What are the moral issues (problems) facing the main character L. N
March 06 2015
I involuntarily want to run through the wilderness of adolescence… It seems to me that adolescence in a person's life is the most difficult period. You involuntarily ask the question: “Why?” In childhood, a person appears in its external iridescent form.
Joys seem to the child to be the norm of life, and sorrows - a deviation from the norm. In youth, the character of a person, his views on life are already almost formed, he is not afraid of the difficulties ahead of him, he begins to grope his way in life. And adolescence is the period of formation of a person's character, when he is no longer a child, but not yet an adult.
This is a period of painful search for a teenager who begins to comprehend life, his actions and the actions of the people around him, trying to ask himself questions. And indeed, after reading the trilogy of Leo Tolstoy, you see this. Many writers have addressed this topic. But, it seems to me, L.N. better than others understands and shows the process of becoming a person. N. G. Chernyshevsky noted: “In the early works of L. N. Tolstoy there is a deep knowledge of the secret movements of psychological life, the ability to identify the mental process, its forms, its laws, the image of the dialectics of the soul through an internal monologue.”
L. N. Tolstoy calls the period of adolescence "desert". At this time, the behavior of the child becomes special. The protagonist of the trilogy is Nikolai Irteniev. leaves in his soul joyful memories of love and care for him. "Happy, happy, irretrievable time of childhood, how not to love, not to cherish the memories of her." But as he grows, conflicts with himself begin to arise more and more often, and Nikolenka tries to drown out these contradictions in himself. As a child, for Nikolenka, his father was something unattainable, the embodiment of an ideal, but time passes, and he is disappointed in his father - an egoist and a gambler.
“In general, he gradually descends in my eyes from that unattainable height to which the childish imagination placed him.” During this period, “the mind lives independently of the heart” of a person. It seems to Nikolenka that universal love, affection and tenderness are replaced by punishments and anger. And in his still childish imagination the question of the legitimacy of his birth arises; he thought that the reason for the changed attitude towards him was his illegitimacy. Nikolenka often begins to think about death, remembering her mother.
At this time, distrust of God appeared, because he sees injustice towards himself, and at this age a person becomes especially vulnerable and takes everything “to heart”. “Then the thought of God comes to me, and I boldly ask him: why is he punishing me? I don't seem to forget to pray morning and evening, so what am I suffering for? I can positively say that the first step towards religious doubts, which disturbed me during my adolescence, was taken by me now, not because misfortune prompted me to grumbling and unbelief, but because the thought of the injustice of Providence, which came into my head at that time perfect mental disorder and daily copying is prohibited 2005 solitude ... ”This age is also characterized by such a feature as egocentrism.
In adolescence, a person often begins to get involved in various philosophical theories and see himself as a great person. “However, the philosophical discoveries that I made were extremely flattering to my vanity: I often imagined myself a great man, discovering new truths for the benefit of all mankind, and with a proud consciousness of my dignity looked at other mortals ...” But almost always these dreams lead to disappointment, which further exacerbates the thought of loneliness.
As we grow older, many of the martyr thoughts of adolescence begin to fade. According to Tolstoy - Nikolenka, "one main drawback remains - a tendency to philosophize." He begins to analyze all his thoughts, and sometimes it comes to the point of absurdity. And this makes him even more lonely, because it seems to him that no one understands him and no one can help him. Therefore, L. N. Tolstoy calls adolescence a "desert" - sometimes loneliness, reflections and dreams.
Need a cheat sheet? Then save - " L. N. Tolstoy. "The wilderness of adolescence". Literary writings!Do you believe that Nikolenka considered all the questions listed in this chapter? Do you understand his thoughts and feelings?
The author himself assumes that readers will not believe that the issues he writes about in the chapter were of interest to him in his adolescence. Let's call them: the question of the purpose of man, the future life, the immortality of the soul. At the same time, he believed that it was he who first discovered great and useful truths.
It is worth thinking about whether it seemed to each of us that it was we who discovered certain truths.
