A.P. Chekhov

1) Features of the genre. The work of A.P. Che "hova" Chameleon " belongs to the genre of a humorous story. In the early period of his work, Anton Pavlovich Chekhov wrote a series of humorous stories in which he laughs at various disadvantages people. Making his own works funny, the writer uses various humorous techniques. For example, in the story of A.P. Chekhov, an ordinary situation acquires a comic effect due to the special humorous techniques used by the author.
For example, in the story "Chameleon" by A.P. Chekhov uses the technique of "speaking surnames", when the name characterizes the hero, noting some, as a rule, important feature in the appearance or character of the character. The police overseer has the surname Ochumelov in the work, and the worker of the merchant Pichugin, who was bitten by a dog, bears the surname Khryukin, which fully corresponds to his half-drunk face. The comic effect is enhanced also due to the discrepancy between the surname and the position that the hero has. For example, a half-drunk Khryukin is a goldsmith. The title "Chameleon", which reflects the essence of the police overseer Ochumelov, also gives the story a humor. The situation described in the work itself is comical: a half-drunk Khryukin chases after a dog that has bitten him, gathers a crowd of onlookers around him, and immediately the supervisor Ochumelov, who knows a lot about all matters, appears. The reader learns about the incident and the consequences from the dialogue actors... The speech of the characters is one of the humorous techniques used by the writer in the story. In the speech of the heroes, there are many vernacular and slang expressions, emotional and expressive vocabulary. For example, considering that the dog is a general, the warden Ochumelov talks to Khrkzhin like this: “It may be dear, but if every pig pokes her nose with a cigar, how long will it ruin. A dog is a gentle creature ... And you fool, put your hand down! You don't need to stick your stupid finger! It’s his own fault! .. ”Ochumelov's harsh words testify to his low cultural level and make the narrative comedic. A significant humorous device is an artistic detail - a new overcoat of a police overseer, who either takes it off or puts it on, depending on his own condition.
The humorous techniques used by the writer: a special name, “speaking surnames” of the characters, the abusive speech of the heroes with emotionally expressive expressions, the ordinariness of the depicted situation - all this gives the story of A.P. Chekhov's "Chameleon" comic effect.
- What, in your opinion, is the story of A.P. Chekhov's "Chameleon" - satirical or humorous? Prove your point of view (the story of A.P. Chekhov "The Chameleon" is humorous, as the writer laughs at the stupidity of certain people.)

2) The main theme of Chekhov's story. The theme of chameleonism is the main one in the humorous story of A.P. Chekhov's "Chameleon" and is given through an amusing description of a small misunderstanding that happened in the market square on one of the market days. The writer laughs heartily at people who change their point of view depending on the circumstances. The theme of chameleonism is shown not only in the depicted humorous situation, but is also revealed through the speech of the characters. Having learned that the dog is the property of the general's braga, Ochumelov says, touching: “Look you. Lord ... We missed our brother ... But I didn’t know! So this is their dog? I'm very glad ... Take her ... Wow dog ... She's so nimble ... This is a finger! Ha ha ha ... Well, why are you trembling? Rrr ... Rr ... Angry, rogue ... sort of tsutsyk ... "The police overseer is ready to curry favor not only with the gentlemen, but also with their cook and even the dog. Ochumelov's chameleony testifies to the corruption of the police, their dependence on the powers that be. Highly relating to his subordinates, the hero is ready to grovel in front of people who have power, money.

3) Features of the plot of the work. The plot of the story "Chameleon", like many other Chekhov's stories, is based on an anecdote, a short, entertaining story. Note that a significant part of the story is occupied by dialogue, the description is reduced to a minimum, similar to the remarks The story can be presented as a dramatic work - a scene. There are few actions in the story, the story is static, external events not happening. In the foreground, not external, but internal events - fluctuations in the psychological state of people. The plot of Chekhov's story is extremely simple: the police overseer Ochumelov, passing through the market square, sees the following picture: the goldsmith Khryukin shouts at the dog that bit him. Ochumelov's attitude to the incident changes depending on the dog's affiliation: if the dog is homeless, the warden says, coughing severely: “I won't leave this. I will show you how to dismiss the dogs! .. As he, the scoundrel, will be fined, he will learn from me what a dog and other stray cattle mean! he asks the policeman Eldyrin to take off his coat and speaks in a completely different way: “Why will she reach her finger? She is small, and you were so healthy! You must have ripped open your finger with a nail, and then an idea came to your head to lie ... ”The abrupt change in Ochumelov's attitude to the situation, the chameleon of the warden testifies to his adaptive nature. On the one hand, the hero wants to curry favor with the general, on the other hand, to show the common people his importance. It's not just about the brightest "chameleon" Ochumelov. The mood of the crowd is also constantly changing. The funny, the comic in the plot consists precisely in the amplitude of fluctuations of opinions. In Chekhov, with just a few strokes, a sketch of the sleepy square is given - this is the exposition. The plot in the episode when the bewildered Ochumelov says: "Who shouted?" There is no climax as such in the story. Ochumelov, defending the "general's dog", feels his strength and power, therefore exclamation sentences with the same structure and threatening intonation prevail in his speech: "I will not leave this like that!", "I will still get to you!"

