Conclusion of Bunin's story dark alleys. The theme of love in the work of A
Collection of stories “Dark Alleys” by I.A. Bunin wrote far from his homeland, while in France and worrying about the consequences of the October Revolution and the difficult years of the First World War. The works included in this cycle are filled with motifs tragic fate person, the inevitability of events and longing for native land. Central theme collection of short stories “Dark Alleys” is a love that turns out to be closely connected with suffering and fatal outcome.
Central to understanding the writer's intention is story of the same name collection "Dark Alleys". It was written in 1938 under the influence of a poem by N.P. Ogarev " An ordinary story", where the image of dark alleys is used, as well as philosophical thoughts L.N. Tolstoy that happiness in life is unattainable, and a person only catches its “lightnings” that need to be appreciated.
Analysis of the work by I.A. Bunin "Dark Alleys"
The plot of the work is based on the meeting of two already elderly people after many years of separation. To be precise, the story talks about 35 years from last parting. Nikolai Alekseevich arrives at the inn, where the owner Nadezhda meets him. The woman calls the hero by name, and he recognizes his former lover in her.
It's passed since then whole life, which the loved ones were destined to spend separately. The whole point is that Nikolai Alekseevich in his youth left a beautiful maid, who then received her freedom from the landowner and became the mistress of the inn. The meeting of two heroes raises a whole storm of feelings, thoughts and experiences inside them. However, the past cannot be returned and Nikolai Alekseevich leaves, imagining how life could have turned out differently if he had not neglected Nadezhda’s feelings. He is sure that he would be happy, he thinks about how she would become his wife, mother of children and mistress of the house in St. Petersburg. True, all this will remain so pipe dreams hero.
Thus, in the story “Dark Alleys” there are three main plot points:
- The hero's stop at the inn
- Meeting ex-lovers
- Reflections on the way after the incident
The first part of the work is an episode before the characters recognize each other. It prevails here portrait characteristic characters. What is significant is social difference between people. For example, Nadezhda addresses the visitor “Your Excellency,” but the hero allows himself “Hey, who’s there.”
The pivotal moment is the meeting that marks the second part of the plot. Here we see a description of feelings, emotions and experiences. Social boundaries are dropped, allowing for greater knowledge characters, contrast their thoughts. For the hero, a meeting with Nadezhda is a rendezvous with his conscience. The reader understands that she has retained her inner integrity. Nikolai Alekseevich, on the contrary, feels his life is useless, aimless, he sees only its ordinariness and vulgarity.
The third part of the story is the actual departure and conversation with the coachman. Social boundaries are important for the hero, which he cannot neglect even for the sake of high feelings. Nikolai Alekseevich is ashamed of his words and revelations, and regrets that he kissed the hand of the owner of the inn and his former lover.
This structure of the plot makes it possible to imagine love and past feelings as a flash that unexpectedly illuminated the ordinary life of Nikolai Alekseevich, who was bored with himself. A story based on the hero's memories is artistic device, which allows the author to talk about familiar things more exciting and make an additional impression on the reader.
In the text of the work there are no instructive intonations, condemnation of the actions of the heroes or, conversely, manifestations of pity for them. The narration is based on a description of the feelings and emotions of the characters, which are revealed to the reader and it is he who has to evaluate what happened.
Characteristics of the main characters of the story “Dark Alleys”
The image of Nadezhda appears in a positive light. We don't learn much about her from the story, but it's enough to draw certain conclusions. The heroine is a former serf, who is now the mistress of a state-owned postal station. Having grown old, she continues to look beautiful, feel light and “beyond her age.” Nadezhda was able to get a good job in life thanks to her intelligence and honesty. The coachman, in a conversation with Nikolai Alekseevich, notes that she is “getting rich, giving money on interest,” i.e. on loan. The heroine is characterized by practicality and enterprise.
She had to go through a lot. The emotions from Nikolai Alekseevich’s act were so strong that Nadezhda admits that she wanted to commit suicide. However, she was able to overcome difficulties and become stronger.
The woman continues to love, but she was unable to forgive the betrayal of her beloved. She boldly declares this to Nikolai Alekseevich. The wisdom of Nadezhda evokes the reader’s sympathy. For example, to the general’s attempts to justify his past actions, she replies that youth passes for everyone, but love never does. These words of the heroine also say that she knows how and can truly love, but this does not bring her happiness.