How did Nikolenka want to test his moral strength? Why did he do it?
Nikolenka came up with a variety of tests for himself: he whipped himself with a rope to temper his will, held heavy dictionaries (lexicons) in his hands to become stronger, suddenly gave up lessons, because it is not known how long his life will last and you need to use the present ... All these he carried out methods of testing and testing, first of all, in order to temper himself.
Have you thought about symmetry? Try to discuss this problem with Nikolenka.
Not every sixth grader can discuss symmetry issues. However, everyone can remember how Nikolenka discussed these issues. So, for him, the question of symmetry suddenly grew into a question of eternity and human life. At the same time, he was distracted and immediately began to think about the soul of the water horse, which he saw from the window. One smile of his brother, who noticed his condition, was enough for Nikolenka to conclude: "... everything that I thought about was the most terrible gil (nonsense)."
Do you understand what skepticism is? How do you explain why Nikolenka was fond of him?
Having learned about skepticism, Nikolenka began to doubt the existence of everything that was around him. He even tried to see... emptiness if you quickly look in the opposite direction. This hobby was also supported by the boy's egoism, since it gave him the right to consider himself the only one in the whole world.
Reference. Skepticism is a philosophical position characterized by doubt about the existence of any reliable criterion of truth.
Why did the teenager Nikolenka "go beyond reason"?
Nikolenka believed that at that time he, with his passion for the philosophy of skepticism, was close to insanity. But the author - an adult Nikolenka - saw that reflections on complex issues that were beyond the power of the boy's mind only caused the habit of abstract reflections that were of no use. It was from abstract and unbearable reflections that his "mind went beyond reason."
Do you agree that Nikolenka made philosophical discoveries?
L. N. Tolstoy himself realized that he did not succeed in making any philosophical discoveries in his adolescence, and they are hardly within the power of any adult, even a very intelligent person. As an adult, the author wrote: "... the philosophical discoveries that I made were extremely flattering to my pride: I often imagined myself to be a great person ..."
What problems did Nikolenka ponder and comprehend during these years?
Was the author right when he assessed this period of life as a "desert of adolescence"
Have you thought about symmetry? Try to tell how you would discuss this problem with Nikolenka.
Immediately after arriving in Moscow, Nikolenka feels the changes that have taken place with him. In his soul there is a place not only for his own feelings and experiences, but also for compassion for the grief of others, the ability to understand the actions of other people. He is aware of all the inconsolability of his grandmother's grief after the death of his beloved daughter, rejoices to tears that he finds the strength to forgive his older brother after a stupid quarrel. Another striking change for Nikolenka is that he bashfully notices the excitement that the twenty-five-year-old maid Masha arouses in him. Nikolenka is convinced of his ugliness, envies Volodya's beauty, and tries with all his might, although unsuccessfully, to convince himself that a pleasant appearance cannot make up all the happiness of life. And Nikolenka tries to find salvation in thoughts of proud loneliness, to which, as it seems to him, he is doomed.
Grandmother is informed that the boys are playing with gunpowder, and although this is just harmless lead shot, the grandmother blames Karl Ivanovich for the lack of supervision of the children and insists that he be replaced by a decent tutor. Nikolenka is having a hard time parting with Karl Ivanovich.
Triathlon 2/3
"Boyhood" symbolically begins with a journey. Our life is the whole journey, but no other period of life moves as rapidly as that very transitional age. Childhood is over, and adulthood is still far away.
Again, unusual landscapes by Tolstoy, adult affairs (driving a chaise, for example) and the first adult questions. Rich and poor - a contradiction with which it is not clear what to do, how the usual order of things can suddenly be violated because of this contradiction and you will have to part with your loved one. “Have you, reader, at a certain time in your life suddenly noticed that your view of things changes completely, as if all the objects that you had seen up to that time suddenly turned to you in a different, still unknown side?” And the child began to see the world differently, it turned out that other people live in it with their own destinies and opinions. So, probably, growing up takes place and Tolstoy gives us the opportunity to spy a little on this process. The girls have changed, the elder brother, father, grandmother, teacher, the whole world and himself have changed.
