Vasiliev wrote the novel “Don’t Shoot White Swans” in 1973. The central theme of the work is the theme of man and nature. The novel belongs to the works of village prose.
In the novel, nature is not just the background of events, but also a separate hero of the story: through landscapes, descriptions natural phenomena transmitted general mood episodes, the feelings of the characters are emphasized.
Main characters
Egor Savelich Polushkin– carpenter, loved nature and treated it with care; often got into trouble and received the nickname “poor bearer” (although he was named after St. George the Victorious). He had two children - Kolka and little Olya.
Buryanov Fedor Ipatych– brother-in-law of Yegor, married to Kharitina’s sister Marya, forester in the security area near Black Lake
Kolka- a 10-year-old boy, Polushkin’s son, a “clean-eyed little man”, loved nature and reading books.
Other characters
Yuri Petrovich Chuvalov- a new forester, respected Polushkin, fell in love with Nonna Yuryevna.
Nonna Yurievna- a 23-year-old girl, Kolka’s teacher, fell in love with Chuvalov.
Kharitina Makarovna- wife of Yegor, mother of Kolka and little Olya.
Yakov Prokopych- Polushkin’s boss at the boat station.
Filka, Skull- the men with whom Yegor drank and had sex.
From the author
“When I enter the forest, I hear Egor’s life.” Yegor always remained himself, acted “as his conscience commanded.”
Chapter 1
“Egor Polushkin was called the poor bearer in the village.” Everyone in the village laughed at them. Fyodor Ipatych, Yegor's brother-in-law, was a forester and constantly took advantage of his position. Buryanov condemned and instructed Yegor.
When the Polushkins moved to the city, Buryanov gave them his an old house, although he had previously removed the floor and logs from the cellar. For this, Yegor built his brother-in-law a five-walled house made of branded logs with a carved rooster weathervane.
Chapter 2
The son of Yegor and Kharitina Kolka was very simple-minded, he believed in everything, so he, like his father, was often mocked. The boy knew his way around the forest well and knew how to calm down angry dogs.
Chapter 3
“Yegor Polushkin’s usual job in a new place did not work out.” While Buryanov was working, everything was going well - he did not rush him. But in carpentry teams it was necessary to do things quickly, not efficiently, so he didn’t last long anywhere.
Yegor got a job as a boatman at the boat station for Yakov Prokopych. Polushkin was supposed to take care of the boats and the pier and transport tourists.
Chapter 4
Fyodor Ipatych was called to the region by a new forester: he was indignant at why the forest was unorganized and there were no acts for felling. Buryanov brought gifts from the region, and gave Kolka a compass.
At the boat station, Yegor worked as best he could. The only time he angered his boss was when, instead of numbers on the boat, he drew birds, animals and flowers.
Chapter 5
The first tourists arrived. Yegor and Kolka took them on a boat to go fishing. Not far from the clearing where the tourists stopped, there was a large anthill. The visitors burned it: “Man is the king of nature.” Yegor and Kolka felt sorry for the ants.
The tourists got Yegor drunk, began to mock him, and forced him to dance. Kolka, with tears in his eyes, asked to stop. The tourists dared Yegor to hit his son. The drunken Polushkin hit Kolka for the first time, and he silently left.
The tourists told Yegor to leave. He still couldn’t sail and capsized the boat. While dragging the overturned boat on a rope, Yegor lost his motor.
Chapters 6–7
At the first meeting, the new forester asked how much it cost Fyodor Ipatych new house, summing up that this is a “criminal matter.” To settle everything for money, Buryanov began looking for ways to earn money: for 30 rubles he took tourists fishing in reserved place.
Kolka did not want to return home and spent the night with teacher Nonna Yuryevna.
Egor had to pay 300 rubles for the lost motor. Polushkin killed the pig and took it to the market.
Chapter 8
Polushkin was afraid of the market, so he was easily deceived: they bought a pig for 200 rubles, although it cost 400.
Chapter 9
Yegor failed to make money on the linden bast either - while he was thinking, others had already stripped the trees.
Chapter 10
Polushkin, not seeing any ways to make money, started drinking. He made friends with whom he drank – Filya and Cherepok. Yegor learned how to play tricks.
Kharitina got a job as a dishwasher in the canteen. Sometimes Yegor secretly took her money.
Once, Vovka, Kolka’s cousin, tried to drown the puppy. To save the animal, Kolka exchanged the puppy for a compass.
Chapter 11
Nonna Yuryevna received her own housing, but the premises were in disrepair. Yegor agreed to repair everything for her.
Chapter 12
“Fyodor Ipatovich paid off all his debts, got all the certificates” and went to the new forester Chuvalov. Yuri Petrovich kept the folder with his documents: Chuvalov did not like Buryanov too much.
Chapter 13
When Yegor and Kolka were renovating Nonna Yuryevna’s home, Chuvalov, who had arrived in the village, came to see them.
Chapter 14
Sitting at the table with Yegor, Chuvalov listened to him attentively, calling Polushkin by his first name and patronymic.
