find meaning in life?

(An extraordinary personality, endowed with intelligence and willpower, with a desire for active activity, cannot manifest himself in the life around him. Pechorin cannot be happy and cannot give happiness to anyone. This is his tragedy.)

– Guys, could we today, from the perspective of a person of the 21st century, having become acquainted with the fate and inner world of Georgy Pechorin, give him some advice and recommendations? (Children's answers). Slide 24

– Vasily Aleksandrovich Sukhomlinsky, a Russian teacher, gives us advice:

“You live among people... Check your actions with your consciousness: are you not causing harm, trouble, or inconvenience to people with your actions. Make the people around you feel good.”

VII. Homework. Ratings.

Slide 25

- This is the hero of that time. What would we take in our time?

An essay about: " What character traits are necessary for a hero of our time? (Based on the novel by M.Yu. Lermontov “Hero of Our Time”).”

– Mark the work of active students, analyze the assessment sheet.

“Pechorin’s Journal” as a means of revealing the hero’s inner world

Roman M.Yu. Lermontov’s “Hero of Our Time” has long attracted literary scholars with its novelty. It was in the novel by M.Yu. Lermontov depicted a man in a completely new way, reflecting a new phenomenon of Russian reality. The author reveals the inner world of his hero through his introspection.

In the novel by M.Yu. Lermontov's style and composition are subordinated to one task: to reveal the image of the main character as deeply, accurately and comprehensively as possible, to trace the history of his life and inner world. “The history of the human soul,” the author writes in the preface to “Pechorin’s Journal,” “even the smallest soul, is perhaps more interesting and useful than the history of an entire people, especially when it is written without a vain desire to arouse participation or surprise.”

The image of the main character is revealed from two sides: from the point of view of outside observers (Maksim Maksimych, the narrator) and with the help of the diary entries of Pechorin himself.

In the preface to the novel, the author tells us something that the main character himself could not tell: Pechorin died while returning from a trip to Persia. This news justifies the author’s right to publish “Pechorin’s Journal”: “it gave me the right to print these notes, and I took the opportunity to put my name on someone else’s work.”

"Pechorin's Journal" consists of three stories: "Taman", "Princess Mary" and "Fatalist". The plot of the stories is of a concentric type: Pechorin is at the center of all events. Here M.Yu. Lermontov leaves us alone with the hero. The pages of the “Journal” are an extremely sincere confession of the hero to himself.

The style of writing “Pechorin’s Journal” is in many ways close to the style of the author’s narration in the stories “Bela” and “Maksim Maksimych”. Also V.G. Belinsky noted: “although the author presents himself as a person completely alien to Pechorin, he strongly sympathizes with him, and there is an amazing similarity in their view of things.”

The secretive Grigory Pechorin, who knows how to accurately determine every thought, every mental state of his interlocutors and himself, talks with unusual frankness about his life, about his deep dissatisfaction with himself and his entire environment. Pechorin is a subtle psychologist. In self-analysis, in “reflection” (in the terminology of V.G. Belinsky) is Pechorin’s strength and at the same time weakness. Hence his superiority over others, and this is also one of the reasons for his skepticism, dissatisfaction and disappointment.

In each story, officer Grigory Pechorin appears before readers from a new perspective.

In the story “Taman” M.Yu. Lermontov shows us a young, dreamy man who is in search of novelty and adventure. In Pechorin’s soul there lives a kind of naive, even childish faith in something better and unusual. The strange beauty attracts him, she seems wonderful and unique to Pechorin. Like a child, he is attracted to everything unknown. But, having been cruelly deceived, the hero, who was robbed and almost drowned, comes to his senses again. He returns to his usual state of a person disappointed in everything. He condemns himself for breaking away from reality and believing in magic.

In the story “Princess Mary” Pechorin appears before us in a dual image. On the one hand, this is a reasonable person, well aware of all his actions and their consequences. On the other hand, it seems to us that a demon is sitting in the hero, forcing him to play an unclean game. The officer uses various methods to achieve the love of young Mary. Pechorin does not need her love at all; he is attracted only by adventure, by achieving his goal - to make Grushnitsky unhappy. Pechorin easily changes several masks, without showing his true essence to anyone. When Mary falls in love with him, the hero leaves the stage - the goal is achieved.

On the pages of this story “The Journal” we see Pechorin, who uses people for the sake of temporary satisfaction. At the same time, he is calculating, understands perfectly what he is doing, even condemns himself for it, but still continues in the same spirit. The hero is absorbed in his boredom and does not show any warmth towards people.

The last story of the “Journal” reveals to us another side of the hero’s personality: Pechorin does not value the gift of life. Even possible death is just a game that can relieve boredom. Pechorin tries to test himself, risking his life. He is courageous, courageous, and has nerves of steel. One inevitably begins to wonder what feats and achievements this person with such abilities and such will would be capable of. But it all comes down to just the “thrill”, the game with death.