Again, psychological observations in the form of rules: "... I am convinced that nothing has such a striking influence on the direction of a person as his appearance, and not so much the appearance itself, but the conviction of its attractiveness or unattractiveness." The tendency to analyze oneself and others increases in this part. The author dissects all the movements of the soul, which he undertakes to describe, and draws conclusions from all incidents. I would like to invite a psychoanalyst to many episodes (the story of Karl Ivanovich and his doom to misfortune since childhood, Nikolenka's struggle with his unattractiveness, attitude towards the female sex, etc.). Tolstoy, however, does not wait for someone else's analysis of his text and himself introduces into it the conclusions of psychologists about the transitional age. The feelings of a teenager and his conviction of universal dislike and even hatred, thoughts that he is not native to his parents or father, loneliness and hysterical closeness to suicide are very accurately described.
And again my heart shrinks - now from how adults can be so insensitive and not understand how hard it is for a child, and offer one solution for all cases - punishment. Over time, everything will be forgotten and smoothed out, but why not just give children love when they need it so much. And then someone’s praise wouldn’t be so important to them (“Praise has such a powerful effect not only on the feeling, but also on the mind of a person, that under its pleasant influence it seemed to me that I had become much smarter, and thoughts one after another with entered my head with unusual speed") and they would have been more independent and happy in their young and adult lives.
There are no scarier people than adults, and Tolstoy shows this very subtly. I don't know if everyone should read this. I will refrain from recommendations. I myself go further - to Youth))
CHAPTER II. THUNDERSTORM
Try to accurately determine, by carefully rereading the text, in which month the events at the beginning of the story “Boyhood” take place.
The chapter "Thunderstorm" describes the end of spring - the beginning of summer. This description is accurate to detail. The reader perceives the state of nature after a spring thunderstorm - and colors, and smells, and sounds: “... in the wet bushes one can hear the troublesome movement of small birds, and from the middle of the grove
cuckoo sounds are heard. So charming is this wonderful smell of the forest after a spring thunderstorm, the smell of birch, violet, rotten leaf, morels, bird cherry ... "All this in central Russia usually occurs in late May - early June.
A very accurate and poetic description of a thunderstorm contains a number of pictures. Use their sequence to talk about a thunderstorm: the clouds gather into one big, gloomy cloud; a cloud is approaching, and "the whole neighborhood takes on a gloomy character"; thunder rumbles and lightning flashes, but as yet there is no rain;
"rain like a bucket";
the rain stops: “this wonderful smell of the forest after a spring thunderstorm is charming.”
Here is one such story.
“Spring thunderstorm At first there was not a cloud in the sky, but suddenly a large dark purple cloud appeared and became - without wind! - catch up with us. It often flashes lightning and hears a faint rumble.
But then the cloud approached and there was thunder. At last the clouds covered the whole sky, and the sun disappeared behind them. “The whole neighborhood suddenly changes and takes on a gloomy character.” "Lightning flashes as if in the chaise itself."
Finally, “a dazzling lightning, instantly filling the entire hollow with fiery light, makes the horses stop and, without the slightest interval, is accompanied by such a deafening crack of thunder that it seems that the whole vault of heaven is collapsing above us.”
And only after that begins "oblique rain like a bucket." However, it soon becomes smaller and finally stops. The sun is shining again. A joyful feeling covers the travelers.
Variants of such paraphrases-descriptions can be different. In such a retelling, each student can include their memories or use the text of L.N. Tolstoy.
Find the phrase that ends the chapter called "Thunderstorm". What feelings does Nikolenka convey with such an ending?
In order to convey the sensations that Nikolenka experienced, we can recall a few last remarks:
"Lubochka! Katya! - I shout, giving a few branches of bird cherry there, - look how good it is!
