The man in the case the main idea briefly. Analysis of the story "The Man in the Case" (A. Chekhov). The history of the creation of the work of A.P. Chekhov "The Man in the Case"

Chekhov is famous for his laconic satirical stories in which he ridicules the various vices of people. "The Man in the Case" is one such short story and was written in 1898. The wise Litrekon offers you his analysis.

The creative history of the story "The Man in the Case" began in 1898 in the village of Melikhovo, where the writer began and finished his work. Then the work was published in the journal "Russian Thought". This story is the first part of the Little Trilogy series, which, in addition to this text, also includes Gooseberries and About Love. It was a difficult period in the work and life of Chekhov, since it was then that he fell ill with tuberculosis.

Chekhov's contemporaries tried with all their might to find the one who inspired the writer to create the image of Belikov. People's opinions differed, and the debate and the search for a prototype continued. Ultimately, we can say that there was no prototype at all, the image of the main character of the story is collective, and the phrase “man in a case” is already something of a household word.

"M. in dry weather, he walks in galoshes, wears an umbrella so as not to die from sunstroke, is afraid to wash himself with cold water, complains of a sinking heart.

Perhaps it was this person who became the prototype of Belikov, at least in terms of external qualities.

Genre, direction

The question that interests you when reading almost every work of Chekhov is is it a story or a story? This is a story, since in the center of the story there is only one hero - Belikov, on whom the emphasis is placed. It is his story that is being told. Two other works that are included in the "Little Trilogy" were written in the same genre.

"The Man in the Case" is not just funny story, this is a tragicomedy of a case life, that is, Belikov’s life is a really terrible life, but Chekhov describes it with the help of satire so that the story is not one-sided - that is, on the one hand it funny story On the other hand, Chekhov acts as a psychologist and demonstrates to the reader the complex mental problems of the hero.

The meaning of the name

Why is the story called "The Man in the Case"? In fact, there is nothing unusual in the meaning of the name and it can be taken literally. The main character - Belikov lives in his "case", in which he is comfortable. The character absolutely does not want to contact the outside world, so he surrounds himself with things that have no practical meaning: a coat, umbrella and galoshes accompany him even on a hot day.

In this case, he has his own rules, his own framework, in which the hero quite likes life. Unfortunately, the case is too cramped and limited, there is no place in it for anyone except the owner of this case, which is why Belikov expects loneliness and a limited space that he himself created around himself. In the finale, he finds an ideal case - a coffin.

Composition and conflict

The composition of the story does not differ in any complex form, on the contrary, the story is presented in the form of several parts, broken down by meaning and describing the events taking place. That is why the reader easily perceives the text. But the features of the composition of "The Man in the Case" are not in the division into chapters, but in the presentation - this is a story within a story. Chekhov talks about Burkin, who tells a friend about Belikov.

As for the conflict, it is present in the story.

Firstly, this is a conflict between a “man in a case” and society - they do not want to understand and accept each other, Belikov lives in his own world, separated from the surrounding society.
Secondly, Chekhov introduces such a hero as Mikhail Kovalenko (a cheerful, strong and funny person), who is the complete opposite of Belikov. They also do not understand each other, the life of each shocks the other, in the end, Belikov cannot stand the confrontation.

Bottom line: what is the story about?

This is the story of the teacher Burkin (he and his friend came to spend the night with Alekhin, their friend) about his colleague Belikov, he is a local teacher. The hero has created a kind of case around him - both internal and external. There are many frames and prohibitions in his head, and hiding from outside world he prefers a coat behind a high collar. The surrounding people are afraid of him and indulge his whims and complaints. The phrase “No matter what happens” convinces everyone that the hero is right.

But one day two new teachers arrived in the city - Mikhail and Varenka (brother and sister). Then the local ladies decided to marry Belikov to a new colleague, noticing some sympathy on his part. The heroine was glad to build her family away from her conflicted brother and would agree to the proposal. But the indecisive and cowardly man could not decide to talk. Once he saw Varenka on a bicycle and considered her behavior indecent. But Varya's brother, Mikhail, who hated his prim colleague, rudely interrupted his speech and pushed him out the door. After that, the hero fell ill and died.

