The surname of the hero of the story is the man in the case. The image of Belikov in Chekhov’s work “The Man in a Case”: who are the case people and how are they characterized? The main characters and their characteristics

Belikov image and characteristics

1. General characteristics . Belikov - main character A.P. Chekhov's story "The Man in a Case".

This is the Greek teacher in provincial town. Belikov is hiding from real life“in a case” and wants everyone around him to do the same.

He becomes the curse of the entire city. Teachers are despised, but at the same time they are afraid.

2. Appearance. Belikov has a pale, small face, “like a ferret.” He always strives to surround himself with a protective shell: he wears dark glasses and stuffs his ears with cotton wool.

With the help of clothes, he tries to completely isolate himself from “external influences.” Even in warm weather, Belikov puts on galoshes and takes an umbrella with him.

3. Behavior and way of thinking. The Greek teacher is constantly in anxiety. In any, even the most insignificant deviation from the usual order of things, he sees almost a rebellion. Belikov's caution and suspiciousness reach the point of idiocy. “No matter what happens,” is the favorite phrase of the “man in a case,” which he utters very often.

Belikov understands only various prohibitions, which, as he believes, lead to order. The Greek (i.e. dead) language is another way for Belikov to hide from real life. The present scares him, the past inspires calm and confidence.

4. Situation in the city. Colleagues at work, and the entire educated part of urban society, are under the influence of Belikov. Everyone understands perfectly well how stupid and limited person, but cannot explain what they are afraid of.

Belikov constantly talks about the need to inform his superiors about the disorder, to which he includes even the noisy behavior of schoolchildren. To any sane person, this looks like the ravings of a madman. But the Greek teacher inexplicably creates such an oppressive atmosphere around himself that his advice and warnings are strictly followed.

The real torment for Belikov’s colleagues is his custom of “maintaining good relations with his comrades.” He comes to visit and sits for a long time in complete silence, causing despondency and melancholy. Burkin, who talks about all this, himself is perplexed at how, for several years, the residents of the city tolerated this unbearable man.

5. Unsuccessful marriage. Burkin calls the idea of marrying Belikov “unnecessary” and “nonsense.” Although there might have been at least some chance of changing it and “taking it out” of the case. Despite the usual fears of the teacher (“you’ll get into some kind of trouble”), things went well. Varenka favorably perceived the opportunity to escape from her brother’s care.

Belikov's matchmaking ended in the most unexpected way. At first, he was deeply struck by the fact that his future wife rode a bicycle. During the explanation, a quarrel occurred with Varenka’s brother. Losing his temper, Kovalenko threw the “fiscal” down the stairs. Finding himself in an awkward position in front of his bride, Belikov fell ill and soon died.

6. The meaning of the image. The whole city secretly rejoiced at the death of the Greek teacher. It seemed that now everyone could be free from grumbling and endless warnings. But “case” has long taken possession of human souls. The deceased will be replaced by other Belikovs. The same life will follow - “not circularly prohibited, but not completely permitted.”

Belikov’s image is collective; it symbolizes human fear of the unknown and new, the desire to withdraw into oneself and prohibit movement forward.

Illustration of Kukryniksy

End of the 19th century Countryside in Russia. The village of Mironositskoye. Veterinarian Ivan Ivanovich Chimsha-Gimalaysky and the Burkin gymnasium teacher, after hunting all day, settle down for the night in the headman’s barn. Burkin tells Ivan Ivanovich the story of the Greek teacher Belikov, with whom he taught in the same gymnasium.

Belikov was known for the fact that “even in good weather he went out in galoshes and with an umbrella and certainly in a warm coat with cotton wool.” Belikov's watch, umbrella, and penknife were put in cases. He wore dark glasses and kept all the locks at home. Belikov sought to create a “case” for himself that would protect him from “external influences.” The only things that were clear to him were the circulars in which something was prohibited. Any deviation from the norm caused him confusion. With his “case” considerations, he oppressed not only the gymnasium, but the entire city. But one day it happened to Belikov strange story: He almost got married.

