The main character of Korolenko’s story “Children of the Dungeon”. “The main character of Korolenko’s story “Children of the Dungeon” Portrait of a judge from the story Children of the Dungeon

The phrase “literary portrait” is interpreted in two ways: as various kinds of indications of the external appearance of a literary hero and as a detailed description of a specific historical figure. In this case we will talk about a portrait as character image a work of art. Usually such an image is seen in the description of the visible signs of the hero. In dictionaries, reference books, and textbooks, they adhere to the ancient principle talking painting: to depict means to define, outline in a word, create a verbal picture.

However, this understanding of the portrait does not explain anything in a number of cases. An illustrative example is the texts of E. Hemingway, which are based on dialogues without accompanying descriptions, which does not in the least prevent the reader from “seeing” the participants in the conversation. A pictorial interpretation of a literary portrait is clearly not suitable here. Meanwhile, we are often assured that a portrait in literature is a description of signs consistent with the character of the hero of the story. It is proposed to analyze the portrait by focusing on similar verbal instructions scattered throughout the text of the work: stroke + stroke + stroke - their sum is supposedly the image of the character. But, as V. Inber wittily noted, “you can describe with scrupulous accuracy the hero of a literary work, show how he coughs, yawns, blinks, unwinds his muffler, eats rye bread or cake, drinks champagne or kvass, and so on, and so on. , and so on, and the reader will not see this hero, will not remember, will not recognize him when he meets him. All that will remain in memory is the swarm of details. The lines will not form into features.”

In relation to a portrait, what is considered pictorial materiality, is formed for the most part outside the text and depends not on pictorial details, but on the writer’s ability to designate with a word more than what corresponds to its lexical content. Ultimately this is the problem. the creative power of the artist. It is connected with his ability to “see” his hero and embody it in words so that the hero becomes visible to the reader. Linearly, this process looks like this: a clear idea of ​​the individual appearance of the character in the writer - the embodiment of this idea in the word - an excited adequate idea in the reader. But the word as such is not everything here.

When portraying a portrait in a literary work, what is essentially reproduced is not the appearance of the character, but what the artist experiences the feeling of this character in all circumstances of life. In the totality of these sensations expressed in words, the reader perceives the hero, communicates with him, experiences his influence, “sees” him. The power of influence of the character is determined by whether the artist was able or failed to convey to the reader’s imagination this portrait idea of ​​the character using all the means available to the art of words.

The meaning of the work arises in the conjugation of related elements of the whole. For Korolenko, the prototype of the whole is usually the representation about the main character. “Even the external circumstances in which you place him,” the writer explains to N. Karonin-Petropavlovsky, “only partly depend on you; he himself will largely modify them and subordinate them to his influence, his mood...” This is precisely what we are talking about about portraiture, on which the author relies when building his story about a character who has emerged in the creative consciousness. Therefore, the material portraying the hero is inevitably distributed in visible and invisible, but also tangible image plane. A major role in this process is played, as A.S. points out. Vartanov, “the basic law of synesthesia, which consists in the fact that an image, exciting some feelings, entails the indirect, associative participation of others (which, as a result, allows us to obtain a holistic artistic representation).”

Korolenko himself stated: “I demand from a work of art that it be based on an idea, complete, integral, clear, about a famous person, with his personal properties and temperament,” and also like this: “You need to clearly imagine, first of all, the mental and external the appearance of the person being described. Then he will speak as if alive even without long descriptions.” The formulas are unambiguous: the whole work is based on the idea of ​​the hero - this is the author’s idea. From there, from the whole story, and not from individual fragments, the reader then extracts this idea for himself. Through not only visual, but also many other sensations generated by the text read. In Korolenko, any fragment of the narrative, either by the emotion embedded in it, or by the thought, or by its pictorial texture, provides the source material for ideas about his hero.

In literature classes, the first ideas about portraits are given already in elementary school. Elements of a more serious analysis are possible when studying the story by V.G. Korolenko "Children of the Dungeon". The conversation about the portrait can be motivated by the upcoming creative task - preparation for the design of the vernissage of illustrations for the story, in which a “portrait gallery” of Korolenkov’s heroes will occupy a special place.

The story is narrated in the first person. The reader gets acquainted with the life of a provincial town, learns the story of how the life path of the judge’s son once crossed the paths of the poor people who make up the so-called “bad society”. Before us are several faces that are depicted in different ways.

Portrait of Vasya

The narrator (Vasya) does not say anything about his appearance, pointing only to his height in comparison with Valek: “He was a boy of about nine years old, bigger than me...” And yet, after reading the story, one can imagine Vasya’s physical appearance. How exactly? This question is presented to the class. The students’ answers are varied, which is understandable: the text makes no mention of Vasya’s hair color, nose shape, eye shape, gait, gestures, clothes, etc. But from the totality of the boy’s feelings, actions, and thoughts, his appearance appears in the reader’s mind.

