The novel "Fathers and Sons" was the result of the thoughts of I.S. Turgenev about the search for the hero of time. At this turning point for the country, each of the writers wanted to create an image that would represent the person of the future. Turgenev could not find a person in modern society who would embody all his expectations.

The image of the main character and his views

Bazarov, whose views on life still remain an interesting object of study, is the central character of the novel. He is a nihilist, that is, a person who does not recognize any authority. He questions and ridicules everything that has been established in society as worthy of respect and veneration. Nihilism determines Bazarov's behavior and attitude towards others. It is possible to understand what Turgenev’s hero is like only when the main plot lines in the novel are examined. The main thing to pay attention to is between Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov, as well as Bazarov’s relationship with Anna Odintsova, Arkady Kirsanov and his parents.

Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov

The clash between these two characters reveals the external conflict in the novel. Pavel Petrovich is a representative of the older generation. Everything about his behavior irritates Evgeniy. From the very moment of their meeting, they experience antipathy towards each other, the heroes conduct dialogues and disputes, in which Bazarov shows himself most clearly. The quotes he utters regarding nature, art, and family can be used as separate means of characterizing him. If Pavel Petrovich treats art with trepidation, then Bazarov denies its value. For representatives of the older generation, nature is a place where you can relax both body and soul, feel harmony and peace within yourself, it needs to be appreciated, it is worthy of artists’ paintings. For nihilists, nature is “not a temple, but a workshop.” Most of all, people like Bazarov value science, in particular, the achievements of German materialists.

Bazarov and Arkady Kirsanov

Bazarov's attitude towards others characterizes him in general as a good-natured person. Of course, he does not spare those people for whom he feels antipathy. Therefore, it may even seem that he is too arrogant and arrogant. But he always treated Arkady with warmth. Bazarov saw that he would never become a nihilist. After all, he and Arkady are too different. Kirsanov Jr. wants to have a family, tranquility, home comfort... He admires Bazarov’s intelligence, the strength of his character, but he himself will never be like that. Bazarov does not behave very noblely when Arkady is visiting his parents' house. He insults Pavel Petrovich and Nikolai Petrovich, calling them pompous aristocrats. Such behavior reduces the image of the main character.

Bazarov and Anna Odintsova

The heroine who becomes the cause of internal conflict in the soul of the main character. This is a very beautiful and intelligent woman, she captivates everyone with a certain coldness and majesty. And so Evgeny, confident that mutual affection is impossible between people, falls in love. Some “woman” was able to conquer him, as Bazarov himself first calls Odintsova. His views crumble to pieces. However, the heroes are not destined to be together. Bazarov is unable to recognize Odintsova’s power over himself. He is in love, he suffers, his declaration of love is more like an accusation: “You achieved your goal.” In turn, Anna is also not ready to give up her peace of mind; she is ready to give up love, just not to worry. Bazarov’s life cannot be called happy, because at first he was convinced that there was no love, and then, when he truly fell in love, the relationship did not work out.

Relationships with parents

Bazarov's parents are very kind and sincere people. They are in their talented son. Bazarov, whose views do not allow tenderness, is too cold towards them. The father tries to be unobtrusive, is embarrassed to pour out his feelings in front of his son, and does his best to reassure his wife, telling her that she is bothering her son with excessive care and concern. Fearing that Evgeny will leave their house again, they try in every possible way to please him.

Attitude towards pseudo-nihilists

There are two characters in the novel, Bazarov’s attitude towards them is contemptuous. These are the pseudo-nihilists Kukshin and Sitnikov. Bazarov, whose views supposedly appeal to these heroes, is an idol for them. They themselves are nothing. They flaunt their nihilistic principles without actually adhering to them. These heroes shout slogans without understanding their meaning. Evgeniy despises them and demonstrates his disdain in every possible way. In dialogues with Sitnikov, he is clearly much taller. Bazarov's attitude towards the pseudo-nihilists around him elevates the image of the protagonist, but lowers the status of the nihilistic movement itself.

So, the way Bazarov treats people allows us to better understand his image. He is cold in communication, sometimes arrogant, but still he is a kind young man. I can't say it's bad. The defining factors in them are the hero’s views on life and the interaction of people. Of course, his most important virtue is honesty and intelligence.

Bazarov and Arkady. The theme of friendship. Friendship is the spiritual closeness of people, mutual understanding, willingness to understand another person, to help him in a difficult situation. If there is no mutual understanding between friends, then there can be no true friendship. I. S. Turgenev writes about this in the novel “Fathers and Sons”.