It happened that a new teacher of history and geography, Mikhail Savvich Kovalenko, a young, cheerful man, from the crests, was appointed to the gymnasium. His sister Varenka, about thirty, came with him. She was pretty, tall, rosy-cheeked, cheerful, and sang and danced endlessly. Varenka charmed everyone at the gymnasium, and even Belikov. It was then that the teachers came up with the idea of marrying Belikov and Varenka. They began to convince Belikov of the need to get married. Varenka began to show him “obvious favor,” and he went for walks with her and kept repeating that “marriage is a serious thing.”

Belikov often visited Kovalenka and would eventually have proposed to Varenka, if not for one incident. Some mischievous person drew a caricature of Belikov, where he was depicted with an umbrella on the arm of Varenka. Copies of the picture were sent to all teachers. This made a very difficult impression on Belikov.

Soon Belikov met Kovalenok riding bicycles on the street. He was extremely indignant at this spectacle, since, in his opinion, it was not proper for a high school teacher and a woman to ride a bicycle. The next day Belikov went to Kovalenki to “ease his soul.” Varenka was not at home. Her brother, being a freedom-loving man, disliked Belikov from the first day. Unable to tolerate his teachings about riding bicycles, Kovalenko simply lowered Belikov down the stairs. At that moment, Varenka and two acquaintances were just entering the entrance. Seeing Belikov rolling down the stairs, she laughed loudly. The thought that the whole city would know about what had happened horrified Belikov so much that he went home, went to bed and died a month later.

When he was lying in the coffin, he had a happy expression on his face. It seemed that he had achieved his ideal, “he was put in a case from which he would never come out. Belikov was buried with a pleasant feeling of liberation. But a week later, life went on as before - “a tedious, stupid life, not prohibited by the circular, but not completely permitted either.”

Burkin finishes the story. Reflecting on what he heard, Ivan Ivanovich says: “Isn’t the fact that we live in a city in a stuffy, cramped environment, writing unnecessary papers, playing vint - isn’t this a case?”

Retold

MAN IN A CASE

(Story, 1898)

Belikov- the main character, a high school teacher of the Greek language. A teacher at the Burkin gymnasium tells veterinarian Ivan Ivanovich Chimshe-Gimalaysky about him. At the beginning of the story, he gives a complete description of V.: “He was remarkable in that he always, even in very good weather, went out in galoshes and with an umbrella, and certainly in a warm coat with cotton wool. And he had an umbrella in a case, and a watch in a gray suede case, and when he took out a penknife to sharpen a pencil, his knife was also in a case; and his face, it seemed, was also in a cover, since he kept hiding it in his raised collar. He wore dark glasses, a sweatshirt, stuffed his ears with cotton wool, and when he got on the cab, he ordered the top to be raised. In a word, this man had a constant and irresistible desire to surround himself with a shell, to create for himself, so to speak, a case that would seclude him and protect him from external influences. Reality irritated him, frightened him, kept him in constant anxiety, and, perhaps, in order to justify this timidity of his, his aversion to the present, he always praised the past and what never happened; and the ancient languages that he taught were for him, in essence, the same galoshes and umbrella where he hid from real life.”

B.’s main fear is “that something might not work out.” Any deviation from the accepted rules makes him despondent and anxious. His fear is not only existential, but also social in nature - he is afraid that it will not reach his superiors. Despite his inconspicuousness and dullness, B., according to Burkin, “held in his hands” not only the gymnasium, but the entire city, where, under his influence, “they began to fear everything.” The metaphor of the case, acquiring more and more new details of Belikov’s fear of life, unfolds throughout the entire narrative.

With the appearance in the city of a new history and geography teacher, Mikhail Savvich Kovalenko, and his sister Varenka, who unexpectedly shows affection for B., society decides to marry the hero to her. They convince him that marriage is a serious step, that he must definitely get married, and B.

agrees, but thoughts of marriage plunge him into debilitating anxiety, so that he loses weight, turns pale and retreats even deeper into his case. He is confused primarily by the “strange way of thinking” of his possible bride and her brother. He walks a lot with Varenka and often comes to visit them, but he hesitates to propose. One day B. sees her and her brother riding bicycles, and this makes him dumbfounded. He goes to Kovalenko, who hates him, and “like an older comrade,” he warns: such fun as riding a bicycle is “completely indecent for a teacher of youth.” In addition, he warns his colleague that he will have to report the conversation to the director of the gymnasium. In response, Kovalenko declares that he does not like fiscals and lowers B. down the stairs. After everything that happened, the hero falls ill and dies a month later. Burkin summarizes: “Now, when he lay in the coffin, his expression was meek, pleasant, even cheerful, as if he was glad that he was finally put in a case from which he would never come out.”