Having lost his mother, forgotten by his father, who gave himself up to his grief, from the age of six Vasya grew up unattended, like a tree in a field... You can fix the attention of students on the visual means of the story, using the technique “we read - we see.”

We read:“...I felt cramped in the house and in the kindergarten, where I did not find greetings or affection from anyone. I started wandering. My whole being was then trembling with some strange premonition of life... Since then, the names of street urchin and tramp were added to my other unflattering epithets, but I did not pay attention to this... When all the corners of the city became known to me, down to the last dirty nooks and crannies , then I began to look at the chapel visible in the distance, on the mountain... I wanted to examine it all, to look inside...”We see: Vasya's wandering is a childish reaction to the neglect of his family. In such conditions, this is the only way to satisfy the natural inquisitiveness of a boy growing up without greetings and affection in his home, gripped by a strange premonition of life. He recognized the city down to the last dirty corners and was eager to explore the country chapel, which he had already begun to gaze at. We watch and see the boy, although there is no description of his appearance in the text. We see so clearly that we understand the discrepancy between his actual appearance and the unflattering epithets applied to Vasya: a tomboy, a tramp, a worthless boy, an inveterate little robber, whose hands and feet are filled with mercury, but still the son of such respectable parents.

Is this how Vasya appears in our imagination? Let's select a few descriptions from his characteristics - and before us is a completely different boy Vasya, who tearfully snatched his hand from Janusz, who was timid and withdrawn into himself, tolerated reproaches, gloomily listened to comments, whose heart lit up with pity and sympathy for the suffering of the poor, etc. .P.

We read: “I left because I couldn’t play with my friends that day as serenely as before. My pure childhood affection was somehow clouded, mixed with it was a sharp stream of regret that reached the point of heartache.”. We see: Vasya, realizing that his new comrades were forced to steal, not only left, he left them (long-term action). The verb form speaks of efforts to hide one’s condition and the impossibility of doing this otherwise than by moving away from friends so as not to offend them. Naming actions, verbs inevitably refer our thoughts to the character, increasingly clarifying his appearance.

The first-person narrative was deliberately chosen by the author for typification purposes. Any child - this will be confirmed by the students' answers - in Vasya's place would behave exactly like this and feel the same way as him. The portrait of the hero is abstract. The reader imagines a “generalized” boy of 8–9 years old who has learned and seen a lot of things that children much older than him have not seen. And the possibilities of visual embodiment of this image by young artists will be characterized by freedom of choice and the greatest degree of self-expression.

Portrait of Valek

He should not be considered separately, but in comparison with portraits of other children. Children of the Underground... About their The author makes us think about fate, deliberately pitting a boy of a different origin against them, who is destined for a different fate in life. On the one hand, Vasya’s excitement and impetuous playfulness, on the other, Valek’s sadness and thoughtfulness. It is significant that in the final author’s edition in place sparkling provocatively(with eyes) epithet thoughtful. Thoughtfulness can be seen in Valek’s gaze immediately, no matter how carefree and perky the look (at the moment of meeting Vasya) he gave to his face. The author uses this contrast more than once in his depiction of Valek.

We read:“Where is your home?

I couldn’t imagine children living without a “home.” Valek grinned with his usual sad look and didn’t answer.”.We see: sincere bewilderment bordering on curiosity on Vasya’s face. The wrong side of life, someone else's experience, opens up before him. And on Valek’s sad face all this is reflected in a silent smile.

Valek is a very respectable boy, with the manners of an adult, looks seriously and speaks about his elders in an independent tone. At first Vasya saw only someone of the same age, but later a difference emerged. Valek's sad respectability was especially noticeable in his worries about little Marusa. Vasya also loved his younger sister Sonya, but he never had to think about feeding her (she was as round as a donut), cheering her up (she laughed so loudly), or saving her from death.

Valek - gloomy ( staggered gloomily), unkempt ( hair was shaggy), filthy ( in a dirty shirt). But could he look different? Schoolchildren talk about his living conditions. What is most noticeable about his appearance? Constant sadness and thoughtfulness. Why is Valek sad? What is he thinking about? Children read excerpts about the cemetery chapel, where dark personalities hide, where Valek lives and Marusya dies, from which gray stone gradually sucks life away. From Valek, apparently, too: a boy - lean and thin, like a reed. The color epithets in his portrait are monochromatic: dark hair over black eyes. Blonde, pale and tiny Marusya next to Valek further emphasizes the tragedy of the situation of members of the “bad society”. Valek, who has learned so much, differs from Vasya not in age, but in his understanding of life, his external solidity is a sign of this understanding.

