The main themes and motives in the story “Signal” by V. M.

Ivanov Semyon Ivanovich - main character story "Signal" by Garshin. He is a former soldier, orderly. Semyon Ivanovich becomes a “watchman on railway" He lives, “a sick and broken man,” together with his wife Arina, in a booth that has “about half a tenth of arable land.” Semyon’s worldview combines the eternal peasant attraction to the land with an awareness of the responsibility of his new “iron” position. His philosophy: “to whomever the Lord gives what talent-destiny, so it is.”

Another of his distance neighbors is “a young man,” “thin and wiry,” Vasily Stepanovich Spiridov. He is convinced: “It’s not talent-fate that is boring you and me forever, but people.<...>If you blame all bad things on God, but sit and endure it yourself, then, brother, that’s not being a man, but being a beast.”

Having quarreled with his superiors, Vasily leaves the service and goes to Moscow to seek “control for himself.” Apparently to no avail: a few days later he returns and unscrews the rail just before the arrival of a passenger train. Semyon notices this and tries to prevent the crash: he wets a handkerchief with his own blood and with such a red flag goes out to meet the train. He loses consciousness from severe bleeding, and then the flag is picked up by Vasily, who was watching what was happening from afar. The train has stopped. The last phrase of the story is the words of Vasily: “Tie me up, I turned away the rail.”

Garshin’s story “The Signal” became a textbook reading for teenagers, but its interpretation by Soviet literary scholars was rather simplified. To the routine and meaningless phrase that in “Signal” Garshin calls for “heroism, for self-sacrifice for the good of the people,” was added the consideration that “Semyon is shown as a supporter of meek humility and is opposed to a person who passionately hates his masters modern life. At the same time, the supporter of struggle comes to crime, and the preacher of humility - to the feat of self-sacrifice.” Garshin is accused of following the “reactionary Tolstoy “theory” of “non-resistance to evil through violence.”

However, the content of the story indicates slightly different goals of the author: Vasily’s conflicts with his superiors are often caused by his character, his rather free attitude towards his own responsibilities. And his crime is not commensurate with the insult inflicted on him. It seems that here Garshin follows not so much the “Tolstoyism” not loved by the ideologists of Bolshevism and their associates, but expresses a conviction generally characteristic of Russian writers of the 2nd half of the 19th century c: any radicalism is destructive, it brings only evil and has no moral justification.

It is for the sake of affirming this idea that Garshin gives such a symbolic, largely literary ending in “Signal” (was it really necessary for Semyon to wet the handkerchief with blood?! Is it really that a person on the rails, waving any object, is not an alarm signal for the driver?!) . Where there is radicalism, there are crimes, there is the blood of innocent victims, says the writer. Decades later, the flag, red with Semyon’s blood, in Vasily’s hand fatally began to express the meaning of the bloody radicalism of the 20th century. - Bolshevism, and Semyon’s feat itself revealed its heavy similarity with the usual “feat” Soviet era: as a rule, this is the self-sacrifice of some because of the criminality of others (and not opposition to the elements, etc.).

Semyon Ivanov serves as a watchman on the railway. He is an experienced man, but not very successful. Nine years ago, in 1878, I went to war and fought with the Turks. He was not wounded, but lost his health.

Returned to native village- the farm didn’t work out, their little son died, and he and his wife went to new places to look for happiness. Not found.

Semyon met a former officer of his regiment during his wanderings. He recognized Semyon, sympathized and found him a job at the railway station, over which he was in charge.

Semyon received a new hut, as much firewood as you wanted, a vegetable garden, a salary - and he and his wife began to set up housekeeping. The work was not a burden to Semyon, and he kept his entire section of the journey in order.

Semyon also met his neighbor Vasily, who was looking after the adjacent plot. When they met on rounds, they began to talk.

Semyon endures all his troubles and failures stoically: “God did not give him happiness.” Vasily believes that his life is so poor because others profit from his work - rich people and bosses, all of them are bloodsuckers and flayers, and he hates all of them fiercely.