The image of B. - “a man in a case”, a comic figure, almost a caricature, but also expressing the tragedy of life, became a household name during Chekhov’s lifetime.

OPTION-1

The image of Belikov in the story “The Man in a Case”

The Greek language teacher at the Belikov gymnasium in the story “The Man in a Case” is a household image; he personifies social phenomenon, called “Belikovism”.

Belikov lived and thought “case-wise”, afraid to deviate from the rules (especially in terms of morality), condemning everything new, saying “... as if something wouldn’t work out.” Belikov’s case-ness was also evident externally: he constantly walked around in galoshes, always under an umbrella, wearing dark glasses, wearing a “warm coat with cotton wool”, with a raised collar, as if he wanted to surround himself with a shell, create a case for himself that would protect him from the outside world. Reality irritated him, frightened him, and kept him in constant anxiety. And to overcome his aversion to the present, he always praised the past. But the worst thing is that this case-ness was gaining strength every day, the way of thinking became case-like. He cut himself off from living life. Even in portrait description Belikov's work is distinguished by gray - a dull lifeless color, which is combined with Belikov's two constant color definitions - pale and dark.

However, Belikov is not a frozen symbol, but a living character, and, moreover, far from harmless. Somehow he put pressure and oppressed everyone at teachers' councils - and they gave in to him. He held the entire gymnasium in his hands. And not only the gymnasium, but the whole city.

Nobody loved him, but everyone was afraid, since he inspired fear, fear of the state and its power, fear of the love of freedom. The role of an informer, a fiscal officer, suited him well. It is not surprising that under the influence of people like Belikov, people in the city began to be afraid of everything: speaking loudly, sending letters, making acquaintances, reading books.

Belikov dies. He dies, having finally achieved, according to the author’s ironic remark, “his ideal.” He found himself in a case from which he would never come out.

But even after his death, nothing changed significantly, “life went on as before, just as harsh, tiresome, stupid; a life that is not circularly prohibited, but also not completely permitted; it didn't get any better."

Belikov was just a reflection, bright an example of “case life”, that image, lifestyle and behavior, beliefs that he condemned, but an image that lived in almost every inhabitant of the town, only it was not as obvious as that of the main character. “And in fact, Belikov was buried, but how many more such people are left in the case, how many more will there be!”

So, Chekhov, with the help of the image of Belikov, ridicules those people who try to put a kind of case between themselves and the world, who are unable to go beyond the limits of standards and regulations, because from such Belikovs and “case life” everything living, good, and honest freezes.

The story “Youth” is presented in the form of a monologue by the main character of this work, Nikolenka Irtenyev... He constantly analyzes his actions, actions, thoughts, tries to find the path in life that he needs to follow... But how to choose it? And what should it be?

He is constantly tormented by these questions.

He is not happy with his appearance; everything he undertakes seems to fail.

But one spring day, some new, extremely strong and pleasant feeling for Nikolenka suddenly penetrated his soul. “It spoke to him about beauty, happiness and virtue, said that both were easy and possible for him, that one cannot exist without the other, and even that beauty, happiness and virtue are one and the same.”

It was at that moment that our hero decided to become “a different person and start life differently,” he decided to apply his thoughts to life with the firm intention of never changing them.

And he began to dream, to dream about that “new life”, about that “new path” that he had chosen and invented for himself... This path seemed impeccable to him. However, these dreams, as the person on whose behalf the story is told later notes, “were as childish as the dreams of childhood and adolescence”...

During that period of time, which the main character considered the limit of adolescence, the basis of his dreams were four feelings: love for her, love for love, hope for extraordinary, vain happiness and, finally, self-loathing and repentance.

