Contents and analysis of the work "The Fate of Man" by Sholokhov

The work "The Fate of Man" by Sholokhov was first published ten years after the Great Patriotic War ended, in 1956-1957. The subject of the story is not typical for the literature of the time devoted to the war. The author first told about the soldiers who were captured by the fascists.

In this article we will analyze the work "The Fate of Man" by Sholokhov MA, and also describe its brief content.

The fate of soldiers who were captured by fascists

The fate of these people, as is now well known, was no less tragic than the fate of the soldiers who had been at the front. Not only the fascists cruelly tortured the prisoners. They betrayed and the motherland itself - in the USSR they were treated like spies, enemies of the people. Upon their return home, the prisoners of war were mainly exiled to various camps of the Gulag. Here they continued to endure the same torment as that of the Germans.

But not about this tells Sholokhov ("The Fate of Man"). The theme of the war in his work is connected primarily with the image of the main character. The author focuses on the typical fate of a soldier who participated in the Great Patriotic War.

Abstract: The beginning of the story

The war was ending. Spring blossomed. Andrei Sokolov, a soldier from the Voronezh province, recalling his past, talks about his former life. He participated in the civil war on the side of the Reds, worked in the Kuban in the hungry year of 1922. Then Andrew returned to Voronezh and was a carpenter, as well as a chauffeur. He married a girl he loved, and brought up three children with her. But then the year 1941, the fateful year, broke out, and Andrei Sokolov was drafted into the army.

How Andrew was taken prisoner

Working as a chauffeur at the front, he drove to the advanced ammunition. After the bomb exploded and his car was broken, Andrei was shell-shocked and taken prisoner. Here, along with other Russians, he lived in a dilapidated church. Circumstances developed in such a way that Andrei needed to kill one prisoner who wanted to give his platoon commander to the Germans. The war is brutal, and Sokolov is already in the concentration camp, but the idea of escaping does not leave him here.

Unsuccessful and successful escape

It is possible to escape, but in the end it is caught. Despite the fact that the dogs, set against him, bite Andrei, he manages to survive. Again bullying, hunger, hard work. In 1944, he made a new escape, taking with him a captured German officer, who had documents. This time he managed to get to his.

Terrible news

After being cured in Andrei Sokolov's hospital, he returns to his hometown of Voronezh, where he learns that his family is no longer here: his daughter and wife were killed when the bombing was in progress, and Anatoly, the son, went to the front. The happy news that Germany capitulated was overshadowed for the main character by the news that Anatoly's son had died.

The New Meaning of Life

Having been demobilized, Andrei Sokolov does not return to Voronezh anymore. He is near a tea-house in the city of Uryupinsk meets one homeless. The sad eyes of the boy Vanyushka evoke sympathy from the main character. Knowing that the boy, just like him, does not have any of his relatives, he decides to take the orphan to himself and become a father to him.

Narrator and protagonist

Analysis of the work "The fate of man" Sholokhov begin with the images of the narrator and the main character, as the narrative is divided between them, and in the center of it - the fate of Andrei Sokolov. In addition to Sholokhov, this narrative technique in his work was used, for example, by Lermontov in his work "The Hero of Our Time", and also by Gorky in romantic stories.

The narrator, as we learn from the exposition, is a hero who is close to the writer. He keeps his way to the Don village, but is forced to stay behind because of the flood of the river, waiting for the boat on the shore.

The awakening spring nature is rampaging around, and this picture pleases the narrator, as it is a symbol of the revival of all living things after a devastating war. The narrator enjoys loneliness and silence, but suddenly he notices a man with a boy who wearily wears towards. So we get acquainted with the main character - Andrei Sokolov.

The image of Andrei Sokolov

In his portrait, the stale, rough, worn out hands of the worker are emphasized, as well as eyes filled with anguish, as if sprinkled with ashes.

We understand by analyzing Sholokhov's The Destiny of Man that the whole meaning of life for this war-torn character is in his adopted son. It is no accident that Vanyusha's clothes are much neater than his father's. The hero cares first of all about the boy, not paying attention to himself.

Then we learn the fate of this character from his lips already. Andrew with a casual interlocutor is extremely frank - he does not hide personal details.

We can safely say that the life of this hero was happy. After all, he had a loving wife, children, he was engaged in his favorite business. In this case, Andrei's life is typical for that time. Sokolov - this is a simple Russian man, which in our country at that time was millions.

The feat of Andrew ("The Fate of Man", Sholokhov)

The composition "The war in the life of the protagonist" can be built on the contrast of the attitude to her of Andrew and other people who meet on his life path. In comparison with them, it seems to us even more magnificent and terrible feat, which, in fact, is his whole life.

The hero, unlike others, shows patriotism, courage. This is confirmed by the analysis of Sholokhov's The Destiny of Man. So, during the battle, he plans to do almost impossible - to deliver Russian troops shells, breaking through the enemy's barrier. At this moment he does not think about the threatening danger, his own life. But the plan could not be implemented: Andrei was captured by the fascists. But even here he does not lose heart, he retains a sense of humor, of his own dignity, calmness. So, when the German soldier ordered him to take off his boots, which they liked, Sokolov, as if mocking him, removes footcloths as well.

In the work he reveals the various problems of Sholokhov. The fate of a man, anyone, not only of Andrew, was at that time a tragic one. However, in front of her face, different people behave differently. Sholokhov shows the horrors taking place in the captivity of the Germans. Many people in the inhuman conditions lost their face: for the sake of preserving life or a piece of bread they were ready to go to any betrayal, humiliation, even murder. The stronger, the purer, the higher is the personality of Sokolov, his actions and thoughts. The problems of character, courage, fortitude, honor - that's what the writer is interested in.

Conversation with Mueller

And in the face of the deadly danger that threatens Andrei (a conversation with Mueller), he behaves very dignifiedly than even the enemy has respect. In the end, the Germans recognize the inflexible nature of this warrior.

It is interesting that the "confrontation" between Mueller and Sokolov occurred just at the moment when fighting was under way at Stalingrad. The moral victory of Andrei in this context becomes, as it were, a symbol of the victory of the Russian troops.

Raises and other problems Sholokhov ("The Fate of Man"). One of them is the problem of the meaning of life. The hero experienced the full repercussions of the war: he learned that he had lost his entire family. Hopes for a happy life have disappeared. He remains completely alone, lost the meaning of existence, devastated. Meeting with Vanya did not allow the hero to perish, to descend. In this boy, the hero found a son, a new incentive to live.

Mikhail Aleksandrovich believes that perseverance, humanism, self-respect are features typical of the Russian character. Therefore, our people managed to win in this great and terrible war, as Sholokhov ("The Fate of Man") believes. The subject of the person by the writer is revealed in some detail, it is reflected even in the title of the story. Let us turn to him.

The meaning of the title of the story

The story "The fate of a man" is named so not by accident. The name, on the one hand, convinces us that Andrei Sokolov's character is typical, and on the other hand, also emphasizes his greatness, since Sokolov has every right to be called a Man. This work gave impetus to the revival of the classical tradition in Soviet literature. It is characterized by attention to the fate of a simple, "little man", worthy of respect in full.

With the help of various techniques - a story-confession, a portrait, a speech characteristic - the author reveals the character of the hero as fully as possible. It is a simple man, majestic and beautiful, possessing a sense of dignity, strong. His fate can be called tragic, since Andrei Sokolov's share fell into serious trials, but we nevertheless admire them involuntarily. Could not break it neither the death of loved ones, nor the war. "The fate of man" (Sholokhov MA) - a work very humanistic. The main character finds the meaning of life in helping another. This, above all, required a severe post-war time.