Chuvalov took Yegor, Kolka and Nonna Yuryevna with him to Black Lake.
Chapter 15
On the way to the lake, under the leadership of Chuvalov, Kolka conducted a “census of animals”.
Chapter 16
Early in the morning, Yegor saw Nonna Yuryevna swimming naked by the river, admiring it.
In the evening, around the fire, Yegor said that in the old days Black Lake was called Lebyazhy. While the others went around the lake, Yegor carved out the figure of a thin, flexible woman from a linden tree with an ax.
Chapter 17
Having learned that Polushkin and the new forester had gone into the forest, Buryanov decided that Yegor was aiming for his place.
Chapter 18
Yuri Petrovich offered Yegor the position of forester instead of Buryanov. Egor agreed.
“Egor enthusiastically cleared the forest, cut through overgrown clearings, pulled dead wood and dead wood into piles,” and felt happy. Once Polushkin saw that Filya and Cherepok had cut down a tree without permission and demanded that they hand over the axes. Indignant Filya threatened him.
Chapter 19
Nonna Yuryevna left for Leningrad to see Chuvalov again. After the night, Yuri Petrovich said that he was married. The girl immediately packed up and left.
Two years ago, Chuvalov married an intern from Moscow, Marina. Three days after the wedding, she left for Moscow and disappeared. Chuvalov was worried that she had a child from him.
After the incident, Nonna Yuryevna left the village. Chuvalov, who was trying to find her, shared his story with Yegor.
A week later, Polushkin was invited to the All-Union Conference in Moscow.
Chapter 20
Arriving in Moscow, Polushkin, remembering Chuvalov’s story, looked for Marina. She was already married and said that her child was not Chuvalov’s.
At the ministry, Yegor was asked to give a speech. Polushkin spoke about the Black Lake, about the need for such lakes to “become ringing back: Swan or Goose, Crane.” “No man is the king of nature.<…>He is her son, her eldest son.”
With the money of the people of the village, Yegor bought two pairs of swans at the zoo.
Chapter 21
Fyodor Ipatych was summoned to the investigator three times: “it looks like the house will be taken away.”
Polushkin arranged the birds on the Black Lake. One rainy autumn night, Yegor, who was ill, heard blows on Black Lake and immediately hurried there. Those same tourists killed and boiled swans in a saucepan. Polushkin demanded their documents. The tourists severely beat Yegor and abandoned him.
They found Polushkin the next day, and he woke up in the hospital. Buryanov came to Yegor to ask for forgiveness: Fyodor Ipatych was among the poachers. Polushkin did not betray anyone and forgave his brother-in-law. “Yegor overcame pain, sadness and melancholy” and died.
From the author
Fyodor Ipatych’s house was taken away, he left with his family.
Chuvalov married Nonna Yuryevna. Behind their apartment stands a white maiden carved from linden by Yegor.
“And the Black Lake remained Black. It must be time for Kolka now.”
Conclusion
Depicting two heroes, Yegor and Fyodor Ipatych, the author shows two opposite relationships to nature, the surrounding world: creative and utilitarian. Polushkin believes that everything around needs to be protected, multiplied, he loves and appreciates every tree, every ant. Buryanov only uses the gifts of nature; he doesn’t care what happens after him.
The novel “Don't Shoot White Swans” was filmed in 1980 (directed by R. Nakhapetov).
A brief retelling of “Don’t Shoot White Swans” will be of interest to schoolchildren, students and anyone interested in Russian literature.
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Retelling rating
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A resident of the village, Yegor Polushkin, was nicknamed the “poor bearer,” and even his wife Kharitina called him that. Kharitina’s sister, Maryitsa, lured the Polushkins to this village. Once upon a time there were endless forests here, but now only one single grove remains near the Black Pond, and it has become a protected area. They even assigned forester Fyodor Buryanov, Polushkin’s cousin and Maryitsa’s husband, to her. Since then he has become the most respected man in the area. With the help of the golden hands of his brother Yegor, he built himself a carved mansion, and gave the old hut to the Polushkin family.
Summary of "Don't shoot white swans." Vasiliev
Egor was in good standing on his native collective farm, but here everything didn’t work out right away, because he didn’t know how to be cunning and worked slowly, but with soul. He began working in a carpenter's brigade, where, due to his slowness, he ruined the plan. Then he was a laborer and once dug a trench for a sewer pipe. In order not to damage the anthill, he made a detour around his trench. Well, he didn’t realize that no one would lay a crooked pipe. Then Yegor began working at a boat station that took tourists to the reserve on vacation, but even here he did not stay long, and again because of an anthill that drunken tourists burned with gasoline in front of his eyes.
Summary: "Don't shoot white swans." Continuation of the story
And then there's serious problems Buryanov began, his superiors demanded from him acts for cutting down forest for his house, which did not exist. The new chief forester Chuvalov forced them to pay for the logs. Fyodor did not dare to part with the money. Therefore, I looked for other ways to make money. Polushkin was one of those victims chosen by an insidious relative. Further summary“Don't Shoot White Swans” twists with intrigue.