What is the plot of Chekhov's story "The Chameleon" based on? (on finding out who owns the dog)

4) Characteristics of the heroes of the Chekhov story.

Who are the main characters of the story? (police overseer Ochumelov, policeman Eldyrin, goldsmith Khryukin, etc.)

What are the names of the heroes of the story? How does this characterize them? What artistic technique is used here by A.P. Chekhov? (A.P. Chekhov uses the technique of speaking surnames, when the hero's surname is a means of characterizing him.)

How does the speech of the characters in the story determine their character? (Students give examples on their own from the text of Chekhov's story.)

5) The meaning of the title of the story. The title of the story reflects the essence of the police warden Ochumelov.

6) The role of artistic detail in the story... A.P. Chekhov is rightfully considered a master of artistic detail. Precisely and aptly chosen detail is evidence of the writer's artistic talent. Bright detail makes the phrase more capacious. The role of artistic detail in Chekhov's humorous story "Chameleon" is enormous. The police overseer Ochumelov, passing through the market square with the policeman Eldyrin, is dressed in a new overcoat, which in the text of the story turns into important detail characterizing the state of the police overseer. For example, having learned that, probably, the dog that bit the goldsmith Khryukin belongs to General Zhigalov, Ochumelov becomes unbearably hot, so he says: “Hm! hot!". Here, the coat being removed is a symbol of the hero's nervousness. Considering that such a nondescript dog cannot be a general's, Ochumelov again scolds her: “The general's dogs are expensive, thoroughbred, and this one - the devil knows what! No wool, no species ... only meanness ... "But the assumption of a man from the crowd about the dog belonging to the general now instills fear in Ochumelov for the words he just uttered. And here, to convey the mood of the character, the author again uses an artistic detail. The warden says: "Hm! .. Put on, brother Eldyrin, a coat on me ... Something blew in the wind ... Chills ..." Here the coat seems to help the hero hide from his own words. In the finale of the work, Ochumelov's coat again turns into an overcoat, in which the hero wraps himself up, continuing his way through the market square. Chekhov has no extra words, and therefore the fact is important that the new overcoat in Ochumelov's conversation turns into a coat, that is, there is a deliberate reduction in the role of the object by the hero himself. Indeed, the new overcoat distinguishes Ochumelov as a policeman. But the function of the coat is different, with the help of this artistic detail the writer characterizes the character. The artistic detail helps the writer to penetrate deeper into the psychology of the hero, and the reader to see the changing state and mood of the character.

What role does Ochumelov's overcoat play in the story? Why does Ochumelov sometimes ask to put on his coat, then take it off? (An artistic detail is important in the story: Ochumelov's new overcoat, since with the help of this detail the state of the hero is characterized.)

7) Features of the author's intention... The Chameleon story seems very funny at first. Ochumelov wants to create the appearance of conscientious service when he walks through the market square. "Behind him is a red-haired policeman with a sieve filled to the brim with confiscated gooseberries." A police overseer is trying to figure out the "tangled case of Khryukin." “He shakes up” the air, threatens the “scoundrels” with a fine, but soon learns that the troublemaker, a pitiful dog, belongs to General Zhigalov. Immediately Ochumelov changes his tone, accusing the half-drunk Khryukin of all sins. Ochumelov will change his point of view more than once, and readers will guess about the internal storm disturbing the police overseer by a short phrase: “Take off, Yeldyrin, my coat” or: “Put on, brother Eldyrin, a coat on me .. . ”The story is based on lively speech, dialogue prevails, with their speech the characters betray their character. Gradually you feel that laughter is replaced by sadness: how humiliated a person is if he fawns not even at the general, but in front of his dog! The story ends, as it begins: Ochumelov continues his way through the market square, only now he threatens not the unknown owner of the dog, but Khryukin: "I'll get to you!" The ring composition of the story helps the author to emphasize the main idea of ​​the story - for Ochumelov, it is not the truth that is important, but admiration for the mighty of this world. His career and well-being depend on them, nothing else worries him. But Khryukin also does not evoke the sympathy and sympathy of the reader. The entertainment of this half-drunk man is completely inappropriate for his age. For the sake of boredom, he mocks the defenseless puppy. "He, your honor, with a cigarette in her mug for laughter, and she - do not be a fool, and bite ... An absurd man, your honor!"