Its main character is Evgeny Bazarov. He is a man of new times, a nihilist. Bazarov is interested in natural sciences, is preparing to become a doctor, dreams of transformations in Russia, of improving the life of the peasantry. Arkady Kirsanov is drawn to Bazarov precisely because he is not like others and is passionate about new ideas. Kirsanov tries to imitate his friend. But for Bazarov, Arkady is a young boy, a romantic, whom he treats with condescension.

Arkady and Evgeny were raised in different conditions. Kirsanov grew up in his father's rich landowner's house, and from childhood he was surrounded by parental care and affection. Life in the village flowed sleepily and leisurely. Nikolai Petrovich, his father, lived like other landowners, “occasionally went hunting and took care of the farm.”

Evgeniy's parents live much more modestly, in a small village house covered with a thatched roof. His family is closer to the common people: his father is a former military man, his mother is “a real Russian noblewoman of the past.” They live the old fashioned way, accustomed to work. And Evgeniy, in a dispute with Pavel Petrovich, proudly declares: “My grandfather plowed the land.” Evgeny was used to working since childhood, and even on vacation at the Kirsanov estate, “Arkady was sybaritizing, Bazarov was working.” He conducts experiments on frogs and treats ordinary people. Arkady strives to help his friend, but I think that natural sciences are not his passion. He is closer to nature, music, poetry. And yet Kirsanov is drawn to Bazarov as a person; it is not for nothing that he pronounces the word “nihilist” with such pathos. In the Kirsanovs' house, Bazarov is a stranger, the old people do not share his beliefs, they have their own principles.

It is strange to them that Bazarov denies art, poetry, religion, love. And it’s hard for Arkady to understand his friend’s beliefs, although he supports him. Kirsanov Jr. finds his happiness in his love for Katya Odintsova, because these heroes have a lot in common.

Family happiness is important to Arkady. Bazarov falls in love with Katya's sister, Anna Odintsova. However, Anna rejects his feelings. Gradually, Bazarov and Arkady become more and more distant from each other, because they do not have common interests. Moreover, Evgeny himself pushes his friend away: “You are a gentle soul, a weakling, where can you hate!.. You are a nice fellow, but you are still a soft, liberal gentleman...”.

In my opinion, Bazarov himself is to blame for his loneliness. None of the people around him understand or accept nihilism. Evgeny himself pushes away both his sweet, kind parents and Arkady. Kirsanov is sorry to say goodbye to his friend, because his soul cannot hate someone or push someone away. If you want to have real friends, you must accept them, perhaps come to terms with some shortcomings, and not impose your opinion. The strong, of course, can subjugate the weak, but this is not friendship, but only admiration. True friendship is built on mutual understanding, common interests and the ability to give in.

What brings together and what separates these heroes of the novel "Fathers and Sons"?

Bazarov and Arkady Kirsanov are connected by a nihilistic theory, a social movement of young people who understood the need for urgent reforms. Arkady's ardent desire to participate in the birth of new ideas for reforming society brought him under the tutelage of Bazarov, who liked the role of mentor and teacher, which is why he tried to get closer to Arkady. At first, the “student” really wanted to please the “teacher”; he even began to “re-educate” his father, Nikolai Petrovich. As it turned out later, Arkady and Evgeny actually had neither friendship nor a common cause. Later, Bazarov calls his “student” a “soft liberal gentleman” in whom there is “neither insolence nor anger”, and therefore he is not suitable “for a bitter, tart, bourgeois life.” And Arkady himself understood that their paths would diverge: he would get married, and having created a family, he would continue the family traditions of the Kirsanov nobles.

Bazarov needed supporters, followers, students, like a retinue for a king. And Arkady is convinced of this when he asks about Sitnikov: “...why is he here?” Bazarov’s answer shows the bottomless abyss of his pride: “You, brother, are still stupid... We need the Sitnikovs. I... need idiots like this. It’s really not for the gods to burn pots.” Arkady understands that he, too, is one of the “boobies,” and this offends him.

To reveal the ideological content of the novel, the episode where the characters talk while lying on the hay is of great importance. The ideological dispute that began on the Kirsanov estate continues here. Arkady, who seemed to be like-minded with Bazarov, gradually realizes how far his ideas about the impending changes in life are from the nihilistic theory of his friend and mentor.
In the previous (XIX chapter) the author notes that “for some time now a kind of false, cheeky banter has been established between both young people, which always serves as a sign of secret displeasure or unspoken suspicions.” It was on this evening that Arkady realized that Bazarov despises those who consider themselves his students. He himself did not feel respect for Sitnikov and Kukshina, but he would not want to subject them to insults, although he sometimes unwittingly participates in very unpleasant scenes of humiliation of “like-minded people.”