Girls squeak, gasp; Mimi yells for me to leave, otherwise I will certainly be crushed.
- Yes, you smell how it smells! I scream.
How do you explain that the best descriptions of nature by various writers are associated with its terrible phenomena? Recall that you recently read a description of a winter snowstorm, and now you have got acquainted with a brilliant description of a spring thunderstorm.
Writers recreate what especially surprises or occupies not only them, but all people. We see storms, tornadoes, tsunamis, hurricanes both in paintings and in descriptions of works of art. The writer cannot fail to notice the striking natural phenomena: they both surprise and at the same time often attract with their peculiar, albeit gloomy, beauty. In addition to the fact that they excite writers and artists, there is a sincere desire to understand the causes that cause the elements. Therefore, an artist is often both a creator of a work of art and a researcher.
Remember the poems that are dedicated to vivid natural phenomena. Read them by heart. Is “Spring Thunderstorm” by F. I. Tyutchev similar to the description of a thunderstorm in the story by L. N. Tolstoy? If there is a similarity, what is it?
F. I. Tyutchev’s “Spring Thunderstorm” depicts the same natural phenomenon that L. N. Tolstoy talks about. But in the poem, the thunderstorm is cheerful and fervent, it does not frighten, but only pleases. Both masters of the artistic word described the same stages of this stormy phenomenon of nature: from the beginning, “peals of the young”, to the return of the sun, which - again! — gilds everything around. But for F.I. Tyutchev this is a cheerful holiday of nature, and for L.N. Tolstoy it is a formidable, but majestic phenomenon, after which nature is again full of strength and joy.
Find examples of epithets, metaphors, hyperbole and comparisons in the text of the Thunderstorm chapter. Which of the artistic means most clearly helps to present a formidable phenomenon?
Terribly gloomy side of the horizon; jackdaws with disheveled wings; a deafening crack of thunder, that it seems that the whole vault of heaven is collapsing above us; slanting rain ... poured like a bucket; everything is wet and glitters in the sun, as if varnished; aspen grove ... as if in abundance of happiness ...
The description of a spring thunderstorm is filled with artistic techniques that help to imagine and even experience what the author describes. In describing the most intense moments of a thunderstorm, hyperbole is most remembered, helping to imagine the scale of the shock of those who observe this natural phenomenon.
Describe your impressions of the bright natural phenomena that you had to observe.
Most often, students describe a thunderstorm, because everyone, of course, has seen and experienced it more than once, and also because in your story you can use techniques and even whole expressions from Tolstoy's text.
I carefully looked at the border of water and sky - right on the border of the Black Sea - at the very horizon. And suddenly I saw a black dot that arose on this very border. Soon the black dot enlarged and rose above the water, but now it was a tall pillar that rested on the sky. He swiftly rushed towards our shore, and it seemed that he would soon capture our pier. We were lucky - the direction of the wind changed, and we survived.
CHAPTER XI. UNIT
Why is the chapter called "One"?
The titles of the chapters of the story "Adolescence" determine their content. This chapter tells that Nikolenka did not know the history lesson. The teacher asked him. How did he answer? “I had nothing to lose, I cleared my throat and began to lie everything that only occurred to me.” What could a teacher do? “Suddenly, his hand made a slightly noticeable movement, and a beautifully drawn unit and a point appeared in the graph; another movement - and in the graph of behavior another unit and point. So there was a fatal mark.
Why did Volodya deceive the tutor about the mark of his younger brother?
Volodya was saving his brother, and he did not tell the tutor that Nikolenka was given one, because they had guests that day. If the father and grandmother had found out about such a mark of the youngest son, their mood would have deteriorated and the whole gala evening would have gone down the drain.
CHAPTER XII. KEY
What task did Father Nikolenka give?
Father sent Nikolenka to his office to get sweets there, which he wanted to give to the birthday girl.
Why did this task turn out to be a failure for him?
