“We learn about a little drama that played out between two people” from M. Gorky’s story “Chelkash.” This is one of the writer's best works and a vivid example of late Russian romanticism. The story amazes with psychological collisions and extraordinary images. They study it in 8th grade. An analysis of the work, created according to a generally accepted plan, will help to facilitate preparation for a lesson dedicated to the story.
Brief Analysis
Year of writing- 1894
History of creation- The work is based on the story of a real person. In 1891, M. Gorky was in the hospital, his roommate told him about his fate, and three years later “Chelkash” appeared.
Theme - A broad theme can be identified in the work– the fate of a person and narrow - crime, relationships between people with different views on life.
Composition- Formally, the story consists of three chapters. Plot elements are placed in a logical sequence. The peculiarity of the composition is the framing: the story begins and ends with a picture of the sea.
Genre- Story.
Direction- Realism.
History of creation
The history of the creation of the work “Chelkash” dates back to 1891. Then M. Gorky ended up in the hospital. His roommate turned out to be a tramp. He told the writer about his life. This story formed the basis of a story created in 1894. M. Gorky handed over the finished work to V. G. Korolenko. A fellow writer approved the story and helped publish it in the Russian Wealth magazine.
Critics reacted positively to the work of the young writer, and M. Gorky began to be taken seriously in literary circles.
Subject
The analyzed work displays motifs that are quite common in literature. However, the author managed to interpret traditional images in an original way, delving into psychology.
At the center of the work - theme of human destiny, in the context of which they develop Problems relationships between people, true and false values, freedom, choice, etc. Basis of the problem- moral values. The system of images is unbranched, so the reader’s attention is constantly focused on two heroes - Chelkash and Gavril.
The story begins with a description of the morning in the southern port. The author describes people, focusing on their insignificance in comparison with the “iron colossi”. The man in this episode appears as a miserable slave who works hard in terrible conditions. The beginning plays an important role in conveying the idea.
In such an environment we meet Chelkash, a drunkard and thief. The meaning of the title of the story is connected with his surname. The author immediately tells the reader who to pay attention to. Chelkash is planning a business and is looking for an assistant. The man notices the peasant and decides to persuade him. Chelkash learns that Gavrilo - that’s the peasant’s name - wants to earn money to buy his own house, farm, and start a family. By deception, Chelkash gets the guy involved in theft.
Gavrilo resists at first, but, having felt the taste of easy money, he is drawn in. Chelkash is proud that he made the guy his slave. But in the end it turns out that Gavrilo is a slave not to the thief, but to his own desires. He is ready to kill for money. Chelkash turns out to be a more worthy person than Gavrilo. This conclusion suggests itself after observing the guy’s pathetic act.
It is interesting that Chelkash also comes from a peasant background; he once had a family and was a guardsman. Memories of the past make him sad, but he does not want to return to a slave life. A man really loves freedom.
Having observed the characters, it is easy to notice that the work presents internal and external conflicts.
Internal - the doubts of the thief and the peasant, external - the drama between men.
Idea of the work- show how important it is to be free from circumstances and money, to be able to overcome any circumstances with dignity.
Main thought: we make ourselves slaves.
Composition
Formally, the story consists of three chapters. Plot elements are placed in a logical sequence. Exposition - morning landscape and acquaintance with Chelkash, beginning - Chelkash's search for an assistant, the thief's meeting with Gavrila, development of events - attempts to agree on a "fishing trip", theft, climax - a quarrel between thieves; denouement - Chelkash throws money to Gavrila and leaves. What the author teaches is most clearly revealed in the denouement.
A special feature of the composition of M. Gorky’s work “Chelkash” is its framing: the story begins and ends with a picture of the sea.
Genre
The genre of the work is a story, as evidenced by the following signs: a small volume, the main role is played by Chelkash’s storyline, there are only two main characters. The direction of "Chelkash" is realism.
Work test
Rating analysis
Average rating: 4.5. Total ratings received: 239.
Realism and romanticism are surprisingly harmoniously combined. Short stories, the direction of which critics have defined as socialist realism, occupy a special place in the writer’s work. The work “Chelkash” is one of them.
