"Golden key" - a story or a story? Analysis of the work "The Golden Key" by AN Tolstoy

Hardly anyone remembers that Alexei Tolstoy did not plan to create an independent fairy tale, but just wanted to translate into Russian the magic story of the Italian writer Carlo Collodi, which is called "The Adventures of Pinocchio. History of a wooden doll ". Literary scholars spent a lot of time trying to determine to which genre the "Golden Key" belongs (a story or story). An amazing and contradictory work that conquered a lot of young and even adult readers was written in the early twentieth century. But not everything went smoothly with his creation.

We know how diverse the work of Alexei Tolstoy is. The fairy tale "The Golden Key" for a while turned out to be out of the business - the writer was distracted by other projects. Returning to the Italian fairy tale, he decides not only to translate it into his native language, but also to supplement his thoughts and fantasies. As a result of this work, the world saw another beautiful work by the author, known to the Russian reader as the "Golden Key". We will try to analyze it.

Multifaceted author

Alexei Tolstoy is known for his versatility: he wrote poetry, plays, scripts, novels and stories, journalistic articles, did literary processing of fairy tales and much, much more. The theme of his work knows no bounds. Thus, in the works about the life of noblemen, the praise of Bolshevism is most often traced - his ideology seems to the writer the highest people's truth. In the unfinished novel "Peter I" Tolstoy criticizes the cruel reformist rule of the dictator. And in science fiction novels Aelita and Hyperboloid Engineer Garin, he extols the power of education, enlightenment, and praises peace.

When there is debate about whether the "Golden Key" is a story or a story, it is impossible to give a definite answer. After all, a fairy tale contains the signs of both genres. A fictional world and heroes further complicate the task. One thing is indisputable: this fairy tale is among the best works in the world literature for children.

The first publication of "Pinocchio"

The Italian K. Collodi first published his fairy tale "The Adventures of Pinocchio. History of a puppet "in 1883. Already in 1906, it was translated into Russian, printed the magazine "Sincere Word". Here it should be distracted and clarified that in the preface to the first edition (and this is 1935) Alexei Tolstoy writes that he heard this tale in his childhood and, when he retold it, came up with new adventures and an ending each time. Perhaps, he gave such a comment in order to explain the many author's additions and changes in the tale.

Being still in emigration, in the Berlin publishing house "Nakanune" together with the writer N. Petrovskaya A. Tolstoy publishes the book "The Adventures of Pinocchio". It really is the closest to the original Collodi version of the tale. A wooden boy is going through a lot of misadventures, and in the end a fairy with blue hair from a lazy mischievous person turns him into an obedient child.

The contract for writing a play

Later, when Tolstoy returned to Russia and wrote more than one work, he again turned to this text. The old-fashioned and sentimental nature of the original did not allow the writer to make his corrections not only in the plot, but also in the images of the main characters. It is known that he even consulted with Yu. Olesha and S. Marshak about writing his own independent tale.

Back in 1933, Tolstoy signed a contract with Detgiz to develop a script about the adventures of Pinocchio in his book, published in Berlin. But the work on "Walking on the agony" still did not allow me to distract myself. And only tragic events and the resulting heart attack returned Tolstoy to work on a light and simple-hearted tale.

Pinocchio or Pinocchio?

In 1935, the author created a remarkable and very significant from the point of view of cultural heritage fairy tale - "The Golden Key" (a story or story, it becomes clear below). Compared with the original source of the adventures of Buratino is much more interesting and original. The child, of course, will not be able to read the subtext that gave Tolstoy's fairy tale. All these hints are intended for adults who introduce their baby to Buratino, Malvina, Karabas and Pope Carlo.

A boring, moralistic presentation of history by the writer Collodi did not attract AN Tolstoy at all. It can be said that the fairy tale "The Golden Key, or the Adventures of Pinocchio" is only written based on K. Collodi. Tolstoy needed to show the young reader kindness and mutual assistance, faith in a bright future, the need for education, etc. And most importantly - to draw compassion for the oppressed (dolls from the theater of Karabas) and hatred of the oppressors (Karabas and Duramar). As a result, the "Golden Key" (a story or story, we still need to try to understand) proved to be a great success for Tolstoy.