Antithesis as the ideological and compositional basis of the story "Chameleon". In the story "The Chameleon" Chekhov resorts to a technique: first, a picture of calmness, sleepy calm is created (" Open doors the shops and taverns look at the light of God sadly, like hungry mouths; there are not even beggars around them ... "), and then an unexpected incident follows (" A dog squeal is heard. Ochumelov looks to the side and sees: a dog is running from the merchant Pichugin's wood store, jumping on three legs and looking around. shirt and unbuttoned vest ...

So the silence of the market square and the majestic procession of the police overseer Ochumelov, accompanied by the policeman Eldyrin, explodes with shout and disorder. Thanks to this compositional technique - surprise - Chekhov shows that in an ordinary situation there is always a vital contradiction. The police overseer is faced with an insoluble matter: he cannot reliably find out whose dog bit Khryukin. The comic behavior of Ochumelov is depicted using two techniques: the technique of repetition of the situation and a sharp change in position. So, Ochumelov six times finds himself in the same position, but behaves with the complete opposite. In three cases, the dog is recognized as a stray, and then the warden demonstrates his authority: “Hm! .. Okay…” says Ochumelov sternly, coughing and moving his eyebrows. - Good…

Whose dog? I won't leave it like that. I'll show you how to disband dogs! It's time to pay attention to such gentlemen who do not want to obey the decrees! How he, the scoundrel, will be fined, so he will learn from me what a dog and other stray cattle mean!

I'll show him Kuzka's mother! .. Eldyrin, - the warden addresses the policeman, - find out whose dog it is, and draw up a protocol! And the dog must be exterminated. Immediately! She's probably mad ... Whose dog is this, I ask? "In the other three, the dog is considered to belong to General Zhigalov, and Ochumelov behaves in a cowardly and obsequious manner:" - General Zhigalov? Hm! .. Take off, Eldyrin, my coat ...

Terrifying how hot it is! I suppose before the rain ... There is only one thing I do not understand: how could she bite you? - Ochumelov turns to Khryukin. - Net will she reach the finger?

She is small, and you were so healthy! You must have poked your finger open with a nail, and then an idea came into your head to rip it off. You are ... famous people! v I know you, devils! " The comic effect is enhanced by Ochumelov's instant transition from one state to another, and in any state the police overseer reveals his baseness. The story "Chameleon" is built on a blatant contradiction: reality, that is, whether Khryukin's dog has bitten or not, depends not on objective facts, but on who it belongs to.

Matching the distorted reality and names in Chekhov's humorous stories, calling a negative or funny trait of his characters: Ochumelov, Eldyrin, Khryukin in "Chameleon". Problems of the story "Chameleon". The title of Chekhov's story "Chameleon" entered Russian literature as a designation of an unprincipled person who is ready to easily change his views and beliefs depending on the circumstances. Chekhov considers not only social theme... Ochumelov's attitude to his superiors, his voluntary groveling before the authorities is a moral problem. Ochumelov is ridiculous for his obsequiousness, his illiterate speech, but he is terrible as a representative of a system that has strictly defined the hierarchy of relationships between people. Chekhov shows this in one detail: Ochumelov walks "in a new overcoat and with a bundle in his hand," and behind him the policeman carries "a sieve with confiscated gooseberries."

This is how vicious circle vicious relationships: a new overcoat allows you to confiscate, enrich yourself, and consolidate material well-being. Ochumelov - his own, the general - the general's. By the way, Khryukin, having learned whose dog it is, does not protest too much, thereby admitting his powerlessness. The prevailing stereotypes of social relations, the idea of ​​"order" cannot be destroyed, and people who are convinced of this are slaves in their souls, possessing neither inner freedom nor opportunities for spiritual development... The theme of "chameleonism" in the works of Chekhov. A year before "Chameleon" Chekhov wrote the story "Two in One", also devoted to the problem of "chameleonism".

“Don't believe these Judas, chameleons! It’s easier to lose faith these days than the old glove — and I’m lost! It was evening. I rode a horse-drawn carriage. As a high-ranking person, it is not proper for me to ride a horse-drawn tram, but this time I was in a large fur coat and could hide in a coconut collar. And cheaper, you know ...

