Hello author! When analyzing any work of art, a critic/reviewer, and simply an attentive reader, starts from four basic literary concepts. The author relies on them when creating his work of art, unless of course he is a standard graphomaniac who simply writes whatever comes to mind. You can write rubbish, stereotyped or more or less original without understanding these terms. But a text worthy of the reader’s attention is quite difficult. So, let's go over each of them. I'll try not to load it.
Translated from Greek, the theme is what is the basis. In other words, the theme is the subject of the author’s depiction, those phenomena and events to which the author wants to draw the reader’s attention.
Examples:
The theme of love, its emergence and development, and possibly its ending.
Theme of fathers and sons.
The theme of the confrontation between good and evil.
Theme of betrayal.
The theme of friendship.
Theme of character development.
Theme of space exploration.
Topics change depending on the era in which a person lives, but some topics that concern humanity from era to era remain relevant - called " eternal themes". Above, I listed 6 “eternal topics,” but the last, seventh - “the topic of space exploration” - became relevant for humanity not so long ago. However, apparently, it will also become an “eternal topic.”
1. The author sits down to write a novel and writes everything that comes to mind, without thinking about any themes of literary works.
2. The author is going to write, say, a science fiction novel and starts from the genre. He doesn't care about the topic, he doesn't think about it at all.
3. The author coldly chooses a topic for his novel, scrupulously studies and thinks through it.
4. The author is concerned about some topic, questions about it do not allow him to sleep peacefully at night, and during the day he mentally returns to this topic every now and then.
The result will be 4 different novels.
1. 95% (percentages are approximate, they are given for better understanding and nothing more) - it will be an ordinary graphomaniac, slag, a meaningless chain of events, with logical errors, cranberries, blunders where someone attacked someone, although there was no reason for this, someone fell in love with someone , although the reader does not understand at all what he/she found in him/her, someone quarreled with someone for some unknown reason (In fact, of course it’s understandable - this was what the author needed in order to continue to sculpt his writing without hindrance )))) etc. and so on. There are a majority of such novels, but they are rarely published, because few people can handle them even in a small volume. The Runet is littered with such novels, I think you have seen them more than once.
2. This is the so-called “streaming literature”; it is published quite often. Read and forget. For one time. It'll go well with beer. Such novels can captivate if the author has a good imagination, but they do not touch or excite. A certain man went somewhere, found something, then became powerful, etc. A certain young lady fell in love with a handsome man, from the very beginning it was clear that in chapter five or six there would be sex, and in the finale they would get married. A certain “nerd” became the chosen one and went to distribute carrots and sticks right and left to all those whom he did not like and liked. And so on. In general, all sorts of... stuff. There are plenty of such novels both on the Internet and on bookshelves, and most likely, while you were reading this paragraph, you remembered a couple or three, or maybe a dozen or more.
3. These are the so-called “crafts” High Quality. The author is a pro and skillfully guides the reader from chapter to chapter, and the ending surprises. However, the author does not write about what sincerely concerns him, but he studies the moods and tastes of readers and writes in such a way that the reader finds it interesting. Such literature is much less common in the second category. I won’t name the authors here, but you’re probably familiar with some good crafts. These are fascinating detective stories and exciting fantasy and beautiful love stories. After reading such a novel, the reader is often satisfied and wants to continue to get acquainted with the novels of his favorite author. They are rarely reread because the plot is already familiar and understandable. But if you fall in love with the characters, then re-reading is quite possible, and reading the author’s new books is more than likely (if he has them, of course).
4. And this category is rare. Novels, after reading which people walk around for several minutes, or even hours, dazed, impressed, and often think about what they have written. They may cry. They may laugh. These are novels that shake the imagination, that help to cope with life's difficulties, to rethink this or that. Almost all classic literature- exactly like that. These are novels that people put on a bookshelf so that after some time they can reread and rethink what they have read. Novels that influence people. Novels that are remembered. This is Literature with a capital L.
Naturally, I am not saying that choosing and elaborating a topic is enough to write a strong novel. Moreover, I will say frankly - it is not enough. But in any case, I think it’s clear how important the theme is in a literary work.