The conversation of young people under a haystack helps to reveal new sides of Bazarov’s character and his relationship with Arkady. Bazarov's tragic situation is that he is rejected by the woman he loves. But even Arkady does not understand his friend, although Evgeny admitted to him that he was defeated. For the first time, Bazarov realized what a collapse in thoughts and hopes was. He is deeply worried, he has lost weight, cannot sleep, is almost sick. For him, who denied love as romanticism and unforgivable stupidity, the truth was suddenly revealed: the human heart is capable of deep and strong feelings when the mind and life are subordinated to one goal - to be close to the beloved. Until recently, Bazarov did not seek to commit himself to a serious relationship with a woman and could have acted like others: “God give me legs.” Now Evgeniy assures Arkady that he is not like that. It turned out that the test of love revealed the strong, robust nature of a person capable of responsibly resolving issues of relations between a man and a woman. But it was precisely during this turning point and difficult period for Bazarov that he was suddenly thrown away by a blow of denial, like an unnecessary object or an undesirable phenomenon in the life of the one who had become dearer to him than anything in the world.

In a conversation with Arkady under a haystack, Bazarov promises that he will no longer talk about feelings. He struggles with his pain, trying to be philosophical about what is happening. He is looking for a fulcrum and talks about the insignificance of a grain of sand, an “atom”, a “mathematical point” in comparison with world space, in comparison with the universe: “... and the part of time that I manage to live is so insignificant before eternity.. ." Deep melancholy and tragic loneliness are heard in these words of Bazarov, who begins to realize that he is losing not only the barely born hope of happiness of being loved, but in general in life he is alone: ​​there are no real students, no like-minded people, and he has long been estranged from his parents.

Bazarov, in a dispute with Arkady, declares that he has not yet met his equals among those around him, which explains his contempt for people. He also recalls how he felt hatred for the peasant, for whom “public figures should try” to improve the life of the peasant. Evgeny uttered these words as they walked past the good-quality house of the headman of the peasant community in the village where Bazarov’s parents lived. Evgeniy begins to contradict himself: he is dissatisfied with everything, he is tormented by hatred, and he no longer wants to devote his life to the struggle for something new. Arkady tries to stop his friend, reminding him that it is possible to reach an agreement until the nihilists have no principles, and Bazarov says that there are no principles, but only sensations.

In the dispute, they reach contradictions in relation to literature, to the thinking abilities of a person and his speech. “Don’t speak beautifully,” Bazarov urges Arkady when he compares a falling leaf to the flight of a butterfly. Arkady is outraged by such an imposition of the elder’s will, as well as by the arrogance of the “teacher”, who predicts his life “in the footsteps” of his uncle and at the same time calls Pavel Petrovich an idiot. As a result, the friends almost quarreled, and A. Kirsanov suggested that “no friendship can withstand such clashes for long.”

The episode showed that the time has come for Arkady Kirsanov to move away from Bazarov, their paths will soon diverge. It was in a conversation under a haystack that the “student” showed a desire to break free from the power of the “teacher” and boldly objected to him. They have different points of view on love, on marriage, on attitudes towards parents, different views on life goals, on social movements, attitudes towards peasants, on the role of a person in society. They argue about the principles of aristocrats and the “feelings” of nihilists, about Pushkin and the peculiarities of human speech, about the sense of justice.

The author does not express obvious sympathy for any of the characters, but his attitude is conveyed through speech characteristics, through the perception of nature (the old noble house and greenery around), through statements about Bazarov’s parents. The author’s attitude towards the characters is manifested through colloquial expressions and evaluative epithets: “this idiot would be glad,” “I’ll grab you by the throat,” long and stiff fingers, an ominous face, a serious threat, a wry smile if we are talking about Bazarov, but “involuntary timidity.” ”, if the state of Arkady is described, who “resists as if jokingly.”

Arkady, as it turned out, was much closer in his beliefs to the aristocrats than to the nihilist Bazarov. He loved nature, poetry and music; he could not be annoyed by his father’s passion for playing the cello. And he also had the desire to run the household correctly and economically, to work on the family estate. Later, Arkady even achieves some success on his estate.
Arkady's attitude towards love and family values ​​also differed from Eugene's nihilistic views.
A. Kirsanov falls in love, he is happy in love and becomes a good family man.