History of creation
The essay was written in 1894. As a basis for the story, Gorky took a story given to him by his roommate in a hospital in the city of Nikolaev. A year later, the story was published by the magazine “Russian Wealth”.
The work is permeated with the spirit of romance hidden in the description of nature. This move is characteristic of all the author’s early works. The main character is the homeless thief and drunkard Chelkash. The tramp has an unkempt appearance. In its appearance it resembles a bony hawk. The hero appears before the reader in high spirits, as he anticipates earning money. He and Gavrila, a strong village guy, decided to commit a night robbery. Gorky gives a detailed description of each image before describing their actions.
In contrast to Chelkash, Gavrila is a believer and a kind guy, whose greed crosses out all life values. At first, it seems that the proud and freedom-loving Chelkash is leading the young man astray, but later the true background is revealed. Chelkash recalls his past, his wife and parents. Partly, he sees himself in Gavril, so he decides to help the guy who is returning home, having failed to earn money.
Illustration for the story "Chelkash" Chelkash loves the sea very much, which gives him a feeling of freedom. The sea allows you to forget about worries and appreciate the real nature of each hero. Chelkash loves the power and freedom of the sea, but Gavrila is afraid. The peasant, accustomed to the land, is afraid of the manifestation of the boundless power of the waves, and a special fear appears in his soul when searchlights illuminate the distance of the sea.
Gavrila regards the light of the ship as a sign from above and renounces ordering a prayer service. But the morning division of the spoils shows that the guy’s fear of God is temporary. He was not happy with how the money was distributed and was ready to kill Chelkash for the sake of profit. The hero wounds his accomplice, takes away all the money and washes away traces of the crime. But the sin cannot be washed away from Gavrila’s soul.
Describing the guy’s action, Gorky shows how easy it is to lose humanity, how quickly you can become a low creature when it comes to money. The question of fidelity and betrayal, which Chelkash, who trusted a stranger, faced, is raised here.
The story "Chelkash"
An analysis of the characters is provided at the beginning of the story, following the description of the port. Chelkash is a heavy drunkard, famous for his thieves' instincts and dexterity. He is not young, but age and addiction to the bottle do not affect the success of his enterprises. The hero appears as a non-trivial personality, whose fate and character are unique. Gorky's works are characterized by the presence of such characters. They often have an inexplicable craving for the amazing beauty of something all-encompassing. In the case of Chelkash, an unbridled love for the sea is described.
The man has a difficult fate. His childhood was successful, but life was not easy. From a military officer, proud and freedom-loving, he turned into a poor man. The peculiarity of the hero's character lies in the combination of opposing qualities. Gorky described the traits inherent in people who find themselves in difficult situations, revealing the real essence of the character’s soul. A person's principles and vices are tested in such circumstances.
Chelkash has lost his purpose in life and steals to support his existence. He spends his money on booze and essentials. Gavrila has a dream of his own household and family, so theft for him is a crime for a good purpose. Gorky allows the reader to independently choose which of the heroes is a positive character and which has lost human dignity. The complexity and contradictory nature of the characters depicted do not allow us to answer the question unambiguously. Both men combine negative traits and positive qualities.
The beggar Chelkash, accustomed to walking dirty, ragged and barefoot, is lonely. He has no one, so the man cares little about his own future. He lives in the present day, not caring about work and not recognizing his plight. Having become the scum of society, he drove away thoughts about this, drowning them out with drink. Only the sea gave the hero peace, because in it he was the king of the situation.
The former officer retained the qualities cultivated by years of service. Despite the lot of thieves, Chelkash retained his humanity. He steals not to get rich, but to maintain a thin but familiar lifestyle. Having deceived Gavrila, luring him into robbery, Chelkash took the guy’s passport. The newly minted accomplice found himself hostage to a man who was pleased with his luck.
Chelkash is attracted by the taste of freedom, so he goes for theft. He is a person lost to society, who, having everything he needed, did not appreciate it. Having lost his family and status, he prefers not to think about what happened, not to change the situation. An alcoholic and a tramp, the man numbs his heartache to avoid admitting his distress. The hero was disgusted with his own life, but he could not get through to another.
