Krasova A.A. 1

Smarchkova T.V. 1

1 State budgetary educational institution of the Samara region secondary school p. Pestravka municipal district Pestravsky Samara region

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I. Introduction.

We live in the 21st century... in difficult but interesting times. Perhaps the last decades have seen the most significant changes in history, in the way of life of mankind. It has been historically proven that in an era of change, understanding honor, pride, and dignity is especially important for the formation of the younger generation. The recent anniversary dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory, the war in Chechnya and Iraq - all of this is directly connected by one link - man. A person is always faced with a choice in his personal or public life; it depends on him what will happen to him in extreme situations. To the extent that he understands the importance of moral values ​​and morality in life, he feels responsible for his actions. This is what got me interested. What do our youth think about this now, how do modern and ancient literature reflect the problems of humanity, the Russian people. These terms are the subject of this work.

Purpose of the research work:

To trace how the problem of honor, dignity, and national pride of the Russian person is revealed in Russian literature.

Common tasks in the work have also emerged:

Deepen your knowledge of ancient Russian literature, literature of the 19th century, literature of the war years.

Compare how the attitude towards moral values ​​is shown in ancient Russian literature.

Analyze how Russian literature of different years reflects the role of man in society at turning points.

To trace how the Russian national character is revealed in Russian literature of different years.

The main method is literary research.

II. The problem of human moral choice in Russian literature.

1.The theme of honor and national pride in Russian folklore.

The problem of human moral quests has its roots in ancient Russian literature and folklore. It is associated with the concepts of honor and dignity, patriotism and valor. Let's look into the explanatory dictionary. Honor and dignity are professional duty and moral standards of business communication; moral qualities and human principles worthy of respect and pride; personal non-property and inalienable benefits protected by law, meaning a person’s awareness of his social significance.

Since ancient times, all these qualities have been valued by man. They helped him in difficult life situations of choice.

To this day we know the following proverbs: “Who has honor, there is truth”, “Without a root, not a blade of grass grows”, “A man without a homeland is a nightingale without a song”, “Take care of your honor from a young age, and take care of your dress again” 1. The most interesting sources on which modern literature relies are fairy tales and epics. But their heroes are heroes and fellows who embody the strength, patriotism, and nobility of the Russian people. These are Ilya Muromets, and Alyosha Popovich, and Ivan Bykovich, and Nikita Kozhemyaka, who defended their Motherland and honor, risking their lives. And although the epic heroes are fictional heroes, their images are based on the lives of real people. In ancient Russian literature, their exploits are certainly fantastic, and the heroes themselves are idealized, but this shows what a Russian person is capable of if the honor, dignity and future of his land are at stake.

2.1. The problem of moral choice in Old Russian literature.

The approach to the problem of moral choice in ancient Russian literature is ambiguous. Galicia-Volyn Chronicle of the 13th century... It is considered one of the most interesting monuments of ancient Russian literature, dating back to the period of the struggle of Russian principalities with foreign invaders. A very interesting fragment of an ancient Russian text concerns the trip of Prince Daniil of Galitsky to bow to Batu in the Horde. The prince had to either rebel against Batu and die, or accept the faith of the Tatars and humiliation. Daniel goes to Batu and feels trouble: “in great sorrow,” “seeing the trouble is terrible and menacing.” Here it becomes clear why the prince grieves in his soul: “I will not give up my half-fatherland, but I am going to Batu myself...” 2. He goes to Batu to drink mare's kumiss, that is, to take an oath of service to the khan.

Was it worth it for Daniel to do this, was it treason? The prince could not drink and show that he did not submit and die with honor. But he does not do this, realizing that if Batu does not give him the label to rule the principality, this will lead to the inevitable death of his people. Daniil sacrifices his honor to save his homeland.

Fatherly care, honor and pride force Daniel to drink the “black milk” of humiliation in order to ward off trouble from his native land. The Galicia-Volyn Chronicle warns against a limited and narrow view of the problem of moral choice, of the understanding of honor and dignity.

Russian literature reflects the complex world of the human soul, tossing between honor and dishonor. Self-esteem, the desire to remain a Man in any situation with full right can be placed in one of the first places among the historically established traits of the Russian character.

The problem of moral quest has always been fundamental in Russian literature. It was closely connected with other deeper questions: how to live in history? what to hold on to? what to be guided by?

2.2. The problem of moral choice in the literature of the 19th century (based on the works of I.S. Turgenev).

Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev wrote the story “Mumu” ​​3, reflecting in it his experiences and concerns about the Russian destinies and the future of the country. It is known that Ivan Turgenev, as a true patriot, thought a lot about what awaited the country, and the events in Russia in those days were far from the most joyful for the people.

The image of Gerasim reveals such magnificent qualities that Turgenev would like to see in a Russian person. For example, Gerasim has considerable physical strength, he wants and can work hard, things are in his hands. Gerasim is also neat and clean. He works as a janitor, and approaches his duties with responsibility, because thanks to him, the owner’s yard is always clean and tidy. The author shows his somewhat reclusive character, since Gerasim is unsociable, and even on the doors of his closet there is always a lock. But this formidable appearance does not correspond to the kindness of his heart and generosity, because Gerasim is open-hearted and knows how to sympathize. Therefore, it is clear: one cannot judge a person’s internal qualities by appearance. What else is visible in the image of Gerasim when analyzing “Mumu”? He was respected by all the servants, which was deserved - Gerasim worked hard, as if he carried out the orders of his mistress, and at the same time did not lose his sense of self-respect. The main character of the story, Gerasim, never became happy, because he is a simple village man, and city life is built completely differently and flows according to its own laws. In the city there is no sense of unity with nature. So Gerasim, once in the city, realizes that he is being ignored. Having fallen in love with Tatyana, he is deeply unhappy because she becomes the wife of another.

