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- The image and characteristics of Grandfather Kashirin (Grandfather) in the story of Childhood
This famous work was written in 1913 and tells us about the difficult life of ordinary people. One of the main characters, Alyosha’s grandfather Vasily Vasilyevich Kashirin, was a very complex and wayward person. His character was so difficult that even one of his stern glances could immediately make it clear how difficult life with this man in the same house was. But no one guessed that this rudeness and hostility towards the outside world came from a difficult past.
At first glance, grandfather was short and rather dry. When Alexey saw him, he immediately disliked him. And his first feelings were not in vain. The grandfather punished the poor boy with all cruelty and fury even for small offenses. By himself, Vasily Vasilyevich could not establish good relationships with anyone except his grandmother. After going through so many ups and downs, she remained next to him and continued to love him and warm him with her feminine warmth. But as it turns out, my grandfather didn’t appreciate it. The grandfather did not have a good relationship with his daughter. For a long time he did not give permission for marriage and for a dowry for his daughter. All this tension escalated into violent quarrels, which sometimes even led to fights. This story describes the moment when one of the sons, during a quarrel, attacked his grandfather and almost killed his father.
Despite his constant rudeness and harshness, grandfather Vasily himself sometimes showed mercy. After he severely flogged his grandson Alyosha, he came to check his health and make peace. During this conversation, he was kind and told Alyosha interesting stories about his difficult childhood and subsequent life. This episode showed that deep down in the grandfather’s soul there lives a kind and open person, but after all life’s trials it is easier for him to be rude and angry towards others.
As he grew older, my grandfather became more and more rude and even refused to share food with his grandmother. She had to earn money and also lead a separate life.
Option 2
In Gorky's work about a difficult fate, the main character is the grandfather. The author openly talks about the grave grievances that he encountered many in his house.
The reader gets acquainted with the picture of everyday life of the Volga merchants. The emotional coloring of the story is extremely intense, as the writer demonstrates the anger, rudeness and heartlessness that have consumed all family members. It is curious that this story is poor in positive characters. The author allows warm tones only occasionally, when he remembers his mother, grandmother and the kind worker Gypsy.
Meeting my grandfather gives rise to ambivalent feelings. Undoubtedly, he is smart, cunning and skillfully manages the business. At the same time, there is no limit to his embitterment and extravagance. In essence, the grandfather is an ordinary merchant, striving for profit and greedy for money.
In various situations, new traits are revealed in the old man’s character. In the process of teaching his grandson the alphabet, he seems to be a demanding, but perky and cheerful teacher. However, the work is replete with episodes of a person turning into a monster, tormenting loved ones. His unbridled temper scares even adult children.
The character of the grandfather is fully revealed in the description of the tragedy that happened to the Gypsy. It becomes clear that the harsh and selfish despot also has emotional experiences. It is strange that the death of a worker from the workshop gave rise to stronger emotions in my grandfather than all the sorrows that befell his own family. Without pain in his soul, he sends his orphaned grandson to work among the people, just so as not to spend an extra penny.
The life story of my grandfather reflects the fate of an entire generation. One day, after beating Alexei, the old man repents and shares his secret. It turns out that he himself was severely abused as a child. It was not nature that took away his mercy and endowed him with malice. Harsh external circumstances strengthened his character, instilling in him that through cruelty one can gain authority and achieve obedience. The grandfather tells his grandson about the unfortunate fate that befell him. Before opening the workshop, he had to work hard as a barge hauler, dragging inhuman weights and suffering humiliation. Fear of poverty taught him to constantly save pennies. In the struggle for survival, he became bitter and brutalized.
Using the example of his own grandfather, the writer shows what terrible damage to a remarkable character comes from the absence of an inner core that helps to resist adversity.
Undoubtedly, grandfather Kashirin is the most controversial character among the many heroes of the story.
Characteristics of the grandfather in Gorky’s story “Childhood”, image, description
This article presents a quotation image and characterization of the grandfather in Gorky’s story “Childhood”: a description of the character and appearance of the grandfather, a portrait and biography in quotes.