Quotes
Despite the plight of the protagonist, his negative image, sins and misdeeds, Gorky endowed Chelkash with a great character comparable to the greatness of the sea:
“He, a thief, loved the sea. His seething, nervous nature, greedy for impressions, was never satiated by the contemplation of this dark breadth, endless, free and powerful.”
Chelkash realized the seriousness of his fall. He was afraid to remember his past, because the thoughts were oppressive and gave no peace, corroding the man’s soul:
“Memory, this scourge of the unfortunate, revives even the stones of the past and even adds drops of honey to the poison once drunk...”
The man’s spirit was broken by life’s ups and downs; only nobility and human principles remained intact in him. Pride and nobility glowed in his soul, allowing him not to reach the bottom of the abyss into which his human being was rapidly falling. Therefore, Gavrila aroused his dislike.
“It’s always unpleasant to see that a person whom you consider inferior and inferior to you loves or hates the same things as you and thus becomes like you.”
In this work, the author tried to contrast the main character with another character. This made it possible to most clearly reveal their character and show how strikingly different their views on life are. A comparative description of Chelkash and Gavrila from Maxim Gorky’s story “Chelkash” will introduce the reader to two completely different people, whose true colors were revealed in a specific situation.
Origin
Grishka Chelkash and Gavrila both come from the village. They know firsthand what hard work is. Both have been accustomed since childhood to plow from morning to night. Everyone still has a family in the village. Chelkash has a wife and child. Gavrila has an old mother and a fiancee.
Appearance
Chelkash. Gregory appears in the form of a tramp and a drunkard. An aged man. In dirty clothes. Sloppy and unkempt. The smell of a body that had not been washed for a long time hit my nose. His appearance makes a repulsive impression. Cold, gray eyes. The nose is straight and predatory. The look is sharp, piercing right through. His brown mustache was constantly quivering. Movements are abrupt and jerky.
Gavrila. A simple, country guy of about 20 years old. A Russian hero of strong build. Strong shoulders and arms. Skin tanned. Brown hair. Light blue eyes shone with kindness. The look is open and good-natured. He immediately endeared himself to his interlocutor. His image inspired confidence. He dressed modestly. All his clothes were shabby, but at the same time, he looked neat.
Attitude to freedom
At Gavrila's The concept of freedom lies in material well-being. Only if he has money can he feel like a human being. He often imagined how he would return home, fix the collapsed household, raise his sick mother to her feet, and get married. Without money, he has no choice but to become a son-in-law to his rich father-in-law, on whom he will have to live the rest of his life.
Grishka I never put money above all else. They flew away as quickly as they appeared. Freedom for him is a broader concept. He has no responsibility for the family with which he separated long ago, no dependence on social conventions. He doesn’t care where to live or how. Just looking at the sea, he felt absolutely free and happy. At these moments, he invariably felt how his soul was cleansed of filth and he himself seemed to be exalted above the entire world around him and its eternal vanity.
Character traits
Chelkash:
- Kind;
- responsive;
- generous;
- thinking;
- suffering;
- capable of deep feelings;
- romantic;
- proud;
- risky;
- desperate;
- noble.
Gavrila:
- confiding;
- good-natured;
- petty;
- greedy;
- vile;
- cowardly;
- weak;
- dependent on passions.
Common cause. The true face of every hero
Having agreed to earn some money in a dubious way, Gavrila soon regrets the hasty decision. He became cowardly and was ready to go astray without completing the work he started. Having received a small part of the amount earned, greed awakens in the guy. An uncontrollable feeling of greed made him feel weaker than his partner. He begged Chelkash to give him all the money. Unable to control his emotions, he throws a stone at him and runs away from the crime scene along with the proceeds. Fear and cowardice forced him to return to the wounded Chelkash. He asks for forgiveness, trying to atone for a low deed, but how can this cleanse the soul if it is dirty?