Meanwhile, an important audit arrives from St. Petersburg. Semyon put everything in order in his area ahead of time, and he was praised. But at Vasily’s site everything turned out differently. He had been in a quarrel with the road foreman for a long time. According to the rules, it was necessary to ask this master for permission to plant a vegetable garden, but Vasily neglected it and planted cabbage without permission - he ordered it to be dug up. Vasily got angry and decided to complain about the master to the big boss. Not only did he not accept the complaint, but he yelled at Vasily and hit him in the face.

Vasily threw the booth at his wife - and went to Moscow to seek justice, now against this boss. Yes, apparently I didn’t find it. Four days passed, Semyon met Vasily’s wife on a round, her face was swollen from tears, and she did not want to talk to Semyon.

Just at this time, Semyon went into the forest to cut the willow grass: he made pipes out of it for sale. While returning, near the railway embankment I heard strange sounds - as if iron was clanking on iron. He crept closer and saw: Vasily had tampered with the rail with a crowbar and had torn up the track. I saw Semyon and ran away.

Semyon stands over the torn rail and doesn’t know what to do. You can't put it in place with your bare hands. Vasily has the key and crowbar - but no matter how much Semyon called him to come back, he didn’t come back. A passenger train should be leaving soon.

“It’s at this curve that he’ll get off the rail,” Semyon thinks, “and the embankment is high, eleven fathoms, the carriages will fall down, and there will be small children...” Semyon started to run to the hut for the tool, but realized that he wouldn’t have time . I ran back - I could already hear the distant whistle - the train was coming soon.

Then a light seemed to illuminate his head. Semyon took off his hat, took out a scarf from it, crossed himself, hit himself right hand with a knife above the elbow, a stream of blood sprayed out. He soaked his handkerchief in it, put it on a stick (the waistcoat that he brought from the forest came in handy) - and raised a red flag - a signal to the driver that he needed to stop the train.

But, apparently, Semyon wounded his hand too deeply - the blood is gushing without stopping, his eyes are getting dark and there is only one thought in his head: “Help, Lord, send a shift.”

Semyon could not stand it and lost consciousness, fell to the ground, but the flag did not fall - his other hand grabbed it and raised it high towards the train. The driver manages to brake, people jump out onto the embankment and see a man covered in blood, lying unconscious, and next to another, with a bloody rag in his hand...

This is Vasily. He looks around at those gathered and says: “Tie me up, I turned away the rail.”

The railway watchman Semyon saw the rails damaged by his envious neighbor Vasily, and an approaching train in the distance. Semyon decided to warn the driver. Self-inflicted deep wound, moistened a rag with blood and raised the flag. However, from loss of blood, Semyon fell and lost consciousness. The train driver, seeing a red signal ahead, stopped the train. The people who got off the train were amazed: a bloody Semyon was lying on the rails, and Vasily was holding a red rag next to him and repeating his confession of guilt.

Detailed retelling

Ivanov Semyon worked as a security guard on the railway. After returning from the war against the Turks, Semyon could not find work for a long time. The only son died. He and his wife had to move to new lands and look for a good life. During his wanderings, Semyon met an officer with whom he served together. The officer was in charge of the railway station, and he assigned Semyon to his job as a watchman. They allocated Ivanov a trailer, and he and his wife began to settle in. They planted a vegetable garden and organized the farm. Semyon liked this work; his section of the route was always in perfect order.

Ivanov became friends with his neighbor, his name was Vasily. He constantly blamed all his bosses for his misfortunes and believed that they were profiting from his labors. Vasily was overwhelmed with feelings of hatred towards people. Semyon endured all the hardships steadfastly and courageously, believing that everything was God’s will. Semyon was the complete opposite of his neighbor.

Vasily had disagreements with the local road foreman. Vasily planted a vegetable garden on his property without permission or relevant documents. The master did not like this, he ordered the garden to be destroyed. The men got into a fight. Vasily complained to the chief about the foreman, but he scolded the watchman and refused the complaint. An inspection arrived at the station. Semyon was fine at the station, but Vasily received a reprimand. Then Vasily decided to go to the capital, seek advice from the local leadership, from higher authorities. He returned from Moscow a few days later, having achieved nothing. Vasily became even more embittered.