See:
- Summary of the story “Childhood” - All materials on the story “Childhood”
Characteristics of the grandfather in Gorky’s story “Childhood”, image, description
Grandfather's name is Vasily Vasilyevich Kashirin:
". Vasily Vasilich, Lexey is not here..." The Kashirins, brother, don’t like good things. "
Grandfather's appearance
Grandfather looks like a goat and a ferret:
". He suddenly grinned, turned his neck like a goat, and, grabbing his grandmother by the neck, pressed himself against her. " ". Look what the father is like - a clean little goat. " ". The grandfather came in, lifted the ferret's face up, and sniffed the air with his sharp nose. "
Grandfather has thin fingers:
". tapping the bones of his thin fingers on the table, he inspired. " ". He repeatedly tapped his thin fingers on the table, his painted nails glistened, his golden eyebrows moved. "
Grandfather has a dry, senile body:
". Leaning against me with a dry, foldable body. " ". turning from a small, dry old man into a man. " ". shaking his small dry fist at the grandmother. " ". hit the dry, echoing chest with all his might. "
Grandfather has keen and sharp green eyes:
". His green eyes lit up brightly. " ". Grandfather is watching me with smart and keen green eyes. I always wanted to hide from those burning eyes. " ". asked the grandfather, looking sideways at the cart with sharp eyes. "
Grandfather has red hair, beard and eyebrows:
". The grandfather grinned, raising his red eyebrows cheerfully. " ". stroking the silver-red hair on his head, he added. " ". I struggled in his arms, pulling his red beard. " ". He seemed even redder than before. "
The character and personality of the grandfather
". It seemed to me that my grandfather was evil; he speaks to everyone mockingly, insultingly, teasing and trying to anger everyone. "
The grandfather brutally whips Alexei (the main character) with rods until he loses consciousness:
". It was hard for me to cry to remember that it was he who beat me so brutally, but I couldn’t forget about it. " ". My grandfather beat me until I lost consciousness, and for several days I was ill, lying with my back up on a wide, hot bed. "
The grandfather offends and beats the grandmother, but she patiently endures everything:
". he beat me half to death and didn’t give me anything to eat for five days—I barely survived that time. " ". when she approached him with an affectionate speech, he quickly turned around and hit her with his fist in the face. " ". He turned purple, shook and, jumping up in his chair, threw the saucer at her head, threw it and screamed. "
The grandfather loves his son Yakov more than his son Mikhail. Because of this, the sons quarrel among themselves and with their grandfather:
". And my father, he loves Jacob more. Ali is good - it’s uneven to love children. "
Grandfather likes to praise himself:
". He speaks about everything quietly, carefully, thoughtfully, but to himself - warmly, quickly and laudably. I don't like it when he talks about himself. "
Grandfather loves precision in everything:
". Loving precision in everything, the grandfather asks strictly. "
Grandfather is always angry:
". He’s angry, it’s hard for him, the old one, everything’s a failure...” “. if grandma was late to prepare tea by the time he had set, he would curse for a long time and angrily. "
The grandfather reads the prayers firmly and accurately, as if he were telling a lesson:
". the golden beard sticks out horizontally; he reads the prayers firmly, accurately answering the lesson: his voice sounds clear and demanding. " ". Now he crosses himself frequently, convulsively, nods his head as if butting heads, his voice squeals and sobs. Later, while visiting synagogues, I realized that my grandfather prayed like a Jew. "
Biography of grandfather Vasily Kashirin in quotes
Grandfather was a peasant by birth:
". We are not a bar. There is no one to teach us. "
Grandfather's mother was an evil woman:
". His mother looked out for me and saw: I’m a worker, the daughter of a beggar, which means I’ll be humble, well... But she was a Kalashnikov and a woman with an evil soul, so she won’t be remembered..."