The image of Nikolai Alekseevich is in many ways contrasted with Nadezhda. He is a nobleman and a general, a representative of high society. He made a good career, but in his personal life the hero is unhappy. His wife left him, and his son grew up impudent and dishonest person. The hero looks tired, while he ex-lover full of strength and desire to act. He once gave up love a long time ago and never got to know it, spending his whole life without happiness and pursuing false goals. "Everything passes. Everything is forgotten” - this is the hero’s position in relation to happiness and love.
Nikolai Alekseevich is already about 60 years old, but when he meets Nadezhda, he blushes like a young man. The soldier remembers with shame that he abandoned his beloved, but does he have the strength to correct what happened? No. The hero again chooses the easiest path and leaves.
The character’s spiritual weakness, the inability to distinguish true feelings from “a vulgar, ordinary story” dooms him and Nadezhda to suffering. Nikolai Alekseevich has only one thing left to remember the past, his love, which “gave him best moments life."
The love between Nadezhda and Nikolai Alekseevich turns out to be doomed, and the history of their relationship is full of drama. Why did everything happen like this? There are several reasons. This is also the weakness of the hero, who pushed away his loved one and did not see the future in his feelings for her. This is also the role of prejudices in society, which exclude the possibility of a relationship, and especially a marriage, between a nobleman and an ordinary maid.
The difference in views on love also predetermined the dramatic destinies of the heroes. If for Nadezhda, feelings for a loved one mean being true to yourself, driving force, inspiring and helping her in life, then for Nikolai Alekseevich love is a moment, a past story. The irony is that it was this moment, this part of my life associated with my ex-lover, that became the best moment in all my years.
Bunin’s series of stories “Dark Alleys” is the best thing written by the author in his entire creative career. Despite the simplicity and accessibility of Bunin's style, analysis of the work requires special knowledge. The work is studied in 9th grade in literature lessons, it detailed analysis will be useful in preparing for the Unified State Exam, writing creative works, test tasks, drawing up a story plan. We invite you to familiarize yourself with our version of the analysis of “Dark Alleys” according to plan.
Brief Analysis
Year of writing– 1938.
History of creation- the story was written in exile. Homesickness, bright memories, escape from reality, war and hunger - served as the impetus for writing the story.
Subject– love lost, forgotten in the past; broken destinies, the theme of choice and its consequences.
Composition- traditional for a short story or short story. It consists of three parts: the arrival of the general, the meeting with his former lover and the hasty departure.
Genre- story (short story).
Direction– realism.
History of creation
In “Dark Alleys,” the analysis will be incomplete without the history of the creation of the work and knowledge of some details of the writer’s biography. In N. Ogarev’s poem “An Ordinary Tale,” Ivan Bunin borrowed the image of dark alleys. This metaphor impressed the writer so much that he endowed it with his own special meaning and made it the title of a series of stories. All of them are united by one theme - bright, fateful, life-long love.
The work, included in the cycle of stories of the same name (1937-1945), was written in 1938, when the author was in exile. During the Second World War, hunger and poverty plagued all residents of Europe, and the French city of Grasse was no exception. That's where everything is written best works Ivan Bunin. Returning to the memories of great times youth, inspiration and creative work gave the author strength to survive separation from his homeland and the horrors of war. These eight years away from home were the most productive and important in creative career Bunina. Mature age, wonderfully beautiful landscapes, rethinking historical events And life values- became the impetus for the creation of the main work masters of words.
At the very scary times the best, subtle, piercing stories about love have been written - the “Dark Alleys” cycle. In the soul of every person there are places where he looks infrequently, but with special trepidation: the brightest memories, the most “dear” experiences are stored there. It was precisely these “dark alleys” that the author had in mind when giving the title to his book and story of the same name. The story was first published in New York in 1943 in the publication “New Land”.
Subject
Leading topic- the theme of love. Not only the story “Dark Alleys,” but all the works in the cycle are based on this wonderful feeling. Bunin, summing up his life, was firmly convinced that love is the best thing that can be given to a person in life. She is the essence, the beginning and the meaning of everything: tragic or happy story– there is no difference. If this feeling flashed through a person’s life, it means he didn’t live it in vain.