And Nikolenka strove for this ideal of his, but his ideas were not translated into reality as beautifully as they were in his soul and mind.

But, while creating his ideals, for some reason he did not address the moral side of this issue and divided all people into well-educated and ill-mannered.

Why? Why did he judge people by their knowledge of the French language, ability to bow, dance and talk, and other principles?comme il faut?.. Are they criteria for assessing a person, his soul, thoughts and imagination? Not at all.

Rather, this concept of good manners was so deeply ingrained in him because it cost him enormous labor to acquire it.

But his views and attitude towards values began to change after communicating with Operov, Zukhov and other guys from the university, who made him understand that everything that he boasts and is proud of is, in fact, nothing.

It was then that Nikolenka began to perceive the advantages and disadvantages of people differently.

A sixteen-year-old boy is constantly looking for the truth; a certain internal struggle, his thoughts are full of contradictions. He learns, analyzes. And, in my opinion, this constant self-knowledge and introspection, the desire for the best, helps to understand oneself and people, albeit not immediately and not completely, but still...

OPTION-2

Image Belikova V story A.P. Chekhov "Human V case"

Chekhov - great artist words, How And many other writers Same Not could get around V his creativity side topic “ small person.” His heroes - “ small People” , But many from them steel like this By his will.

Introducing Belikova, I I see person, sharpened V small dark a box. Human V case… This unusual phrase Very exactly reveals essence person.

Being teacher Greek language Belikov became symbol fear life, personification sacramental "How would what Not it came out."

But more total amazes That, What Human Not trying change something V his life, to him comfortable And calmly for walls his "boxes" after all So He Not sees terrible peace, Where So many problems, Where People suffer A meeting With troubles, should be extremely decisive. Anton Pavlovich describes us person, refusing from present peace, after all his satisfied his own, apparent to him the best. Let's reverse attention on external view Belikova: even V good weather He "I walked V galoshes And With umbrella And certainly V warmth coat on Vate." All his things were V cases, more Togo, even « … face, it seemed Same was V case, So How He All time hid his V raised collar". Main hero constantly wore "dark glasses, sweatshirt, ears pawned cotton wool And When sat down on cab driver, That ordered lift top". Tol That's why Can say, What Belikov did All possible, to put on V case.

Present Always caused V him disgust, A Here past He extolled. His thoughts, How And He myself tightened locked, He their Also placed V case. "For him were clear only circulars And newspaper articles, V which prohibited anything." Ask Why? All That's why What V prohibitions All defined No ambiguities. All V case - exactly such to myself represents Belikov happy life. But If b All was So Just, after all He Not only myself lived V his closed world, But And tried impose to everyone their rules And prohibitions.

His unthinkable caution, incomprehensible thoughts provide pressure on those around you trying involve V mine case. Hero against any innovations, He All time afraid How would So Not it worked out What superiors finds out! "Black case" takes over them fully, oppressing All positive emotions And any sort of entertainment.

Belikov understands What V force his work, He obliged be V good relationships with their colleagues, He trying become friendly. But what ways? By his opinion, coming V guests, And crouching somewhere in the distance from everyone He already is their comrade. But his All equals Not loved And tried avoid. Not depending neither on What, even V such people arise feelings, Belikov falls in love V Varvara Savvishnu Kovalenko. But, To unfortunately, He How Always "hides head V sand", considering What All need to How should think about it. "Varvara Savvishna to me like… And I I know, marry necessary to everyone person But… All This, you know whether, happened somehow suddenly… Necessary think."

AND even wedding at him should be By special rules That's why What "get married, A Then, what good morning, you'll get there V some history." Each responsibly solution Belikov given incredible difficult, A Bye He concentrates on problem maybe And she herself will disappear. But at everyone at this He Very sensitive And vulnerable Maybe, exactly That's why He So is cautious. Let's remember moment, When Varya saw his fall on stairs He experiences indescribable, This Seems like on hole V case, What equivalent For him destruction.

But Here main hero died And is created such impression, What exactly For this intended all his life.