This time, Nikolenka was let down by idle curiosity: he decided to check what the smallest key, hanging on a bunch of keys, was from. He accurately determined that the key to the briefcase, unlocked it, but, locking it, broke the key.
When did the hero say: “What will be, what will not be avoided”? Do you, like him, understand the meaning of this expression?
Nikolenka has long used this expression in all the difficult moments of his life. He once overheard it from Nikolai, and it "produced a beneficial, temporarily calming effect on me." But, probably, it would be more accurate to consider the meaning of this expression as follows: circumstances have developed in such a way that nothing can be changed and it is useless to try to do something.
Why is this statement called fatalistic in the text? What does the word "fatalism" mean?
The phrase "What to be, that cannot be avoided" Nikolenka said to himself. These words meant that everything was predetermined in advance and nothing could be changed.
Reference. Fatalism (from the Latin word "fatum" - rock, fate) - the belief that all events are predetermined in advance.
CHAPTER XIV. ECLIPSE
How do you explain Nikolenka's outburst of hatred and indignation? Why does Volodya look with horror and surprise at his antics?
A flash of hatred and indignation overshadowed the mind. He not only disobeyed his teacher, but also hit him. It is not surprising that the smart and observant Volodya "with horror and surprise" looks at his brother. Even he does not understand the reasons for these wild words and antics.
At the end of the chapter, when the "eclipse" completely took possession of Nikolenka, he, violently resisting, was dragged by adults and thrown into a closet. The last thing poor Nikolenka heard was about rods. It is worth noting that rods were used not only in the 19th century; in 2004, the British Parliament raised the issue of punishment with rods in educational institutions in England. So this method of raising children in our time has not yet become a thing of the past.
CHAPTER XV. DREAMS
What seems to you the most important thing in describing the despair that gripped Nikolenka?
The main thing in this description was “the memory of the misfortune that befell” Nikolenka: he “again entered the hopeless labyrinth of uncertainty about the upcoming fate, despair and fear.” Nikolenka was especially frightened by the unknown.
2. What was the hero looking for the reasons for the universal hatred of himself, which, as it seemed to him, was obvious? Nikolenka believed that the universal hatred for him, which he himself invented and believed in, was generated by the fact that he was an unfortunate foundling, and not his father's own son. Having come up with this story, he began to feel sorry for himself and at the same time think of what feats he would glorify himself with, so that people would return their sympathy and love to him.
Try to list all the options for events that Nikolenka presented in his dreams.
The first option drew an explanation with the father, who, it turns out, is not his own, but at the same time an honest and noble person who pities and forgives him.
The second option was already carried out in the ranks of the military. Nikolenka introduced himself as a hussar who brings victory to his native army. And the general throws himself on his neck and thanks him for the victory, and then the king himself congratulates him.
The third option is already a daring conversation with God himself. Nikolenka boldly asks, "Why is he punishing me?"
Option four. Nikolenka imagines that he will certainly die, and all forty days after his death he will listen to how everyone in the house will feel sorry for him. He even imagines his dead mother, whom he meets in heaven...
But very soon Nikolenka realizes that the continuation of dreams is impossible: “in the present, only one terribly gloomy, impenetrable distance appears to my mental gaze.”
Have you ever had similar sad dreams?
Some students like to talk about their dreams, others are shy about such a story. However, most often boys talk about possible, as it seems to them, but completely unrealistic military exploits, and girls talk about their successes at beauty contests. It will be nice if your dreams are embodied in a fictional story created on the basis of the courageous deeds of your favorite characters in books or movies.
CHAPTER XVI. GRIND, FLOUR WILL BE
What especially oppressed Nikolenka in his punishment?
At first, Nikolenka was oppressed by loneliness - after all, he spent the night alone in a closet and no one talked to him, and then that he was forced to ask for forgiveness from the teacher, but he could not do this.
Who supported him with a soothing proverb? Why did the proverb become the title of the chapter?
The servant Nikolai said a soothing proverb. It became the title of the chapter primarily because it helps to understand the temporary nature of all the troubles that befell Nikolenka.
