Why is Gerasim the personification of the Russian people. An essay on the topic “The image of Gerasim is a symbol of the Russian people.” The image of Gerasim in real life
In his hero Turgenev shows best features Russian man: heroic strength, hard work, kindness, sensitivity to loved ones, sympathy for the unfortunate and offended.
Turgenev calls Gerasim “the most remarkable person” among all the servants. The author sees him as a hero. Gerasim was gifted with “extraordinary strength, he worked for four people - the work was in his hands, and it was fun to watch him.” Turgenev seems to admire his hero, his strength and greed for work. He compares Gerasim to a young bull and a huge tree that grew on fertile land. Gerasim is distinguished by accuracy and responsibility for the assigned work. He keeps his closet and yard clean. Detailed description the little closet slightly emphasizes his unsociability. “He didn’t like people to visit him,” and therefore he always locked his closet. But despite his formidable appearance and heroic strength, Gerasim had a kind heart, capable of love and sympathy.
Many of the servants were afraid of the formidable janitor, knowing his strict and serious disposition. However, the uncommunicative Gerasim evokes not only fear, but also respect from the servants for conscientious work, patience and kindness. “He understood them, carried out all orders exactly, but he also knew his rights, and no one dared to sit in his place at the capital.” And the lady Gerasim evokes not only fear, but also respect. “She favored him as a faithful and strong watchman.” The mute, like all the servants, is afraid of the old lady and tries to please her, exactly following her orders. But while remaining a faithful servant, he does not lose his self-esteem.
It is difficult for a village peasant to live in the city. He is deprived of communication with Russian nature. Mute, unsociable Gerasim is lonely. People avoid him. Tatiana, who fell in love with him, is married off to someone else. He is deeply unhappy. And now a small ray of light appears in his dark life. Gerasim rescues a poor puppy from the river, feeds it and becomes attached to it with all his soul. He names the dog Mumu. She loves Gerasim and is always with him, she wakes him up in the morning, and guards the house at night. They become close friends. Love for Mumu makes Gerasim's life joyful.
The lady finds out about Mumu and orders her to be brought to her in order to relieve boredom. But the little dog refuses to obey her. The obstinate lady, not understanding how one can disobey her order, forces him to get rid of the dog. Gerasim tries to save Mumu and locks her in a closet. But Mumu gives himself away by barking. An unfortunate serf is forced to kill his only, truly loving friend. The evil mistress takes away Gerasim's most precious possessions, but cannot break his fortitude and self-esteem.
In the fate of Gerasim, Turgenev reflected the fate of many serfs. He protests against the serfdom of the landowners. The author expresses hope that the “dumb” people will be able to fight back against the oppressors.
Composition
For many years, the central point around which the entire analysis was organized was the discussion about Gerasim as the most remarkable person among the courtyards. Appeal to the assessment of the hero is absolutely necessary in any form of text study. When deciding what kind of Gerasim is, Readers talk with interest about his kindness and honesty, they really value his ability to keep his word, although they still put his unusual strength first and only sometimes remember his “freedom,” which obviously needs to be understood as the ability to protest. It is very important to keep our readers in the “heart memory” emotional assessment Gerasim's protest.
Hatred of oppression in general and of serfdom as one of the forms of such oppression permeates every line of Turgenev’s work and lives in it next to the author’s faith in the great future of his native people, in their strength, talent, kindness and ability to overcome any obstacles.
Readers, while studying the story “Mumu,” begin to understand that this is one of the most striking anti-serfdom works, by creating which I. S. Turgenev fulfilled his Annibal oath. “Mumu” is one of those works of classical literature that found recognition immediately after its creation. A contemporary and friend of Turgenev, A. I. Herzen, wrote: “The other day I read Mumu aloud... it’s a miracle how good it is.” I. S. Aksakov saw Gerasim as a kind of symbol: “I don’t need to know whether this is fiction or fact, whether the janitor Gerasim really existed or not. By the janitor Gerasim, something different is meant. This is the personification of the Russian people, their terrible strength and incomprehensible meekness... He, of course, will speak over time, but now, of course, he may seem dumb and deaf.” The story also found recognition among foreign readers. Galsworthy wrote about her: “Never through the means of art was a more exciting protest against tyranny and cruelty created...”