Chelkash is accustomed to treating his work with responsibility. Having completed the task, he receives the amount promised to him. For him, these are just pieces of paper that do not play a special role in life. When he sees that Gavrila needs them more, he easily parts with them, which speaks of his generosity and kindness. He even managed to forgive Gavrila after he found out that the guy wanted to kill him for money. Chelkash evokes admiration and respect, unlike Gavrila, who is capable of committing murder for his own benefit.
The main character of the work is Grishka Chelkash, presented in the image of an experienced, dexterous and brave thief.
The writer describes the hero of the story as a middle-aged middle-aged man with a bony figure, disheveled black and gray hair, hungry gray eyes and a hooked predatory nose, dressed in old shabby clothes. Chelkash's appearance is somewhat reminiscent of a predatory hawk, distinguished by its aiming, vigilant gait. The man’s long, thin hands have crooked, tenacious fingers that form a sinewy but hard fist.
Being at a respectable age, Chelkash carries out his thieving business very successfully and profitably.
Chelkash is characterized as a tramp, a swindler and a ragamuffin, earning huge amounts of money by stealing, which immediately disappears from him. Due to his cheerful and reckless disposition, Chelkash is quite famous in certain circles, where he is respected and trusted, and may be allowed to dine on credit.
The hero is characterized by the ability to see natural beauty and understand the bewitching power of the water element, the sea, which he loves very much.
Grishka is the son of a wealthy peasant; in his youth he served in the guards and had a wife Anfisa, a plump woman with a long braid. Now Chelkash understands that he will never have a return to his old life, since he has long been disappointed in it.
Despite the thief's craft and passion for drinking, Chelkash is not devoid of human qualities, such as pity, sympathy for others, and also ardently condemns people who are capable of going to humiliation and meanness for the sake of money.
Having his own ideas about moral principles and leading an immoral life, Grishka Chelkash at heart is a noble man, ready for generous deeds, capable of giving his night earnings to the young Gavrila, who needs money, to organize his future village life.
From Gavrila’s point of view, Grishka seems to be a cunning and incomprehensible person, with whom you can get a lot of trouble, who does not have a happy future ahead, since as a person Chelkash has long disappeared.
Talking about the fate of Grishka Chelkash, the writer reveals in his image the positive human qualities consisting of humanity, compassion, sincerity, generosity, which, despite the severity of his life situation, are manifested in the Russian person, who is an extraordinary person with a unique character and an unusual destiny.
Option 2
Chelkash is the main character of this work. He is depicted as a cunning, resourceful and experienced thief.
Describing his appearance, the author highlights his age as a man of about forty. Approximately the average human age. His physique is quite thin, and his head has tousled jet-black hair streaked with gray. His gray eyes look like a hungry wolf. The nose is like that of a bird of prey, pointed and humpbacked. His clothes had long since become frayed from constant wear. Overall, his figure resembles that of a hungry hawk, watching carefully and prowling cautiously. His hands go down almost to his knees, at the end of which strong fists are clenched.
Despite his advanced years, Chelkash copes well with his thieving activities. The character looks like a charlatan and a ragamuffin, who, however, can become incredibly rich in one theft. However, his problem is that he spends his money almost immediately. Considering his perky and cocky character, he is well known in some gangs and circles of thieves. There they may allow him to borrow lunch, because they know that he will pay for everything in full.
Chelkash is very fond of the beauty of nature, especially the sea element, which has attracted him since childhood.
The hero had a father, a wealthy peasant. When he was young, he served in the army as a guardsman. He also had a wife named Anfisa, whose figure stood out for her plumpness and large braid. However, at the moment, Grishka knows very well that he will never return to his old life. She completely disappointed him in every way.
Even though Grisha is a thief and often drinks, he has human feelings. He is capable of compassion for other people. He also condemns thieves like him. He has his own moral principles by which he lives. He is ready to do a noble and generous act. For example, he can give all the money for a night theft to young Gavrila, so that he distributes the money in his village life.
Gavrila thinks of Grishka as a cunning man from whom you can expect anything.