Even after his death, many breathed a sigh of relief, and there was a satisfied smile on his dead face, as he was in such a case from which he would definitely never get out.

Main characters and their characteristics

As for the characters, there are not many of them in the story "The Man in the Case", but the system of images forms a harmonious narrative and makes it whole. Attention to the table:

hero	characteristic
belikov	Greek teacher, main character. as it was written earlier, he separated himself from society and lived in a world that was comfortable for him, in a “case”. he is a lonely person, because in the first place, he himself did not go forward, and the people around him were afraid of him, they considered Belikov strange and were constantly in suspense when he was present nearby. he is also cowardly, he is afraid of any, even the smallest changes. he died the same way he lived - alone and in a case.
Mikhail Kovalenko	a new teacher at the gymnasium, where Belikov also taught. they didn’t like each other right away, also Mikhail is the complete opposite of Belikov - he is active, purposeful and does not accept such a passive lifestyle that Belikov likes. he is the only one who dared to express his opinion in the face of Belikov, while the rest preferred to remain silent.
barbarian	This is Mikhail Kovalenko's sister. she is basically the same as her brother - cheerful, simple, cheerful. she was able to attract the attention of everyone, including Belikov, he fell in love with her, and then received consent to the wedding. but even in this situation, he did not stop repeating that the wedding is a very responsible step, and you must first think carefully.
the narrator	the narration is conducted on behalf of the burkin - it is he who is the narrator. he knew Belikov well, since he lived with him in the same house, in a neighboring apartment. Burkin is a very observant person with an analytical mindset, so he tells his whole story to his friend Ivan Ivanovich, who listens to him carefully and with interest. You can also see humor and irony in his speech.

The images of the characters in the story "The Man in the Case" reflect all the hopeless longing of life in the outback. People have nothing to do with themselves, nowhere to go, and they are ready to be interested in anything, just to distract themselves from longing.

Themes

The theme of the story "The Man in the Case" is multifaceted and relevant in the modern world:

main topic, which Chekhov portrays in the story "The Man in the Case" - is sociopathy, in other words, the refusal of any interaction with society. The main character is asocial, this is not normal, since a person must contact other people, and Belikov completely fenced himself off from everything around him and did not want to change anything. This made not only him unhappy, but also the people who were oppressed by his influence.
Love Theme not fully disclosed, since such a person is not able to experience any feelings in relation to others. Their relationship with Varvara is an attempt by Varenka to return him to a normal, adequate life, she agrees to marry him, but for Belikov, the problems that he invented for himself are much more important than emotions and feelings towards Varvara.
Choice of life path. We cannot judge Belikov, society also did not have the right to judge him. He chose his life path, he felt good in his small isolated world, he was comfortable in his loneliness, he did nothing bad to others, Belikov just lived the way he wanted.
Another theme and problem that is emphasized in the story is small man. All people simply condemned Belikov, but no one wanted to help him. So the topic little man affects not only the passive coward Belikov, but also every person around him. Other heroes also preferred to hide in their shell and pretend that nothing was happening. Case life is contagious.
The role of the landscape in the story "The Man in the Case" - contrasting. When Belikov was in the worst despondency about the caricature and meeting Varya on a bicycle, the sun was shining at full speed on the street, there was a rare heat, and the hero, to spite her, dressed warmer than usual. When Belikov was lying in the coffin with a satisfied expression on his face, it was raining, and all the people saw him off in galoshes and with umbrellas. But in the soul of everyone shone the joy of liberation from the case man.
Town. Life on the outskirts has always been the subject of Chekhov's ironic observation. In his province it is boring, dreary and vulgar. So it is in “The Man ...”: out of boredom, people began to marry Belikov, they also gossip and gossip about his relationship with Varya. With nothing to do, someone draws cartoons. In a word, the drowsy swamp of the province awakens the worst qualities in the inhabitants.
Historical and cultural background Chekhov conveyed very accurately. His story contains circulars with prohibitions and decrees that regulated life at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The author's view of the women's issue is also interesting. Ladies no longer sit at home and nurse children, but work, but still many people like Belikov adhere to patriarchal views and deny the lady the right to ride a bicycle.