The idea of a literary work is inextricably linked with its theme, and the example of the novel’s influence on the reader that I described above in paragraph 4 is unrealistic if the author paid attention only to the theme and forgot to think about the idea. However, if the author is concerned about the topic, then the idea, as a rule, is comprehended and worked through with the same attention.
What is this - the idea of a literary work?
The idea is the main idea of the work. It reflects the author’s attitude to the topic of his work. It is in this display artistic means and therein lies the difference between the idea of a work of art and a scientific idea.
"Gustave Flaubert vividly expressed his ideal of a writer, noting that, like the Almighty, a writer in his book should be nowhere and everywhere, invisible and omnipresent. There are several most important works fiction, in which the presence of the author is unobtrusive to the extent that Flaubert wanted it, although he himself failed to achieve his ideal in Madame Bovary. But even in works where the author is ideally unobtrusive, he is nevertheless dispersed throughout the book and his absence turns into a kind of radiant presence. As the French say, “il brille par son absence” (“it shines by its absence”)” © Vladimir Nabokov, “Lectures on Foreign Literature.”
If the author accepts the reality described in the work, then such an ideological assessment is called an ideological statement.
If the author condemns the reality described in the work, then such an ideological assessment is called ideological negation.
The ratio of ideological affirmation and ideological negation in each work is different.
It is important not to go to extremes, and this is very, very difficult. An author who forgets about the idea at the moment of emphasis on artistry will lose the idea, and an author who forgets about artistry, because he is completely absorbed in the idea, will write journalism. This is neither good nor bad for the reader, because it is a matter of the reader’s taste to choose how to treat it, but fiction is just that, fiction and just that, literature.
Examples:
Two different authors describe the NEP period in their novels. However, after reading the novel by the first author, the reader is filled with indignation, condemns the events described and concludes that this period was terrible. And after reading the novel by the second author, the reader would be delighted and would draw conclusions that the New Economic Policy is a wonderful period in history and would regret that he does not live in this period. Of course in in this example I’m exaggerating, because the clumsy expression of an idea is a sign of a weak novel, a poster novel, a popular novel, which can cause rejection in the reader, who will consider that the author is imposing his opinion on him. But I’m exaggerating in this example for better understanding.
Two different authors have written stories about adultery. The first author condemns adultery, the second understands the reasons for its occurrence, and main character, that being married, she fell in love with another man - justifies. And the reader is imbued with either the author’s ideological negation or his ideological affirmation.
Without an idea, literature is waste paper. Because describing events and phenomena for the sake of describing events and phenomena is not only boring reading, but also simply stupid. “Well, what did the author mean by this?” - a dissatisfied reader will ask and shrug his shoulders and throw the book into the trash. It's junk because...
There are two main ways to present an idea in a work.
The first is through artistic means, very unobtrusively, in the form of an aftertaste.
The second - through the mouth of a character-reasoner or in direct author's text. Head-on. In this case, the idea is called a trend.
It’s up to you to choose how to present the idea, but a thoughtful reader will certainly understand whether the author gravitates towards tendentiousness or artistry.
Plot.
The plot is a set of events and relationships between characters in a work, unfolding in time and space. Moreover, the events and relationships of the characters are not necessarily presented to the reader in a cause-and-effect or time sequence. A simple example for better understanding is a flashback.
Warning: The plot is based on the conflict, and the conflict unfolds thanks to the plot.
No conflict - no plot.
This is very important to understand. Many “stories” and even “novels” on the Internet do not have a plot, as such.
If a character went to a bakery and bought bread there, then came home and ate it with milk, and then watched TV - this is a plotless text. Prose is not poetry and, as a rule, it is not accepted by the reader without a plot.
Why is such a “story” not a story at all?
1. Exposition.
2. The beginning.
3. Development of action.
4. Climax.
5. Denouement.
The author does not have to use all the elements of the plot, in modern literature authors often do without exposition, for example, but the main rule of fiction is that the plot must be complete.
More details about the plot elements and conflict can be found in another topic.
Do not confuse plot with plot. These are different terms with different meanings.
