"Mole", Sholokhov: analysis of the work

The years of the First World War, the revolution, and especially the civil war, have become a test for all the inhabitants of Russia. The Cossacks sensed the consequences of political events very sharply. Free-loving by nature people could not reconcile with the fact that the settled life, the settled life is falling. But the worst was not even that. The split that took place between people spread on different sides of the barricades of former neighbors, comrades and members of the same family.

A lot of attention was paid to the depiction of the horrors of the civil war and the analysis of its influence on the fate of people by the writer M. Sholokhov. The work "Rodinka", written in 1924 and which marked the beginning of the cycle "Don Stories", was the first in his work, where the truth about that terrible time was shown. And for the novel-epic "Quiet Flows the Don", in which the writer summarized all the material on the topic, the writer was awarded the Nobel Prize.

Features of the image of the Cossacks Sholokhov

"Don's stories" became an important event in the literature of the twenties. They were not similar to what was created during the period of the establishment of Soviet power by proletarian writers. A hereditary Cossack and an excellent connoisseur of everyday life on the Don, M. Sholokhov managed to recreate in a small volume of works unique flavor and identity of the way of life of the local population. He paid special attention to moral beliefs and ideals, originally based on kindness and humanism, but crossed out by the fratricidal war.

Attitude to the stories was ambiguous. Many were embarrassed by the naturalism and unconventionality of the depiction of the civil war, but it was this that enabled the writer to convey the true dimensions of the tragedy. It was these principles that guided Sholokhov when writing the story "The Birthmark".

Summary of the work: acquaintance with Nikolka

The plot of the story is quite simple and is built in chronological order with a few digressions (retrospectives) into the past. The main character is Nikolai Koshevoi, a young commander of the Red Army squadron. Nikolka is called an eighteen-year-old boy by experienced Cossacks, who respected him for his courage and courage. Despite his young age, he led the squadron for six months and managed to split two gangs during this time. In this great was the merit of his father, a prominent Cossack, "sginuvshego" even in the German war. It was he who instilled in his son courage, endurance, love of horses: in five or six years he had taught his son to stay in the saddle. And from my father went to Nikolka (and this will be the basis for further analysis of the work of Sholokhov) birthmark on the left leg, the size of a pigeon egg.

The plot of the plot is a letter brought to the commander with the news about the appearance of white people in the district. The need to speak again makes the commander feel sad about how bothered his military life: "Learn ... and then the gang."

Valiant Ataman

Comparing the two strong characters, Sholokhov's story "The Birthmark" builds. Analysis of the internal state of the elderly Cossack, who has not seen his house for 7 years, is the next part of the work. He passed German captivity, served with Wrangel, visited Constantinople, now returned to his native land at the head of the gang. The ataman has grown weary over the years, feels that something is sharpening him from within, he does not give rest.

Three days the gang escaped from the squadron of Nikolka, then settled at the miller, which the latter told the Red Army men. And now a young and brave Cossack is rushing to the ataman. His angry face, still lacking in face and his desire to reach his goal - even a bullet did not stop him - aroused the ataman's bitterness. In addition, binoculars on his chest clearly spoke of the rank of warrior. The ataman flew up to him, and with a swing of his sword the young body was limp. The experience gained the upper hand over the youthful distance. Then, with an stocking, the old Cossack pulled a chrome boot from his foot, and beneath him (incredibly truthfully and emotionally, this episode of Sholokhov depicts) is a birthmark. The analysis of the story is particularly acute in this scene, which has become the culmination of the whole narrative.

The main characters as antipodes of war

At the same moment, he learned much of the son's ataman, pain and pain filled his soul: "Nicholas! .. My bloody ... ..". The unfolding bloody struggle scattered on different sides of native people, making them irreconcilable enemies. Father could not forgive himself the murder of his son - he clenched his teeth with "steel Mauser" and fired. So tragically finished the story "Rodinka" Sholokhov.

Analysis of the description and behavior of the characters shows how disgusting the war was to their nature, especially Nikolka. From the age of fifteen he had to fight, and at eighteen he looked already tired of life: with a grid of wrinkles at the eyes, stooped back. His dream of getting an education did not come true. The only bright moment remained for Nikolka memories of a peaceful peaceful life, when the mother was still alive, and the father was not listed as missing. These nostalgic pictures make it clear how repugnant to him was the idea of having to go into battle again. So at the very beginning of the story "Mole" Sholokhov (the brief content of the hero's thoughts looks more eloquently than anything) makes it clear to the reader that war is something unnatural, alien to human nature. He dreams of returning to peaceful life and how to plow the land and the old ataman, who tried to drown the hopeless hopelessness with him.

Artistic details in the work

Unusual colloquial speech and expressiveness attracts the work "Rodinka". Sholokhov - the subject matter of the story is directly related to this - reinforces the sense of tragedy through turning to vivid folklore images. So twice when describing the ataman, a wolf is mentioned. At first it is a vivid, figurative comparison of the old Cossack with the "spoiled" leader of the pack, who is rapidly marching forward. The spoken word helps to better understand the emotional state of the hero. Then, on the eve of the deadly battle, the wolf in front of people jumps out of the log, listens and slowly walks back. By tradition, the wolf symbolized the people of a hungry, angry, usually lonely beast, which evokes more pity than fear. This is what the old ataman seems to be in the story.

Sholokhov introduces another predator into the story "Rodinka". Analysis of the last scene with a vulture, which on the evening of the same day when the murder occurred, flies off the head of the ataman and dissolves in the sky, suggests the tired, tortured soul of a Cossack who leaves the body and ascends upward.

These details help the author in a capacious form to indicate how great were the suffering of a man torn from the peaceful course of life and forced to do more than 7 years for what the soul did not lay.

Life experience of the author

The persuasiveness and naturalism of Sholokhov in describing the events of the Civil War are explained by the fact that in 1918-19 he was in the center of confrontation of white and red in the Elanskaya capital. The writer witnessed unjustified cruelty and violence of one and the other side, and once he even was captured by Nestor Makhno, but after interrogation was released. Since 1920, Sholokhov himself "served and mooed along the Don land." According to his confession, they ran after the gangs one by one.

Conclusions, to which the reader Sholokhov

"Rodinka" - the full content of the story can not leave anyone indifferent - makes you really think about the fact that in difficult conditions of destruction and irreconcilable hostility people become bitter, forget about humanism and sympathy. The author does not name right and guilty in this, and in other stories, since in such a situation they simply can not be. The Civil War has become a universal tragedy, which should never be forgotten - Sholokhov wants to draw attention to this. Mole (analysis of the story leads to this conclusion) becomes a symbol of an indestructible blood relationship: in Nicholas it is the same as that of the father. Consequently, in the confrontation of the heroes (the father brought up a worthy son) there are no winners, this initially contradicts the human essence.

The meaning of Sholokhov's Don Stories

Civil war became a real catastrophe, as a result of which the moral standards were completely destroyed and the existing ties between people were destroyed. This is emphasized by the story "Rodinka" Sholokhov. The analysis of the actions and feelings of the heroes is a confirmation of this thought. The first work sets the tone for the whole cycle, and one after another the terrible pictures come to life, telling of the immeasurable human grief. Also it would be desirable to address to all living on the earth: "People, come to your senses! If the brother kills his brother, and the father - the son, if everything around him is drowned in a sea of blood, why live further? "