Problems

Summarizing and analyzing everything that was written before, we can single out several main problems that are affected by Chekhov. First of all, this moral issues in the story "The Man in the Case":

selfishness- almost every character in the story is an egoist, and thinks only about himself and his problems. Varya wants to improve independent life away from his brother, so he agrees to everything, just to move out. The headmistress cynically remarks that at her 30 years old there is not much choice, and for her own pleasure she takes up matchmaking. Belikov himself only thinks about making everything coincide with his ideas about the world, and strenuously adjusts life to an established pattern.
The Problem of Happiness and perception of happiness. For each person, happiness can be different, people should not judge what makes another person happy. However, we ourselves often take the mirage for something more and strenuously pursue it. So Belikov saw happiness in comfort and a case, ignoring love, freedom, the joys of life without endless prohibitions.
« Case" and "case" life- the hero in the story is completely fenced off from society and from external problems, because of this, he was not ready for a serious life and decisive actions. Even love did not bring him out of the gloomy stupor of loneliness. From any positive phenomenon, he defended himself with fears and doubts, and as a result, all good things passed him by.
Personal degradation and self-doubt- this “follows” from the previous paragraph, Belikov not only fenced himself off from society, he did not want to develop, change something for the better, because he was afraid to try something new. He even taught a dead language that no one needs anymore. He admired the past but ignored the present. Belikov did not live, but existed.
"Belikovshchina"- a term that appeared after the success of the story "The Man in the Case" and means striving for the past, ignoring the present and living in the tight confines of formality. It is the fear of life, the fear of change and discovery. This phenomenon is typical for people who protect themselves from reality by fleeing into saving illusions.
vulgarity in the story "The Man in the Case" pervades all life on the periphery. People woo completely strangers, draw caricatures, listen to and are afraid of a suspicious hypocrite - all this outlines the emptiness of their existence and its bourgeois boredom.

Main idea

So what is the meaning and the main idea story "The Man in the Case" Chekhov did not want to show how bad and stupid Belikov was, but that this should never be done. You can’t become a victim of your own thoughts, your own frames established in your head. The author calls to get rid of the cramped, stuffy case and start living, start breathing deeply. This is precisely what author's position.

At the end, Belikov dies and people say they saw the joy on his face as he lay in the coffin. At this moment, the hero seemed to be glad that he would now spend all the remaining time in his comfortable case, from which he definitely would not go anywhere. The meaning of the finale of the story "The Man in the Case" is the tragedy of a society in which there are a lot of case people. After that funeral, Burkin lost his sense of joy, because nothing really changed, and the stuffy atmosphere of the gymnasium was not discharged. How many more Belikovs are left in the world? A great multitude, and it still asks: “No matter what happens”?

What does it teach?

What moral can be drawn from the story "The Man in the Case" and what can be concluded? You just need to try to overcome fears, you need to try something new for yourself, meet new people - get out of your comfort zone. If this is not done in time, then the whole life will pass by inertia, just like with Belikov.

Chekhov makes you think about what the word "happiness" means? Is it just contentment and peace? Rather, it is a spiritual insight, a state of bliss that neither a coat with a collar nor galoshes can give.

Criticism

This story occupies an important place in Chekhov's work, as many critics took into account the fact that the writer managed to combine a satirical story with something very serious and important.

Alexander Alekseevich Izmailov ( literary critic and publicist of the 19th century) wrote: “The comic story, begun with a smile on the lips, is finished in a serious voice, in which a slight trembling is heard.”