Bazarov’s monologues helped to better know and understand the hero, but then there was an aggravation of contradictions between the young people, and dialogues with Arkady revealed a tendency towards divergence not only in beliefs, but also in the paths they would take next.

Reviews

In school lessons I didn’t understand Bazarov. Now, having some life experience, I can say: Bazarov builds his life, but he himself does not fully understand the essence of his personality. He is not the way he sees himself. Hence all his contradictions.

Best regards, Galina

PS. I love Turgenev! And I disagree with D. Bykov: Turgenev is not a forgotten author.

The theme of friendship is one of the leading ones in Russian literature of the 19th century. “My friends, our union is wonderful! He, like a soul, is indivisible and eternal” - this is how A.S. characterized him. Pushkin true friendship.

The theme of friendship is also presented in the novel by I.S. Turgenev "Fathers and Sons".

The main character of the novel, Yevgeny Bazarov, appears before the reader along with his friend Arkady. It seems like they are like-minded people. Friends study together at the medical faculty of the university. Arkady idolizes his comrade, admires his progressive views, extraordinary character and independent behavior. And Bazarov is one of those people who needs students and admirers. However, this friendship turned out to be short-lived. What is the reason?

Bazarov and Arkady are completely different people. According to his convictions, Bazarov is “a democrat to the core.” Arkady falls under the influence of Bazarov and wants to be like him.

Bazarov, in any environment, in any home, is engaged in business - the natural sciences, the study of nature and testing theoretical discoveries in practice. Arkady does not do anything; none of the serious matters really captivates him. For him, the main thing is comfort and peace.

They have completely different opinions regarding art. Bazarov denies Pushkin, and unfoundedly. Arkady is trying to prove to him the greatness of the poet. Bazarov hates many, but Arkady has no enemies. Arkady cannot live without principles. In this way he is very close to his liberal father and Pavel Petrovich. Arkady is always neat, tidy, well dressed, and has aristocratic manners. Bazarov does not consider it necessary to observe the rules of good manners, so important in the life of a nobleman. This is reflected in all his actions, habits, manners, and speech patterns.

The development of relations between Bazarov and Arkady develops into a conflict. Bazarov’s views do not become an organic part of Arkady’s worldview, which is why he abandons them so easily. “Your brother, a nobleman,” says Bazarov to Arkady, “cannot go beyond noble humility or noble boiling, and this is nothing. For example, you don’t fight, and you already imagine yourself to be great, but we want to fight.” Bazarov disagrees with Arkady on the main thing - his idea of ​​life, the purpose of man.

Bazarov and Arkady say goodbye forever. Bazarov breaks up with Arkady without saying a single friendly word to him. Bazarov says that he has different words for Arkady, but to express them is romanticism for Bazarov.

Their relationship cannot be called friendship, because friendship is impossible without mutual understanding, friendship cannot be based on the subordination of one to the other. “Bazarov’s attitude towards his comrade casts a bright streak of light on his character; Bazarov has no friend, because he has not yet met a person who would not give in to him. Bazarov’s personality closes in on itself, because outside of it and around it there are almost no elements related to it at all” (D. Pisarev) - this is the main thing in the disagreements of the heroes.

The novel by Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev already reflected the main conflict of the work in its title. Like a sharp gust of fresh wind, a “new man” bursts into the midst of the “good representatives of the nobility” - the son of a doctor, democrat, nihilist Bazarov. He is the embodiment of the denial of the usual life of a noble estate, its emptiness. The contradictions between conservatives and democrats are at the forefront of the novel. However, the analysis of the conflict between characters who formally belong to the same camp, but are, at first glance, allies, is especially interesting. Almost at the very beginning of the work, the reader meets Arkady Kirsanov and Evgeny Bazarov. An advanced student, a democrat, comes to stay at his friend’s estate. Arkady is sincerely grateful for this, he tells his father: “He is so kind that he agreed to stay with us!”

We can say that Bazarov deigns to be friends with young Kirsanov. Arkady is passionate about Bazarov’s ideas, he is one of his best “students”. The man is smart and insightful. Evgeny Vasilyevich Bazarov quickly realized that it was impossible to make Arkady “one of his own,” to completely change his views. The image of Arkady Kirsanov, thus, occupies a very special place in the novel. On the one hand, he is adjacent to the camp of the “children,” in other words, the revolutionaries, and on the other hand, he is an integral part of the camp of the “fathers.” The author himself emphasizes this: “Look at the faces of Nikolai Petrovich. Pavel Petrovich. Arcadia. Weakness, lethargy or limitation."
One of the main techniques for creating images (in this work by Turgenev is contrast. Thus, Arkady differs in some character traits and in some views from his father and grandfather. He strives for something new, his passion for the natural sciences is probably not only a deer to fashion Arkady strives to imitate Bazarov in everything, he listens to his advice. Young Kirsanov is by no means devoid of positive qualities. He is intelligent and inquisitive. However, the author of the novel pointed out the main difference between these characters, also created on the basis of contrast: “Arkady was a sybarist. "

