History of creation At first, Bunin wrote in the form of poems, where he reflected, first of all, his love for his homeland. But gradually the writer began to think about creating prose works, like “Antonov apples”. The writer’s desire to convey the entire life of the Russian middle and upper classes in the countryside was first reflected in “Antonov Apples,” which are rightfully considered worthy of Bunin’s pen. The approximate time of their writing dates back to the late 1890s, and their first publication took place in 1900. middle 1890s 1900
Plot Their plot as a whole represents a description of the memories of the main character, and in each of the four chapters of the text they are different (although they have general meaning). Thus, the first part describes the trade of the famous “Antonov” apples by the townspeople in August, in the second autumn, the noble house where the main character and his relatives lived. The third describes his hunt with his brother-in-law, Arseny Semyonich, as well as the onset of winter. The fourth describes the November day of small-scale people. bourgeois in August autumn noble hunting November The patriotism of Bunin himself stands out from the plot, describing the middle (and partly higher) class in the Russian village, and from the writing style there are features artistic word author.patriotism
The author-narrator recalls the recent past. He remembers the early fine autumn, the whole golden, dried up and thinning garden, the subtle aroma of fallen leaves and the smell of Antonov apples: gardeners are pouring apples onto carts to send them to the city. Late at night, having run out into the garden and talked with the guards guarding the garden, he looks into the dark blue depths of the sky, crowded with constellations, looks for a long, long time until the earth floats under his feet, feeling how good it is to live in the world!
The narrator recalls his Vyselki, which since the time of his grandfather had been known in the area as a rich village. Old men and women lived there for a long time - the first sign of prosperity. The houses in Vyselki were brick and strong. The average noble life had much in common with the rich peasant life. He remembers his aunt Anna Gerasimovna, her estate - small, but strong, old, surrounded by hundred-year-old trees. My aunt’s garden was famous for its apple trees, nightingales and turtle doves, and the house for its roof: its thatched roof was unusually thick and high, blackened and hardened by time. In the house, first of all, the smell of apples was felt, and then other smells: old mahogany furniture, dried linden blossom.
The narrator remembers his late brother-in-law Arseny Semenych, a landowner-hunter, big house where a lot of people gathered, everyone had a hearty dinner, and then went hunting. A horn blows in the yard, dogs howl in different voices, the owner’s favorite, a black greyhound, climbs onto the table and devours the remains of a hare with sauce from the dish. The author remembers himself riding an angry, strong and squat “Kyrgyz”: trees flash before his eyes, the screams of hunters and the barking of dogs are heard in the distance. From the ravines there is a smell of mushroom dampness and wet tree bark. It gets dark, the whole gang of hunters pours into the estate of some almost unknown bachelor hunter and, it happens, lives with him for several days. After a whole day spent hunting, the warmth of a crowded house is especially pleasant. When I happened to oversleep the hunt the next morning, I could spend the whole day in the master's library, leafing through old magazines and books, looking at the notes in their margins. Family portraits look from the walls, an old dreamy life appears before your eyes, your grandmother is sadly remembered...
But the old people in Vyselki died, Anna Gerasimovna died, Arseny Semenych shot himself. The kingdom of small landed nobles, impoverished to the point of beggary, is coming. But this small-scale life is also good! The narrator happened to visit a neighbor. He gets up early, orders the samovar to be put on, and, putting on his boots, goes out onto the porch, where he is surrounded by hounds. It will be a nice day for hunting! Only they don’t hunt along the black trail with hounds, oh, if only they were greyhounds! But he doesn’t have greyhounds... However, with the onset of winter, again, as in the old days, small estates come together, drink with their last money, and disappear for whole days in the snowy fields. And in the evening, on some remote farm, the outbuilding windows glow far away in the darkness: candles are burning there, clouds of smoke are floating, they are playing the guitar, singing...
// / Analysis of Bunin's story " Antonov apples»
The story “Antonov Apples” was written in 1900. This work belongs to early period works of the great Russian poet and writer Ivan Bunin. Bunin was a passionate connoisseur and admirer of nature native land, he praised her more than once in his works. So, in the story “Antonov Apples” the writer shows us all the beauty of a wonderful time - Indian summer.
“Antonov Apples” is written in the form of a memoir. They do not have a clearly defined plot and end the same way they begin - with a description of scenes of nature. But in this detailed description scenes of nature, you can catch the awe and love that the author feels for that wonderful time.
In addition to colorful paintings of nature, Bunin Special attention devotes folk wisdom. His story - "Antonov Apples" is simply riddled with folk signs. Here, for example: if it rains on Laurentia, then the autumn will be long and the winter will be mild.