Story line

Of course, we remember that the main storyline tells us about how Pinocchio and his friends-dolls confront the villains: Karabas, Cat Basilio and the fox Alice, Duremar and other representatives of the power of the Fool Country. The struggle is for the golden key, which opens the door to another world. Tolstoy repeatedly created multilayered texts - a superficial retelling of events actually turns out to be a rather profound analysis of what is happening. This is his symbolism of works. The golden key for Pinocchio and Pope Carlo is freedom, justice, the opportunity to help everyone and become better and more educated. But for Karabas and his friends - it is a symbol of power and wealth, a symbol of oppression of the "poor and stupid."

Tale composition

The author clearly sympathizes with "bright forces". Negative characters he submits satirically, deriding all their aspirations to exploit the good-natured poor. He describes in some detail the way of life in the Land of Fools, debunking the "strength of the seven-tailed lash" at the end and singing about humanity and kindness. This description of social life is so emotional and lively that all children really sympathize with the adventures of Pinocchio.

It is this composition that allows us not to wonder whether the "Golden Key" is a story or a story, but it is clear that all the features of the construction of a literary work described are characteristic of the story.

Instructive images of Tolstoy

What else can answer the question: "The Golden Key" is a story or a story? "The author himself calls" The Adventures of Buratino "a fairy tale, because she describes the events of more than one day, and the action takes place in the whole country: from a small town on the seashore Through the forest, in which both good and not so travelers can meet, to the wasteland of the Fool Country and on ...

Prisuschy product and some characteristics of folk art. So, all the characters are described very clearly and clearly. From the first mention we understand, a good hero or not. The mischievous Pinocchio, who at first sight is an ill-bred and uncouth piece of wood, turns out to be a brave and just boy. He is presented to us in a combination of positive and negative, as if recalling that all people are imperfect. We love him not only for boundless luck - Tolstoy was able to show that it's all wrong to make mistakes, to commit awkward stupidities and strive to slip away from duties. Nothing human is alien to the heroes of the fairy tale "The Golden Key, or The Adventures of Pinocchio."

The doll of Malvina for all its beauty and spiritual purity is pretty boring. Her desire to educate and teach all very clearly shows that no coercive measures can force a person to learn something. This requires only an inner desire and understanding of the meaning of education.

Funny criminals

The comic technique in Tolstoy's novel The Golden Key is also used to describe negative characters. Satire, from which all the dialogues of the cat Basilio and the foxes of Alice are fed, from the very beginning makes it clear how near and petty these criminals are. In general, it is worth noting that the images of oppressors in the fairy tale Golden Key, or The Adventures of Pinocchio, cause a smile and perplexity rather than anger. The author tries to show the children that lies, anger, greed, greed for profit are not just bad; All these qualities lead to the fact that a person falls into stupid situations, trying to harm another.

Oppression without violence

It is worth noting that a completely humane and peaceful tale - "The Golden Key, or The Adventures of Pinocchio." One story about the misadventures of a wooden boy is replaced by another, but nowhere is there death or violence. Karabas Barabas only waves his whip, Cat and Fox quite ridiculously hang Buratino on a tree, the Court of the Country of Fools defines to the boy a measure of punishment - to drown in a swamp. But everyone knows that a tree (and Pinocchio - it's still a log) needs a lot of time to drown. All these acts of violence look comical and bizarre and nothing more.

And even Arthonom smothered Shushar rat is mentioned casually, this episode is not accented. In a fair fight with Pinocchio Buratino, the boy wins by tying the doctor of puppetry for his beard to the tree. This again gives the reader the ground for reflection, encourages in any situation to find harmless, but unequivocal solutions.

Shalong is the engine of progress

The fairy tale "The Golden Key, or The Adventures of Pinocchio" clearly demonstrates to the reader that the child was initially curious and restless. In the book of Tolstoy Pinocchio - in no case is not a lazy loafer (like Pinocchio at Collodi), on the contrary, he is very energetic and curious. It is this interest in all aspects of life that the writer stresses. Yes, often a child gets into a bad company (Basilio's cat and Alice's fox), but adults can explain and clearly demonstrate the bright colors of life (the wise and ancient tortoise Tortilla opens Buratino's eyes to who is his friend and who is the enemy).

This is the phenomenon of Alexei Tolstoy's creativity. The fairy tale "The Golden Key" is in fact a very instructive and profound work. But the lightness of the style and the chosen scenery allow us to read everything from cover to cover in one breath and make absolutely unambiguous conclusions about good and evil.