Portrait of Marusya

Portrait descriptions of Marusya in the story are concentrically deployed. The principle of concentricity allows you to “physically” keep the hero in the reader’s field of view. This feature is inherent not only in portrait images, but is a stable feature of V.G.’s artistic style. Korolenko in general. This, by the way, explains the use in the text of a number of constant epithets, comparisons, and metaphorical images ( gray stone, For example). Portrait details in the narrative are periodically repeated, varied, and continuously interact with the context. The detailed detailing of the portrait of Marusya corresponds to the idea of ​​the image: Marusya is so small, tiny because gray stone exhausted her. The persistent repetition of details creates a rhythmic monotony of the motive for the inevitable death of this innocent creature: the little girl is a tiny, sad figure - a small grave.

The reception of preliminary signaling is another feature of the style associated with the concentric structure of the description of appearance. Marusya’s not childishly sad smile reminds Vasya of her late mother in the last days of her life. Smallness, pallor, even blond hair are also preliminary signals. All these signs artistically merge into a picture of the illusory, ephemeral nature of Marusya’s existence - a small foggy speck almost indistinguishable in the stream of sunlight. You can trace how the semantic connections of the epithet expand from chapter to chapter small- the starting point for describing Marusya’s appearance.

Chapter I. Actually, little is said about Marus: a little girl in the arms of Pan Tyburtsy. At the very beginning of the chapter we learn: Vasya’s mother has died, Vasya has a little sister Sonya.

Chapter II. Nothing is said about Marus. But again mention is made of Vasya’s little sister, of the pale face of his late mother, of the flowers with which they covered her.

Chapter III. About Marus: dirty face; blond hair; Blue eyes; unsteady steps; the hands are small, tiny. Epithet small branched into a series of more particular definitions reflecting the tragic essence of the image. The depths of the initially supposedly neutral epithet are revealed.

Chapter IV. About Marus: little hands; pale face; a pale, tiny creature; crooked legs; the hands are thin and transparent; the head swayed on the thin neck; muffled laughter; the dress is dirty and old; sad; movements are slow; the eyes stood out with deep blue on the pale face; long eyelashes drooping; a tiny, sad figure from which the gray stone had sucked the life. Here there is a direct comparison of Marusya and Sonya, Marusya and Vasya’s dying mother, numerous references to flowers. Repetitions, variations of previously listed characteristics, addition of new ones.

Chapter V. About Marus: blond head; a strange and small foggy speck that seemed about to blur and disappear; tiny figurine of a girl.

Chapter VI. About Marus: she rang with the weak tinkles of her pitiful laughter and splashed on the stone floor with her clumsy legs; blond hair; turquoise eyes. Definition small is revealed more and more fully: Marusya is not just a little girl, but because she lives in poverty, somewhere in a cemetery, in a dungeon.

Chapter VII. About Marus: she kept losing weight; her face turned pale; the eyes darkened and became larger; the eyelids lifted with difficulty; is becoming more and more frail; the quiet sounds of her weak laughter; sad smile. Development of a given topic - small- continues: little life is heading towards sunset, predetermined by social reasons.

Chapter VIII. About Marus: she looked indifferently with large, darkened and motionless eyes; faded like a flower in autumn; blond hair scattered over the pillow; the closed eyes were slightly sunken and tinged even more sharply with blue; her body was decorated with autumn flowers. Portrait details are displaced from the description by the polysemantic image of autumn flowers. The main thing here is the contrast that arises from the comparison: the early death of Vasya’s mother - the death of Marusya. Randomness and regularity.

Conclusion - in connection with Marusya: the lights on the graves on dark autumn nights flash with a blue ominous light; the grave was full of flowers; over a small grave. In relation to the image of Marusya, the epithet “little” turns out to be the focus, semantic center the entire story.

Portrait of Tyburtsiy

The writer’s principle of concentricity is associated not only with the style-forming, but to a certain extent also with the plot-forming function of the portrait. Pan Tyburtsy Drab is a romantic figure. In a portrait this is expressed by contrasting details. Each detail seems to be enlarged, becomes more meaningful, requires explanation - it determines the movement of the plot. All of Korolenko’s characteristic portraiture techniques (concentricity of descriptions, periodic repetition of individual details, a system of preliminary signals) are easily traced in this portrait. A peculiarity in the depiction of Tyburtsiy’s appearance is the use of a kind of chiaroscuro. He appears among the unlucky ones as their organizer and leader. This position of his is emphasized by the duality of the impression made by the very appearance of Pan Tyburtsy. And if his friends stood out as gloomy spots against the gray background of city life, then Pan Tyburtsy Drab was perceived brightly, surprising the townsfolk with his amazing learning and rebellious strength. There is no complete solution to his sadness. He was driven into the dungeon by some large quarrel with the law. Physically, Tyburtsy is a freak. His concern for children, for the whole community of offended people - unfortunate creatures like him, persecuted by the law, is touching.

Portrait of a judge

It is drawn abstractly. Only high growth is noted, all other portrait details are of a purely psychological nature: a stern, stern and gloomy face with the stamp of indelible grief; blurry eyes; gloomy person; heavy, fixed, suppressive gaze; gloomy look; usually a thoughtful look. These descriptions describe the character, not the appearance, of the person. This is understandable, because the judge is the father of the narrator, whose appearance does not need to be specified for him.