Read the scene with the grandmother carefully. How did Nikolenka, his tutor and grandmother herself show themselves in her?
Each participant in the scene with the grandmother was right in his own way and at the same time wrong. Nikolenka was stubborn and did not want to admit his rudeness and mistakes, the grandmother could not understand why he did not admit his sins, and the teacher, like Nikolenka, was irritated and could not cope with his anger.
Retell Nikolenka's conversation with his father. Decide how important this scene is to understanding the state of the hero.
Father caught Nikolenka, who was trying to run away from home. He immediately began to punish him by grabbing his ear. But the punishment did not drag on, because the father very quickly realized what state Nikolenka was in. He listened to him and, when the boy began to convulse, carried him to the bedroom. This scene shows how great the boy's despair is and how quickly the father was able to understand the hopelessness from the feeling of loneliness and misunderstanding that the son experienced.
Why does Nikolenka claim that everyone hates him? What is the reason for his confusion?
Nikolenka forgot about his mistakes and misdeeds and sincerely believed that everyone took up arms against him for no reason and sought to punish him only because of hatred for him. Such a delusion can be understood: each person knows how others relate to him, but often incorrectly assesses the reasons that caused such an attitude. So, Nikolenka, who did a lot of stupid things - he was lazy for a long time, was rude, did not do his homework - he did not think about what and how he did, but with resentment thought only about how others treat him.
It is worth reading the last lines of this chapter and it will become clear that Nikolenka's troubles are over: “I fell asleep. When I woke up, it was already very late, one candle was burning near my bed, and our family doctor, Mimi and
Lyubochka. It was obvious from their faces that they were afraid for my health. I felt so good and light after a twelve-hour sleep that I would have jumped out of bed now, if it weren’t unpleasant for me to upset their confidence that I was very sick.
CHAPTER XIX. ADOLESCENT
Do you believe that Nikolenka considered all the questions listed in this chapter? Do you understand his thoughts and feelings?
The author himself assumes that readers will not believe that the issues he writes about in the chapter were of interest to him in his adolescence. Let's call them: the question of the purpose of man, the future life, the immortality of the soul. At the same time, he believed that it was he who first discovered great and useful truths.
It is worth thinking about whether it seemed to each of us that it was we who discovered certain truths.
How did Nikolenka want to test his moral strength? Why did he do it?
Nikolenka came up with a variety of tests for himself: he whipped himself with a rope to temper his will, held heavy dictionaries (lexicons) in his hands to become stronger, suddenly gave up lessons, because it is not known how long his life will last and you need to use the present ... All these he carried out methods of testing and testing, first of all, in order to temper himself.
Have you thought about symmetry? Try to discuss this problem with Nikolenka.
Not every sixth grader can discuss symmetry issues. However, everyone can remember how Nikolenka discussed these issues. So, for him, the question of symmetry suddenly grew into a question of eternity and human life. At the same time, he was distracted and immediately began to think about the soul of the water horse, which he saw from the window. One smile of his brother, who noticed his condition, was enough for Nikolenka to conclude: “... everything that I thought about was the most terrible gil (nonsense).”
Do you understand what skepticism is? How do you explain why Nikolenka was fond of him?
Having learned about skepticism, Nikolenka began to doubt the existence of everything that was around him. He even tried to see... emptiness if you quickly look in the opposite direction. This hobby was also supported by the boy's egoism, since it gave him the right to consider himself the only one in the whole world.
Reference. Skepticism is a philosophical position that is characterized by a doubt about the existence of any reliable criterion of truth.
Why did the teenager Nikolenka "go beyond reason"?
Nikolenka believed that at that time he, with his passion for the philosophy of skepticism, was close to insanity. But the author, the grown-up Nikolenka, saw that reflections on difficult questions, which were beyond the power of the boy's mind, only aroused the habit of abstract reflections, which were of no use. It was from abstract and unbearable reflections that his “mind went beyond reason.”