"Now, When He lying V coffin expression at him was meek, pleasant, even cheerful, exactly He was I'm glad What, finally, his put V case, from whom He already never Not will come out."

But Belikov after all Not the only one such Human, on light more many people protracted myself V framework similar cases. What or waiting such people V end life ways? Having lived a lot years And having grown old, I want understand, What years life Not passed for nothing, What you surround loving People. TO why or come People, residing case-like way life? By my opinion, their the only one Exodus - This loneliness, after all many Not want interfere V life people prisoners V case. A loneliness - This the most scary For anyone even located V case person.

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov is the author of many innovative works, where the reader sees not only subtle satire, but also a detailed description human soul. When you get acquainted with his work, it begins to seem that he is not only a prose writer, but also a very gifted psychologist.

"The Man in the Case" is one of three stories in the "Little Trilogy" series, which the author worked on for about two months in 1898. It also includes the stories “Gooseberry” and “About Love”, which Anton Pavlovich wrote in Melikhovka, where he lived with his family. He barely managed to finish working on them, because he was already suffering from tuberculosis and wrote less and less.

It is impossible to be sure that Chekhov wrote about a specific person; most likely, the central image of “The Man in a Case” is a collective one. The writer's contemporaries put forward several candidates who could serve as prototypes for Belikov, but all of them had only a slight resemblance to the hero.

Genre, conflict and composition

It is quite easy for the reader to get acquainted with the work, because it is written in simple language, which, nevertheless, is capable of causing a huge number of impressions. Style is expressed in compositions: the text is divided into small semantic fragments, focusing attention on the most important thing.

In the story we see conflict between two heroes. The author contrasts Kovalenko (life-affirming, active position, positive thinking) and Belikov (passive and lifeless vegetation, internal slavery), which helps him to further reveal the problem posed. The case becomes an artistic detail that describes the entire essence and meaning of the work, shows inner world hero.

Literary genre- a story that is part of a “small trilogy” of three separate stories, but combined with one idea. “The Man in the Case” is written with an obvious satirical overtones; with this technique the writer ridicules the very essence of “ little man", who is simply afraid to live.

Meaning of the name

In his story, Chekhov warns us that absolutely any person, without wanting to, can imprison himself in a “case,” which is where the name came from. A case is understood as a fixation on an unwritten set of rules and restrictions with which people constrain themselves. Dependence on conventions turns into a disease for them and prevents them from getting closer to society.

The secluded world of prohibitions and barriers seems much better to the inhabitants of the cases; they surround themselves with a kind of shell so that the influence of the outside world does not touch them in any way. However, living locked up with your own routines and attitudes is cramped; another person will not fit there. It turns out that a resident of a stuffy, clogged corner is doomed to loneliness, so the title of the story is fundamentally given in the singular.

Main characters

The main character of the story is Belikov- Greek language teacher at the gymnasium. He sets certain rules in his life, and most of all he is afraid that something will not go as planned. Belikov, even in the clearest and warmest weather, is dressed in galoshes and a warm coat with a raised collar; he hides his face behind dark glasses and a hat in order to protect himself as best as possible from influence environment: not only natural, but also social. It scares him modern reality and is irritated by everything that happens around, which is why the teacher puts on a certain case both externally and internally.
Mikhail Kovalenko is a new history and geography teacher who comes to work at the gymnasium with his sister. Mikhail is a young, sociable and cheerful man of tall stature, a great lover of laughing and even laughing heartily.
His sister Varenka- a 30-year-old woman, very cheerful and happy, loves to have fun, sing and dance. The heroine shows interest in Belikov, who, in turn, devotes time to her and agrees to go for walks in order to discuss the fact that marriage is too serious a thing. The woman still does not lose hope of stirring up her gentleman, which reveals in her such qualities as perseverance and determination.