Human destinies, the irrevocability of events, choices that one had to regret are the leading motives in Bunin’s story. The one who loves always wins, he lives and breathes his love, it gives him the strength to move on.
Nikolai Alekseevich, who made his choice in favor of common sense, only at the age of sixty he understands that his love for Nadezhda was the most best event in life. The theme of choice and its consequences is clearly revealed in the plot of the story: a man lives his life with the wrong people, remains unhappy, fate returns the betrayal and deception that he committed in his youth towards a young girl.
The conclusion is obvious: happiness lies in living in harmony with your feelings, and not contrary to them. The problem of choice and responsibility for one's own and others' fate is also touched upon in the work. The issues are quite broad, despite the small volume of the story. It is interesting to note the fact that in Bunin’s stories, love and marriage are practically incompatible: emotions are swift and bright, they arise and disappear as quickly as everything in nature. Social status makes no sense where love reigns. It equalizes people, makes ranks and classes meaningless - love has its own priorities and laws.
Composition
Compositionally, the story can be divided into three parts.
First part: the hero’s arrival at the inn (descriptions of nature and the surrounding area predominate here). Meeting with an ex-lover - second semantic part– mainly consists of dialogue. In the last part, the general leaves the inn - he runs from his own memories and his past.
Main events– the dialogue between Nadezhda and Nikolai Alekseevich is built on two completely opposite views on life. She lives by love, finding consolation and joy in it, and preserves the memories of her youth. In the mouth of this wise woman, the author puts the idea of the story - what the work teaches us: “everything passes, but not everything is forgotten.” In this sense, the heroes are opposite in their views; the old general mentions several times that “everything passes.” This is exactly how his life passed, meaningless, joyless, in vain. Critics received the cycle of stories enthusiastically, despite its courage and frankness.
Main characters
Genre
Dark Alleys belongs to the short story genre; some researchers of Bunin's work tend to consider them short stories.
The theme of love, unexpected abrupt endings, tragedy and dramatic plots - all this is typical for Bunin’s works. It should be noted that the lion's share of lyricism in the story is emotions, the past, experiences and spiritual quests. General lyrical orientation - distinctive feature Bunin's stories. The author has a unique ability - in small epic genre fit a huge period of time, reveal the soul of the character and make the reader think about the most important things.
The artistic means that the author uses are always varied: precise epithets, vivid metaphors, comparisons and personifications. The technique of parallelism is also close to the author; quite often nature emphasizes state of mind characters.
Bunin worked in the 19th and 20th centuries. His attitude to love was special: in the beginning people loved each other very much, but in the end either one of the heroes dies or breaks up. For Bunin, love is a passionate feeling, but similar to a flash.
To analyze Bunin's work " Dark alleys", you need to touch on the plot.
General Nikolai Alekseevich - main character, he comes to hometown and meets the woman he loved many years ago. Nadezhda is the mistress of the yard; he does not recognize her right away. But Nadezhda did not forget him and loved Nikolai, even tried to commit suicide. The main characters seem to feel guilty for leaving her. Therefore, he tries to apologize, saying that any feelings pass.
It turns out that Nikolai’s life was not so easy, he loved his wife, but she cheated on him, and his son grew up to be a scoundrel and an insolent man. He is forced to blame himself for what he did in the past, because Nadezhda could not forgive him.
Bunin's work shows that after 35 years the love between the heroes has not faded. When the general leaves the city, he realizes that Nadezhda is the best thing that happened in his life. He reflects on the life that could have been if the connection between them had not been broken.
Bunin put tragedy into his work, because the lovers never got back together.
Nadezhda was able to maintain love, but this did not help create a union - she was left alone. I didn’t forgive Nikolai either, because the pain was very strong. But Nikolai himself turned out to be weak, did not leave his wife, was afraid of contempt and could not resist society. They could only be submissive to fate.
Bunin shows sad story the fates of two people. Love in the world could not resist the foundations of the old society, so it became fragile and hopeless. But there is also positive trait- love brought a lot of good things into the lives of the heroes, it left its mark, which they will always remember.