Bunin can safely be called a patriot of his homeland. All the values and flavor of our huge country are dear to him. All the images of garden fair participants he created amaze with their accuracy and individuality. Just pay attention to the young elder, whom the author compares to a Kholmogory cow, or the burry man who plays the harmonica.
We can feel all the relief of the story (smells, sounds, aromas, rustles) thanks to the widespread use of artistic definitions.
One important detail The scent that runs through the entire piece is the apple scent. Bunin shows us the apple orchard in different time day and night. And it seems that the night garden, decorated with shining stars, looks no worse than the daytime one.
The main theme of the work is the theme of the collapse of the noble way of life, which found its expression in the image of the estate. For the nobility of that time, an estate was not just a place of residence - it was their whole life. Bunin writes with pain in his heart that the apple orchard is fading, the sweet smell of apples is disappearing, that the old foundations are crumbling, everything is becoming a thing of the past. All this brings back nostalgic memories of the time when the nobility was at the zenith of its existence.
The story “Antonov Apples” also has character traits Bunin's works - simple hobbies village life. Thus, the author admired and greatly appreciated the village way of life with work in an open field, a clean white shirt, a piece of fresh bread and a glass of fresh milk.
Also in the story “Antonov Apples” another sensitive topic is raised - the topic of class inequality. Bunin claims that middle class The nobility can to some extent be called peasant. The writer admits that he did not know the foundations of serfdom, but often recalled how the current courtyards bowed to their masters.
“Antonov apples” teach us to love the nature of our native land, to love our homeland, as much as I.A. Bunin did. They make us remember our history and our roots.
Antonovsky apples is a story written by Bunin in 1900.
This is one of the writer’s very first prose works, since previously he dealt mainly with poetry.
The story is dedicated to the hero’s memories and is divided into four parts:
- Trade in the famous “Antonov” apples – a valuable variety of this fruit;
- Description of the noble house where the hero lived;
- Hunting and the onset of winter;
- One day in the life of the Russian middle class.
In general, the story is dedicated to the biography of representatives of the then Russian middle and partly upper classes and paints, one might say, an idyllic picture. At the same time, the patriotic component of “Antonov Apples” is noticeable.
Plot
The narrator is captivated by memories of his recent past. He conveys descriptions of nature, colors, sounds and smells that are very characteristic of Bunin; He was especially struck by the aroma of fallen leaves and Antonov apples, which merchants loaded onto carts to go with them to the city.
Late at night, he went out into the street and talked with the watchmen guarding the orchard with these apples, and then looked for a long time at the sky dotted with stars. Then the narrator is mentally transported to Vyselki, where he once lived.
At that time it was a wealthy village, the inhabitants of which lived there until old age, and this is the first sign of good material condition. Houses in Vyselki were built of brick and were strong. Life of landowners mediocre there was practically no different from the life of wealthy peasants.
In the small estate, surrounded by a picturesque garden, many beautiful smells were felt, among which the smell of apples stood out first. After this, the author remembers Arseny Semyonich, his brother-in-law, with whom they went hunting. This man also lived in abundance and was very hospitable.
People gathered at his house, everyone had a good dinner, including even greyhounds, and after that they went hunting. The narrator remembers how he rode on the furious horse Kirghiz, how after a long ride the whole company crashed for the night with some unfamiliar hunter, and in the morning they moved on or, having slept through the hunt, spent time in the library, leafing through old magazines and books.
In the fourth part, the narrator recalls how all the old people in Vyselki died out and even Arseny Semyonich shot himself. The time has come for the small landed nobles, who have become impoverished almost to the point of complete beggary. However, their life is not bad and quite entertaining. They also try to go hunting, get together and drink with their last money, and go to the forest in winter.
"Nostalgic patriotism"
“Antonov Apples” clearly shows what can be called “nostalgic patriotism.” This is one of the central elements of Bunin’s creativity, which occurs even in his largest work - in the novel “The Life of Arsenyev”. Bunin is in love with Russia, but rather not with modern and urban Russia, but with quiet rural Russia, filled with the spirit of “old times.”
He is close to simple moments from the life of small-scale nobles, townspeople and even peasants, and the life of all these classes was not particularly different from each other. But Bunin’s nostalgia is not alien to sadness: he notes how gradually, slowly and barely noticeably, this old world collapses - old people die, houses decay, nobles become poor and become drunkards.
I. Bunin's work is dedicated to the narrator's memories of his past. Each chapter tells about an event, person or place that the main character loved.