At a difficult moment in life, when the main character is especially sad and hurt in his soul, suddenly a ray of light is visible. Here she is, hope for happy moments, a little cute puppy. Gerasim saves the puppy, and they become attached to each other. The puppy received the nickname Mumu, and the dog is always with his great friend. Mumu watches at night and wakes up his owner in the morning. It seems that life is filled with meaning and becomes more joyful, but the lady becomes aware of the puppy. Having decided to subjugate Mumu, she experiences a strange disappointment - the puppy does not obey her, but the lady is not used to ordering twice. Is it possible to command love? But that's another question. The lady, accustomed to seeing her instructions carried out at the same moment and without complaint, cannot bear the disobedience of the little creature, and she orders the dog to be taken out of sight. Gerasim, whose character is well revealed here, decides that Mumu can be hidden in his closet, especially since no one comes to see him. He does not take into account one thing: he is deaf and mute from birth, while others hear the barking of a dog. The puppy reveals itself by barking. Then Gerasim realizes that he has no choice but to resort to drastic measures, and he kills the puppy who has become his only friend. The gloomy Gerasim cries when he goes to drown his beloved Mumu, and after her death he goes on foot to the village where he used to live.

In the image of Gerasim, the author showed an unfortunate serf. Serfs are “mute”, they cannot declare their rights, they simply submit to the regime, but in the soul of such a person there is hope that someday his oppression will come to an end.

New work by I.S. Turgenev's “On the Eve” 4 was a “new word” in Russian literature and caused noisy talk and controversy. The novel was read greedily. “Its very title,” according to the critic of “Russian Word,” “with its symbolic hint, which can be given a very broad meaning, indicated the idea of ​​the story, made one guess that the author wanted to say something more than what is contained in his artistic images." What was the idea, features, and novelty of Turgenev’s third novel?

If in “Rudin” and “The Noble Nest” Turgenev depicted the past, painted images of people of the 40s, then in “On the Eve” he gave an artistic reproduction of modernity, responded to those cherished thoughts that, during the period of social upsurge of the second half of the 50s worried all thinking and progressive people.

Not idealistic dreamers, but new people, positive heroes, devotees of the cause were introduced in the novel “On the Eve”. According to Turgenev himself, the novel was “based on the idea of ​​the need for consciously heroic natures in order for things to move forward,” that is, we are talking about the problem of choice.

In the center, in the foreground, stood a female image. The whole meaning of the novel concealed a call for “active goodness” - for social struggle, for renunciation of the personal and egoistic in the name of the general.

The heroine of the novel, the “amazing girl” Elena Stakhova, was a “new man” of Russian life. Elena is surrounded by talented young people. But neither Bersenev, who has just graduated from university and is preparing to become a professor; nor the talented sculptor Shubin, in whom everything breathes intelligent lightness and happy gaiety of health, in love with antiquity and thinking that “there is no salvation outside Italy”; much less the “groom” Kurnatovsky, this “official honesty and efficiency without substance” 5, did not awaken Elena’s feelings.

She gave her love to Insarov, a Bulgarian foreigner, a poor man, who had one great goal in life - the liberation of his homeland from Turkish oppression and in whom lived “the concentrated deliberation of a single and long-standing passion.” Insarov conquered Elena by responding to her vague but strong desire for freedom, captivating her with the beauty of her feat in the struggle for a “common cause.”

The choice made by Elena seemed to indicate what kind of people Russian life was waiting for and calling. There were no such people among “our own people” - and Elena went to a “stranger”. She, a Russian girl from a rich noble family, became the wife of a poor Bulgarian Insarov, abandoned her home, family, homeland, and after her husband’s death she remained in Bulgaria, faithful to the memory and “life’s work” of Insarov. She decided not to return to Russia. "For what? What to do in Russia?

In a remarkable article dedicated to the novel “On the Eve,” Dobrolyubov wrote: “Concepts and demands such as we see in Elena are already appearing; these demands are accepted by society with sympathy; Moreover, they strive for active implementation. This means that the old social routine is already becoming obsolete: a few more hesitations, a few more strong words and favorable facts, and leaders will appear... Then a complete, sharply and vividly outlined image of the Russian Insarov will appear in literature. And we won’t have to wait long for him: this is guaranteed by the feverish, painful impatience with which we await his appearance in life. It is necessary for us, without it our whole life somehow doesn’t count, and every day means nothing in itself, but serves only as the eve of another day. This day will finally come!” 6

Two years after “On the Eve,” Turgenev wrote the novel “Fathers and Sons,” and in February 1862 he published it 7. The author tried to show Russian society the tragic nature of the growing conflicts. The reader is exposed to economic troubles, the impoverishment of the people, the disintegration of traditional life, the destruction of the centuries-old ties of the peasant with the land. The stupidity and helplessness of all classes threatens to develop into confusion and chaos. Against this background, a dispute unfolds about the ways to save Russia, which is waged by heroes representing the two main parts of the Russian intelligentsia.

Russian literature has always tested the stability and strength of society through family and family relationships. Beginning the novel with a depiction of a family conflict between father and son Kirsanov, Turgenev goes further, to a clash of social and political nature. The relationships between the characters and the main conflict situations are revealed primarily from an ideological angle. This is reflected in the peculiarities of the construction of the novel, in which the arguments of the heroes, their painful reflections, passionate speeches and outpourings, and the decisions they come to play such a large role. But the author did not turn his heroes into exponents of his own ideas. Turgenev's artistic achievement is his ability to organically connect the movement of even the most abstract ideas of his characters and their life positions.

For the writer, one of the decisive criteria in determining a personality was how this personality relates to modernity, to the life around it, to the current events of the day. If you look closely at the “fathers” - Pavel Petrovich and Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov, the first thing that catches your eye is that they, essentially not very old people, do not understand and do not accept what is happening around them.

It seems to Pavel Petrovich that the principles that he learned in his youth distinguish him favorably from people who listen to modern times. But Turgenev, at every step, without much pressure, completely unambiguously shows that in this stubborn desire to show his contempt for modernity, Pavel Petrovich is simply comical. He plays a certain role, which from the outside is simply funny.

Nikolai Petrovich is not as consistent as his older brother. He even says that he likes young people. But in fact, it turns out that he understands in modernity only that which threatens his peace.

Turgenev brought out several people in his novel who strive to rush with time. This is Kukshina and Sit-nikov. In them this desire is expressed very clearly and unambiguously. Bazarov usually speaks to them in a dismissive tone. It’s more difficult for him with Arkady. He is not as stupid and petty as Sitnikov. In a conversation with his father and uncle, he quite accurately explained to them such a complex concept as a nihilist. He is good because he does not consider Bazarov “his brother.” This brought Bazarov closer to Arkady, forced him to treat him softer, more condescendingly than to Kukshina or Sitnikov. But Arkady still has a desire to grab something in this new phenomenon, to somehow get closer to it, and he grabs only external signs.