Information of this kind will not impress 5th grade readers. But the Reader can create a kind of fund of facts for himself in order to mention them in connection with the study of the writer’s creative path in high school. As such backup material, you can also use information about Gerasim’s prototype, the janitor Andrey. He was, as contemporaries say, “a handsome man with light brown hair and blue eyes, of enormous height and with the same strength, he lifted ten pounds.” His grievances repeat those described by Turgenev in the story, but the mute Andrei served his mistress until death and maintained slavish obedience.
The originality of the perception of the work, responses to it, considerations about the character and methods of typification in the creative process - all this can awaken a half-forgotten story in the memory of 10th grade readers and relive its events in the process of getting acquainted with the history of the life and work of I. S. Turgenev.
Other works on this work
Why did Gerasim drown Mumu? (based on the story by I.S. Turgenev) Turgenev's story "Mumu" Essay based on I. S. Turgenev’s story “Mumu” Essay based on Turgenev's story "Mumu" The fate of Gerasim (based on the story “Mumu” by I. S. Turgenev) What does I. S. Turgenev sing in the image of Gerasim (based on the story “Mumu”) What does Turgenev glorify in the image of Gerasim? The image and characteristics of Gerasim in Turgenev’s story “Mumu” The stories "Mumu" and "The Inn" Depiction of the cruelty of masters towards serfs in I. S. Turgenev’s story “Mumu” Works based on the story "Mumu" by I. Turgenev What are the best qualities of the Russian folk character that I. S. Turgenev embodied in Gerasim, the hero of the story “Mumu”? (Plan)>Essays based on the work of Mumu
What Turgenev sings in the image of Gerasim
The main character of I. S. Turgenev's story “Mumu” is a deaf-mute janitor Gerasim. In his image, the author glorifies the Russian people, because the most characteristic qualities of this person are straightforwardness, honesty and integrity. Despite his congenital illness, he had heroic strength and an open heart. He sincerely sympathized with the unfortunate, was sensitive and caring towards his loved ones, knew how to truly love and was gifted with hard work.
Gerasim was a simple person. He worked in the village for a long time and was accustomed to work, for which even the callous lady respected him. When he was brought to Moscow, everything was new and unknown to him. The janitor was bought a new caftan, a winter sheepskin coat, a shovel and a broom for work. He soon began his duties, which he performed responsibly. In addition to sweeping the yard, he guarded the land at night, carried water in barrels during the day, and carried and chopped wood.
Thanks to his fortitude, he was able to rise to his feet without breaking under the weight of hard work and without becoming bitter. He sincerely fell in love with the dog he rescued from the river. Mumu subsequently became his reliable friend. This love for the animal is described in a particularly touching way. He fed Mumu with all his heart, sincerely cared for her, cared for her, and cherished her, because he realized that this dog understood him better than anyone.
Despite the fact that he had to drown her at the whim of the lady, the author shows that Gerasim was an excellent example of a person. He was not afraid of his superiors, did not fawn over them and did not fawn on them. Although many of the capricious lady’s courtyards did just that in order to circumvent her orders and tyranny. Gerasim's soul was so simple that flattery was unusual for him. He came out of any situation with dignity, while remaining human.
It was these qualities that Turgenev emphasized in his hero. In the fate of Gerasim, the author reflected the fate of many serfs who lived under lordly oppression. Personally, I like this hero because his will to work and straightforwardness deserve respect. However, it is a pity that he had to do this to Mumu. This event undoubtedly left an imprint on his life. He never had dogs again.
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Text content of presentation slides: Gerasim is “the personification of the Russian people, their terrible strength and incomprehensible meekness” I.A. Aksakov Today we are completing the study of I.S. Turgenev’s story “Mumu”, and we must understand the motives for Gerasim’s action. Our further attitude towards the work as a whole depends on whether we can do this correctly. Look at the illustrations. What did the artist depict? What episode of the story is depicted here? What do you think Gerasim is thinking about?