After a series of money hits, poor Yegor was completely lost in life, he even had friends - Cherepok and Filya, who taught him how to cheat and deceive people.
One day he, together with Chuvalov and teacher Nona Yuryevna, went to the reserve. The chief forester was already familiar with Buryanov’s insidious plans. And Fyodor Ipatovich himself, when he learned about their campaign, harbored even more anger against Polushkin, thinking that he was aiming for his place.
During the campaign, Chuvalov saw how Polushkin treated nature like a master, then he decided to put Yegor in Buryanov’s place.
Swans
Once Yegor was invited to the All-Union Meeting of Foresters in Moscow, from where he returned with a pair of live swans, purchased with money that his fellow villagers gave him for all sorts of purchases.
The summary of “Don’t Shoot White Swans” ends with the fact that in the evening of the next day Polushkin was found bloodied, he was crawling towards his house. He never gave up to the investigator those whom he saw on the pond. And he recognized his friends there, and his brother Fyodor, who later came to ask his forgiveness in the hospital, and he forgave him, of course, because he had a good heart and was not vindictive.
All the residents of the village called Yegor Polushkin a poor bearer. Nobody remembered where the first two letters disappeared. Even Polushkin’s wife, Kharitina, called her husband an “overseas inhuman” and a “damn poor bearer.” Kharitina was originally from Zaoneezhye, and her grievances began with early childhood when a drunken priest gave her this impossible name. Native sister she called her Tina, and her good neighbors called her Kharey. Sister Maryitsa lured the Polushkins to this village, built at a woodworking factory. Once upon a time, endless forests roared around the village. Over the course of several decades, they were cut down. They came to their senses when there was only one grove left near the Black Lake. She was recognized as a “reserve” and a forester was assigned - Maryitsa’s husband and Polushkin’s cousin, Fyodor Ipatovich Buryanov. Buryanov became the richest and most respected man in the village.
The Buryanovs' house is a five-walled mansion, cut down by Polushkin's golden hands. When Egor and his wife and children - son Nikolai and daughter Olga - moved to the village. Buryanov gave his old, unsightly hut to his cousin, from where he even removed the floors and logs from the cellar. In return, Yegor built Fyodor Ipatovich a good-quality five-wall building and skillfully carved a cockerel for the roof.
Polushkinna’s son, Kolka, a “clean-eyed little man,” took after his father. The boy was smart, patient, but very pure and trusting. He rarely cried, and not because of resentment or pain, but only because of pity and sympathy for others. And Kolka was most offended when his father was called a poor bearer. But Vovka, Buryanov’s son, was often and strongly offended, and roared only because of his own grievances.
On his native collective farm, Yegor Polushkin was in good standing, but things didn’t work out at his new place. All of Polushkin’s troubles stem from the fact that he couldn’t work without a soul. The first two months, when Yegor Fyodor Ipatovich was building a house from dawn to dusk, he worked joyfully, “as his heart commanded.” The cunning Buryanov knew that rushing a master would cost himself more. Then they took Polushkin into the carpenter’s construction team - and an endless black streak began. Egor, a skilled carpenter, did not know how to work a quick fix. He did everything slowly, as if “for himself,” and thwarted the construction team’s plan.
Having gone through all the construction crews of the village, Polushkin ended up as a general worker, but he didn’t stay here for long either. One day, on a warm May day, Polushkin was assigned to dig a trench for a sewer pipe. Egor worked joyfully. The trench turned out to be straight, like an arrow, until an anthill was encountered on its way. Polushkin took pity on the hardworking goosebumps and took a detour around the trench, only to realize that there are no crooked sewer pipes. This incident became known to the entire village, and finally strengthened Polushkin’s reputation as a beggar. Kolka began to come home from school covered in bruises.
Yegor's next place of work was a boat station. She stood by a small lake that appeared on the site of a dammed river. The station served tourists who flocked to this vibrant corner not only from district center, but also from Moscow itself. Yegor's golden hands came in handy here. The head of the boat station, an “elderly man, very tired of life,” Yakov Prokopych Sazanov, was pleased with Yegor’s work and diligence, and Polushkin himself liked the work.
Meanwhile, the new forester called Fyodor Ipatovich Buryanov and demanded from him all the acts for cutting down the forest. And what kind of acts when Buryanov’s new five-walled hut lights up the entire village.
Egor tried new job, how could. Only once did he anger his boss - instead of the black numbers required by the charter, he painted a cheerful, bright animal or flower on the bow of each boat. Seeing Yegorov’s “art,” Yakov Prokopych became angry and ordered this disgrace to be painted over. The real trouble, however, was not long in coming. The first group of tourists this year arrived at the boat station - “three men, and two little girls with them.” Sazanov allocated a valuable motor boat to Polushkina and ordered him to transport tourists across the river. Egor took Kolka with him to help. The tourists were transported, a place for the camp was chosen, but the problem was: there was a huge anthill nearby. Egor suggested moving the camp to another clearing, but one of the tourists said that the ants were not a hindrance to them, but “man is the king of nature,” doused the anthill with gasoline and set it on fire.