And here we are faced with one of the most important qualities of Turgenev’s style. From the first steps of his literary activity, he widely used irony. In the novel “Fathers and Sons,” he awarded this quality to one of his heroes, Bazarov, who uses it in a very varied way: for Bazarov, irony is a means of separating himself from a person he does not respect, or “correcting” a person he does not respect. I haven't waved my hand yet. Such are his ironic antics with Arkady. Bazarov also masters another type of irony - irony directed at himself. He is ironic about both his actions and his behavior. Suffice it to recall the scene of Bazarov’s duel with Pavel Petrovich. He is ironic here at Pavel Petrovich, but no less bitterly and evilly at himself. At such moments, Bazarov appears in all the power of his charm. No complacency, no self-love.

Turgenev leads Bazarov through the circles of life's trials, and they reveal with real completeness and objectivity the measure of the hero's rightness and wrongness. “Complete and merciless denial” turns out to be justified as the only serious attempt to change the world, putting an end to contradictions. However, for the author it is also indisputable that the internal logic of nihilism inevitably leads to freedom without obligations, to action without love, to quests without faith. The writer does not find a creative creative force in nihilism: the changes that the nihilist envisages for really existing people are, in fact, tantamount to the destruction of these people. And Turgenev reveals the contradictions in the very nature of his hero.

Bazarov, having experienced love and suffering, can no longer be an integral and consistent destroyer, ruthless, unshakably self-confident, breaking others simply by the right of the strong. But Bazarov also cannot resign himself, subordinating his life to the idea of ​​self-denial, or seek consolation in art, in a sense of fulfilled duty, in selfless love for a woman - for this he is too angry, too proud, too unbridled, wildly free. The only possible resolution to this contradiction is death.

Turgenev created a character so complete and internally independent that the artist had only to avoid sinning against the internal logic of character development. There is not a single significant scene in the novel in which Bazarov would not participate. Bazarov passes away and the novel ends. In one of his letters, Turgenev admitted that when he “wrote Bazarov,” he ultimately felt not hostility, but admiration for him. And when he wrote the scene of Bazarov’s death, he sobbed bitterly. These were not tears of pity, these were the tears of an artist , who saw the tragedy of a huge man, in whom part of his own ideal was embodied.

“Fathers and Sons” caused fierce controversy throughout the history of Russian literature of the 19th century. And the author himself stopped with bewilderment and bitterness before the chaos of contradictory judgments: greetings from enemies and slaps in the face from friends. In a letter to Dostoevsky, he wrote with disappointment: “No one seems to suspect that I tried to present a tragic face in him - but everyone is interpreting why is he so bad? or - why is he so good? 8

Turgenev believed that his novel would serve to unite the social forces of Russia, would help many young people make the right, less tragic choice, that Russian society would listen to his warnings. But the dream of a united and friendly all-Russian cultural layer of society did not come true.

3.1. The problem of moral choice in literature about the Great Patriotic War.

But it also happens that human dignity and honor are the only weapons in the conditions of the cruel laws of existence on this earth. This helps to understand the short work of the 20th century Soviet writer M. Sholokhov, “The Fate of Man,” 9 which opens the topic of fascist captivity, which is forbidden in Soviet literature. The work raises important questions about national dignity and pride, about a person’s responsibility for his moral choice.

There were many obstacles on the life path of Andrei Sokolov, the main character of the story, but he proudly carried his “cross.” The character of Andrei Sokolov manifests itself in conditions of fascist captivity. Here is both patriotism and the pride of the Russian people. A call to the concentration camp commandant is a difficult test for the hero, but he emerges victorious from this situation. Going to the commandant, the hero mentally says goodbye to life, knowing that he will not ask for mercy from the enemy, and then one thing remains - death: “I began to gather my courage to look into the hole of the pistol fearlessly, as befits a soldier, so that the enemies would not we saw […] that it was still difficult for me to part with life...” 10

Andrei does not lose pride in front of the commandant himself. He refuses to drink schnapps for the victory of German weapons, and then he could not think about the glory of the enemy, pride for his people helped him: “So that I, a Russian soldier, would drink for the victory of German weapons?! Is there something you don't want, Herr Commandant? Damn it, I have to die, you’ll go to hell with your vodka.” Having then drunk to his death, Andrei snacks on a piece of bread, half of which he leaves whole: “I wanted to show them, the damned, that although I am disappearing from hunger, I am not going to choke on their handout, that I have my own, Russian dignity and pride and that they didn’t turn me into a beast, no matter how hard they tried,” 11 - this is what the original Russian soul of the hero says. A moral choice has been made: the fascists have been challenged. A moral victory has been won.

Despite his thirst, Andrei refuses to drink “to the victory of German weapons”, does not drink the “black milk” of humiliation and keeps his honor unsullied in this unequal battle, evoking the respect of the enemy: “...You are a real Russian soldier, You are a brave soldier” 12, - The commandant says to Andrey, admiring him. Our hero is a bearer of national character traits - patriotism, humanity, fortitude, perseverance and courage. There were many such heroes during the war years, and each of them performed his duty, and therefore a life feat.

The words of the great Russian writer are true: “Over the course of their history, the Russian people have selected, preserved, and raised to the level of respect such human qualities that cannot be revised: honesty, hard work, conscientiousness, kindness... We know how to live. Remember this. Be human". 1

The same human qualities are shown in Kondratiev’s work “Sashka” 13. In this story, the events, as in “The Fate of Man,” take place in wartime. The main character is soldier Sashka - and truly a hero. Not the least qualities for him are mercy, kindness, and courage. Sashka understands that in battle a German is an enemy and very dangerous, but in captivity he is a man, an unarmed man, an ordinary soldier. The hero deeply sympathizes with the prisoner, wants to help him: “If it weren’t for the shelling, they would have turned the German on his back, maybe the blood would have stopped...” 14 Sashka is very proud of his Russian character, he believes that this is what a soldier should do, a Man. He opposes himself to the fascists, rejoices for his Motherland and the Russian people: “We are not you. We don’t shoot prisoners.” He is sure that a person is a person everywhere and should always remain so: “...Russian people do not mock prisoners” 15. Sashka cannot understand how one person can be free over the fate of another, how one can control someone else’s life. He knows that no one has a Human right to do this, that he will not allow this to happen to himself. What is invaluable about Sashka is his enormous sense of responsibility, even for things for which he should not be responsible. Feeling that strange feeling of power over others, the right to decide whether to live or die, the hero involuntarily shudders: “Sashka even somehow felt uneasy... he’s not the type to mock prisoners and the unarmed” 16.