Almost all of Bunin’s work touches on the problem of love, and “Dark Alleys” shows how important love is in a person’s life. For Blok, love comes first, because it is what helps a person improve, change his life for the better, gain experience, and also teaches him to be kind and sensitive.
Analysis of the story Dark Alleys
In one of Ogarev’s poems, Bunin was “hooked” by the phrase “...there was an alley of dark linden trees...” Then his imagination painted autumn, rain, a road, and an old soldier in a tarantass. This formed the basis of the story.
This was the idea. The hero of the story in his youth seduced a peasant girl. He had already forgotten about her. But life has a way of bringing surprises. By chance, after many years of driving through familiar places, he stopped in a passing hut. And in beautiful woman, the owner of the hut, recognized the same girl.
The old soldier felt ashamed, he blushed, turned pale, and muttered something like a guilty schoolboy. Life punished him for his deed. He married for love, but never knew the warmth of a family hearth. His wife didn’t love him and cheated on him. And, in the end, she left him. The son grew up to be a scoundrel and a slacker. Everything in life comes back like a boomerang.
What about Nadezhda? She still loves the former master. Her personal life did not work out. No family, no beloved husband. But at the same time she could not forgive the master. These are the kind of women who love and hate at the same time.
The military man plunges into memories. Mentally relives their relationship. They warm the soul like the sun a minute before sunset. But he doesn’t allow for a second the thought that everything could have turned out differently. The society of that time would have condemned their relationship. He wasn't ready for this. He didn't need them, these relationships. Then it was possible to put an end to a military career.
He lives as social rules and principles dictate. He is a coward by nature. You have to fight for love.
Bunin does not allow love to flow along the family channel, to take shape in happy marriage. Why does he deprive his heroes of human happiness? Perhaps he thinks that fleeting passion is better? Is this eternal unfinished love better? She did not bring happiness to Nadezhda, but she still loves. What does she hope for? Personally, I don’t understand this; I don’t share the author’s views.
The old servant finally sees the light and realizes what he has lost. He speaks about this with such bitterness to Nadezhda. He realized that she was the most dear to him, the most a bright person. But he still didn’t understand what trump cards he had up his sleeve. Life gave him a second chance at happiness, but he didn’t take advantage of it.
What meaning does Bunin put into the title of the story “Dark Alleys”? What does he mean? Dark corners human soul And human memory. Every person has his own secrets. And they sometimes emerge for him in the most unexpected ways. There is nothing random in life. Accident is a pattern well planned by God, fate or the cosmos.
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The story “Dark Alleys” gave the name to the entire collection of the same name by I. A. Bunin. It was written in 1938. All the short stories in the cycle are connected by one theme - love. The author reveals the tragic and even catastrophic nature of love. Love is a gift. It is beyond the control of man. It would seem a banal story about a meeting of elderly people in their youth who passionately loved each other. The simple plot of the story is that a rich young handsome landowner seduces and then abandons his maid. But it is Bunin who manages to tell with the help of this simple artistic move about simple things exciting and impressive. Short piece- an instant flash of memory of lost youth and love.
There are only three compositional parts of the story:
- parking at the inn of a gray-haired military man,
- a sudden meeting with a former lover,
- reflections of a military man on the road a few minutes after the meeting.
Pictures of dull everyday life and everyday life appear at the beginning of the story. But in the owner of the inn, Nikolai Alekseevich recognizes the beautiful maid Nadezhda, whom he betrayed thirty years ago: “he quickly straightened up, opened his eyes and blushed”. A whole life has passed since then, and everyone has their own. And it turns out that both main characters are lonely. Nikolai Alekseevich has social weight and well-being, but is unhappy: his wife “cheated on me, abandoned me even more insultingly than I did you”, and the son grew up to be a scoundrel "without heart, without honor, without conscience". Nadezhda turned from a former serf into an owner "private room" at the postal station “Uma ward. And everyone, they say, is getting rich, cool...", but never got married.
And yet, if the hero is tired of life, then his former lover is still beautiful and light, full of vitality. He once gave up love and spent the rest of his life without it, and therefore without happiness. Nadezhda loves him all her life, to whom she gave it “your beauty, your fever” who once “Called Nikolenka”. Love still lives in her heart, but she does not forgive Nikolai Alekseevich. Although he does not stoop to accusations and tears.