One day Semyon went into the forest to trim some willow branches. He made pipes from them, and then sold them at the local market, at least some extra penny for the house. On the way back, he heard a metallic grinding sound at the station, the watchman thought that someone was stealing the road, coming closer, Semyon saw Vasily using a crowbar, destroying railways. The neighbor moved the rail, and, noticing Semyon, disappeared into the forest.

Semyon knew that a passenger train was about to leave. I tried to return the rail to its place with my bare hands, but it didn’t work, I needed a tool. You won't have time to run far to the station, the train will derail. He shouted to his neighbor Vasily, but he didn’t come. The whistle of an approaching train sounded. Semyon was afraid there would be an accident. It would be necessary to signal the driver to brake, but there is nothing to do. Then Semyon took off his hat, took out a white handkerchief, wounded his hand with the tip of a knife, soaked the handkerchief in blood and waved at the train. The watchman asks God to help him with this. The man feels sick, he loses consciousness, but he thinks about one thing, if only the driver sees the signal. Semyon fell, and someone’s hand grabbed his handkerchief and waved it. The driver saw the signal and stopped the train. People came running, a man was lying on the tracks covered in blood, and Vasily was standing next to him with a handkerchief. Arrest me, said Vasily, it was I who caused the accident.

This is a work about great courage common man, he was not afraid to sacrifice his health, to risk his life, so that other people could live. The story teaches decency and courage.

Picture or drawing Signal

Other retellings for the reader's diary

• Summary of Nils's Wonderful Journey with the Wild Geese of Lagerlöf

  This story is about a boy who lived with his family in one of the villages in Switzerland. Nils Holgerson, that's the name of our hero, was a 12-year-old hooligan who more than once got into trouble with local boys

  Henryk Sienkiewicz's novel The Crusaders was published in 1897. Historical work covers the events of an entire decade. Sienkiewicz describes the period since the death of Queen Jadwiga

Subject. “ANALYTICAL READING OF V. M. GARSHIN’S STORY

"SIGNAL"

The purpose of the lesson: continue to work on developing students’ ability to analyze a work in unity of form and content, to convey to students humanistic idea books, develop students’ ability to give comparative characteristics literary heroes using the example of V.M. Garshin’s story “Signal”.

Analyzing the content of the story, identify the moral position of students in relation to such concepts as feelings of resentment and revenge, self-esteem and pride, justice and mercy, responsibility for their actions.

Give an advanced task:

A)P prepare a biography of V. M. Garshin, read the stories “Red Flower”, “Artist”, “Four Days”, “Coward”, note extreme situations, in which Garshin’s heroes find themselves, allowing us to identify pain points, attitude towards people, the writer’s attention to the spiritual world of man.

b) Find in explanatory dictionaries meaning of words: insult, offend, revenge

During the classes

1. Student report about V. M. Garshin(Slide 1,2,3,4,5)

2. Reading the story “Signal” by the teacher until the words: “No, you won’t be able to run to the booth and get back in time...” (during the reading vocabulary work), (slide 6)

Dictionary(slide 7)

First line− border fortifications,

orderly (obsolete)- before the revolution: a soldier attached to an officer for personal services

dell– valley with gentle slopes

crutch- in the text, a thick nail with an end bent at a right angle, or a support, a support of this shape (special)

rail − german word, came to us from English, "go off the rails" − phraseological turn− disrupt the usual way of life, the right way, will, self-control.

3. How do you think Semyon and Vasily will behave in this situation? What in the text gives reason to think this way?

(Work in pairs “Find a match” (slide 8, check slide 9)

The guys wrote it down and exchanged opinions.

4. Continue reading. Discussion:

What impression did the story make?

Heroes. Who are they, how do you feel about them?