There, during the war, he understood the meaning of the word “must”. “It’s necessary, Sashok. You see, it’s necessary,” the company commander told him, “before ordering anything, and Sashka understood that it was necessary, and did everything that was ordered, as it should be” 17. The hero is attractive because he does more than is necessary: ​​something ineradicable in him forces him to do it. He does not kill a prisoner on orders; wounded, he returns to hand over his machine gun and say goodbye to his brother soldiers; he himself accompanies the orderlies to the seriously wounded person, so that he knows that that person is alive and saved. Sashka feels this need within himself. Or is it the conscience that commands? But another conscience may not command - and confidently prove that it is pure. But there are not two consciences, “conscience” and “another conscience”: conscience either exists or it does not, just as there are not two “patriotisms”. Sashka believed that a Man, and especially he, a Russian, must preserve his honor and dignity in any situation, and this means remaining a merciful person, honest to himself, fair, true to his word. He lives according to the law: he was born a man, so be real inside, and not an outer shell, under which there is darkness and emptiness...

III. Questioning.

I tried to identify important moral values ​​for 10th grade students. For the research, I took questionnaires from the Internet (the author is unknown). Conducted a survey in 10th grade, 15 students participated in the survey.

Mathematical and statistical processing of results.

1.What is morality?
2. What is moral choice?
3. Do you have to cheat in life?
4. Do you help when asked?
5. Will you come to the rescue at any time?
6. Is it good to be alone?
7. Do you know the origin of your last name?
8. Does your family keep photographs?
9. Do you have any family heirlooms?
10. Are letters and postcards kept in the family?

The survey I conducted showed that for many children moral values ​​are important.

Conclusion:

Since ancient times, valor, pride, and mercy in man have been revered. And from then on, the elders passed on their instructions to the young, warning against mistakes and serious consequences. Yes, how much time has passed since then, and moral values ​​do not become obsolete; they live in every person. Since those times, a person was considered a Human if he could educate himself and possessed the following qualities: pride, honor, good nature, firmness. “Kill neither the right nor the wrong, and do not order him to be killed,” 18, Vladimir Monomakh teaches us. The main thing is for a person to be worthy of his life. Only then will he be able to change something in his country, around him. Many misfortunes and troubles can happen, but Russian literature teaches us to be strong and keep “our word, for if you break an oath, you will destroy your soul” 1, teaches us not to forget about our brothers, to love them as relatives, to respect each other. And the main thing is to remember that you are a Russian person, that you have the strength of heroes, nursing mothers, the strength of Russia. Andrei Sokolov did not forget about this in captivity, did not turn either himself or his Motherland into a laughing stock, did not want to give up HIS Russia, his children Senya from Rasputin’s story, to desecration.

We see what a person, son and protector should be like, using the example of Prince Daniel, he gave everything so that his Motherland, country, people would not perish, but would survive. He agreed to the condemnation that awaited him after accepting the Tatar faith, he fulfilled his duty, and it is not for us to judge him.

In Bazarov, the hero of the novel by I.S. Turgenev, there is also a difficult life ahead. And each of us has our own road, which we must definitely take, and everyone goes out on it, only someone realizes too late that they are going along it in the other direction...

IV.Conclusion.

A person always faces a moral choice. A moral choice is a decision consciously made by a person, it is the answer to the question “What to do?”: pass by or help, deceive or tell the truth, succumb to temptation or resist. When making a moral choice, a person is guided by morality and his own ideas about life. Honor, dignity, conscience, pride, mutual understanding, mutual assistance - these are the qualities that have helped Russian people at all times to defend their land from enemies. Centuries pass, life in society changes, society changes, and people change. And now our modern literature is sounding the alarm: the generation is sick, sick with unbelief, godlessness... But Russia exists! And that means there is a Russian person. Among today's youth there are those who will revive faith and return moral values ​​to their generation. And our past will be a support and help in all situations; it is from it that we need to learn, moving towards the future.

I didn’t want the work to turn out to be an essay, read and forgotten. If, after reading my thoughts and “discoveries,” at least someone thinks about the meaning of this work, about the purpose of my actions, about questions and calls for us - for modern society - then my efforts were not in vain, then this creativity will not become “dead” weight , will not gather dust somewhere in a folder on a shelf. It is in the thoughts, in the mind. Research work is, first of all, your attitude to everything, and only you can develop it and give impetus to further transformations, first in yourself, and then, perhaps, in others. I gave this push, now it’s up to each of us.

Writing such a work is half the battle, but to prove that it is really important and necessary, to make it reach people’s minds and strike like a bolt from the blue, to delight, like a problem solved at an unexpected moment, is to do much more more difficult.