And the result of observing the skill of Korolenko as a portrait painter can be a final integrated lesson, in which, in addition to the artistic expression and creative experiences of students in illustrating and staging fragments of the story, it is possible to organize a viewing and discussion of the works of professional artists (for example, drawings by G. Filippovsky and G. Fitingof in the Detgiz editions of the story). The subject of discussion could be Kira Muratova’s feature film “Among the Gray Stones.” At the stands of the portrait gallery, it is possible to place a “photo shoot” or show a slide series, for example, photographs of classmates and acquaintances posing in hero costumes or documentary portraits of modern “underground children”. Thus, a careful look at the literary portrait of heroes can help young readers become more attentive to each other and become imbued with sympathy for their neighbors in life.

Notes

Inber V. For many years. M., 1964. P. 82.

Korolenko V.G.. About literature. M., 1957. P. 460.

Vartanov A. Time ends the dispute (about the relationship between literature and fine arts) // Questions of literature. 1964. No. 3. P. 117.

Korolenko V.G. About literature... P. 461.

Composition

The main character of V. G. Korolenko’s story “Children of the Dungeon” is Vasya. When Vasya's mother died, he was six years old. The father completely forgot about him, completely surrendering to his grief. Vasya grew up like a wild tree in a field - no one surrounded him with care, but no one restrained his freedom.
Vasya lived in Prince Town, where the pitiful remains of the proud lord’s greatness lived out their days. The city lies below moldy ponds. Gray fences, vacant lots with heaps of rubbish moved with the huts sunk into the ground. The wooden bridge groaned and staggered like a decrepit old man. The river over which the bridge was built flowed from a pond and flowed into another. There was an island in the middle of one of the ponds. On the island there is an old, dilapidated castle. Vasya always looked at this majestic, decrepit building with fear. Any poor person could find refuge in the old castle. “Lives in a castle” - this phrase expressed the extreme degree of poverty and decline. But one day the castle society was divided. Vasya and his friends watched as the expulsion of the residents took place. And the unfortunate dark personalities, dejected, left the island forever. After this, the old castle, from which Vasya had previously felt some kind of grandeur, lost all its attractiveness in his eyes. Vasya could not forget the cruelty with which the residents of the castle drove away their unfortunate roommates who were left homeless
, his heart sank. Using the example of the old castle, Vasya first learned the truth that from the great to the ridiculous there is only one step. The great things in the castle were overgrown with ivy and mosses, and the funny things seemed disgusting to Vasya.
The most remarkable person who did not live in the old castle is Tyburtius Drat. Its origin was unknown. Mr. Drat's appearance did not have a single aristocratic feature, but his eyes, sparkling from under his overhanging eyebrows, looked stubbornly and gloomily, and in them shone, along with slyness, sharp insight, energy and a remarkable mind. A deep, unremitting sadness flowed through them. No one knew where Pan Tyburtsy’s children came from. A boy of about seven years old, tall, thin, black-haired, sullenly staggering around the city, and a little three-year-old girl.
Since Vasya’s mother died and his father’s face became even more gloomy, he was very rarely seen at home. Vasya tried to avoid meeting his father. When everyone was still sleeping in the house, Vasya climbed over the fence and walked to the pond, where the same tomboyish comrades were waiting for him. Vasya was called a tramp, a worthless boy, and was so often reproached for other inclinations that he himself believed it. The father also believed this and made attempts to raise his son, but it all ended in failure. Seeing his father’s stern, gloomy face, on which lay the stern mark of incurable grief, Vasya became timid and withdrawn into himself. The boy wanted his father to hug him, sit him on his lap and caress him, but the father looked at his son with hazy eyes, and he shrank all under this gaze, incomprehensible to him. Father often asked Vasya: “Do you remember mother?” Of course, Vasya remembered her. After the death of his mother, for the first time the whole horror of the riddle about life and death was revealed to Vasya. As before, it seemed to him that she was with him, that now he would meet her sweet caress, but his hands stretched out into the empty darkness
, and the consciousness of bitter loneliness penetrated into the soul. Then he squeezed his small, painfully pounding heart with his hands, and tears burned hot streams through his cheeks. But when asked by the tall, gloomy man, in whom Vasya wanted, but could not feel, a kindred soul, he cowered even more and quietly pulled his little hand out of his hand. And the father turned away from his son with annoyance and pain. There was some kind of insurmountable wall between them. Loving his mother when she was alive, his father did not notice Vasya because of his happiness. Now Vasya was shielded from him by severe grief. And gradually the abyss that separated them became wider and deeper. The father became more and more convinced that his son was a bad, spoiled boy, with a callous, selfish heart. The father understood that he must love him, but not find a corner for this love in his heart. Vasya felt it. Watching his father, hearing his muffled groans from unbearable mental anguish, the boy’s heart lit up with pity and sympathy. Vasya cried with frustration and pain. From the age of six he experienced the horror of loneliness.