The creation and description of the image of Belikov causes delight and respect, the role of details in the story “The Man in the Case” is also emphasized (for example, Belikov wore absolutely all his things in small cases and taught a dead language). Some people even sympathized with the hero. For example, A.O. Smolenskaya noticed artistic originality"The Man in the Case":

“... in his insignificance is his strength, strength because he has insignificance, and the people with whom he lives have neither size nor insignificance ... nothing ... even a “rolling ball”. From the day he was born, they kept him under a lid, under a cap, crushed him ... and crushed all human life in him ... and this pressure created a force ... the sum of pressures is his strength ... they were deposited in him, as rocks are deposited in layers in the earth, and formed a sincere , a deep, firm, holy conviction that this is how one should live, that it is his sacred duty to act this way.

But not all critics were positive. There were also sharply negative reviews about the story. For example, K.P. Medvedsky called the book "empty":

“The story is empty, bad, but it is impossible to pass it over in silence, because it reveals with extreme clarity the main shortcomings of the writer, who is able to reproduce only the external aspects of everyday phenomena.”

V.G. Walter noted that the image of Belikov would be close and understandable to the province, but not to the big city:

“The capital will not understand you well, and the provinces will be infinitely grateful, and although there is little action, it would be good to imprint such types and scenes in the minds of people.”

The reviewer I.I. also agreed with him. Gorbunov-Posadov, but at the same time he noted the positive impact of the text on the reader:

“Such stories as your “Man in a Case” wake up well, push apart (as well as the strong description of the province in “My Life”).”

But even on this issue, critics have not reached a consensus. Some of them complained about the tragedy and depressiveness of the story:

In his notes, this was also indicated by E.A. Lyatsky: “No, it’s impossible to live like this anymore! - such is Mr. Chekhov's recipe for the modern reader.

N. Konchesvkaya in a letter to Anton Pavlovich noticed this: “All of Russia seemed to me in a case. Give us something that would have at least one bright point and that would at least somewhat encourage and reconcile with life.

This is a story, the topics and problems raised in it were relevant and are still relevant, this is the significance of A.P. Chekhov for posterity.

The first of the stories of the "small trilogy" (besides it, the trilogy includes the stories "Gooseberries" and "On Love") became one of the sharpest denunciations in Chekhov's work and Russian literature in general of the "case" of the spiritual existence of most of the Russian intelligentsia at the turn of the century, its her inability to take responsibility for her own destiny, her fear of living a fulfilling life, and her desire to replace the real life with an invented one. The image of the protagonist of the story "The Man in the Case" became a household name - when it came to the fear of a person to live like a human being, however, one cannot perceive the image of Belikov in a simplified way, it has features that cannot be ignored before passing the final "sentence" to Belikov .

So, Chekhov emphasizes that his hero, who sought to surround himself with "cases", "cases", "cases", experienced an "irresistible" desire for this, and "Reality irritated him, frightened him, kept him in constant anxiety." As you can see, this no longer depends on the hero, he cannot overcome the instinctive fear of life, and one can only sympathize with him: after all, this is, in fact, a nightmarish life. And he is a teacher, he constantly has to deal not just with life, but with children who cannot behave decorously and nobly ... Is it possible in this case to condemn Belikov for being afraid of life, is he hiding it? Unlikely.

The rest of the gymnasium teachers are opposed to Belikov, they are "all-thinking people, deeply decent, brought up on Turgenev and Shchedrin." However, they succumb to the influence of Belikov, who, paradoxically, does not require anything to be banned, he only says: "It is, of course, so-and-so, all this is wonderful, but no matter how something happens." And he does not demand that anyone be expelled from the gymnasium, but says that "it would be very good" if so-and-so were expelled - and for him, in fact, it would be very good! And these "thinking and decent" teachers themselves come to the conclusion, to exclude! Thus, they betray their students, and by no means under the influence of Belikov, but because they themselves want to live in peace ...