Bazarov does not want to be a slave to the principles that others have come up with, to blindly follow traditions; he denies principles “taken on faith.” He is a direct person, often even harsh. Speaking about his convictions, Evgeniy is not at all inclined to soften or smooth them out. It would seem that. Many of Bazarov’s views are shared by Arkady. But this “master’s” passion for nihilism is very superficial. In addition, some of Evgeniy’s statements unpleasantly offend Kirsanov. Such, for example, are Bazarov’s words about women and art.
In order to show the common features of Arkady and Bazarov and what distinguishes these heroes from each other, I. S. Turgenev, one might say, puts them through the same tests. The characters' personalities are especially evident in situations where they need to make a choice. When the friends arrived at Kirsanov’s estate. Arkady realized that his uncle did not immediately like Evgeny Bazarov. But this time he took the side of someone who considered him not only his friend, but also his teacher. Bazarov was not at all embarrassed; he even deliberately emphasized the harshness of his own manners and judgments.
As the novel progresses, the author exposes both heroes to temptation; he invites them to choose “noble happiness.” It is embodied in the images of Katerina and Anna
Odintsov. Arkady, who was at first captivated by Anna Sergeevna’s extraordinary nature, this time listens to Evgeny’s advice to pay attention to his younger sister. In sweet Katerina Odintsova, Arkady finds spontaneity, sincerity, and openness. who are close to his nature. He even plays music, although he is embarrassed when he catches Bazarov doing this. Perhaps, it is on Odintsova’s estate that Arkady realizes that the harsh life that Bazarov calls for is not at all an ideal for him, Kirsanov. In Katenka he finds his destiny and is quite happy. By the way, his “nihilistic” knowledge came in handy in life. Arkady managed to run the household much better than his father. Bazarov finally realized that Arkady was only a temporary ally, which means it was necessary to part with him. Saying goodbye to him, Evgeniy says: “... we say goodbye forever, and you feel it yourself... There is neither insolence nor anger in you, but there is youthful courage and youth
fervor: this is not suitable for our destiny.” It is in this conversation that Bazarov utters words that can be called historical, gives an unusually accurate description of both Arkady and people like him: “You are a nice fellow, but you are still soft,
liberal barich...” Evgeniy understands that she is harsh. The life full of hardships for which he is preparing himself does not suit Kirsanov at all. Various feelings are fighting in Bazarov’s soul: “regret, fear of being upset.” The author managed to psychologically correctly convey this state in the hero’s speech. Evgeniy says in a friendly manner: “Goodbye, brother!”, and then, as if having come to his senses, ironically adds:
“Farewell, sir!”
In the novel “Fathers and Sons,” it is Evgeny Vasilyevich Bazarov who is the most complex and contradictory character. He is lonely and his attempts to find friendship and love are practically fruitless. Turgenev believed that Bazarov was a “tragic face.” And this statement is true. The tragedy of Yevgeny Bazarov is not only that his time has not come yet, not only that he cannot find happiness, but also that. that he deliberately refuses this happiness. It seems that Evgeniy is afraid to freely express his feelings and is trying to seem harsher. even rude, more rational than he really is. Perhaps this reflects the same fear of “being overwhelmed.” Only before his death are qualities revealed in him that previously the reader could only guess about: tenderness for his parents hidden under external severity and indifference, the poetry of his love for Anna Sergeevna Odintsova. The hero is filled with a thirst for life and work for the good of the country, but he understands that he can’t do anything; All that remains is to face death with dignity and courage. And Bazarov finally allows true feelings to break through, for the first time he speaks completely frankly about himself; “I also thought: I’ll screw up a lot of things, I won’t die anywhere! there is a task, because I am a giant.” Only now does he not hesitate to openly show concern for his parents. Entrusting their fate to Odintsova, Evgeny says: “After all, people like them cannot be found in your big world during the day…” Evgeny Bazarov dies “on the eve”, he does not seem to do anything significant, but the strength and charm of this character so strong that they literally capture the reader's attention. I. S. Turgenev managed to show not only the main socio-political conflict of the era in the novel, but also to create vivid images of the heroes, which ensured such a long life of this work.