Sister Sonya was four years old. Vasya loved her, and she repaid him with the same love. But the established gaze on Vasya erected a high wall between them. Vasya was bitter and annoyed. And soon he stopped all attempts to occupy Sonya with games, and after a while he felt cramped in the house and in the kindergarten, where he did not find greetings or affection from anyone. Vasya began to wander. It seemed to him that behind the old garden fence he would find something and maybe do something, towards this unknown and mysterious, something rose in him from the depths of his heart, teasing and challenging. Since then he was called a street boy and a tramp, but he did not pay attention to this. He listened to comments and acted his way. Staggering through the streets, he observed the life of the town. He learned and saw something that children much older than him had not seen.
When the castle lost respect and attractiveness for Vasya, then he began to look at the chapel. Plucking up courage, Vasya looked inside the chapel, and from there he smelled solemn silence. There he saw a boy of about nine and a girl with blue eyes. From then on, Vasya was completely absorbed in his new acquaintance. Going to bed and getting up, he only thought about the visit to the chapel. Marusya, at the sight of her new friend, clasped her little hands, and her eyes lit up, her pale face flushed with blush, and she laughed. She was like a flower that grew without the rays of the sun. She reminded Vasya of his mother in the last days of her life.
From Valka, Vasya learned that the gray stone was sucking the life out of her. There was a bitter truth in these words. It was a mystery for Vasya, more terrible than all the ghosts of the old castle. Something unknown was bending over the girl’s little head, sucking out her blush, the sparkle in her eyes and the liveliness of her movements. Vasya and Valk collected flowers and colorful stones for the girl, caught butterflies, told fairy tales or talked with each other. These conversations every day more and more strengthened the boys' friendship, which grew, despite the sharp contrast of their characters.
Valek showed Vasya his father from a side from which it had never occurred to him to look at him. He was pleased to hear his father's praises. Slava Valka struck a chord of filial pride in Vasya’s heart.
Autumn was approaching. Marusya began to get sick. Everything that amused and interested Vasya in these people on the streets, here in the dungeon, appeared in an unvarnished form and weighed heavily on the child’s heart. When these pictures and people arose in Vasya’s memory, he saw grief, need, tragedy.
Vasya finally got used to bad society, Marusya’s sad smile became as dear to him as his sister’s smile. Here he was needed, here no one pointed out his depravity. His every appearance caused a blush and animation on the girl’s cheeks. Valek hugged him like a brother.
The clear days passed, and Marusya became worse. Nothing made her happy anymore, and her laughter had not been heard for a long time. Then Vasya decided to turn to his sister Sonya. She had a large doll, a gift from her late mother. Vasya had high hopes for this doll. Vasya was not mistaken. The little doll did a miracle, but also brought many anxious moments. Vasya told Valk his concerns. It was decided to return the doll back. As soon as the boys took the doll out of the hands of the girl lying in oblivion, she suddenly began to cry. Vasya put the doll in its place with fear. The girl smiled and calmed down. Vasya realized that he wanted to deprive his little friend of the first and last joy of her short life.
Vasya was waiting for a serious conversation with his father. He called him into his office. Vasya heard the alarming beating of his own heart. Vasya found his father’s face scary. Vasya's father accused him of theft. The father's eyes burned with anger. A barely conscious, offended feeling of an abandoned child rose in the boy’s chest. Bitter tears burned his cheeks. At that moment Tyburtsy's voice was heard. He untied the knot and took out the doll. The father's face showed amazement. They went out. A few minutes later they returned. Vasya felt someone's hand on his head. It was his father's hand, gently stroking him. Vasya looked up at him. Now a different person stood in front of Vasya, but it was in this person that he found something familiar, which he had sought in vain in him before. And the father only now began to recognize in Vasya the familiar features of his own son.
We believe that Korolenko’s work reflects the facts of his biography. As you read, you are amazed at the sincerity and power of the author’s word. We empathize with the characters, imbued with their thoughts and concerns. In the main characters of Vasya, we see a reflection of the life of the writer himself. In our opinion, this is a strong and courageous person, kind and intelligent, capable of understanding people. He, like his main character, knows how to sympathize and sympathize.
Respect for a person, the fight for him is the main thing in the life and work of a writer. The heroes of his works are ordinary Russian people.
Korolenko’s work teaches us not to be afraid of life, to accept it as it is, and not to bow our heads in the face of difficulties.

In Korolenko’s story “Children of the Dungeon” the main character is a nine-year-old boy Vasya. He was only six years old when Vasya’s mother died after a serious illness. His father completely forgot about him, completely immersed in his inconsolable grief. The boy grew up like a lonely wild tree in a field - he was not surrounded by anyone's care, but no one constrained his will.