The plot is the content of events in their sequential connection. Causal and temporal.
For a better understanding, I’ll explain: the author conceived the story, in his head the events are arranged in order, first this event happened, then that, this follows from here, and this from here. This is a plot.
And the plot is how the author presented this story to the reader - he kept silent about something, rearranged events somewhere, etc. and so on.
Of course, it happens that the plot and the plot coincide, when the events in the novel are arranged strictly according to the plot, but the plot and the plot are not the same thing.
Composition.
Oh, this composition! Weakness many novelists, and often short story writers.
Composition is the construction of all elements of a work in accordance with its purpose, character and content and largely determines its perception.
Difficult, right?
I'll put it more simply.
Composition is the structure of a work of art. The structure of your story or novel.
It's such big house, consisting of various parts. (for men)
This is a soup that contains all sorts of ingredients! (for women)
Every brick, every soup component is an element of the composition, an expressive means.
Monologue of the character, description of the landscape, lyrical digressions and inserted short stories, repetitions and point of view on what is depicted, epigraphs, parts, chapters and much more.
The composition is divided into external and internal.
The external composition (architectonics) is the volumes of a trilogy (for example), parts of a novel, its chapters, paragraphs.
Internal composition includes portraits of characters, descriptions of nature and interiors, point of view or change of points of view, accents, flashbacks and much more, as well as extra-plot components - prologue, inserted short stories, author's digressions and epilogue.
Each author strives to find his own composition, to get closer to his ideal composition for a particular work, however, as a rule, in compositional terms, most texts are rather weak.
Why is this so?
Well, firstly, there are a lot of components, many of which are simply unknown to many authors.
Secondly, it is banal due to literary illiteracy - thoughtlessly placed accents, overdoing with descriptions to the detriment of dynamics or dialogues, or vice versa - continuous jumping, running, jumping of some cardboard Persians without portraits or continuous dialogue without or with attribution.
Thirdly, due to the inability to cover the volume of the work and isolate the essence. In a number of novels, entire chapters can be thrown out without harming (and often benefiting) the plot. Or in some chapter, a good third of the information is presented that does not play into the plot and characters - for example, the author gets carried away with the description of the car, right down to the description of the pedals and detailed story about the gearbox. The reader is bored, he scrolls through such descriptions (“Listen, if I need to get acquainted with the structure of this car model, I will read the technical literature!”), and the author believes that “This is very important for understanding the principles of driving Pyotr Nikanorych’s car!” and thereby makes a generally good text dull. By analogy with soup, if you overdo it with salt, for example, the soup will become too salty. This is one of the most common reasons why writers are advised to first practice on the small form before taking on novels. However, practice shows that quite a few people seriously believe that starting literary activity It should be in the large form, because that’s what publishing houses need. I assure you, if you think that to write a readable novel you only need the desire to write it, you are greatly mistaken. You need to learn to write novels. And learning is easier and more efficient - from miniatures and stories. Despite the fact that the story is a different genre, you can perfectly learn internal composition by working in this particular genre.
Composition is a way of embodying the author's idea, and a compositionally weak work is the author's inability to convey the idea to the reader. In other words, if the composition is weak, the reader simply will not understand what the author wanted to say with his novel.
Thank you for attention.
© Dmitry Vishnevsky
Most often in literature lessons, but sometimes in Russian there are assignments in which the teacher requires students to determine the main or main idea of a work.
However, in order to find the correct answer, and, accordingly, get a good grade, the guys must understand what this task is about. That is, what is meant by the main idea of a work or its individual sentence.
To understand this issue as thoroughly as possible, read the article. And you will find out what the main idea of the text is.
What is text
The text does not have to be voluminous and consist of several simple, complex or complex sentences. There are even literary works, which contain only one succinct and understandable sentence.
And it itself is not always a long structure. Often in speech or writing you can find a form where all the necessary information is conveyed in a single word.
Nevertheless, no matter what form a story, poem, or everyday dialogue is presented, it certainly contains the main idea of the text.
What is the connection between sentences grammatically and in meaning?