V. Literature.

1. M. Sholokhov, “The Fate of Man”, story, Verkhnevolzhsky book publishing house, Yaroslavl 1979
2. V. Kondratyev, “Sashka”, story, ed. “Enlightenment”, 1985, Moscow.
3. "Stories of Russian Chronicles", ed. center "Vityaz", 1993, Moscow.
4. I. S. Turgenev “Mumu”, ed. "AST", 1999, Nazran.
5. IN AND. Dal "Proverbs and sayings of the Russian people", ed. "Eksmo", 2009
6. I.S. Turgenev “On the Eve”, ed. "AST", 1999, Nazran
7. I.S. Turgenev “Fathers and Sons”, ed. "Alpha-M", 2003, Moscow.
8. V.S. Apalkova “History of the Fatherland”, ed. "Alpha-M", 2004, Moscow.
9. A.V. Century "History of Russia from ancient times to the present day", ed. “Modern writer”, 2003, Minsk.
10. N.S. Borisov “History of Russia”, ed. ROSMEN-PRESS", 2004, Moscow.
11. I.A. Isaev “History of the Fatherland”, ed. “Lawyer”, 2000, Moscow.
12. IN AND. Dal "Proverbs and sayings of the Russian people", ed. "Eksmo", 2009
13. "Stories of Russian Chronicles", ed. Center "Vityaz", 1993, Moscow.
14. I.S. Turgenev “Mumu”, ed. "AST", 1999, Nazran. The story "Mumu" was written in 1852. First published in Sovremennik magazine in 1854.
15. I.S. Turgenev “On the Eve”, ed. "AST", 1999, Nazran. The novel "On the Eve" was written in 1859. In 1860 the work was published.
16. I. S. Turgenev “On the Eve”, ed. "AST", 1999, Nazran
17. I. S. Turgenev “Tales, short stories, prose poems, criticism and comments,” ed. "AST", 2010, Syzran
18. I.S. Turgenev “Fathers and Sons”, ed. "Alpha-M", 2003, Moscow. The work “Fathers and Sons” was written in 1961 and published in 1862 in the magazine “Russian Messenger”.
19. I. S. Turgenev “Tales, short stories, prose poems, criticism and comments,” ed. "AST", 2010, Syzran.
20. M.A. Sholokhov “The Fate of Man”, story, Verkhnevolzhsky book publishing house, Yaroslavl, 1979.
21. M.A. Sholokhov “The Fate of Man”, story, Verkhnevolzhsky book publishing house, Yaroslavl, 1979.
22. M.A. Sholokhov “The Fate of Man”, story, Verkhnevolzhsky book publishing house, Yaroslavl, 1979.
23. M.A. Sholokhov “The Fate of Man”, story, Verkhnevolzhsky book publishing house, Yaroslavl, 1979.
24. The story was published in 1979 in the magazine “Friendship of Peoples”.
25. V.L. Kondratiev “Sashka”, story, ed. “Enlightenment”, 1985, Moscow.
26. V.L. Kondratiev “Sashka”, story, ed. “Enlightenment”, 1985, Moscow
27. V.L. Kondratiev “Sashka”, story, ed. “Enlightenment”, 1985, Moscow
28. V.L. Kondratiev “Sashka”, story, ed. “Enlightenment”, 1985, Moscow
29. “The Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh” is a literary monument of the 12th century, written by the Grand Duke of Kyiv Vladimir Monomakh.

In the 60-80s of the 20th century, a special time came in literature - the “thaw”. After so many years of a totalitarian regime, it became possible to write about many things that were previously prohibited. Writers such as V.G. Rasputin, V.M. Shukshin, V.P. Astafiev (“village writers”) began to raise the problem of a person’s moral choice, that is, making a decision in accordance with the voice of conscience. Writers were the first to understand that people began to wriggle out of the soul, to seek freedom from it, and began to tell what happens to such a person, what fate he is preparing for himself.

In the works of these authors, eternal themes arise: conscientiousness, truth, love, the root qualities of the soul. Their prose created a picture of the life of the Russian peasantry in the twentieth century, reflecting important events: revolution, civil war, collectivization and famine, the creation of collective farms.

The focus is on a poor and disenfranchised village. The authors wanted to show the depths of people's life and revive traditional morality.

Moral choices have to be made every day; people are constantly taking the exam to become human. This topic has always been the focus of attention of Russian literature, in particular of the “village” writers.

“I remember one incident from childhood,” this is how V.M. Shukshin’s story “Uncle Ermolai” begins. The fact that the verb is in the present tense and the work is written according to the “story within a story” principle helps to understand that the hero remembers this constantly. And indeed, he admits: “... all my life I’ve been dreaming about that morning.” Uncle Ermolai sent the boys to look after the threshed bread, but they failed to complete the task, were not on duty and decided to lie. The boys were caught in a lie, but they stubbornly stood their ground, not admitting to the offense. What happened does not let go of the hero all his life, his conscience torments him. He thinks about the meaning of Uncle Ermolai’s life. It is known that V.M. Shukshin did not like the epithet “ordinary” people. For him, they are ordinary, but far from simple, because such people live honestly, in truth, as human beings. The boys, having made the wrong choice, doomed themselves to pangs of conscience.

In V.G. Rasputin’s story “Women’s Conversation,” Vika’s parents sent her to her grandmother in the village for re-education. And one night they talked about the most intimate things, but their opinions differed. Vika argued that the woman is now stronger, and grandmother Natalya was sure that “... we don’t need to be stronger, but we need to be more loving.” According to the girl, love in a relationship is not necessary. To which the old woman objected: “Reciprocity teaches how to love.” For Natalya, love is one for life, you cannot live without it. Her beloved died in the war, and before his death he sent his friend to look after the woman. The grandmother says: “...I... noticed that it was not I who needed him, but he who needed me,” so compassion turned into love. Natalya advises Vika to “take your stand,” because without a moral core that will give you the opportunity to make the right choice, you cannot live your life with dignity.

Thus, honor, duty, conscience, love for one's neighbor help a person make the right moral choice. Writers prove that even one wrong decision can affect the future and change life.

Throughout life, a person is faced with situations every day when he needs to make choices that have a direct impact on life in the future. Often it is based on the fact that you have to compare good and bad and take one side.

What is moral choice?

A lot is said about a person by his actions and especially by situations when it is necessary to take the side of good or evil, and this is called a moral choice. An example is the opposition between loyalty and betrayal, help or indifference, and so on. From early childhood, parents tell their children what is good and what is bad. A person’s moral choice depends on his character, specific situation, upbringing and other important aspects.

Why is moral choice important?

Each person has the right to independently decide what to do in a given situation, based on the concepts of good and evil. From such situations one can judge his moral and ethical attitudes. It is worth understanding why a moral choice is needed and what impact it has, so by taking steps in the chosen direction, a person forms his own and the opinions of those around him about him. Moral choices can influence the development of nations, as presidents often make choices based on their own morality.

What is a person's moral choice?

Conscience is the basis of morality, when there is a clear understanding of what is acceptable and unacceptable in life. Another important point that is worth dwelling on is what determines a person’s moral choice, and the future depends on it, since every decision has consequences. People who choose the path of evil will go down, and those who decide to live in goodness, on the contrary, will move up.