Vasya lived in Prince Town, where the pitiful remains of the proud lord’s greatness lived out their days. The city lies below moldy ponds. Gray fences, vacant lots

Mixed with heaps of rubbish and huts that had sunk into the ground. The wooden bridge groaned and swayed like a decrepit old man. The river over which the bridge was built flowed from a pond and flowed into another. There was an island in the middle of one of the ponds. On the island there is an old, dilapidated castle. Vasya always looked at this majestic, decrepit building with fear. Any poor person could find refuge in the old castle. “Lives in a castle” - this phrase expressed the extreme degree of poverty and decline. But one day the castle society was divided. Vasya and his friends watched as the expulsion of the residents took place. And the unfortunate dark personalities, dejected, left the island forever. After this, the old castle, from which Vasya had previously felt some kind of grandeur, lost all its attractiveness in his eyes. Vasya could not forget the cruelty with which the residents of the castle persecuted their unfortunate roommates who were left homeless; his heart sank. Using the example of the old castle, Vasya first learned the truth that from the great to the ridiculous there is only one step. The great things in the castle were overgrown with ivy and mosses, and the funny things seemed disgusting to Vasya.

Sister Sonya was four years old. Vasya loved her, and she repaid him with the same love. But the established gaze on Vasya erected a high wall between them. Vasya was bitter and annoyed. And soon he stopped all attempts to occupy Sonya with games, and after a while he felt cramped in the house and in the kindergarten, where he did not find greetings or affection from anyone. Vasya began to wander. It seemed to him that behind the old garden fence he would find something and maybe do something. Towards this unknown and mysterious, something rose in him from the depths of his heart, teasing and challenging. Since then he was called a street boy and a tramp, but he did not pay attention to it. He listened to comments and acted his way. Staggering through the streets, he observed the life of the town. He learned and saw something that children much older than him had not seen.

When the castle lost respect and attractiveness for Vasya, then he began to look at the chapel. Plucking up courage, Vasya looked inside the chapel, and from there he smelled solemn silence. There he saw a boy of about nine and a girl with blue eyes. From then on, Vasya was completely absorbed in his new acquaintance. Going to bed and getting up, he only thought about the visit to the chapel. Marusya, at the sight of her new friend, clasped her little hands, and her eyes lit up, her pale face flushed with blush, and she laughed. She was like a flower that grew without the rays of the sun. She reminded Vasya of his mother in the last days of her life.

From Valka, Vasya learned that the gray stone was sucking the life out of her. There was a bitter truth in these words. It was a mystery for Vasya, more terrible than all the ghosts of the old castle. Something unknown was bending over the girl’s little head, sucking out her blush, the sparkle in her eyes and the liveliness of her movements. Vasya and Valk collected flowers and colorful stones for the girl, caught butterflies, told fairy tales or talked with each other. These conversations every day more and more strengthened the boys' friendship, which grew, despite the sharp contrast of their characters.

Valek showed Vasya his father from a side from which it had never occurred to him to look at him. He was pleased to hear his father's praises. Valk’s words struck a chord of filial pride in Vasya’s heart.

Autumn was approaching. Marusya began to get sick. Everything that amused and interested Vasya in these people on the streets, here in the dungeon, appeared in an unvarnished form and weighed heavily on the child’s heart. When these pictures and people arose in Vasya’s memory, he saw grief, need, tragedy. Vasya finally got used to bad society, Marusya’s sad smile became as dear to him as his sister’s smile. Here he was needed, here no one pointed out his depravity. His every appearance caused a blush and animation on the girl’s cheeks. Valek hugged him like a brother.

The clear days passed, and Marusya became worse. Nothing made her happy anymore, and her laughter had not been heard for a long time. Then Vasya decided to turn to his sister Sonya. She had a large doll, a gift from her late mother. Vasya had high hopes for this doll. Vasya was not mistaken. The doll did a miracle, but also brought many anxious moments. The owners were looking for the doll. Vasya told Valk his concerns. It was decided to return the doll back. As soon as the boys took the doll out of the hands of the girl lying in oblivion, she suddenly began to cry. Vasya put the doll in its place with fear. The girl smiled and calmed down. Vasya realized that he wanted to deprive his little friend of the first and last joy of her short life.

Vasya was waiting for a serious conversation with his father. He called him into his office. Vasya heard the alarming beating of his own heart. Vasya found his father’s face scary. Vasya's father accused him of theft. The father's eyes burned with anger. A barely conscious, offended feeling of an abandoned child rose in the boy’s chest. Bitter tears burned his cheeks. At that moment Tyburtsy's voice was heard. He untied the knot and took out the doll. Amazement appeared on the father's face. They went out. A few minutes later they returned. Vasya felt someone's hand on his head. It was his father's hand, gently stroking him. Vasya looked up at him. Now a different person stood in front of Vasya, but it was in this person that he found something familiar, which he had sought in vain in him before. And the father only now began to recognize in Vasya the familiar features of his own son.