Essay 3
The image of Chelkash appears almost at the very beginning of the story, immediately after the description of the harbor, where the main character should soon appear. Among local residents, Chelkash is known as an uncontrollable drunkard, a brave thief and a clever sly. Despite his far from young age, he gets things done often and always successfully.
As in other works of Gorky, in this story the hero has an extraordinary personality with an unusual character and a unique destiny. The character is always captivated by the unknown, majestic beauty, and this unaccountable inexplicable love in this work is expressed through the protagonist’s craving for the mesmerizing power of the water element, the sea.
The story deals with the fate of a former military officer, whose life turned into a miserable existence at the very bottom of social space. The author vividly and clearly presents the psychological portrait of Chelkash.
The main feature of the character is the presence of polar, opposing character traits and the basic principles of human essence. The author’s task at this stage is to demonstrate the innate qualities of people who find themselves in a difficult life situation. After all, it is in stressful circumstances that the whole essence of the human soul is revealed, all its facets are revealed, vices and virtues, true goals and beliefs come to light.
In the story “Chelkash” the aspirations of the main characters boil down to constantly stealing and using the funds received to buy booze, and so on in a circle. Gavrila, Chelkash’s assistant, has a different goal - he dreams of his own farm, his own home, marriage, and, stepping over his pride and pride, he commits a crime.
And here the question arises about that very opposition, as well as about the division of people into “good” and bad,” which are so characteristic of Gorky’s stories. Here the reader is faced with a choice of which of the characters is considered a “midge with guts”, and which should be elevated to the rank of “the best, complex, interesting” in this work. However, it is impossible to give a definite answer to this question, because each of us has both light and dark sides. In the same way, the main characters of the stories are presented as complex and contradictory personalities, who are characterized by both good aspirations and, conversely, negative actions and deeds.
Chelkash was a beggar, walked barefoot in shabby old pants and a dirty, torn shirt. He was lonely and no one needed him, he was not interested in his own future, and therefore Chelkash lived for today. He did not have a job because no one wanted to hire such an unreliable person. At the same time, the hero himself did not want to admit his own terrible situation and did not agree with the fact that he was, in fact, the scum of society. And so that, God forbid, he would not think of such a thing, Chelkash clouded his own mind with heavy drinking. Also, the sea saved him from bad thoughts, looking at it, he felt a pleasant warm feeling inside himself, which freed him from the daily bad routine. Here he felt like the ruler of the world, forgetting about his miserable life on land.
Despite difficult circumstances, Chelkash does not lose those positive qualities that are and have always been in him. Yes, he is a criminal, he is a thief, but truly humane human values are not at all alien to him.
Essay Characteristics of Chelkash
In all the works and stories of Maxim Gorky, his heroes are very colorful and extraordinary personalities. Chelkash's story is no exception. In the story, Gorky describes the characters with their life needs and human qualities.
Gorky describes this no longer young man as a tramp. He looks unkempt and tattered. He is wearing some old torn pants and the same dirty torn shirt. Chelkash steals and does it easily; he spends all his profits on booze. Chelkash is an alcoholic, a lost person. In the past he was an officer, but life sent him to the very bottom of the social ladder.
In this story, the writer exposes all sides of people in stressful situations. Chelkash steals not because he wants to improve his social and financial situation, but in order to get drunk again. He uses people for his own purposes; the story even describes the moment when he feels like a master.
Having met a stranger, Chelkash nevertheless persuades him to go with him on business. He lures the guy by deception, and when he guesses, Chelkash takes away his passport. Still, Chelkash found something to play on so that they would go “fishing” with him. Even though he is a lost man, he still put pressure on the guy’s main problem and was able to get him to talk.
Next to an insecure guy, Chelkash behaves confidently and biasedly. Money is not important to him; most likely, he likes the taste of freedom, which, in his opinion, he does not need. He understands perfectly well that he will not change anything in his life. No one will hire a lost person, because he is unreliable and irresponsible. His family is lost forever and they will never return to him. When he was a military officer with a wife and child, he did not appreciate this and became what he is now - an ordinary alcoholic and a tramp.