The narrator recalls life on the landowner's estate. Most of all, he remembers early autumn, when nature is just beginning to change. The estate smells ripe apples- Antonovka. These apples are sold directly in the orchard. They are then taken to the city on carts.
At night the garden is especially beautiful. Main character loves looking at the night sky. He admires the stars until a feeling of happiness appears in his soul. At such moments, the earth seems to spin under your feet.
There is a superstition among rural residents: if the year turns out to be fruitful for Antonov apples, then there will be a harvest for bread. This sign was especially well remembered by the main character.
The narrator remembered the village of Vyselki, which was considered one of the richest settlements in District. There were no poor yards here. Even families with modest incomes had brick houses.
Anna Gerasimovna, the narrator's aunt, lived in an old estate. Her house was surrounded by hundred-year-old trees. Anna Gerasimovna's garden was famous for the singing of birds and beautiful apples. The smell of these fruits permeated the whole house. The rooms smelled not only of apples, but also of old wooden furniture. The roof of the house was made of straw, which had hardened and turned black with time.
Arseny Semyonovich is another person from the protagonist’s past. He was the narrator's brother-in-law. Arseny Semyonovich loved guests and hunting. A lot of people always gathered in his house. After a hearty lunch they went hunting. In the evening, the company could go to spend the night at the estate of one of Arseny Semyonovich’s friends. Entertainment required considerable expenses, because in order to hunt, it is necessary to maintain a kennel. Sometimes Arseny Semyonovich stayed at home and spent the whole day in the library.
The narrator remembers his grandmother, who loved to play polonaises and read Pushkin's poems aloud. Women and girls like the protagonist's grandmother could be found in noble estates quite often. They all seemed to be similar to one another, and each of them evokes an irresistible nostalgia in the narrator.
In the last chapter, the main character reflects on the fact that the world he is familiar with is gradually fading into oblivion. There are practically no old-timers left in Vyselki. Anna Gerasimovna has been dead for a long time. Arseny Semyonovich voluntarily passed away.
The main character observes the gradual impoverishment of the nobility. Half-bankrupt gentlemen still gather at someone's estate, spending their last money on feasts. The nobles also go hunting and try to lead the same lifestyle that their ancestors once led.
The main character of I. Bunin’s work is the narrator himself. He introduces readers to his childhood and youth spent in the village.
Patriotism is one of the main traits of the main character, which he strives to show. The homeland for the main character is, first of all, smells. Many moments of happiness in this person’s life are associated with the smell of Antonov apples.
Everything that is dear to the main character becomes part of him. Native landscapes and close people seem to reflect his personality, revealing it from different sides. Anna Gerasimovna, the mistress of the old estate, and the grandmother of the protagonist symbolize the Russian nobility of the passing era. The narrator mentions women like his relatives who could be found on every estate. The noblewomen evoke deep sympathy in the protagonist, because modern women from high society are too far from previous ideals.
Arseny Semyonovich is Russian hospitality, love for the pleasures and joys of life. The main character himself loves hunting and feasts. Perhaps this is why the death of his brother-in-law causes regret in the narrator. The inhabitants of the village of Vyselki are also not indifferent to the main character, despite the fact that they simple people, not nobles. Long-livers of Vyselok are the unshakable Russian people, which the narrator loves so much, being a patriot.
main idea
To prove your patriotism, it is not necessary to perform life-threatening feats for glory native land. To be a patriot, you don't have to despise other people's cultures. It is enough to love your homeland with all its advantages and disadvantages, to accept your compatriots as they are, without looking back at their origin.
Every famous writer readers associate with some work: A. Pushkin - “Eugene Onegin”, M. Lermontov - “Hero of Our Time”, I. Bunin - “Antonov Apples”. The summary is not able to vividly describe the feelings of the main character. In order to appreciate the beauty of the style, you need to read the work in its entirety.
I. Bunin began his literary career as a poet. However, very soon he realized that he could give the reader much more if he became a prose writer. At the end of the 1890s, the work “Antonov Apples” was written, in which the author was able to realize all his creative ideas. The story was first published in 1900.
In his work, Bunin does not set himself the task of talking about any specific event. By using a short story he is trying to express his impressions received from two different eras. First, the author depicts the life of the nobility as it once was. The owners of huge estates led an idle lifestyle, received guests, and went hunting. The girls recited poems and played musical instruments. All these activities were of no value either for the gentlemen themselves or for the state as a whole. These were ways to fill spiritual emptiness, entertain yourself. However, this way of life was perceived as the norm.
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