In the story of Belikov's "marriage", the teachers also do not look very good. They decide to "get rid" of Belikov, they want to marry him, and they do it ... "out of boredom"! They decide the fate of a person, not understanding what such a sharp change in life means for a person like Belikov. "The machine started working," writes Chekhov, and " thinking people"the" purpose of life "appears", they "talked various vulgarities with important persons, such as de saying that marriage is a serious step" (this, it turns out, is "vulgarity" for them ...). None of them even thought about that in Belikov's life there appeared "the first woman who treated him affectionately, cordially..."! Like him, it means more than just love - he enters into that sphere of life, the existence of which he did not even suspect.

It is not Belikov's fault that he is afraid of life, and his "fall" (literally and figuratively) in front of the woman he loves is, indeed, the end of his life for him. The hero's death frees all "thinking" teachers from his presence, which is why they rejoice: "I confess that burying people like Belikov is a great pleasure." But then why did everyone "have modest, lean physiognomies"? Why are they hypocrites? After all, Belikov never hypocrite, he remained himself in the coffin: "Yes, he achieved his ideal!"? And how did the "long-awaited freedom" end for all of them? “But no more than a week passed, and life went on as before, the same harsh, tedious, stupid life ... it didn’t get better,” says Burkin. So it turns out that the point is not in Belikov, but in themselves.

It is easy to see that in the story "The Man in the Case", which we analyzed, main theme is the theme of a person's personal responsibility for himself and his actions, and Chekhov proves that only the person himself is responsible for this, and attempts to shift one's blame onto someone testify to moral irresponsibility.

"The Man in the Case" is a story by A.P. Chekhov, which is part of the "Little Trilogy" cycle. This work, which tells about the life of an ordinary rural teacher, despite the simple style of the story and the ordinary plot, reveals the deep problems of the human personality.

In this article, we will try to brief analysis Chekhov's short story "The Man in the Case". Main character- Greek teacher Belikov - all his life he tried to surround himself with a "cocoon". This was expressed both in clothes (even in summer he wore galoshes and a warm coat, he always took an umbrella with him), and in his way of life - he lived in solitude, did not understand any instructions, except for prohibitions. Public opinion was above all for him, even in the fact that he connected his life with teaching. However, what is most surprising, despite his low stature, he kept the whole city in check, with him no one dared to allow himself "liberties" - simple

human joys. suspicious, Belikov, "a man in a case" (an analysis of the character gives every reason for such a comparison), he imposed his position on everyone around him, which is worth his famous phrase: "Oh, no matter how something happens." The atmosphere throughout the story is permeated with fear, not even in front of a clear threat of punishment, but fear of who knows what.

Real life - that's what's in the case. shows that the manic fear of reality and ruined the protagonist. But Chekhov does not feel sorry for him at all. He seemed to be weighed down by the presence of the figure of Belikov in his work, along with other residents of the town. Most of all, the author is concerned with the thought: how did people allow such an insignificant person to tell others how to live. How do they obey his opinion and then become burdened by it? Why is the majority of good, intelligent, educated people who "grew up on Shchedrin and Turgenev" afraid of a minority of cowardly, cowardly specimens entangled in their own complexes? After all, this is not only the case in that county town, examples can be found everywhere.

"The Man in the Case", the analysis of which was made, in all its glory shows the vices of the society of that time. As if under a microscope, Chekhov examines the relationship between people and empathizes with the characters. He offers a way to get rid of imposed fears when he gloatingly describes the scene of the ill-fated Belikov descending from the stairs by Kovalev. Free people must not endure existing order things tells us

Anton Pavlovich, otherwise everything will end just as sadly as in the story "The Man in the Case". An analysis of the epilogue shows the reader that nothing has changed with the death of Belikov, because others took the place of one tyrant, and the inhabitants of the town did not receive the expected exposure, everything continued to go on as usual.

An analysis of the story "The Man in the Case" makes it clear that the author has chosen a very successful form of narration - a story within a story. Thanks to this, Chekhov, on behalf of the listener - Ivan Ivanovich - expresses his main idea: to live in a stuffy city, doing an unloved thing, to see a lie, smile and cover it up, cheat on yourself every day for the sake of a piece of bread and a warm bed - is this not a case? How long can you live like this?