Afterwards, the tourists laid out a tablecloth, laid out food, and began to treat Yegor and Kolka. Even though the Polushkins accepted the treat, burning ants still stood before their eyes. Polushkin had never abused alcohol, but now he drank too much, began to dance and fall. The tourists were amused and egged on. Kolka felt ashamed of his father. He tried to stop Yegor, and Polushkin raised his hand against his son for the first time. Kolka ran away, and Yegor trudged to the shore. I started to start the engine in the boat, but it didn’t start, it just turned over. So, I turned it over and dragged it along the shore by the rope.
Fyodor Ipatovich was in concern and confusion: the new forester Yuri Petrovich Chuvalov demanded to pay for the logs that were used for the house. Buryanov had money, but did not have the strength to part with it.
Egor brought the boat to the station empty - no oars, no motor. He came to his senses only two days later and rushed to search, but in vain. Everything disappeared: the engine, the tank, the rowlocks, and the tourists. Kolka left home and lived with teacher Nonna Yuryevna for several days. Polushkin had to pay three hundred rubles for the lost property - unprecedented money for him. Buryanov didn’t lend me the money, so I had to cut up the pig and take it to the city to sell. And Buryanov “stole money” from those tourists. Vovka was sent to search for Kolka. He wandered into the tourists’ place and found out not only about Yegor’s “demonstration performances,” but also that their fishing was not going well. So Buryanov took them for 30 rubles to Black Lake, to the protected area.
In the city, Polushkin was deceived, and he received only 200 rubles for the pig. And then at the procurement office they posted an announcement: regional procurement officers buy soaked linden bast from the population and pay 50 kopecks per kilogram. While Polushkin was thinking and taking permission from Fyodor Ipatovich, Buryanov himself wasted no time. Arriving a few days later in the forest, Polushkin saw a completely stripped and destroyed linden grove.
Kharitina Polushkina went to the authorities all this time and managed to get a nursery for her daughter and a job for herself. She began working as a dishwasher in the dining room. After the failure, Yegor gave up on himself and started drinking. Friends appeared, Cherepok and Phil, and taught Polushkin how to play the coven, deceive people and take money out of the house.
It was at one of these gatherings that Polushkin and Nonna Yuryevna met. Kolka's teacher was from Leningrad. She ended up in this remote village after graduating from college. Nonna Yuryevna lived here like a gray mouse, but rumors about the young and unmarried teacher still spread - they were spread by the landlady with whom the teacher lived. Then Nonna Yuryevna showed persistence and knocked out a separate home for herself - a tumbledown hut with a leaky roof. To repair this roof, Nonna hired three shabashniks, Polushkin, a shard and Filya. Yegor did not deceive the teacher. And Kharitina gave the money that was not enough for repairs.
The new forester, Yuri Petrovich Chuvalov, like the teacher Nonna Yuryevna, was from Leningrad. His parents died a year after the victory, and little Yura was raised by a neighbor. Chuvalov found out about this only at the age of 16, but the woman who raised him remained a mother to Yuri Petrovich. Of course, Fyodor Ipatovich did not know all this when he went to the regional center to hand over a certificate of payment for the forest to the forester, who went to build the Buryanovskaya five-wall. But this information turned out to be not enough. Yuri Petrovich needed permission to cut down drill pine forest. In vain Fyodor Ipatovich fussed and got out of it - Chuvalov was adamant, and kept the daddy with Buryanov’s certificates.
Chuvalov was not going to give this folder to anyone, he simply “could not deny himself the pleasure of leaving Fyodor Ipatovich alone with fear.” However, Yuri Petrovich still decided to visit this distant corner of his farm, fortunately there was a reason: to give a parcel from his mother to the local teacher.
The “fast streak” began again in Polushkin’s life. He helped Nonna Yuryevna from the bottom of his heart and did not bother her with “construction” problems. I decided everything myself. Kolka helped his father, although all his thoughts were about Olya Kuzina and the puppy. Kolka was in love with his classmate Olya, but Kuzina herself looked exclusively at his cousin Vovka. And Kolka traded the puppy from Vovka for a new compass, saving him when Buryanov Jr. decided to drown the animal. Now the puppy lived with the Buryanovs, and Vovka fed it every other day, but did not give it to Kolka, “ real price"demanded.
In the midst of this hectic activity, a new forester appeared at Nonna Yuryevna’s house. Having learned that Chuvalov was going to Black Lake, Nonna Yuryevna advised taking Yegor as a guide. Yuri Petrovich took not only Yegor and Kolka to Black Lake, but also Nonna Yuryevna herself. Kolke forester special assignment gave: write down in a notebook all the living creatures encountered along the way. Along the way, Nonna Yuryevna, a city resident, managed to get lost, but everyone reached the Black Lake safe and sound. Yuri Petrovich said that this lake used to be called Lebyazhy.