Before directly analyzing the work “Dark Alleys” by Bunin, let us recall the history of writing. Passed October Revolution, and Bunin’s attitude to this event was unambiguous - in his eyes the revolution became social drama. In 1920, after emigrating, the writer worked a lot, and at that time the series “Dark Alleys” appeared, which included various short stories. In 1946, thirty-eight stories were included in the publication of the collection; the book was published in Paris.
Although main theme These short stories have a theme of love; the reader learns not only about its bright sides, but also its dark ones. This is not difficult to guess by reflecting on the title of the collection. It is important to note in the analysis of “Dark Alleys” that Ivan Bunin lived abroad for about thirty years, far from his home. He yearned for the Russian land, but his spiritual closeness with his homeland remained. All this is reflected in the work we are discussing.
How Bunin introduced love
It is no secret that Bunin presented the topic of love in a somewhat unusual way, not in the way it was usually covered Soviet literature. Indeed, the writer’s view has its own difference and peculiarity. Ivan Bunin perceived love as something that suddenly arose and was very bright, as if it were a flash. But that's why love is beautiful. After all, when love flows into simple affection, feelings turn into routine. We don’t find this in Bunin’s heroes, because that very flash occurs between them, and then parting follows, but the bright trace of the experienced feelings overshadows everything. The above is the most important thought in the analysis of the work “Dark Alleys”.
Briefly about the plot
General Nikolai Alekseevich once had a chance to visit a postal station, where he met a woman with whom he had met 35 years ago, and with whom he had an affair. whirlwind romance. Now Nikolai Alekseevich is elderly, and does not even immediately understand that this is Nadezhda. And the former lover became the mistress of the inn where they once met for the first time.
It turns out that Nadezhda has loved him all her life, and the general begins to make excuses to her. However, after clumsy explanations, Nadezhda expresses the wise thought that everyone was young, and youth is a thing of the past, but love remains. But she reproaches her lover, because he left her alone in the most heartless way.
All these details will help make the analysis of Bunin’s “Dark Alleys” more accurate. The general does not seem to repent, but it becomes clear that he has never forgotten his first love. But it didn’t work out with his family - his wife cheated on him, and his son grew up to be a spendthrift and an unscrupulous insolent.
What happened to your first love?
It is very important to note, especially when we analyze “Dark Alleys,” that the feelings of Nikolai Alekseevich and Nadezhda managed to survive - they still love. When the main character leaves, he realizes that it was thanks to this woman that he felt the depth of love and saw all the colors of feelings. But he abandoned his first love, and now he is reaping the bitter fruits of this betrayal.
You can remember the moment when the general hears from the coachman a comment about the hostess: she is driven by a sense of justice, but at the same time her character is very “cool”. Having lent money to someone at interest, she demands repayment on time, and whoever did not make it in time - let him answer. Nikolai Alekseevich begins to reflect on these words and draws parallels with his life. If he had not abandoned his first love, everything would have turned out differently.
What got in the way of the relationship? An analysis of the work “Dark Alleys” will help us understand the reason - let’s think: the future general was supposed to connect his life with a simple girl. How would others view this relationship and how would it affect your reputation? But in Nikolai Alekseevich’s heart the feelings did not fade away, and he could not find happiness with another woman, nor could he give his son a proper upbringing.
main character Nadezhda did not forgive her lover, who made her suffer a lot and in the end she was left alone. Although we emphasize that love did not pass in her heart. The general was unable to go against society and class prejudices in his youth, but the girl simply resigned herself to fate.
A few conclusions in the analysis of “Dark Alleys” by Bunin
We saw how dramatic the fates of Nadezhda and Nikolai Alekseevich were. They broke up, even though they loved each other. And both turned out to be unhappy. But let us emphasize an important point: thanks to love, they learned the power of feelings and what real experiences are. These best moments of life remain in my memory.
As a cross-cutting motif, this idea can be traced in Bunin’s work. Although everyone may have their own idea of love, thanks to this story you can think about how it moves a person, what it encourages, what mark it leaves on the soul.
We hope that brief analysis You liked the work “Dark Alleys” by Bunin and found it useful. Read also