Many people mistakenly believe that moral choice implies a certain set of restrictions that encroach on a person’s freedom and prevent him from exercising his freedom. In fact, it only sets the direction where it is better for a person to move in order to grow spiritually and develop as a person. It has been historically proven that during periods of spiritual flourishing, civilization, culture and morality were most developed.

What does a person’s moral choice depend on?

Unfortunately, in the modern world, morality is in decline, and all because people do not have an adequate understanding of good and evil. Personality formation should begin from early childhood. The moral choice in a person’s life depends on upbringing, level of knowledge, consciousness, education, and so on. The environment in which a person grows and lives also has an influence, for example, family situation and interaction with society. In situations where one has to make a choice in favor of good or evil, the essence of people is revealed, that is, their fundamental principle of conscience.

The concept of “moral choice” indicates that it must be conscious. In any society, human behavior is considered by analyzing behavior, actions, attitudes towards various things and freedom of choice. Psychologists believe that willpower is no less important, and if a person possesses it, then he will most likely never face the problem of moral choice.

What depends on moral choice?

A person’s actions shape his life and future, therefore the moral choice determines which path a person will take. For example, if a situation arises in which it is necessary to lie or tell the truth, then the further development of the situation will depend on each option. Another important point that is worth paying attention to is what a moral choice requires from a person, and so in order to make the right decision, you need to think carefully about everything, weigh the pros and cons and be sure to think about the consequences.

Moral standards and moral choice

Psychologists say that morality is an important guide in life to determine the right moral direction. By taking the side of good, a person strives for personal integrity and achieving harmony in relationships with people around him and within himself. Evil, on the contrary, corrupts the inner world. The moral choice of modern man is faced with various trials and temptations, and one can increasingly hear the motto - survival of the fittest.

Moral choice in an extreme situation

When a person finds himself in an extreme situation, he can make a decision that he would never make in ordinary life. If the behavior does not differ in any way from usual conditions, then it is considered that this is an indicator of morality. In any situation, you must act according to your conscience, knowing that you will have to answer for all decisions. There are main signs of moral choice, in which five components can be distinguished:

1. Motive. Before you make a decision, you need to understand why this is being done.
2. Target. It is equally important to consider intentions, that is, what you want to get in the end.
3. Means to achieve the goal. The morality of an action implies the correct relationship between the goal and the means to achieve it. In modern life, most people live by the principle that the end justifies the means, but more often than not this is the wrong path.
4. Choice. To understand the moral side of the issue, it is important to take into account the circumstances in which one had to act, that is, voluntarily or under duress.
5. Result. It is important to analyze the result in order to draw appropriate conclusions about the correctness of the choice.

Books about moral choice

There are many literary works that choose morality as their main theme.

1. “Live and Remember” V.G. Rasputin. The book includes several stories in which the problem of conscience and the correctness of choice is acute.
2. “The Little Mistress of the Big House” D. London. This work is based on a “love triangle”. The novel has a lot of intrigue, but at the same time it is imbued with noble and honest actions.
3. “Eugene Onegin” A.S. Pushkin. This work contains the problem of moral choice, which Tatiana faced when she received a love letter from Onegin.

Russian literature has always been closely connected with the moral quest of our people. The best writers in their works constantly raised the problems of our time, tried to solve issues of good and evil, conscience, human dignity, justice and others.

The most interesting are the works that raise problems related to human morality and his search for a positive ideal in life.

One of the writers who sincerely cares about the morality of our society is Valentin Rasputin. The story “Fire” (1985) occupies a special place in his work. These are reflections on our contemporary times, on civil courage and the moral positions of man. Brief plot: a fire broke out in Sosnovka, the entire village came running to it, but the people were powerless in the face of the raging elements. At the fire there were few who risked their lives to defend the people's good. Many came to “warm their hands.” People saved bread. A saved store is nothing compared to human Lives, huge burnt warehouses, and stolen people's property. A fire is the result of general ill-being. People are corrupted by the discomfort of everyday life, the poverty of spiritual life, and a soulless attitude towards nature.

Many problems of our time, including moral ones, are raised by Anatoly Pristavkin in the story “The Golden Cloud Spent the Night.” He sharply raises the issue of national relations, talks about the connection between generations, raises the topic of good and evil, talks about many other issues, the solution of which depends not only on politics and economics, but also on the level of general culture. “For a person, nationality is neither merit nor guilt, if the country says otherwise. That means this country is unhappy,” wrote Robert Rozhdestvensky.

The story “Fire” is permeated with pain, you just want to shout: “You can’t live like this anymore!” The fire outside became only a dark reflection of what had been drying up the soul for a long time. It is necessary to save the human soul; the writer says that the support of life must be sought in one’s soul. Rasputin sharply expressed what many felt - we need to call people, make them wake up, there is nowhere else to retreat anyway. The writer writes that when, instead of the truth, a person is systematically presented with lies, it is scary. During the hours of the fire, the main character discovers the truth: a person needs to be the owner of his native land, and not an indifferent guest, he needs to seek rapprochement with nature, he needs to listen to himself, he needs to clear his conscience.

My favorite writer has always been Daniil Granin, because this author has an extraordinary talent, all his stories are interesting because in them he poses the pressing problems of today. I cannot name a single writer who could compare with him in the versatility of both problematic and purely artistic interests, although Granin is a writer of one common problem. Granin graduated from a technical institute and worked as an engineer, so everything he writes about is familiar to him. His novels "The Searchers", "I'm Going into the Storm", "The Picture" brought him well-deserved success. At the center of many of his works is the problem of “scientist and power.” Granin approaches the problem of lifestyle as the result of a choice made by a person once and for all. There is no turning back, no matter how much we wish it. The fate of a person - what does it depend on? From the purposefulness of the individual or the force of circumstances? In the story "This Strange Life" he shows a real human destiny, a real personality. The main character Alexander Lyubishchev was a real scientist. “There was no feat,” writes Granin, “but there was more than a feat - there was a life well lived.” His efficiency and energy are unattainable. From his youth, Lyubishchev already knew exactly what he wanted, he rigidly programmed, “chose” his life, which he subordinated to one thing - the service of science. From beginning to end, he was faithful to his youthful choice, his love, his dream. Alas, at the end of his life, many consider him a failure, because he did not achieve personal well-being. He did not pursue prestigious positions, large salaries and privileges - he simply quietly and modestly did his job, and was a true devotee in science. It was precisely such people, our contemporaries, who drove technological progress.