An old tourist camp was discovered near the lake and Chuvalov ordered to cut out a new pillar marking the protected area. Only Yegor was not working on the pillar when everyone left. One morning he saw Nonna bathing in the lake, and cut out the figure of a naked woman from a crooked trunk. He cut it out and got scared: the forester would scold him for his unauthorized artwork. However, Chuvalov did not swear - the figure turned out to be a real work of art.
Fyodor Ipatovich, meanwhile, learned that Yegor had taken the forester to Black Lake, and harbored a grudge - he decided that Polushkin was aiming for his place. Buryanov frowned for two days, “turning over his cast-iron thoughts,” and then smiled evilly. Well, Yegor was happy. No one had ever spoken to him so respectfully, called him Yegor Savelich or taken his art seriously. Kolka was also lucky: Chuvalov gave him a real spinning rod.
After this trip, Chuvalov realized that no one would look after the protected area better than Polushkin. So Yegor became a forester instead of Buryanov. Polushkin got down to business zealously. He cleaned the forest, and instead of “prohibiting” signs, he hung billboards with poems “about order” from Kolka’s essay throughout the reserve. Egor drove Filya and Skull, who were illegally cutting down the forest, out of the forest.
Meanwhile, Nonna Yuryevna went to the regional center and agreed to buy a globe, maps and sports equipment for the school. Arriving in the city, she called Yuri Petrovich, who invited her to dinner. Nonna discovered “that until now two completely opposite creatures had coexisted peacefully in her” - an adult, self-confident woman, and a cowardly girl. It was the woman who spent the night with Chuvalov, and after that Yuri Petrovich admitted that he was married. Chuvalov's marriage was strange. When he was working in the Altai forestry, a young trainee, Marina, came to him from Moscow. After spending the night with her, Yuri immediately got married, and three days later the young wife left for Moscow. Two months later, Marina reported that she had “lost” her passport with a marriage stamp and received a new, clean one. Chuvalov did not lose his passport, but tried to forget about this story. A few years later, Yuri found out that Marina had given birth, but she did not say whether it was his child. He didn’t have time to explain anything to Nonna - when she heard about the marriage, she got dressed and left. Arriving in the village a few days later, Chuvalov learned that Nonna had left for Leningrad.
Chuvalov came to the village for a reason - he brought the boss, who really liked Kolka’s works. It was then that Chuvalov told Polushkin “the story of his family life" A week later, a call came from Moscow - Yegor Polushkin was invited to the All-Union Conference of Forestry Workers. For Buryanov, things were not going well at all - the criminal investigation department became interested in him.
Yegor traveled to Moscow through the regional center, but did not find Yuri Petrovich there - he left for Leningrad. In the capital, Polushkin “participated in debates” and visited the zoo. He arrived in Moscow with the money of almost all the residents of the village and a list of “orders,” but, once at the zoo, he forgot about the list and bought two pairs of live swans. Polushkin wanted the lake to become Lebyazhy again. Polushkin also found Marina, the wife of Yuri Petrovich, and learned that she had long ago had another family.
Polushkin arranged the swans in a house near the Black Lake, and placed two more birds made of light wood on the sides of the house. Yuri Petrovich returned from Leningrad alone. Nonna refused to return, and Polushkin was already thinking: shouldn’t he go to Leningrad?
That night when Polushkin heard a strange noise in his forest “was wonderfully robberish.” The day before, at the village store, Kolka met the same tourist who set the anthill on fire, with a string bag full of vodka. That’s why Yegor drove his horse through the night, autumn and wet forest, even Kharitina couldn’t hold back. Explosions came from Black Lake - they were killing fish there. Running out into the light, towards the fire, Yegor saw a pot over the fire, from which swan paws were peeking out. The remaining swans, already plucked, lay near the fire, and the fifth swan, a wooden one, was burned in the fire. These poachers brought Phil and Skull to the lake, they beat him, and someone else set the dog on. They found Yegor by the evening of the next day. He crawled towards the house, and behind him from the lake itself there was a trail of blood.
At the hospital, Polushkin was interrogated by an investigator, but Yegor did not give up those whom he recognized. And he recognized not only his former friends, but also Fyodor Ipatovich. Buryanov came to the hospital to ask for forgiveness and brought a bottle of expensive cognac. Yegor forgave, but did not want cognac, and Fyodor Ipatovich found the expensive French drink bitter. Polushkin closed his eyes and “stepped over the pain, sadness and melancholy,” and then rode on his horse “to where the endless battle is going on and where the black creature, wriggling, is still spewing out evil.” And Kolka gave Vovka a spinning rod for a puppy.