Communication with people brought Pechorin only irritation and disappointment. He lost hope of being understood by others. Hence his withdrawal and isolation. Hence the wall between him and the environment. Hence the oppressive feeling of loneliness and spiritual emptiness.

Pechorin appears in the “Journal” as a man who feels deeply and suffers. His soul is “spoiled by the light”, and his whole life is a retribution for his own actions. Pechorin's personality is complex and contradictory. Without wanting it, he becomes the culprit of the misfortunes of others. The author's skill in creating a psychological portrait of Pechorin is manifested in the depiction of his inner life, his introspection, which we find on the pages of Pechorin's Journal.

Literature:

Belinsky V.G. Hero of our time. – M.: Sovremennik, 1988.

Grigoryan K.N. Russian literature of the 19th century: Reader of literary terms: A book for teachers. – M.: Education, 1984.

Lermontov M.Yu. Hero of our time. – M.: Pan Press, 2011.

Udodov B.T. Roman M.Yu. Lermontov “Hero of Our Time”: A Book for Teachers. – M.: Education, 1989.

The immortal work of M.Yu. Lermontov gained fame as the first Russian socio-psychological novel. And, of course, largely thanks to the very “Pechorin’s journal” to which this work is dedicated.

Like Pushkin's, A Hero of Our Time is a multi-layered novel, so to speak. In this case, we can talk about three circles: the outer one is Lermontov as the author (preface), the middle one is the characters on whose behalf the story is told (Maksim Maksimych’s fellow traveler and, in fact, the staff captain himself in the parts “Bela” and “Maksim Maksimych” ) and internal - himself as the author of a diary (“Pechorin’s journal”).

And it is precisely this inner circle that is the basis for considering the novel psychological. It gives a certain completeness to the narrative, giving the reader the opportunity to analyze the events taking place in it from different points of view. It creates a kind of intimate relationship between the work and the one holding it in their hands.

Without these “diary” parts in the novel (“Taman”, “Princess Mary”, “Fatalist”), the picture would be incomplete and not particularly entertaining: the other two stories characterize the main character somewhat one-sidedly and, perhaps, will be of little interest. How do we see Pechorin in Bel? I apologize for my frankness - a scumbag who ruined a girl because of his own whim, not to say lust. We open the part of “Maksim Maksimych” - and we see an indifferent and callous person, incapable of even the slightest appreciation of the cordiality of his senior comrade, a former colleague. One inevitably gets the feeling that there is a genuine anti-hero at the center of the novel. But there is hardly a person who has wings behind his back. So there are no those who are the embodiment of absolute evil. However, the latter, I admit, exist, but this is more related to psychiatry than to psychology. And the author lifts the veil of doubt, giving the floor to Pechorin himself.

And then “suddenly” it turns out that not everything is so simple. That it is not anger that is the main motive for his actions - often senseless and merciless, like the Russian revolt in the understanding of Pushkin. What is at the forefront is disappointment, suffering, boredom.

In Pechorin, in essence, he talks about the fate of all humanity, about its role in the universe: “... there were once wise people who thought that the heavenly bodies took part in our insignificant disputes over a piece of land or for some fictitious rights!.. And Well? these lamps, lit, in their opinion, only to illuminate their battles and celebrations, burn with the same brilliance, and their passions and hopes have long faded away along with them<…>. But what strength of will was given to them by the confidence that the whole sky with its countless inhabitants was looking at them with sympathy, albeit mute, but unchanging!.. And we, their pitiful descendants<…>We are no longer capable of making great sacrifices, either for the good of humanity, or even for our own happiness, because we know its impossibility and indifferently move from doubt to doubt, just as our ancestors rushed from one error to another, having, like them, no hope...<…>».

Probably, these lines can be interpreted in different ways, although the closest thing to me is a direct analogy with the presence and absence of faith in human life. We are talking not so much and not only about religion as such, but about a certain moral core, which is the basis of an integral personality.

I don’t want to talk about politics now, but the parallel suggests itself. During the Soviet era, did our country have an ideology? Was. How humane, reasonable and correct she was is another question. But life was easier in many ways. There was that notorious confidence in the future, there was the meaningfulness of getting an education, for example. Now it seems to be better for some: the times of scarcity are in the past, we have a certain freedom of speech - and the complete absence of a single state idea. On the one hand, the struggle for personal freedom, etc. On the other hand, there is complete lack of Christianity. Freedom is, first of all, a huge responsibility, and it is not often that a mere mortal manages to maintain a human face in conditions of sometimes unjustifiably large freedoms. We are constantly faced with moral questions one after another, and we have the right to make any decision. And in a certain sense, it is easier when at least some answers are regulated by state laws.