Grandfather's father died:
". Once robbers came to Balakhna to rob the merchant Zaev, my grandfather’s father rushed to the bell tower to sound the alarm, and the robbers overtook him, chopped him with sabers and threw him down from under the bells. "
The parents beat and insulted the grandfather:
". Do you think they didn't beat me? Olesha, they beat me so much that you wouldn’t even see it in your worst nightmare. They offended me so much that, go figure, God himself watched and cried. "
In his youth, my grandfather worked as a barge hauler for 4 years on the Volga:
". showed me how barge haulers walk in straps, how they pump out water; sang some songs in a bass voice. " ". When I was young, I pulled barges with my own strength against the Volga. The barge is on the water, I am along the shore, barefoot, on sharp stones, on scree, and so on from sunrise to night! Yes, this is how I measured the Mother Volga three times: from Simbirsk to Rybinsk, from Saratov to here, and from Astrakhan to Makaryev, to the fair - this is many thousands of miles. "
At the age of 22, my grandfather married my grandmother:
“And she told me: “Be quiet, just know, this is saving up for your dowry.” Then soon the grandfather showed up, he was a distinguished guy: twenty-two years old, and a water-bearer! His mother looked out for me and saw: I’m a worker, the daughter of a beggar, so I’ll be humble, n-well. "(grandmother talks about how her grandfather, who was then 22 years old, wooed her)
Many years ago, my grandfather started his own business:
". I, my dear, have known my grandfather for thirty-seven years, I saw him at the beginning of the case and I see him at the end. He and I used to be good friends, we started this business together, we came up with it. He's smart, grandpa! So he made himself the master, but I failed. "
My grandfather came out of poverty and became a respected, wealthy man:
". An orphan, the son of a beggar mother, I have now reached my place - I was made a shop foreman, a leader of the people. "
The grandfather owns a dyeing shop where his sons and other workers work:
". he, his uncles and workers came to the kitchen from the workshop, tired, with hands stained with sandalwood, burned with vitriol. "
Essay about Grandfather Kashirin
M. Gorky's story “Childhood” is autobiographical. The writer talks about the difficult childhood of a boy, Alyosha Peshkov, who was left without a father early on. The mother left, leaving the child at her parents' house. The main people in Alyosha’s life were two people, each of whom influenced the child in their own way. This is grandmother Akulina Ivanovna and grandfather Vasily Vasilyevich Kashirin.
The image of the grandfather in the story is far from being as clear as it might seem at first glance. Already at the first meeting, Alyosha does not like this “small, dry old man, in a long black robe, with a red beard like gold, with a bird’s nose and green eyes.” The first impression was not deceiving. Everyone in grandfather's house, including the children, was at enmity with each other. There was an atmosphere of envy and malice, with the grandfather at the center.
Just like Alyosha Peshkov, the scene of the flogging of children that took place in his grandfather’s house every week seems wild and unbearably cruel. Alyosha himself could not escape punishment, although his grandfather treated him better than the rest of his grandchildren. After the beating, old Kashirin often sat by Alyosha’s bed, telling him stories from his youth, when he was a barge hauler on the Volga. This means that the grandfather’s heart was not entirely made of stone; somewhere in the depths of his soul he felt guilty before his grandson.
Trying to prove his strength, Kashirin beats his wife. However, it is clear that in reality she is much stronger than him. I think that my grandfather understands this very well; it is no coincidence that after the fire he speaks admiringly of her. Grandfather himself was frightened and confused in difficult times. This characterizes him as a cowardly person, brave only in words.
The grandfather’s attitude towards God is a separate note in the work. Alyosha shared his grandfather’s and grandmother’s gods, and his grandfather’s god was very similar to Kashirin himself, he caused fear, did not love anyone, did not forgive anything, and only punished everyone.
With age, grandfather's character becomes more and more unbearable. He is so obsessed with greed that he spares a piece of bread for his little sick grandson. The blind master Grigory, who worked with Kashirin for many years, is kicked out of the house by his grandfather. After the death of her daughter Varvara, Alyosha is also sent to the people. As a result of his entire life, at the end Kashirin himself ends up on the street, begging for alms.
The image of the grandfather, drawn by M. Gorky, makes you think about what makes a person mock his loved ones. Perhaps these are features of the Russian character, way of life, the result of the hardships suffered. One way or another, fate has its own way, and the grandfather turns from a little king into a lonely beggar.
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Characteristics of the main character Alyosha Peshkov
The main character is Alexey Peshkov . The story begins with meeting a five-year-old boy and his family. It is clarified that the mother and father never raised their hands against their son, they always loved and pampered him. Finding himself in the Kashirin family after the death of his father was an unpleasant event in the child’s life. The relationships between the members of this family seemed wild, the conversations were strange. At first, he often angered his grandfather, which earned him a spanking. During the first such punishment, Alyosha bit his grandfather, which only angered the old man more, and later aroused respect for his young person. Alexey grew up as an inquisitive, intelligent boy who did not tolerate injustice.