In most cases, we are faced with texts that contain not one, but a whole group of sentences. The main condition for composing a complete, logical, meaningful and interesting text is the obligatory connection of these sentences grammatically and in meaning:
Grammatical connection implies the dependence of the word forms of the current sentence on those used in the previous and subsequent ones. That is, proposals must be coordinated, as if one follows from the other.
Connection of sentences by meaning means that the entire text is connected by sentences and the main idea (common to the entire text), which can be traced in each of them.
Types of semantic connections between sentences in the text
So, we found out that sentences must be connected grammatically and in meaning. However, the semantic connection must be built competently and logically. To do this, it is important to learn the following classification of connections between sentences in text or speech:
Chain- the peculiarity of the construction of the text is that each subsequent sentence reveals in more detail the content of the current one. For example: The brown bear lives in the forest. The forest is the place where these animals build dens, hunt, and breed. Teddy bears with early years They learn to get their own food, with mother bear helping them.
Parallel - the nature of this connection is different; it implies equality of proposals (enumeration, comparison, opposition), and not “clinging” of one to the other. For example: The weather was great outside and it was snowing. Vaska and I decided to meet and go sledding down the mountain. Only when we barely climbed to the top, and I was already preparing to race down, did my friend chicken out. The idea failed, and the mood was ruined.
Thus, in order to understand what the main idea of the text is, you should delve into the content and perform a mental analysis of each sentence.
Topic and main idea of the text
Additional parts of speech help to organically fit sentences into the text. For example, you can use conjunctions, particles, introductory words, pronouns, etc. After all, they give liveliness, brightness and richness to a dry statement of facts.
The correct (in meaning and grammatical) construction of sentences serves precisely to form the main idea and, consequently, the theme of the text.
The theme is the direction of the work, the problem that is raised in it, its essence. It determines what the narrative is, the content of the text. Often expressed directly in the title.
The main (main) idea is the author’s message to the readers, what he wanted to convey to people, to the world with the help of his work. It can be expressed in the title or in one of the sentences of the text, but more often it is necessary to “fish out” it yourself by carefully reading the entire text.
Why is it important to be able to extract the main idea from works?
Remember the saying that sounded in famous work Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, what did your parents and grandparents probably read to you as a child? If not, here's what it is: “A fairy tale is a lie, but there is a hint in it, good fellows lesson!".
Later this expression became catchphrase, relating to almost all children's stories described in books. And to many adult works too. After all, a “lesson” is a combination of the theme and main idea of any work. Something that has a certain educational influence on us.
However, in order to catch this very hint, you need to figure out what the main idea of the fairy tale implies. In other words, learn to independently determine the theme and main idea of the text.
How to learn to highlight the main idea
In order to correctly identify the idea of a work, you should remember the following aspects that are important to follow when reading any text:
Follow the flow of the story, the development of events and logic.
Pay attention to headings (they can be metaphorical or associative) and keywords, which alternate with synonyms throughout the text.
As you read, analyze what is important for the author, what points he places more emphasis on.
After reading the work, try to quote from the text or formulate your own conclusion to the narrative.
Remember: compliance with the assessment criteria described above, as well as a combination of synthesis and analysis of both the entire text and its individual details, will help you understand what the main idea of the text is.
Studying the text, be it fiction novel, scientific dissertation, pamphlet, poem, anecdote, the first thing the reader asks when going through words and sentences is what is written here, what did the author want to express with a set of these exact words? When the writer has managed to fully reveal his plan, it is not difficult to understand it; the main idea of the text is clear already in the process of reading, and runs like a leitmotif through the entire narrative. But when the idea itself is ephemeral, and even expressed not literally, but through metaphors and figurative descriptions, it can be quite difficult to understand the author. Each reader will see in the main idea of the text something of his own, close, depending on his worldview and level of position in society. And it is very likely that what the reader learns and understands will be far from such a thing as the main idea of the text, which the author himself tried to put into the work.