A believer is less likely to be burdened by problems of uncertainty. Yes, we are all subject to doubts, but a Christian will always find the answer to his question in the Bible, a Muslim - in the Koran, etc. Pechorin is an atheist in the highest sense of the word. Like, probably, Lermontov himself - however, this is not discussed here and not now. In his soul he does not believe in God or the devil, to put it simply - for himself he is the highest judge, and a criminal, and an executioner. It’s quite natural that he doesn’t feel good about this; he’s pretty tired of himself. And it’s impossible to get rid of it. This is a property of nature. He understands everything perfectly, possessing extraordinary intuition and a penetrating mind. But, as you know, it is difficult to be God...

“Pechorin's Journal” explains why he is a superfluous person everywhere and finds no peace anywhere. Because the state of peace is determined not by external circumstances, but by internal ones. And if a person does not have his own point of support in life, some kind of mental balance - alas, this does not bode well for either himself or the people who come close to him. The role of “Pechorin’s journal” boils down to the fact that the story, which at first was of a purely narrative nature, acquires a confessional overtones. And, of course, it serves as the basis for the gradual deep disclosure of the image of the main character. We look at what is happening no longer from the outside: after all, the diary was initially designed not so much for an outside reader, but for oneself after some time...

The meaning of Pechorin’s journal in M. Yu. Lermontov’s novel “A Hero of Our Time.”

1. In Lermontov's novel, composition and style are subordinated to one task: to reveal the image of the hero of his time as deeply and comprehensively as possible, to trace the history of his inner life. The history of the human soul, as the author states in the Preface to Pechorin's Journal, even the smallest soul, is almost more interesting and useful than the history of an entire people, especially when it... written without a vain desire to arouse sympathy or surprise.
   The image of Pechorin is revealed in two ways: from the point of view of an outside observer and in terms of his internal self-disclosure. This is why Lermontov's novel is clearly divided into two parts; each of these parts has internal unity. The first part introduces the reader to the hero using methods of external characterization. The second part is prepared first. Pechorin's Journal falls into the hands of the reader, in which he talks about himself in an extremely sincere confession.
   After the author’s meeting with Pechorin in Vladikavkaz, his notes fall into the author’s hands. In the Preface to Pechorin's Journal, the author reports something that Pechorin himself could not have reported: Pechorin died while returning from a trip to Persia. This is how the author’s right to publish Pechorin’s Journal, consisting of three stories: Taman, Princess Mary and Fatalist, is justified.
   In the stories of Pechorin's Journal, written in the first person, a third narrator appears, the third author is Pechorin himself, whose fate the reader became interested in in the story of Maxim Maksimych and whose significance was assessed by the portrait description given by the observant author. And so the smart, secretive Pechorin, who knows how to accurately determine every thought, every state of mind of both himself and his interlocutors, talks with merciless frankness about his life, about his deep dissatisfaction with himself and everyone around him. In self-analysis, in reflection (in Belinsky’s terminology) Pechorin’s strength and weakness, hence his superiority over people, and this is one of the reasons for his skepticism and disappointment.
   The style of Pechorin's Journal is in many ways close to the style of the author's narration in Bel and Maxim Maksimych. Belinsky also noted: although the author poses as a person completely alien to Pechorin, he strongly sympathizes with him, and there is an amazing similarity in their view of things.
   With all the stylistic unity of Pechorin's Magazine, each of the three stories that make up this Magazine has its own historical and literary genealogy.
   Taman, an action-packed and at the same time the most lyrical story in the entire book, continues the traditions of romantic robber stories in a new and realistic manner; At the same time, the motif of a mermaid, an undine, common in a romantic ballad, is woven into this little story, but it is also translated into a real life plan: the undine turns into a seductive smuggler.
   L. F. Zurov noted the plot closeness of Taman to the story of George Sand LOrco. This story by George Sand was published in the Revue des deux mondes in volume XIII on March 1, 1838. Lermontov followed this publication and, one can say with confidence, knew the story of Georges Sand.
   For George Sand, the story takes place in Venice, which was under Austrian rule. The conspirators, dreaming of liberating their hometown, wage a ruthless fight against the Austrians. A brave Venetian beauty lures young officers into her gondola at night and drowns them in the sea. Many people know about her gondola in Venice, even the Austrian border guards saw it, but they consider it a smugglers’ boat. George Sand mentions smugglers twice. During a night walk, a young Austrian officer meets a night beauty; like the girl in Taman at her first meeting with a young Russian officer, she sings a song, as if not noticing him, etc. Despite all the plot closeness to George Sand’s story in terms of ideological concept, in terms of the author’s attitude to the reproduced reality, Taman is the complete opposite both this and other romantic short stories of Lermontov’s predecessors.