“...You are light, thin, but your bones are strong, you will be a strong man...”
“...Move on, snub nose. »
“...What year are you? Only about? How long are you, brother, huh? I often stood in the rain, huh. »
Maxim Peshkov
Maxim Peshkov . It may seem that he is a minor character, but it is worth paying attention to him in order to have an idea of where the formation of the character of his son, Alyosha, began. Maxim Peshkov died at the beginning of the story from cholera. His family was heartbroken because they had lost a wonderful father and husband. It was this event that prompted Alyosha’s mother to return to her native place.
Background
The life story of grandfather Kashirin is entertaining and instructive at the same time. However, we will not start with her, but with how Alyosha Peshkov ended up in the squat one-story house of the Kashirins, painted with dirty ocher. His mother got married without the blessing of her parents. Then Alyosha was born. They lived amicably and cheerfully until their father died, and their mother almost lost her mind from grief. Then grandmother Akulina Ivanovna came to them to take the orphaned family to the family nest - Nizhny Novgorod. It is from this moment that the life story of grandfather Kashirin becomes interesting to both the readers and the main character.
Head of the family
Vasily Vasilich Kashirin, as the author calls him, has a completely unimpressive appearance, rather comical. This is a small, dry old man with a sharp, golden-red beard, fussy, with green eyes and a bird's hooked nose. The personality is quite colorful, but his absurdity is especially striking next to his large, even large and too plump, but somehow smoothly sedate wife Akulina Ivanovna. However, the life story of grandfather Kashirin clearly shows that a person’s fate does not depend on his appearance, but on his character traits. And from the circumstances in which he lived.
Main characters
Boy (narrator)
Alexey is having a hard time moving to his grandfather’s house. He is cruel, beating his grandson until he loses consciousness for ruining the tablecloth. The child experiences this trauma very hard. The constant absence of the mother darkens the situation even more. Only grandma feels sorry for Alyosha, she stands up for him and protects him from troubles. Alyosha cannot find worthy friends either on the street or at school. The yard children mock and discuss the swearing and scandals in the Kashirin family. At school they laugh at his poverty and scold him because he does not accept school rules. When Alyosha’s mother dies, his grandfather sends him “to the people.”
The boy's mother, Varvara
Marries against her father's will. Her first marriage was happy, but her husband died and she had to return home. There is a difficult atmosphere in the parents' house, quarrels, scolding, fights. Grandfather is a cruel, greedy man. He wants to give his mother away in an arranged marriage. The mother suffers and tries to arrange her fate herself. Unsuccessful again, already pregnant, she is beaten by her second husband. The woman is unhappy both in her parents’ home and in her attempts to improve her personal life. She practically does not take care of her son, transferring this responsibility to her grandmother.
Grandfather Kashirin
Grandmother (Akulina Ivanova)
A kind, loving, caring woman. She is the only kind person in the family. Smart, dexterous, energetic, the grandmother became Alyosha’s only friend and second mother. She knows a lot of fairy tales and interesting stories, her neighbors respect her for her knowledge about medicinal herbs and go for advice. Her lot is life with a difficult, rude man. When the grandfather decides to divide the household and stops “feeding” the grandmother, she begins to weave lace and sell it. A resilient, sympathetic, wonderful woman.
Uncle Mikhail and Yakov
Evil, envious sons of grandfather Kashirin. All misfortunes in the house occur through their fault. They need money, an inheritance from their father, the old man himself is a stranger to them. Yakov beat his wife to death. Mikhail also beats pregnant Natalya. She dies during her third birth.
Gypsy (Ivan)
A young guy who was raised in the Kashirin family. He's a foundling. Oddly enough, the grandfather is pleased with the Gypsy, his work and help. The hero received his nickname for his appearance. He is handsome in a gypsy way and has a habit of stealing when he goes shopping. The greedy grandfather really likes this. His friendship with Gypsy has a great influence on the development of Alyosha’s character. His speech is very picturesque, bright, rich. He is kind, hard-working, loves his grandmother and Alyosha very much. One winter, he helps his uncles carry a huge cross to the cemetery, slips and is crushed to death.