It is believed that Korolenko’s story recreates the facts of his biography, studying which one is amazed at the sincerity and genuineness of the author’s word. The reader empathizes with the heroes of the work, imbued with their thoughts and sorrows. The life of the main character Vasya reflects the life of the author himself. It is easy to imagine that he was a knowledgeable and daring person, sincere and intelligent, with the ability to understand people, able to pity and sympathize. Respect for people, the fight for every person is a fundamental link in Korolenko’s life and work. The heroes of his creations are ordinary Russian people, of which there are many. His works teach not to be timid in the face of life's difficulties, but to accept life as it is.

The main character in V.G. Korolenko’s story “Children of the Dungeon” is a boy named Vasya. He was about nine years old. Lives in the provincial town of Knyazhye-veno. His father is a judge, his mother died when the boy was six years old. He also has a sister, Sonya. Their family is wealthy.

After the death of his mother, no one was involved in raising his son, as the father was grief-stricken. Sometimes he tried to teach his son something, but all these attempts ended in failure. Vasya often just walked along the street. Even though he was from a decent family, the residents called him a tramp and a “worthless boy,” a tomboy.

His character is strong. He himself is very determined and brave. He was not afraid of anyone and immediately said everything he thought to his face.

When he was scolded, he only gloomily listened to the comments, but always did everything his own way, despite what he was told.

He was very playful and loved to play with children. Even despite what they say about him, some characters saw good traits in the boy. They said he was a nice guy and capable of compassion. This is true. Seeing people who were left homeless or stricken with illness, his heart sank. He showed deep compassion for such people.
Also, Vasya is very generous. He gave Valek and Marusa apples that he picked in the garden. He didn't feel sorry for anything for his friends.

His relationship with his father was tense. He just wanted to feel his father's love, to have him sit on his lap and hug him. But instead he looked at him with his empty gaze. Sometimes he asked his son if he remembered his mother, to which he never received an answer. Vasya, of course, remembered his mother, but he could not share this sadness with his father. Therefore, when asked this question, he always avoided answering. There was an insurmountable wall between father and son. When his mother was alive, his father, out of love for his wife, did not notice his son, just as after her death.

To his father, he was a spoiled, spoiled boy with a hard heart. Deep down, he knew that he should be gentler with him, but there was no room in his heart for love for his son.

In his entire life, Vasya never deceived his father. I also knew that I shouldn’t steal. But in order to save Marusya, he still decided to deceive her by giving her his sister’s doll in order to somehow cheer up the girl. This proves that he is a very loyal friend.

Option 2

The main character of the work "Children of the Dungeon" is the boy Vasya. He lives with his father and sister Sonya in the city of Knyazhye-veno. Vasya's mother died when he was only six years old. At this point in the story, the boy is approximately nine years old. Father works as a judge.

Such grief as the death of a mother and beloved wife could not pass by the family. It left a big mark and changes in their lives. The father was heartbroken and did not raise his son. Occasionally there were unsuccessful attempts to teach my son something. The family was decent and wealthy. But despite this, the neighbors called him a tramp, because Vasya often wandered around the city.

Nature did not deprive Vasya of character. He was hard. And Vasya himself is decisive and brave. He had no fear, he was not afraid of anyone or anything. Vasya never listened to anyone, he always did everything his own way. When he was scolded, he always listened silently, but made the decision himself.

Vasya loved to play with his friends on the street. Other characters from the work saw many positive traits in him, despite what they say about him. It emphasized such character traits as: compassion, kindness and decent manners. And it's not a lie. His heart was tormented by experiences when he saw people left without a roof over their heads. He was generous, always shared with his friends, he did not feel sorry for anything for them. Vasya often brought a lot of apples or all sorts of goodies from home for his friends.

The relationship between Vasya and his father was not as good as with Vasya’s friends; there was tension between them. Vasya is a small child who just wants to feel loved and needed by his family. But Vasya did not receive such tender feelings. His father looked at him blankly. Occasionally, Vasya's father asked if he remembered his mother, to which Vasya remained silent and never gave an answer. Of course, Vasya remembered his mother, but he did not consider his father a person with whom he could share his thoughts on this matter. It was for this reason that Vasya always avoided answering. There was an insurmountable barrier between them in their relationship. Their relationship was not affected by the death of their mother, because even before his death the father did not pay due attention to his child, and Vasya also did not feel the love that he so lacked.

The father did not see the boy's true soul and considered him a spoiled boy with a hard heart. The father understood that his attitude towards his son was not correct, and he had to change something. But there was no room left in the father’s heart for love for his son.

Vasya never deceived his father, he knew that he should not steal. But one day he violated his principles to save Marusya. This act once again proved his attitude towards his friends on the good side.