Despite the late and cold weather, the carriage was packed. Nobody recognized me. Coon's collar made me incognito. I rode, dozed and looked at these little ones ... “No, it's not him! - I thought, looking at one little man in a hare coat. - It's not him! No, it's him! He!" I thought, believed and did not believe my eyes ...

The little man in a hare's fur coat looked terribly like Ivan Kapitonych, one of my office supplies ... Ivan Kapitonych is a small, knocked-down, flattened creature who lives only to pick up dropped kerchiefs and congratulate him on the holiday. He is young, but his back is bent into an arc, his knees are always bent, his hands are dirty and at the seams ... His face is as if pinched by a door or beaten with a wet rag. It is sour and pitiful; looking at him, I want to sing "Luchinushka" and whine. At the sight of me, he trembles, turns pale and turns red, as if I want to eat him or stab him, and when I scold him, he chills and shakes with all his limbs. More humiliated, more silent and insignificant than him, I do not know anyone else. I don't even know such animals that would be quieter than him ...

The little man in a hare's fur coat strongly reminded me of this Ivan Kapitonich: absolutely he! Only the little man was not as bent as the one, did not seem to be knocked down, behaved cheekily and, most outrageous of all, talked to his neighbor about politics. The whole car was listening to him. - Gambetta is dead! he said, turning and waving his arms. - This is Bismarck's hand. Gambetga was on his own mind!

He would have fought a German and would have taken an indemnity, Ivan Matveich! Because it was a genius. He was French, but he had a Russian soul. Talent! Oh, you rubbish! When the conductor approached him with tickets, he left Bismarck alone.

Why is it so dark in your carriage? - he pounced on the conductor. - You have no candles, or what? What is this riot? There is no one to teach you a lesson! Abroad you would be asked! Not the public for you, but you for the public! Damn it!

I don’t understand what this bosses are looking at! A minute later, he demanded from us that we all move. - Move over! They tell you! Give Madame a place! Be polite!

Conductor! Come here, conductor! You take the money, give the same place! This is despicable! - Smoking is not allowed here! the conductor shouted to him.

Who didn't order it? Who is eligible? This is an encroachment on freedom! I will not allow anyone to encroach on my freedom! Im free person! Oh, you creature! I looked at his face and could not believe his eyes. No, it is not him! Can not be!

He does not know words like "freedom" and "Gambetga". - There is nothing to say, the order is good! - he said, throwing a cigarette. - Live here with such gentlemen! They are obsessed with the form, with the letter! Formalists, Philistines!

Strangled! I broke down and burst out laughing. Hearing my laughter, he glanced at me briefly, and his voice trembled. He recognized my laughter and must have recognized my fur coat. His back instantly bent, his face instantly turned sour, his voice died away, his hands dropped at the seams, his legs buckled. Changed instantly!

I no longer doubted: it was Ivan Kapitonitch, my clerk. He sat down and hid his nose in the fur of the hare. Now I looked at his face. “Really,” I thought, “this knocked-down, flattened figure can speak such words as“ philistine ”and“ freedom ”? A? Really? Yes, he can.

This is incredible, but true ... Oh, you rubbish! Believe then the pitiful faces of these chameleons! I don’t believe it anymore. Sabbat, you can't cheat! "

Chekhov's humorous story "The Chameleon" was written in 1884. This living picture the mores of the bourgeois class and satire on him. Main character works - the police overseer Ochumelov, who is the very "chameleon". On the example of a situation with a dog, it is shown how a person adapts to higher ranks.

Ochumelov does not care at all whether Khryukin's dog has bitten or he has bitten a dog. People like him do not care about the truth. Their main goal is to stay in their place. Therefore, the whole story is occupied by the description of how the hero rushes from one "truth" to another, depending on whether the animal belongs to the general or not. If so, then Khryukin must be judged for encroaching on the health of the general's dog. If not, then the damned mongrel must be shot on the spot so that the peace of the honest townspeople does not outrage. Ochumelov, like an enterprising reptile, changes his color depending on the situation: he demands to kill the dog and punish its owner, then, having learned that she is a general, to have mercy.

In these his remarks lies the whole absurdity of such an attitude towards life, since between his diametrically opposite decisions not even a minute of reflection passes. The essence of the story is that the hero does not notice his absurd behavior, that is, he is so used to it that he does not even care a bit about his own reputation in the eyes of people.

main idea

The reader himself has seen such "reptiles" more than once in the stone jungle, but the author's goal is to make a person who changes color recognize himself and change for the better. So main idea the story "Chameleon" - to show us how wild this everyday lies and an instinctive desire to "adjust". The servility of the spirit, which the writer wanted to eradicate, lives in each of us to one degree or another, so we all need to see how pitiful and ugly our inner yoke looks. It makes us slaves in the full sense of the word. The author has strengthened the comic beginning and humor in the work so that the reader is ashamed of the puppet inside himself and her desire to indulge circumstances in search of benefits.