Honesty and integrity - many people lost these qualities in life over the years, but the best of people did not chase momentary successes or honors, but worked for the sake of the future. The problem of life choice is acute in another story by Granin, “The Namesake.” The hero of this story is a foreman, in the past he was a promising mathematician. Granin seems to be confronting two options for fate in one person. Kuzmin, the main character, was a man of utmost honesty and decency, but fate broke him; he moves through life “caught up in the general flow.” Granin analyzes the problem of choice, the problem of an act on which a person’s entire fate may depend, not only through the fate of Kuzmin, but also through the fate of the older generation in science, and through the fate of very young mathematicians. At the center of the story is a conflict between scientists who see different goals in their work. The venerable scientist Laptev, in order to “wipe from the face of the earth” another scientist Lazarev, broke the fate of Kuzmin (a student of Lazarev), he sacrificed his human and scientific fate, seemingly for humane reasons: the direction in which Lazarev and Kuzmin worked, according to him opinion, it was wrong. And only years later, when Kuzmin gave up mathematics, his first student works were recognized by the world's leading mathematicians. A scientist from Japan made a great discovery, referring to the forgotten original work of Kuzmin's Russian student, who for unknown reasons did not complete his discovery. Thus Laptev broke the fate of a major Russian scientist. In this story, Granin continues the theme that he began to write back in the 60s in the novel “I’m Going to the Thunderstorm.” This novel brought Granin all-Union fame. So Granin moves on from the problem of choosing his path. the problem of a person’s fate, the problem of realizing the talent given to him. Now there is a spiritual restructuring of a person as an individual. The catastrophe of our time is that we often do not hear each other, we are emotionally deaf to other people’s problems and troubles. Literature educates us morally, shapes our consciousness, reveals to us the depths of beauty, which we often do not notice in everyday life.

Bibliography

To prepare this work, materials were used from the site http://www.coolsoch.ru/ http://lib.sportedu.ru

Tags: Problems of morality in modern literature Essay Literature

Description of the presentation by individual slides:

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Problems of morality in works of Russian literature Arguments for an essay

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Morality - This is a system of rules of personal behavior, first of all, answering the question: what is good and what is bad; what is good and what is evil. This system is based on values ​​that a given person considers important and necessary. As a rule, such values ​​include human life, happiness, family, love, welfare and others. Depending on what kind of values ​​a person chooses for himself, it is determined what the person’s actions will be - moral or immoral. Therefore, morality is an independent choice of a person.

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PROBLEMS OF MORALITY: The problem of a person’s moral quest has its roots in ancient Russian literature and folklore. It is associated with such concepts as: honor, conscience, dignity, patriotism, valor, honesty, mercy, etc. Since ancient times, all these qualities have been valued by man; they helped him in difficult life situations with choices. To this day, we know the following proverbs: “In whom there is honor, there lies truth,” “Without a root, not a blade of grass grows,” “A man without a homeland is a nightingale without a song,” “Take care of honor from a young age, and take care of your dress again.” The most interesting sources on which modern literature relies are fairy tales, epics, short stories, stories, etc.

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Problems of morality In literature: In literature there are works that touch on many problems of morality.

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The problem of morality is one of the key problems in Russian literature, which always teaches, educates, and not just entertains. “War and Peace” L.N. Tolstoy is a novel about the spiritual quest of the main characters, moving towards the highest moral truth through delusions and mistakes. For the great writer, spirituality is the main quality of Pierre Bezukhov, Natasha Rostova, Andrei Bolkonsky. It is worth listening to the wise advice of the master of words, learning from him the highest truths.

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The problem of morality in the work of A. I. Solzhenitsyn “Matrenin’s Dvor”. The main character is a simple Russian woman who “didn’t chase after things”, was trouble-free and impractical. But it is precisely these, according to the author, who are the righteous on whom our land rests.

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The problem of a person’s attitude to his homeland, his small homeland The problem of his attitude to his small homeland is raised by V.G. Rasputin in the story “Farewell to Matera”. Those who truly love their native land protect their island from flooding, and strangers are ready to desecrate the graves, burn down huts, which for others, for example, for Daria, are not just a home, but a home where parents died and children were born.

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The problem of a person’s relationship to his homeland, small homeland The theme of the homeland is one of the main ones in the work of I.A. Bunina. Having left Russia, he wrote only about it until the end of his days. The work “Antonov Apples” is imbued with sad lyricism. The smell of Antonov apples became for the author the personification of his homeland. Russia is shown by Bunin as diverse, contradictory, where the eternal harmony of nature is combined with human tragedies

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The problem of loneliness in the novel by F.M. Dostoevsky It seems to me that sometimes it is the person himself who is guilty of loneliness, having separated himself, like Rodion Raskolnikov, the hero of Dostoevsky’s novel, by pride, the desire for power or crime. You have to be open and kind, then there will be people who will save you from loneliness. The sincere love of Sonya Marmeladova saves Raskolnikov and gives hope for the future.

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The problem of mercy and humanism. The pages of works of Russian literature teach us to be merciful to those who, due to various circumstances or social injustice, find themselves at the bottom of their lives or in a difficult situation. The lines of A.S. Pushkin’s story “The Station Warden,” telling about Samson Vyrin, for the first time in Russian literature showed that any person deserves sympathy, respect, compassion, no matter what level of the social ladder he is at.

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The problem of mercy and humanism in the story of M.A. Sholokhov "The Fate of Man". The soldier’s “ash-sprinkled” eyes saw the little man’s grief; the Russian soul was not hardened by countless losses and showed mercy.

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The problem of honor and conscience In Russian literature there are many great works that can educate a person and make him better. For example, in the story by A.S. Pushkin's "The Captain's Daughter" Pyotr Grinev goes through the path of trials, mistakes, the path of learning the truth, comprehending wisdom, love and mercy. It is no coincidence that the author introduces the story with an epigraph: “Take care of your honor from a young age.”