The importance of defining the main idea
In most cases, the general impression is formed even before the last phrase is read, and the high ideas of the writer with which he set to work remain incomprehensible or completely unknown. In this case, it is very difficult for the average person to understand the enthusiasm of his friends or the positive reviews of respected experts on this work. Bewilderment over the fact that someone found something special in him, and someone did not, can best case scenario to puzzle, at worst - to form a certain The latter concerns especially impressionable readers, and there are many of them. It is worth paying attention to the works that have caused polar reviews Special attention and understand what caused these impressions.
It is necessary to determine the main idea of the text. How to do it? To begin with, you should answer a few questions: “What did the author want to express and convey to the reader in his work, what made him take up the pen?” It is possible to determine the tasks that a writer, journalist or publicist set for himself based on a comparison of the time the text was written and the time where the author transferred the events described in it.
Typical examples of determining the main thing in the text
A rather characteristic example of this method of cognition is the immortal and brilliant work of Mikhail Bulgakov “ dog's heart" Each sentence and entire passage contains the writer’s allegorical attitude to the events taking place in the country after the 1917 revolution. Here's the topic and the main idea text are veiled under the improbable transformation of one living individual into another under the influence of intervention external factors. Bulgakov's attitude to global transformations in the state and the minds of its citizens is expressed as accurately and frankly as possible. He conveyed his position to the reader through the stylistic presentation of the text, coverage of the entire range of problems that arose in the country at that time, using the example of the private life of the inhabitants of a single apartment and their relationships with others. By comparing the important and minor events described in the story and taking place in the country, you can understand how to find the main idea of the text through the author’s presentation of these events.
Looking up to the author
In addition to the given example of determining the main idea in a work, there are several ways general, without reference to a specific author and his work. The most common one is a careful reading of the text and highlighting several main associations that arose during the reading process. If the first time you managed to understand the author and what he writes about, there is no need to rush to assert that the main idea of the text has been found. It’s better to convey your understanding of the topic in one or two sentences, and then re-read the work again. If the conviction that everything was understood correctly the first time is established, it means that the main idea of the text is presented clearly and with perfect presentation. But if with each subsequent reading more and more new associations arise, you should try to penetrate more deeply into what has been presented and, at the same time, familiarize yourself with reviews of this work by the author. It is likely that no one else understood anything except himself. And in this case, it may be impossible to choose a method for finding the main idea of the text.
Fortunately, there are very few works for the general public that are not amenable to analysis and reasonable perception, and similar difficulties may arise when becoming familiar with topics of a narrow specific nature, but they, as a rule, arouse interest among a certain circle of readers whose way of thinking and life are similar main topic these works.
If the topic is set by the author himself
So let's go back to general rule determining the main idea of the text. After rereading the work two or three times, if opportunity, desire and necessity require it, it is important to understand exactly what it is about and retell its essence. Sometimes the main thing in the text is hidden by layers of overly lush and flowery phrases, it all depends on the style of presentation of the topic by the author. But if you managed to formulate the main thing in one short and laconic phrase, it means that the author managed to convey to the reader his attitude towards the events or characters described.
From title to text
Sometimes the main idea of a work is contained in its table of contents. This happens quite often. Sometimes the title is the key to the entire work, and in this case the method for determining the main idea of the text is to express it in a detailed manner. For example, the theme of Nikolai Chernyshevsky’s novel “What is to be done?” is determined by a direct answer to the question posed in its table of contents or in characteristic chapters describing Vera Pavlovna’s dreams. The title of the novel at the end of the phrase contains the key to finding the main idea. If the title of the text contains proper names, the attitude towards them that developed after reading are also the keys to determining the main thing in what has been stated.
Read and think
And finally, another characteristic way to determine the main idea of the text. To do this, you need to understand what conclusions the author himself draws from what the story was about. This can be framed as a certain conclusion to which the author led the reader, and at the end of the work, with a few phrases, he drew a line under his idea. Using the example of morality in fables, it is clear that in similar cases the main idea is determined by the author himself, and the reader can either agree with it or not.