The point is to ridicule the vices of hypocrisy and duplicity. This problem is not as obvious and acutely social as many others, but it tangibly affects a person and his spiritual essence, gradually conquering him by someone's invisible will.

Comic creation tools

The writer's tools are multifaceted. For example, artistic details in Chekhov's text are of great importance. For example, Ochumelov changes his "color" and literally: he puts on and then takes off his coat. Disgusting opportunism, like a mentality, is the theme that the author expresses through the detail. For the hero, this state of affairs is natural, he has developed appropriate gestures and phrases, and the crowd of onlookers also does not notice the catch. This means that there is such a servile trait among the people, and everyone understands it.

The writer uses colloquial colloquial vocabulary: "let go", "nothing", "haryu", "tyapni", "theirs" . The manner of expressing often demonstrates to us what our interlocutor is worth. In this example, it is obvious that from people with such a vocabulary, one should not expect firmness of mind and straightforwardness. They consider themselves slaves and look for a master in every dog ​​owner. The very name "Chameleon" also indicates that the hero is constantly in fear for his fate, as if he is surrounded by wild animals, as if his life is in danger. That is, the problem is not only in him, but also in the surrounding reality, which gave rise to such a vice. All of us, unfortunately, still understand what the power of local officials can be. The character of Ochumelov is not only a caricature caricature, but also a tragic grimace on the face of society.

Speaking surnames

The reader sees that the characters do not have typical names, which clearly carry a semantic load. They can be seen with the naked eye. For example, there are speaking surnames that add comic relief to the current situation:

1. Ochumelov
2. Khryukin
3. Eldyrin
4. Zhigalov

But we do not know what the main characters of the story look like, the writer does not give portrait sketches. This shows the versatility of the traits. It's not about specific people, but about how society works.

How does Chekhov feel about his heroes?

The author never writes about it directly, he always tries to hide his position and not impose it on us. However, from the manner in which the characters are described, it is clear that Chekhov's attitude to the heroes is ironic. He subtly ridicules them, but in this context they are not even people, but social vices with human face... The ridicule of cowardice and servility cannot be equated with the ridicule of a particular person.

In every story of the writer there is a moral, although it is not expressed in a straightforward manner. First of all, Chekhov in the story "Chameleon" teaches the reader independence of views and judgments. After all, the price of the benefit that can be acquired in such a humiliating way is not so great. Still, life is given to a person only once, and one cannot turn it into sycophancy. This idea is taking on special significance today. And in the text of The Chameleon it is noticeable that Chekhov is saddened by the presentiment of this relevance.

Interesting? Keep it on your wall!

Although the satirical story "Chameleon" was written by Chekhov back in 1884, its significance, the relevance of the problems is important and understandable to today's reader. In a comic, at first glance, scene on the market square, which has gathered a crowd of curious onlookers, the features of people are revealed who are ready to slavely fulfill all the whims and orders of their superiors. The life of the unfortunate dog hangs in the balance and depends on whose it is, general or wandering. Not only the speaking surnames of the heroes, Ochumelov, Khryukin, Eldyrin, are expressive, but also the behavior of the chameleon crowd, which approves of Ochumelov's actions, sees in them a legitimate manifestation of power and order. Six times Ochumelov's opinion about the dog that bit the goldsmith Khryukin's finger has changed six times. He is thrown into a fever, then into a cold at the very thought of provoking the general's displeasure. Accordingly, the accompanying Eldyrin has to either put on the overcoat on Ochumelov, then again hold it in his hands. The reading of the story performed by the great artist Igor Ilyinsky perfectly conveys these transitions of fear and anger.

Many are familiar with Chekhov's statement about the need to squeeze out a slave from one drop in order to feel human blood in the veins. The writer is not talking about overcoming the serf past of his ancestors in himself, as these words often explain, but they apply to every person. Overcoming honor, moral deafness, vulgarity and vulgarity in oneself is on the agenda more than ever modern life... A slave consciousness is still manifested today where, for the sake of profit, you can give up your beliefs and your own opinion. Modern chameleons are multifaceted and indestructible, as in political life, and at the household level, when truth and justice have nothing to do with those in power. Chekhov is not only a classic, he is more modern than ever.