Essay Image of Vasya

The author created this image in a subtle and multifaceted way; during the course of this work, the boy Vasya lives and grows up, all this is caused by the events that happen to him. Vasya lives in a small town, he is the son of a judge, so the family lives prosperously, but his mother is not there, she died of illness. The main character also has a sister, Sonya, their family is friendly and prosperous, all this happened until the death of their mother.

After the mother died, the father stopped taking care of the children; he could not recover from the misfortune that suddenly happened to all of them. Therefore, Vasya often went for a walk with friends. Moreover, these walks were daily, the hero of the work almost moved to live on the street.

All his acquaintances and friends called him almost a homeless tramp, although he had a family, his father and sister. But Vasya doesn’t communicate with them; he spends all his free time with his tramp friends.

At the same time, Vasya’s character is proud, firm and decisive; in any fight he never gives up, even if the enemy is stronger than him; when some unresolved situations arise, he immediately makes a decision.

At the same time, he has kindness and decent manners, so the character of the main character is strong and noble, in addition, he sympathizes with sick and poor people. When he met a sick girl, his heart sank from the pain of sympathy; when he met a beggar, he really wanted to help this person.

He constantly brought a lot of apples to his friends, with whom he constantly played and talked, and he also fed them all with goodies, taking them home. After Vasya met homeless children, he knew where they lived and were hiding from the authorities.

He never told anyone where these homeless people lived. He went to them in a roundabout way, he did all this because he knew he should not reveal other people’s secrets. Coming every day to these people living on the street, he received from them those feelings and emotions that he lacked in his family.

He was friends with Valek, Turbutsy and Marusya, they became such friends that they became his second family. Vasya, of course, did not tell his father about his such acquaintance. After Marusya died, she was terminally ill.

Some time later, Vasya and his real family and sister came to the grave of this girl. Thanks to communication with these people, Vasya realized how important family is in every person’s life, even if his father does not communicate with him, he still loves him and worries about his family.

The example of this hero shows the attitude of different social strata of the population, and thanks to his character, this friendship becomes possible, and proves to everyone that the main thing is not who your friend is, the main thing is that he is a good person.

The role of “bad society” in the life of Vasya, the hero of V. G. Korolenko’s story “Children of the Dungeon”

Vasya is the main character of the story “Children of the Dungeon” by Vladimir Galaktionovich Korolenko. We see the events taking place in the work through the eyes of this boy. He says about his life: “I grew up like a wild tree in a field - no one surrounded me with special care, but no one constrained my freedom.” Already from these lines it is clear that the hero was lonely. Vasya's mother died, and he was survived by his father and younger sister. The boy had a tender, warm relationship with his sister, but there was an “insurmountable wall” between him and his father. With particular tragedy, Korolenko describes how Vasya suffers from this. To avoid the “horror of loneliness,” the hero is almost never at home, and hopes to find “something” that will change his life.

After the death of his mother, Vasya wanted to find the love that she did not have time to give him in his father’s heart. However, the father seemed to him a “gloomy man” who does not love his son and considers him a “spoiled boy.” But in his story, Korolenko shows us how Vasya learns to understand other people, how he learns the bitter truth of life and how, finally, this “insurmountable wall” between him and his father collapses.

Korolenko built the story on contrasts. Vasya was the “son of respectable parents,” but his friends were children from “bad society” - Valek and Marusya. This acquaintance changed both the hero and his life. Vasya learned that there are children who have no home and who have to steal in order not to die of hunger. Describing the hero’s inner experiences, the author shows how at first Vasya was surprised at what he saw in the “bad society”, and then suffered from pity and compassion for the poor: “I didn’t yet know what hunger was, but at the last words of the girl I have something turned in my chest...”

Vasya became very attached to Valek and Marusa. They are still just children, and they really wanted to have fun and play from the heart. Comparing Marusya with his sister Sonya, Vasya sadly noted that Sonya “... ran so briskly... laughed so loudly,” and Marusya “... almost never ran and laughed very rarely...”.

Meeting Valek, Marusya and their father Tyburtsy helped Vasya look at life from a different perspective. He learned that there are people who have nothing to eat and nowhere to sleep, and he was especially struck by a gray stone that takes away the strength of a little girl.

Vasya’s father is a judge, and we see that the boy himself, in his thoughts, is trying to judge the actions of people from “bad society.” But this “contempt” was drowned out by compassion and pity, and the desire to help. This is evidenced by the chapter “Doll”, which can be called culminating.

People from the “bad society” helped Vasya to recognize and understand his father, to find “something dear” in him. Reading the story, we see that Vasya and his father always loved each other, but Tyburtsy and his children helped them express this love. The hero acquired such qualities as compassion, the desire to help people, kindness, courage, and honesty. But the “bad society” helped not only Vasya, but also his father: he also looked at his son in a new way.

At the end of the story, Korolenko describes how Vasya and Sonya, together with their father, pronounced vows at Marusya’s grave. I think the main one is the vow to help people and forgive them. Together with the guys, I experienced all the events described in the story. I really like this book.

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