And Chelkash drinks not because he likes it, but to drown out his mental pain and not admit to himself that he is the scum of society. The only thing that calms him down is the sea, which he loves so much. Chelkash doesn’t want anyone to live like him, because he himself doesn’t want to live out his life like that.
At the end of the story, when his accomplice wanted to take money from Chelkash, he voluntarily gave it away. Chelkash turned out to be not a greedy person, for whom money comes first. The mind of his assistant was eclipsed by the thirst for money, but Chelkash turned out to be above this. For him, these are ordinary pieces of paper that will never make anyone happy. Still, it turned out that Chelkash is not completely lost, there is still hope, but he does nothing for it. Chelkash is not a self-interested person, but simply an alcoholic man confused in this life.
Sample 5
Gorky's works have always been filled with that liveliness, that unprecedented human simple life, and at the same time with all its complexity and originality. By right, Gorky can be called one of the most outstanding Russian realist writers who have ever lived. He wrote like no one else wrote. Describing ordinary everyday situations, ordinary, seemingly ordinary stories, he, with the help of literary techniques, achieved such successes that no one else would have achieved. An example would be the work “Chelkash”.
In the work, the author introduces us to the tragic story of the fall of human personality and virtue into an abyss, into an abyss from which there is no way out - self-destruction. Throughout the entire work, the main character is looking for an increasingly sophisticated way to approach the complete decomposition of the personality, but often in the work it becomes alcohol. The main character of the work is a man named Chelkash.
Chelkash is an elderly man, unkemptly dressed, dirty, with his eyes cast to the floor, walking barefoot on the ground. His main activities, as it was not difficult to guess, are drunkenness and theft, and one cannot do without the other, and that is why many people avoid him, so as not to get into the troubles that haunt this character.
The history of the formation of Chelkash as he appears in the work began a long time ago, even during Chelkash’s dismissal from the fleet. After his dismissal, Chelkash begins to miss the sea very much, as he really loved serving in the navy. Therefore, after his dismissal, Chelkash sets out on the difficult path of independent survival in a world in which he does not like to live. He would like to return to the sea again, but he cannot do this, which is why he takes up alcohol and begins to lead such a lifestyle.
By nature, Chelkash is a rather unpleasant person. If, while serving in the navy, he was a rather rude, uncouth lout, then after his dismissal and subsequent incessant drunkenness, he became simply unbearable for any person, be it just a passerby or his long-time friend. Nothing else matters in his life, except for the drink he loves so much. He has no moral principles or foundations, which is why he does whatever he wants. This is how the image of Chelkash appears before the reader in Gorky’s work of the same name.
Nikolai Gogol wrote his work "Taras Bulba" in 1842 of his life. This work has become a classic that made many hearts beat faster and faster. This work was written not simply as a description and confirmation of the history of these times
Many critics of Russian classical literature have addressed this poem. The most significant mark on the development of Russian criticism was left by V.G. Belinsky.
Rain is always the same, it doesn't change, but we look at it differently. Autumn rain brings sadness and thoughts, winter rain brings slush and swell, spring rain brings joy and thunder.
The story "Chelkash" was written in 1894. M. Gorky heard this story in Nikolaev, when he was in the hospital, from a neighbor in the ward. Its publication took place in 1895 in the June issue of the magazine “Russian Wealth”. This article will analyze the work “Chelkash”.
Introductory part
At the port, under the hot sun, the porters laid out their simple and simple food. The well-worn thief Grishka Chelkash approached them and learned that his friend and constant partner Mishka had broken his leg. This somewhat puzzled Gregory, because that night there was a profitable business ahead. He looked around and saw a stocky village guy, broad-shouldered, with blue eyes. He looked innocent. Chelkash quickly met Gavrila and persuaded him to take part in the night adventure. Familiarity with the story is required for the analysis of the work “Chelkash” to be clear.