From the author
Every time the author finds himself in the forest, he remembers Yegor and those who knew him. “The shard came under the decree,” but Filya still drinks and goes wild. Every spring he paints the tin obelisk on Polushkin’s grave. Fyodor Ipatovich's house was taken away from him, and he left with his entire family. There is another forester on Black Lake, so Kolka doesn’t like to go there. Yuri Petrovis Chuvalov received an apartment and married the pregnant Nonna Yuryevna. Almost the entire largest room of the Chuvalovs’ apartment is occupied by a figure of a woman carved by Yegor. But Black Lake never became the Swan Lake, “it must be now until Kolka.”
Boris Vasiliev’s novel “Don’t Shoot the White Swans” (in some publications – “Don’t Shoot the White Swans”) was first published in the magazine “Yunost” in 1973. In 1980, director Rodion Nakhapetov made a film of the same name.
The Buryanov family moved to live in a remote village built near a woodworking factory. The head of the family, Fyodor Ipatovich, received a job as a forester and very quickly became the richest and most respected person in the village. Fyodor Maryitsa's wife has a married sister, Kharitina. Maryitsa persuaded her sister to move to the same locality to be closer to relatives.
Kharitina, her husband and children move to the village. However, instead of helping close relatives get a good job, Fyodor Ipatovich tries in every possible way to take advantage of his kind and simple-minded brother-in-law Yegor Polushkin. At this time, Yuri Petrovich Chuvalov was appointed to the post of forester. The new forester discovered that Buryanov's house was built from state forest. Seeing that the forester is not fair man, Chuvalov appoints Yegor Polushkin to this position.
Fyodor Ipatovich decided to take revenge on his brother-in-law. Hearing someone killing fish in a local lake at night, Yegor hurried to the reservoir. The poachers attacked the new forester and severely beat him. Polushkin recognized his offenders, among whom was his brother-in-law Fyodor, but he never betrayed anyone to the police. Buryanov came to Yegor’s hospital to ask for his forgiveness. The forester forgave his brother-in-law and soon died.
Buryanov family
The head of the family, Fyodor Ipatovich, is characterized as a cunning and ruthless man, capable of doing anything to achieve his own goals. Even close relative Buryanov considers it as free labor. Having moved to a new house built by Yegor, Fyodor “mercifully” left his brother-in-law’s family an old hut, from which he even took the floors. Knowing that Polushkin would forgive him, Buryanov organized an attack on his relative.
Vovka's son is a match for his father. Already in their early years the boy knows how to manipulate others by playing on their weaknesses. To get her cousin Kolka Polushkin's new compass, Vovka threatens to drown the puppy. The compass should be a ransom. However, even after receiving the desired item, the boy does not stop there. Vovka continues to keep the puppy, claiming that he is not worth one compass. Something else needs to be given.
Polushkin family
Polushkin received his name in honor of Yegor (George) the Victorious. His friends call him a poor man because Yegor constantly finds himself in unpleasant situations. Most of these situations arise only because Polushkin is a kind and honest person who does not tolerate violence even towards insects. Indicative is the case of Yegor’s refusal to dig a ditch for sewerage in a straight line, as was necessary. While working, Polushkin noticed an anthill and did not want to destroy it.
Egor is a talented carpenter. He knows how not only to build, but also to decorate and carve fancy figures from wood. However, the master does not stay at any of the jobs for long. He works with all his heart on every detail, which means he always spends a lot of time on his work. Not a single carpentry team wants to cooperate with such a carpenter. Polushkin misses deadlines, which leads to conflicts with customers. Egor never sees his own benefit and does not try to look for it. The desire for beauty makes the carpenter forget about everything in the world. Once in the capital, he first of all goes to the zoo, and not to the shops, as visitors from the outback usually do. Struck by the beauty of the swans, Yegor could not help but buy beautiful birds to settle on the lake.
Not only the head of the Polushkin family is distinguished by kindness, but also his wife and son. Kharitina is a grumpy woman. She believes that her life has not worked out since childhood, since during her baptism a drunken priest gave her strange name. The most important test for Kharitina was her husband. A wonderful family man and faithful husband, Yegor, however, cannot settle well in life. Despite the constant discontent and grumbling, Kharitina is able to give her last, just like her husband. The Polushkins' son Kolka madly loves his loser father and is always offended when Yegor is called a poor man. Kolka spared neither a compass nor a spinning rod to save the puppy.
Yuri Chuvalov
Minor character novel, thanks to which Polushkin received the position of a forester, appears positive hero. He denounces the dishonest Buryanov and removes him from his position.
Gradually, the image of Chuvalov begins to “blacken” and is finally revealed after the forester spent the night with the village teacher Nonna Yuryevna. Only in the morning did Chuvalov admit that he was not free. Once upon a time he seduced a girl named Marina. After the wedding, Marina left her husband for Moscow, where she “lost” her passport and received a new one, which did not have a stamp about marriage.
At the end of the novel, Chuvalov managed to rehabilitate himself. He married the pregnant Nonna Yuryevna. U ex-wife By that time, the forester had already had another family for a long time.
main idea
A moral act does not always receive material reward. However, a much higher reward awaits those who act according to their conscience - the right to feel like a Human.