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, on which the author worked 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 had time to finish working on them, because he already suffered from tuberculosis and wrote less and less.

It is impossible to be sure that Chekhov wrote about some specific person, most likely, the central image of the "Man in a Case" is collective. The writer's contemporaries put forward several candidates that 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 evoking a huge amount of impressions. Style is expressed in compositions: the text is divided into small semantic fragments, focusing on the most important.

In the story we see conflict between two characters. The author contrasts Kovalenko (life-affirming, active position, positive thinking) and Belikov (passive and lifeless vegetation, internal slavery), which helps him to reveal the problem even better. The case becomes artistic detail, which describes the whole essence and meaning of the work, shows the inner world of the 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 a clear satirical coloring, in this way the writer ridicules the very essence of the "little man" who is simply afraid to live.

The meaning of the name

In his story, Chekhov warns us that absolutely any person, unwittingly, can imprison himself in a “case”, this is where such a name came from. The case refers to fixation on the unwritten set of rules and restrictions that people shackle themselves with. Dependence on conventions turns into a disease for them and prevents them from rapprochement with 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. However, to live locked up with their own orders and attitudes is cramped, the other 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 teacher at the high school 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 the influence of the environment: not only natural, but also social. He is frightened by modern reality and annoyed by everything that happens around, which is why the teacher puts on a kind of case both externally and internally.
Mikhail Kovalenko- a new teacher of history and geography, who comes to work at the gymnasium with his sister. Mikhail is a young, sociable and cheerful man of high stature, a big fan of laughing and even laughing heartily.
His sister Varenka- a woman of 30 years old, 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 walks in order to argue that marriage is too serious a thing. The woman still does not lose hope to stir up the gentleman, which betrays in her such qualities as perseverance and determination.

Themes

The main theme of Chekhov's story is closed and isolated human life who is shy of the world around him and shuns any manifestation of feeling. He hides his eyes from the people around him, constantly carries all his things in a case, whether it is a small knife designed for sharpening a pencil, or an ordinary umbrella, which is so convenient to hide his face. Many spiritual values were wild to the main character, and emotions were incomprehensible. This expresses his limitedness, which poisons existence.
Love Theme the story reveals 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 from her, because the prospect of marriage and the obsessive conversations of his colleagues 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 self-contained that he stopped distinguishing the colors of the world, enjoying communication, and striving for something. He no longer cares what happens outside of his case, as long as numerous decorums 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 from the world around them and withdraw into themselves. So 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 for the better. This fear of new events and changes makes people passive, inconspicuous and unhappy. Due to the abundance of such conservatives in society, stagnation is formed, through which it is difficult for young shoots to break through, capable of developing and developing the country.
The problem of meaningless life. Why did Belikov live on earth? He never made anyone happy, not even himself. The hero is shaking over his every act and constantly repeats: "No matter how something happens." Bypassing fictitious sorrows and suffering, he misses happiness itself, thus, his price of psychological comfort is too high, since it destroys the very essence of people's existence.
looms 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 wrong 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 just got scared of them and was left with nothing.
The Problem of Sociopathy. The teacher is afraid of society, despises it, fences himself off, not allowing anyone from the people around him to help him. They would be happy, but he himself does not allow it.

the main idea

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

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

Thus, Chekhov describes the fate of many clerks who lived gray in a stuffy city, sorting out papers that no one needed. He ironically plays on the "little man" type, violating literary tradition portray him in idyllic colors. His authorial position is not contemplative or sentimental, but active, without compromise. The inhabitants of the case should not savor their insignificance and wait for pity, they need to change and squeeze a slave out of themselves.

What does the author teach?