5. What is a story? How is it built?

(exposition, plot, development of action, climax, denouement)

(Tell that in 1877 there was a war with Turkey, Garshin signed up as a volunteer, was wounded in one of the battles. Russia was at war all the time, they were drafted into the army for 25 years, they returned crippled, disabled, if they managed to get married, then the wife was left alone with the children .)

(Slide " Turkish War" 10)

What did Semyon experience during the war?

Semyon Ivanov “had to experience a lot of grief”: he went to war, “served as an orderly for an officer and did a whole campaign with him.” “Every day three times Semyon brought him (the officer) a hot lunch from the regimental kitchens, from the ravine. He walked with a samovar through an open place, bullets whistled, clicked into stones; Semyon is scared, he cries, but he walks away. Semyon is accustomed to fulfilling his duty, doing his job conscientiously.

What awaited him upon his return? How does the hero react to the vicissitudes of fate?

When he returned home, the old father died, his son also died, “the farm didn’t work out,” “we went to new places to look for happiness.” Semyon does not complain about fate, does not blame anyone, does not curse, he believes that everything is from God. “God did not give happiness. The Lord will give what kind of talent-destiny to whomever, that’s how it is.”

7. Tie

Meet Vasily. They have the same destiny, both are married, have no children, live in the same conditions, do the same thing, but Vasily is angry with the whole world: “It’s not talent-fate that is eating away at you and me forever, but people.” There is no beast in the world more predatory and evil than man. A wolf doesn’t eat a wolf, but a man eats a man alive.” Semyon tries to live in harmony with the world, with people, tries to get closer to Vasily, to find an excuse for him.

8. The plot develops

How does resentment towards fate and the desire for revenge mature in Vasily?

“If you blame every bad thing on God, but sit and endure it yourself, then, brother, you don’t have to be a man, but a beast... These flayers are eating you. They squeeze out all the juice, and when you get old, they’ll throw it away like some kind of cake... Eh, if only there was strength and power!

Who did you hurt? To my wife, my only one to a loved one. “The wife worked for him, did not sleep day and night, was completely exhausted, waiting for her husband.”

In a fit of anger and despair, he tries to crash a passenger train. Decides to take revenge.

Who is he taking revenge on? To the strong of the world this?

There are people there too...” There, in the third grade, it’s jam-packed with people, small children... Now they’re all sitting there, not thinking about anything.” They may have been offended too.

9. Climax

How does the story end?

What made Semyon commit this act?

A Christian, an Orthodox man, I feel sorry for the innocent and I feel sorry for Vasily, it’s a sin to cover him up. The final part of the story sounds solemnly, read: (slide 12)

“And it became black in his eyes and empty in his soul, and he dropped the flag. But the bloody banner did not fall to the ground: someone’s hand caught it and raised it high towards the approaching train.”

(Pay attention to the syllable, polyunion, inversion).

Why did Vasily come back and help? (Force selfless love, the courage of another person may have awakened Vasily’s conscience and compassion.)

There is no ending.

This is how the composition reveals the characters’ characters, the motives of their actions, that is, the author’s intention.

IN our real life it is not often possible to find the truth; people face injustice and feel resentment.

(Slide 13)

Resentment(according to V.I. Dahl) - any untruth, to the one who must endure it; anything that offends, dishonors and causes pain, loss or reproach. Ridicule, a bad comment about someone.

Offend...who − inflict, offend, offend, cause trouble to someone.

Resentment(according to S.I. Ozhegov) - unfairly caused grief, insult, as well as the feeling caused by such grief.

Do you need to “swallow” the insult or endure it, because there is a sense of self-worth. Share yours life experience.

10. How to find harmony, love for the world, for people? What path does Garshin propose?

The truth is in a person’s soul, you can’t hold a grudge against the whole world. Bitterness, despondency - big sin. Biblical truth: “God does not lie in might, but in righteousness.”

11. How do you understand the title of the story “Signal”?

Direct and figurative meaning of the word "signal"

(Slide 14)

1. A symbol for transmitting any information or messages over a distance.

2. Transfer. A warning, a message about something unwanted, choose synonyms.

Signal- this is a prohibitive sign, a metaphor addressed to all of us.