How did you feel while reading the ending of the story? When did you feel especially sad? Re-read the scene of Mumu's death and the ending of the story silently, trying to understand state of mind Main character. Why did Gerasim drown Mumu after all? Why didn’t he just take her to the village? What does Gerasim’s willful return to the village indicate? Read how the author describes his state of mind. What attempts had he made previously to save Mumu? What was the impetus for Gerasim to leave for the village? What feelings did he experience at that moment? How did you feel after finishing reading?
Think about why the author wanted to write such a story? Versions. Look at the end of the text again. Find words that reflect emotional condition hero. Which part of speech contains the most words in the text? What do you think, what idea did I.S. Turgenev want to convey to us? Having killed everything human in himself, the hero was able to rebel. Where could he get the plot for his story?
Many years ago, in the distant village of Sychevo, there lived a man, deaf and mute from birth, named Andrei. But his lady (mama Varvara Petrovna) noticed him, admired his guardsman’s height and bearish strength, and wished to have that guardsman in her Moscow house as a janitor. Let him chop wood for the kitchen and rooms, carry water from the Alexander Fountain in a barrel, look after and guard the manor’s courtyard. No one in all of Moscow will have such a giant janitor as the janitor of the widow of the colonel of the Yekaterinoslav Regiment. And what is mute and deaf as a plug - even better! That’s how Andrey ended up in the city. For a guy, city work is easy and boring. But Andrei lived and lived, as if without complaining, with his mistress until her death, he performed his service carefully, he respected his mistress, and did not contradict her in anything. One day a mute man took a liking to a quiet courtyard girl, and the lady, knowing this, decided to give her in marriage to someone else - he endured this. And his little dog, named Mumu, his favorite, rescued from the Fontanka river one winter, a joy and consolation, he meekly drowned himself, if the lady ordered it. How he said goodbye to her there, to the little dog, how he drowned it, is unknown. But from then on Andrei never smiled, he accepted gifts from his lady gloomily, like a stone, and did not look at the dogs, he turned away. After the death of the lady, just as gloomily, without gratitude, he accepted his freedom and went somewhere to Rus'. How did you evaluate Gerasim’s act: as a challenge to society or as humility in the face of the inevitable? Write an essay “Why Turgenev changed the ending of a real story.”
Attached files
Gerasim – main character story by I. S. Turgenev “Mumu”. (Gerasim is a serf peasant, discharged from the village by a lady and appointed as a janitor in the Moscow landowner's house.)
Qualities of Russian folk character embodied in Gerasim:
heroic strength (“Gerasim, a man twelve inches tall, built like a hero.” When he mowed, it seemed that he could easily sweep away a young birch forest with a scythe. Gerasim is similar to the epic heroes with his extraordinary strength and strength of character);
Gerasim’s diligence (“gifted with extraordinary strength, he worked for four - the work was in his hands, and it was fun to watch him” when he plowed, mowed, threshed in the village. Once in the city, he easily coped with the duties of a janitor);
intelligence and kindness (deprived of the opportunity to communicate with people, Gerasim understood them, felt the attitude towards himself, caught the mood of people. He was able to appreciate Tatyana’s kindness, tried to protect her. Having lost Tatyana, Gerasim gave his whole soul to Mumu, took care of her and took care of her); patience and willpower (deaf-mute Gerasim obeyed the orders of the lady, since he was a serf, a forced person, he endured the ridicule of the servants, but did not allow those he loved to be offended. Only a person with strong character, could decide to drown Mumu, whom he dearly loved. He saved her from unnecessary torment, he himself suffered for her); 5) the ability to protest (by portraying his hero as deaf and mute from birth, the writer wanted to emphasize the long-suffering of the Russian people. But Gerasim’s departure from his mistress shows that the people will “speak.” Gerasim’s departure is tantamount to rebellion).
The meaning of the image of Gerasim. (The hero of the story “Mumu” reflects the best features of the people. The image of Gerasim combines contradictory qualities: enormous strength and patience, emphasized by natural muteness. But the ending of the story speaks of the victory of man’s fortitude, of his desire for freedom and independence.)
An essay on literature on the topic: What are the best qualities of the Russian folk character that I. S. Turgenev embodied in Gerasim, the hero of the story “Mumu”? (Plan)
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