Topics

The main theme of Chekhov's story is closed and isolated human life who is shy of the surrounding world and shuns any manifestation of feeling. He hides his eyes from the people around him, constantly carries all his things in a case, be it a small knife designed for sharpening a pencil, or an ordinary umbrella, which is so convenient to hide his face. Many spiritual values were strange to the main character, and emotions were incomprehensible. This expresses his limitations, which poison his existence.
Love theme in the story it is revealed in Varenka’s attitude towards Belikov. The girl is trying to interest the hero and return him to a full life. She believes to the last that he can still change for the better. But he also closes himself off from her, because the prospect of marriage and his colleagues’ obsessive conversations about their marriage begin to frighten him.
Chekhov explains to the reader that the worst thing that can happen to a person is indifference to life. Belikov became so withdrawn into himself that he stopped distinguishing the colors of the world, enjoying communication, and striving for something. He no longer cares what happens outside his case, as long as numerous decencies are observed.
The man in the case is a collective image of timid people who are afraid of their own feelings and emotions. They abstract themselves from the world around them and withdraw into themselves. That's why theme of loneliness is also important in the story of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov.

Main problems

Conservative. The author realizes with horror and pity that some of his contemporaries create a shell for themselves in which they perish morally and spiritually. They exist in the world, but do not live. People go with the flow, moreover, they cannot even allow fate to intervene and change something in their life. better side. This fear of new events and changes makes people passive, inconspicuous and unhappy. Due to the abundance of such conservatives in society, stagnation forms, through which it is difficult for young shoots capable of developing and developing the country to break through.
The problem of the meaninglessness of life. Why did Belikov live on earth? He never made anyone happy, not even himself. The hero trembles over his every action and constantly echoes: “No matter what happens.” Bypassing fictitious sorrows and suffering, he misses happiness itself, thus, its price of psychological comfort is too high, since it destroys the very essence of people’s existence.
It appears before the reader the problem of happiness, more precisely, the problem of its achievement, essence and price. The hero replaces him with peace, but, on the other hand, he himself has the right to determine what is the highest value for him.
The problem of fear of love. The people who surround him are just as unhappy, they find themselves on the other side of a fictional case, Belikov simply cannot open up and let someone closer. The hero was never able to develop his feelings for the girl he liked, he was simply afraid of them and was left with nothing.
The Problem of Sociopathy. The teacher is afraid of society, despises it, fences himself off, not allowing any of the people around him to help himself. They would be happy, but he himself does not allow this.

Main idea

Chekhov was not only a doctor by training, but also a healer of souls by vocation. He realized that spiritual illness is sometimes more dangerous than physical illness. The idea of the story “The Man in a Case” is a protest against lonely, closed vegetation under a shell. The author puts into the work the idea that the case must be mercilessly burned in order to feel freedom and approach life with ease.
Otherwise, the fate of a closed person may be disastrous. So, in the finale, the main character dies alone, leaving no grateful descendants, no followers, no achievements. The writer shows us how the earthly path of a “case” person can end in vain. Colleagues and acquaintances who attend his funeral are mentally happy that they have finally said goodbye to Belikov and his importunity.

Anton Pavlovich puts socio-political implications into his work, emphasizing the importance of social activity and civic initiative. He advocates a rich and fulfilling life, endows the main character with repulsive character traits in order to prove to people how pathetic and pathetic the inhabitant of the “case” looks, wasting himself.

Thus, Chekhov describes the lot of many clerks who lived sadly in a stuffy city, sorting out pieces of paper that no one needed. He ironically plays with the type of “little man,” breaking the literary tradition of depicting him in idyllic tones. His author's position- not contemplative or sentimental, but active, not tolerating compromises. The inhabitants of the case should not savor their insignificance and wait for pity, they need to change and squeeze out a slave.

What does the author teach?

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov makes us think about our own life and ask an interesting question: “Aren’t we building ourselves the same case that the main character Belikov had?” The author literally teaches us to live, showing by example how a personality that grovels before conventions and stereotypes can fade and disappear. Chekhov was really able to instill in people a disgust for a gray, worthless life, to show that inaction and indifference are the worst things that can happen to us.

The fear of discoveries and accomplishments destroys a person’s personality; he becomes pitiful and helpless, unable to show even the simplest feelings. The writer believes that human nature is much richer and more capable than what fear and laziness turn it into. Happiness, according to Chekhov, lies in a fulfilling life, where there is a place for strong emotions, interesting communication and individuality.