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov makes us think about our own lives and ask an interesting question: “Are we building ourselves the same case that the main character Belikov had?”. The author literally teaches us to live, showing by example how a person who crawls before conventions and stereotypes can fade and disappear. Chekhov was really able to instill in people an aversion to a gray, worthless life, to show that inaction and indifference is the worst thing that can happen to us.

The fear of discoveries and accomplishments destroys the personality in a person, he becomes miserable 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 full life, where there is a place for strong emotions, interesting communication and individuality.

1.Introduction. "The Man in the Case" is a textbook work of Russian literature. The story made a huge impression on contemporaries. Chekhov received a large number of letters from readers with grateful reviews about the work. Many critics immediately praised the story very highly. In particular, A. M. Skabichevsky was one of the first to predict that "the man in the case" would become a household name.

2.History of creation. "The Man in the Case" opens Chekhov's "small trilogy". It was conceived in the spring and written in the summer of 1898. It was first published in the Russian Thought magazine with the subtitle "Story".

3.The meaning of the name. Chekhov very well chose the definition for his main character. "The man in the case" denotes the one who fenced himself off from the outside world as much as possible. Belikov is trying to hide from living life with the help of galoshes, cases, dark glasses, etc. Even the soul of this gloomy person is enclosed in the "case".

4. Genus and genre. Story.

5. Topic. The main theme of the work is the danger threatening society from people like Belikov. The narrator admits that the whole city, and especially the teachers of the gymnasium, felt a deep dislike for the "man in the case." Everyone understood how boring and unbearable his lifestyle was. But at the same time, in a strange way, almost the entire city was under the influence of a teacher of the Greek language. His constant whining and foreboding of some kind of danger seemed to hypnotize people, forced them to act according to his desires. Because of Belikov, the city "became afraid of everything." All innocent entertainment and attempts to change the provincial way of life have ceased. People like Belikov resemble a fetid swamp that sucks everything in. The persistence with which Belikov daily warns those around him about "however something happens" can even break strong will. Gradually, the spirit of eternal fear will reign in society, and it will be impossible to change this.

6. Issues. the main problem story - the confrontation between the Belikovs and normal society. Chekhov sadly states that the Belikovs are winning. Suspicious, no one interesting teacher the Greek language instills fear in the whole city. They do not like him, but they are afraid to act against his will. A separate issue is the very appearance of such people. Even during the life of Chekhov, "the man in the case" was recognized collectively. There are many such people, they constantly influence society, trying to weave it in a web of fear and mistrust. Of great importance is the appearance in the city of Mikhail Savvich Kovalenko with his sister Varenka. They are not influenced by Belikov. If the plans for the wedding came true, then Varenka would become another "victim" of Belikov. But the strong personality of Mikhail Savvich was able to "liberate" the entire city. It turned out that the unsolvable problem is solved extremely simply. Just one decisive step undermined the unshakable position of Belikov. Of course, Kovalenko did not want him dead. Belikov, for the first time faced with open disobedience, was doomed. All of it misconceptions about life were destroyed.

7. Heroes. Belikov, Mikhail Savvich Kovalenko, Varvara Savvishna Kovalenko, narrator Ivan Ivanovich Chimsha-Gimalaysky.

8. Plot and composition. Ivan Ivanovich talks about his colleague at the gymnasium, the Greek teacher Belikov. He calls him "the man in the case" who instilled fear in the whole city. The situation changes with the arrival of the Kovalenko family in the city. The teachers come up with the idea to marry Belikov to Varenka. He is convinced of the need for marriage. Belikov agrees, but out of habit he hesitates with the offer. Plans fall apart after Belikov sees his brother and sister Kovalenko on bicycles. He tries to "reason" Mikhail Savvich, but the latter pushes him down the stairs. Varenka sees this. Belikov cannot stand the humiliation and dies.

9. What does the author teach. Chekhov is convinced that it is possible to defeat Belikov only thanks to a strong will and independent character. Among the teachers there were many smart and liberal people, but they were simply afraid to speak out against the "man in a case." Only Kovalenko remained firm and saved the city from the unbearable tormentor.