Night voyage
At night, Gavrila, shaking with fear, sat on the oars, and Chelkash ruled. Finally they reached the wall. Grigory took the oars, passport and knapsack from his cowardly partner, and then disappeared. Chelkash appeared suddenly and handed his partner something heavy, oars and his things. Now we need to return to the harbor without falling under the lights of the patrol customs cruiser. Gavrila almost lost consciousness from fear. Chelkash gave him a good kick, sat down on the oars, and put Gavrila behind the wheel. They arrived without incident and quickly fell asleep. In the morning, Gregory woke up first and left. When he returned, he woke up Gavrila and gave him his share. Knowledge of the action taking place in the story will help to analyze the work “Chelkash”.
Denouement
When Chelkash was counting out the money, he was unpleasantly struck by the greedy village guy. The peasant begs to give him everything. The hero, with disgust for such greed, threw away the money. Gavrila began collecting them and telling them that he wanted to kill his accomplice because of them.
Grishka simply went wild, took the money from him and went. The stone whistled and hit Chelkash in the head. He fell onto the sand, motionless. The peasant, horrified at what he had done, ran to revive his partner. When Grishka came to his senses, he took a hundred for himself and gave the rest to Gavrila. They went in different directions. Now, having familiarized ourselves with the content of the story, we can analyze the work “Chelkash”.
Heroes: Chelkash and Gavrila
The spirit of romance and connection with nature permeates all the early works of M. Gorky. Chelkash is free from the laws of society.
He is a thief and a homeless drunk. Long, bony, stooped, he looks like a steppe hawk. Chelkash is in an excellent mood - he will earn money at night.
Gavrila, a strong village guy, returns home. He didn't make any money in Kuban. He is in a sad mood.
Gorky describes in detail the thoughts of each of them before they agree on the robbery at night. Chelkash is a proud person; he remembers his former life, his wife, and his parents. His thoughts jump to the downtrodden country boy whom he can help. The main character loves the sea immensely. In his element, he feels free, and thoughts of the past do not bother him there. We are looking at the heroes of the story “Chelkash” (Gorky). An analysis of the work without their characters will not be complete.
Gavrila
Gavrila is not like that. He is immensely afraid of the sea, the darkness, and possible capture. He is cowardly and greedy. These qualities push him to an outright crime when in the morning he saw big money for the first time in his life. First, Gavrila falls to her knees in front of Chelkash, begging for money, because he is just a “vile slave.”
The main character, feeling disgust, pity and hatred for the little soul, throws him all the money. Upon learning that Gavrila wanted to kill him, Chelkash becomes furious. This is the first time he's been so angry. Gregory takes the money and leaves. Gavrila, unable to control her greed, seeks to kill her accomplice, but this makes the insignificant soul afraid. He again begs for forgiveness from the main character - a man of a broad soul. Chelkash throws money to the pathetic Gavrila. He staggers and leaves forever. Having examined the main characters, you can analyze the story as a whole.
Analysis of the work “Chelkash” (Maxim Gorky)
First there is a detailed description of the port and its life. Then the heroes appear. Gorky emphasizes cold gray eyes and nose, humpbacked and predatory, and a proud free disposition. Gavrila is a good-natured guy who believes in God, and, as it turns out, is ready to do anything for money. At first it seems that the villain Chelkash is forcing the simple-minded Gavrila to turn from the straight path onto the thieves' path. The sea is an important and significant component of the story. It reveals the nature of the heroes.
Chelkash loves its strength, power, vastness and freedom. Gavrila is afraid of him, prays and asks Gregory to let him go. The peasant becomes especially frightened when searchlights illuminate the distance of the sea. He takes the light of the ship as a symbol of retribution and promises himself to order a prayer service to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In the morning, a drama plays out due to the greed that has gripped Gavrila. It seemed to him that Chelkash gave him little money. He is on the verge of murder, and no thoughts about God bother him. Wounded by him, Chelkash disgustedly gives away almost all the money, which Gavrila quickly hides. All traces of blood are washed away by the rain. Water is unable to wash away the dirt from the soul of Gavrila, who fears God. Gorky tells how the peasant loses his human image, how low a creature who considers himself human falls when it comes to profit. The story is built on the principles of antithesis. This is where Chelkash ends. The work is briefly analyzed.