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The problem of honor and dishonor In Leo Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" Pierre Bezukhov challenged Dolokhov to a duel, defending his honor and dignity. Dining at the table with Dolokhov, Pierre was very tense. He was worried about the relationship between Helen and Dolokhov. And when Dolokhov made his toast, Pierre’s doubts began to overcome him even more. And then, when Dolokhov snatched the letter intended for Bezukhov, a challenge to a duel occurred.

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The problem of honor, conscience The problem of conscience is one of the main ones in V.G. Rasputin’s story “Live and Remember.” A meeting with her deserter husband becomes both joy and torment for the main character, Nastena Guskova. Before the war, they dreamed of a child, and now, when Andrei is forced to hide, fate gives them such a chance. Nastena feels like a criminal, because the pangs of conscience cannot be compared with anything, so the heroine commits a terrible sin - she throws herself into the river, destroying both herself and her unborn child.

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The problem of moral choice between good and evil, lies and truth The hero of Dostoevsky's novel Crime and Punishment, Rodion Raskolnikov, is obsessed with a diabolical idea. “Am I a trembling creature or do I have the right?” - he asks a question. There is a struggle between dark and light forces in his heart, and only through blood, murder and terrible spiritual torment does he come to the truth that not cruelty, but love and mercy can save a person.

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The problem of moral choice between good and evil, lies and truth Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin, the hero of the novel “Crime and Punishment” is an acquirer, a business man. This is a scoundrel by conviction who puts only money first. This hero is a warning to us living in the 21st century that forgetting eternal truths always leads to disaster.

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Problems of cruelty and betrayal in the modern world The heroine of the story by V.P. Astafieva “Lyudochka” came to the city to work. She was brutally abused, and her close friend betrayed her and did not protect her. And the girl suffers, but finds no sympathy from either her mother or Gavrilovna. The human circle did not save the heroine, and she committed suicide.

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The problem of cruelty in the modern world and people. The lines of Dostoevsky’s novel “Crime and Punishment” teach us a great truth: cruelty, murder, “blood according to conscience,” invented by Raskolnikov, are absurd, because only God can give life or take it. Dostoevsky tells us that to be cruel, to transgress the great commandments of goodness and mercy means to destroy one’s own soul.

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The problem of true and false values. Let us remember the immortal lines of “Dead Souls” by N.V. Gogol, when Chichikov at the governor’s ball chooses who to approach - the “fat” or the “thin”. The hero strives only for wealth, and at any cost, so he joins the “fat people”, where he finds all the familiar faces. This is his moral choice that determines his future fate.

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The problem of kindness and sincerity in the work of L.N. Tolstoy Kindness in a person must be cultivated from childhood. This feeling should be an integral part of the personality. All this is embodied in the image of the main character of the novel “War and Peace” Natalya Rostova.

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The problem of the moral soul, the inner spiritual world It is the moral qualities of a person that make the inner world truly rich and complete. Man is part of nature. If he lives in harmony with it, then he subtly feels the beauty of the world and knows how to convey it. Such an example could be Andrei Bolkonsky in the novel by L.N. Tolstoy "War and Peace".

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The problem of self-sacrifice, compassion, mercy Sonya Marmeladova, the heroine of the novel by F.M. Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment” is the embodiment of humility and Christian love for one’s neighbor. The basis of her life is self-sacrifice. In the name of love for her neighbor, she is ready for the most unbearable suffering. It is Sonya who carries within herself the truth to which Rodion Raskolnikov must come through painful searching. With the power of her love, the ability to endure any torment, she helps him overcome himself and take a step towards resurrection.

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Problems of self-sacrifice, love for people; indifference, cruelty In the story of the Russian writer Maxim Gorky “Old Woman Izergil” the image of Danko is striking. This is a romantic hero who sacrificed himself for the sake of people. He led people through the forest with calls to defeat the darkness. But during the journey, weak people began to lose heart and die. Then they accused Danko of mismanaging them. And in the name of his great love for people, he tore open his chest, took out his burning heart and ran forward, holding it like a torch. People ran after him and overcame a difficult road, forgetting their hero, and Danko died.

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Problems of fidelity, love, devotion, self-sacrifice. In the story “Garnet Bracelet” by A.I. Kuprin consider this problem through the image of Zheltkov. His whole life revolved around Vera Sheina. As a sign of his fiery love, Zheltkov gives the most precious thing - a garnet bracelet. But the hero is by no means pitiful, and the depth of his feelings, the ability to sacrifice himself deserves not only sympathy, but also admiration. Zheltkov rises above the entire society of the Sheins, where true love would never arise.

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Problems of compassion, mercy, self-confidence The heroine of the novel by F.M. Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment" Sonya Marmeladova with her compassion saves Rodion Raskolnikov from spiritual death. She gets him to turn himself in and then goes with him to hard labor, helping Rodion with her love to find his lost faith.

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The problem of compassion, mercy, fidelity, faith, love Compassion and mercy are important components of the image of Natasha Rostova. Natasha, like no one else in the novel, knows how to give people happiness, love selflessly, giving all of herself without a trace. It is worth remembering how the author describes her in the days of separation from Prince Andrei: “Natasha did not want to go anywhere and, like a shadow, idle and sad, walked around the rooms...”. She is life itself. Even the trials endured did not harden the soul, but strengthened it.

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The problem of a callous and soulless attitude towards a person The main character of A. Platonov’s work “Yushka” was subjected to cruel treatment. He is only forty years old, but to those around him he seems like a very old man. An incurable disease made him old before his time. Callous, soulless and cruel people surround him: children laugh at him, and adults, when they have trouble, take out their anger on him. They mercilessly mock a sick person, beat him, humiliate him. By scolding for disobedience, adults scare children with the fact that when they grow up, they will become like Yushka.

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The problem of human spirituality Alyoshka, the hero of A. Solzhenitsyn’s story “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich,” is precisely an example of a spiritual person. He went to prison because of his faith, but did not abandon it; on the contrary, this young man defended his truth and tried to convey it to other prisoners. Not a single day passed without reading the Gospel, copied into an ordinary notebook.

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Problems of bribery and philistinism. A striking example is the heroes of N. V. Gogol’s comedy “The Inspector General”. For example, the mayor Skvoznik - Dmukhanovsky, a bribe taker and embezzler who deceived three governors in his time, was convinced that any problems can be solved with the help of money and the ability to “splurge”

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