The 10 Christian commandments are the main prohibitive signals for us.

In the story "The Signal" (1887) no love story, but the noted motive manifests itself even more sharply in it. The heroes of the story do not paint pictures, do not discuss philosophical problems and cannot determine the fate of humanity. They are small people who live by small interests: a patch of cabbage, a salary, oppression from their superiors - their interests do not go further. But in their conversations about these subjects, Semyon and Vasily pose the same question as Gelfreich, who created his painting about Ilya Muromets.

In his youth, Semyon was at war, served as an orderly and could not perform any remarkable feats that could determine the outcome of the battle due to his position. But for Garshin, Semyon is a man of great soul, and his feat lies in the fact that he did not become embittered towards life and people, although he had every reason for this.

True, passivity and fatalism are clearly noticeable in his attitude to life. These are the traits that irritate his interlocutor Vasily. “It’s not talent-fate,” Vasily objects to Semyon, “that is eating away at you and me forever, but people. There is no beast in the world more predatory and evil than man.” Vasily’s position is that of a person who does not want to submit to fate and therefore enters into a struggle with people and circumstances. But for Garshin, the laws of struggle have their own harsh dialectics: an embittered person who has lost faith in people, even in his just anger against the perpetrators of evil, can cause the death of innocent people. Here Semyon and Vasily change places. Semyon actively takes part in the fight against evil, saving a train with people unaware of the danger that threatens them, and Vasily recognizes his rightness and the unrighteousness of the path he has taken. But Semyon’s activity is of a special kind. It is based on self-sacrifice, and if he raises a red flag, then this flag is soaked in his own blood.

The question of what is good and evil is posed in this story somewhat simplified and unambiguous, in the spirit of Tolstoy’s morality of non-resistance to evil through violence, but thanks to the simplicity of the plot and the noble heroic sacrifice of its protagonist, the story produces a strong emotional impact. It was precisely this goal that Garshin strove for, since he intended it for the people.

For Garshin, morality has always been simple, but the question of why this simple morality cannot be realized in people’s lives was endlessly complex. In each of his stories, Garshin posed with painful acuteness the question of truth and untruth, about the various manifestations and forms of modern evil, and therefore his small stories were filled with large and deep content.

Gleb Uspensky rightly wrote: “...in his small stories and fairy tales, sometimes several pages long, the entire content of our life, under the conditions in which both Garshin and all his readers had to live, was positively exhausted.

When I say “the entire content of our life,” I am not using some pompous and thoughtless phrase here, no, precisely everything that our life gave the most important to his mind and heart (ours does not mean only Russian, but the life of people of our time in general), everything up to last line experienced, felt by him with the most burning feeling, and that is why it could only be expressed in two, and even such small, books.” The same idea was expressed by another contemporary of Garshin, P. F. Yakubovich.

Both the revolutionary poet and the greatest prose writer and essayist-sociologist essentially recognized a fact that was unusual both for the literature of the 80s and for previous Russian literature. Short stories reflected the main content of the era.

Later, thanks to Korolenko, Chekhov, Bunin, this idea will no longer be perceived as a paradox. Garshin managed to open up new possibilities for the small genre. He combined the strict objectivity of the narrative with lyrical emotion and a clearly formulated author's point of view.

In subjective lyrical experiences he discovered social basis. He combined the realism of his descriptions with a romantic transformation of life, concrete images with allegorical and symbolic generalizations, and everyday sketches with a philosophical understanding of reality.

Garshin contrasted the gloomy pessimism and rosy optimism, not uncommon in the literature of the 80s, with his doubts, questions, wise skepticism and at the same time the pathos of asceticism. In the usual course of everyday life, he was able to see the tragedy, and in tragic fate extraordinary heroes are features of the new morality.

He created new type a hero - a man of sensitive conscience and exposed nerves, who felt personal responsibility for public untruths, a hero who will become one of the main ones in democratic literature late XIX V.

History of Russian literature: in 4 volumes / Edited by N.I. Prutskov and others - L., 1980-1983.