Analysis of the work
Even a summary of “Don’t Shoot White Swans” can make a lasting impression on the reader. The author uses images that “catch” the audience, holding their attention for a long time, forcing them to follow the course of the story and empathize with the characters.
Living and inanimate nature helps draw the line between the kindness and callousness of the characters. If for the Polushkin family the life of a puppy and an ant is precious, then the other heroes of the novel do not consider either animals or insects to be living beings at all. The tourists, who were disturbed by the anthill, simply doused it with gasoline and set it on fire. Yegor was so amazed by the sight of the burning ants that he allowed himself to drink too much.
It’s unlikely that the story will leave anyone indifferent
This work is addressed to schoolchildren who are facing state final certification in the 11th grade in the Unified State Exam format.
The proposed material will help graduates in writing part C, namely: in the selection of arguments. In addition, the student will see that the problems raised by the authors of the texts may be different, and to express their opinion on them an argument taken from the same work can serve (the story by B. Vasilyev “Don’t Shoot White Swans”, the novel by I .S. Turgenev “Fathers and Sons”, poem by A.S. Pushkin “The forest drops its crimson attire...”).
In addition, such works as: the novel by M. Sholokhov “Virgin Soil Upturned”, the novel by N.G. Chernyshevsky “What to do?”, epic novel “War and Peace” by L.N. Tolstoy.
1. Problem careful attitude to nature: Argument from fiction(Boris Vasiliev’s story “Don’t Shoot White Swans”): Boris Vasiliev’s story “Don’t Shoot White Swans” depicts different people: thrifty owners of nature and those who treat it consumptively, committing terrible acts: burning an anthill, exterminating swans. This is the “gratitude” of tourists for their vacation and enjoyment of beauty. Fortunately, there are people like Yegor Polushkin, who strove to preserve and preserve the natural world and taught his son Kolka this. An argument from life: In life, unfortunately, there are the same heroes as in the story by B. Vasilyev. They cut down trees so as not to interfere with the construction of garages; they trample lawns to shorten the path; They do not keep city parks and surrounding forests clean, and thereby destroy nature and expose their “moral geology” by their actions. And only people like Yegor, every spring and autumn, increase green spaces, transform parks, and preserve forests.
2. The problem of happiness, the meaning of life: An argument from fiction (Boris Vasiliev’s story “Don’t Shoot the White Swans”): The problem of happiness and the meaning of life is revealed using the example of the hero Yegor Polushkin in Boris Vasiliev’s story “Don’t Shoot the White Swans.” Egor’s happiness and meaning in life is to protect nature for people. He said: “I want everyone to be kind, that’s it.” With what love he watched a pair of white swans on the Black Lake, which he bought in the regional city! He wanted “the lake to be called Swan back,” as it once was. He “acted not for reasons of reason, but as his conscience told him.” His conscience told him to live for people and protect nature for people too. An argument from life: It’s wonderful that the Yegor Polushkins live in our ordinary life: they maintain nurseries for homeless animals, improve playgrounds on their own initiative, and cultivate flower beds near houses. They do it not for themselves, but for others, and this makes them feel happy!
3. The problem of lack of spirituality, indifference, cruelty: Argument from fiction (Boris Vasiliev’s story “Don’t Shoot the White Swans”): Boris Vasiliev tells us about the lack of spirituality, indifference and cruelty of people in the story “Don’t Shoot the White Swans.” Tourists burned a huge anthill so as not to feel inconvenience from it, “they watched the giant structure, the patient work of millions of tiny creatures, melt before their eyes.” They looked at the fireworks with admiration and exclaimed: “Victory salute! Man is the king of nature." An argument from life: In life, unfortunately, more than once we have to deal with lack of spirituality, indifference, and cruelty both towards nature and towards people. All this leads to dire consequences: nature is dying, the number of orphanages is growing, and the percentage of crime in the country is increasing. Scary…
4. The problem of the place and role of beauty in a person’s life: Argument from fiction (I.S. Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and Sons”): This problem is addressed in I.S. Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and Sons.” Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov is a connoisseur of nature, art and literature. He listened with interest to the “ebullient speeches” of Yevgeny Bazarov, but could not understand how one could “reject poetry, not sympathize with art, nature?..” It is impossible to deny what makes our life more beautiful. An argument from life: Among my generation there are those who replaced books with a computer, do not know, for example, the name of the artist who painted the painting “The Rooks Have Arrived”, have a consumerist attitude towards nature... Their life, in my opinion, is uninteresting, poor, and they themselves, probably never experience spirituality.
5. The problem of education and upbringing in the development of personality: Argument from fiction (I.S. Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and Sons”): I.S. Turgenev did not avoid the problem of education and upbringing in the development of personality in the novel “Fathers and Sons” and solved it using the example of the life of N.P. Kirsanov , father of Arkady Kirsanov. Thoughtful, striving to fulfill his fatherly duty, he took Arkasha to St. Petersburg, to the University, and stayed with his son. He tried to get closer to Arkady's classmates, read the same books, was interested in the hobbies of young people, and followed modern life. Why? Yes, because he was worried not only about the material well-being of his son, but also spiritual development as a result of education and upbringing during growing up. An argument from life: Education is unthinkable without upbringing, otherwise it will be difficult to form your own life position, become a harmonious person. Literature lessons gave us moral lessons life, biology helped to gain health, history did not allow us to lose the connection of times... Education and upbringing are inseparable. There is a result: I have grown spiritually.
6. The problem of fidelity to the oath: Argument from fiction (A.S. Pushkin “The forest is dropping its crimson attire...”) An example of true friendship is the Lyceum Union of A.S. Pushkin’s comrades, about which the poet wrote in the poem “The forest is dropping its crimson attire...”: My friends! Our union is wonderful! He, like the soul, is indivisible and eternal. Lyceum students upon completion educational institution swore an oath to each other to gather at the Lyceum festival in 1825, but, unfortunately, only Alexander Gorchakov, who at that time became a diplomat and reached the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs, had this opportunity. Pushkin’s lyceum friends did not break the oath, they remembered it, but could not be at the meeting for political reasons, for example, I. Pushchin, as a participant in the uprising on Senate Square, was exiled to Siberia, Pushkin himself, as a disgraced poet, was in exile in Mikhailovsky. An argument from life: I have one too school friends. We are united by common interests: music, literature, sports. There is a common dream - to become certified specialists. We didn’t take an oath, but I’m sure it’s in our souls. This is a pledge of allegiance to school friendships. We must remember it and come to each other’s aid, no matter what.
7. Friendship Problem: Argument from fiction (A.S. Pushkin “The forest is dropping its crimson attire...”) An example of true friendship is the Lyceum Union of A.S. Pushkin’s comrades, about which the poet wrote in the poem “The forest is dropping its crimson attire...”: My friends! Our union is wonderful! He, like the soul, is indivisible and eternal. These lines sound like a hymn to the sacred feeling of friendship. An argument from life: I also have school friends. We are united by common interests: music, literature, sports. There is a common dream - to become certified specialists. We will try to maintain our school friendship, remember it and come to each other’s aid, no matter what.
8. The problem of maintaining honor and being true to your word: An argument from fiction (L.N. Tolstoy’s epic novel “War and Peace”): A man of honor and word is Nikolai Bolkonsky, the hero of L.N. Tolstoy’s epic novel “War and Peace.” He raised Andrei Bolkonsky in this spirit. Seeing his son off to war, his father strictly forbade him to serve out of mercy, because it was painful and shameful. Andrei did not promise anything, he was raised in the family of Nikolai Bolkonsky, where moral laws were observed, therefore he served the Fatherland faithfully, with dignity and honesty. An argument from life: The Bolkonskys live among us, you look up to them. We must be their successors in terms of morality: live honestly, remember honor, be true to our word. All this must have deep content and meaning. For example, I must successfully graduate from school, and, first of all, systematize knowledge in subjects and pass state exams with dignity in order to confidently hold a matriculation certificate in my hands.
9. The problem of forgetting parents as a mortal sin: An argument from fiction (A. Sholokhov’s novel “Virgin Soil Upturned”): The problem of forgetting parents as a mortal sin is considered in A. Sholokhov’s novel “Virgin Soil Upturned” using the example of the image of Yakov Lukich Ostrovny, who starved his own mother to death and kept her locked up for the sake of his salvation , to avoid reference. He waited for her death and waited: “The old woman was lying on the floor near the threshold, and the accidentally forgotten... mitten was chewed by her toothless gums...” Late he felt the severity of the loss he had suffered... Argument from life: The same problem sometimes sounds in modern life. Parents are forgotten: no calls, no letters, no financial assistance. They try to justify their children due to everyday worries and live in anticipation of a meeting... And adult children remember their father and mother too late and begin to atone for their sins in church... What is it, pain or fear?..
10. The problem of forming a person’s character: Argument from fiction (N.G. Chernyshevsky’s novel “What is to be done?”): The problem of forming a person’s character is considered by N.G. Chernyshevsky in his novel “What is to be done?” using the example of the image of Rakhmetov, a man of a “special breed”. He prepared himself to become a professional revolutionary and for this, first of all, he developed physical strength: did gymnastics, “adopted a boxing diet,” “was a plowman, a carpenter, and even walked the entire Volga as a barge hauler,” believed that “it’s useful, it might come in handy.” Nikitushka Lomov (as his “comrades in the strap” dubbed him) not only developed physically, but also strengthened his character. According to Chernyshevsky, Rakhmetov is a special person. An argument from life: At the end of school, a graduate will receive a certificate of maturity, but this will not end the process of his development as a person, the formation of character. The main thing ahead: do not turn away from the right way, overcome difficulties and realize your potential. This will require strength, moral and physical. Life will more than once test his character for strength, which, according to R. Emerson, “is a completely educated will.”