Analyze it in WRITING according to the following plan: 1. Author and title of the poem 2. History of creation (if known) 3. Theme, idea, main idea(what is the poem about, what is the author trying to convey to the reader, is there a plot, what images does the author create). 4. Composition lyrical work. - determine the leading experience, feeling, mood reflected in the poetic work; - how the author expresses these feelings, using the means of composition - what images he creates, which image follows which and what it gives; - is the poem permeated with one feeling or can we talk about the emotional picture of the poem (how one feeling flows into another) - does each stanza represent a complete thought or does the stanza reveal part of the main thought? The meaning of the stanzas is compared or contrasted. Is the last stanza significant for revealing the idea of the poem, does it contain a conclusion? 5. Poetic vocabulary what means artistic expression does the author use? (examples) Why does the author use this or that technique? 6. The image of the lyrical hero: who is he? (the author himself, the character), Don’t frighten me with a thunderstorm: The roar of spring storms is merry! After the storm, the azure shines more joyfully over the earth, After the storm, looking younger, In splendor new beauty, Flowers are blooming more fragrant and more magnificent! But bad weather frightens me: It’s bitter to think that Life will pass without grief and without happiness, In the bustle of daytime worries, That life's strength will fade Without struggle and without labor, That the damp dull fog will hide the Sun forever!
Fairy tale 12 months, please help with at least something) Who wrote this work? Describe him.2. What place does the work occupy in the writer’s work?
3. Determine the genre of the work.
4. Determine the theme of the work (what it talks about).
5. Who is the main character of the work?
A) Describe it.
B) How the character of the hero is manifested in his actions.
Q) How do you feel about him?
D) The author’s attitude towards the hero.
6. How do you understand the writer’s intention, the main idea of the work.
7. What do you especially like about this work?
What is the theme of the poem 4 The main idea of the work 5 Composition (number of quatrains, how it is constructed) 6 Lyrical hero(not the author) 7 Analysis of means of artistic expression (why for what purpose) 8 Analysis of stanza a) Size of versification (iamb, trochee, anapest, amphibrachic dactyl) b) Rhyme (male, female, exact, inaccurate) c) Rhyme (ring , steam room, crossover)
The main, main idea of the work
Alternative descriptionsHigh thought
The main, main idea of the work
A thought that not everyone has
Thought, intention, plan, design
Defining concept underlying the theoretical system
The main idea of a literary, artistic or scientific work
Concept, idea, reflecting a generalization of experience and expressing an attitude to reality
Among the main works of the Russian philosopher Nikolai Berdyaev there is “Russian...”
Something that cannot be explained to an idiot, and something that nothing can knock out of his head.
What lies at the heart of any endeavor
Speculation, which, as history has shown, God forbid, if it takes hold of the masses
Good offer
Dominant
Mature among the convolutions
A thought that claims exclusivity
Comes to mind, but before that it’s in the air
Good idea and on time
A fruit ripened among the gyri of the brain
Almighty Thought
It's fresh from the innovator
Idefix
Product of human thinking
Overshadowing thought
A thought ready to be implemented
Female name
Main plot line
Superthought
Obsessive...
Innovative thought
Fruit of thinking
Concept
Bright thought
Product of thinking
Creativity
Super thought
What is a dominant?
Speculation
. "Eureka!"
Idea
Head visitor
Visit of inspiration
She comes on a whim
Sudden understanding of what to do
Design, idea, intention
Leitmotif
Brilliant "thought"
Brilliant proposal
Can be intrusive
Main idea, plan, insight
Mental image
A sudden thought
Came to mind
Obsessive constructive thought
Good idea
Constructive thought
Great idea
Sudden constructive thought
the main idea
It comes with the prefix “fix”
Great idea
Bright plan
Brainstorm loot
Concept of the work
Outstanding Thought
Wonderful thought
Great idea
Wonderful idea
Brilliant idea
Initial thought
Rationalization...
Thought-insight
Thought, intention, plan
Thought, plan, intention
Mental image of something, concept of something
. "Eureka!"
Brilliant "thought"
Loot "Brainstorm"
J. lat. concept of a thing; mental concept, idea, imagination of an object; mental image. Thought, invention, invention, invention; intention, design. Ideology g. thought theory, part of metaphysics or psychology that talks about thinking and thought. An ideal is a mental model of the perfection of something, in some way; prototype, prototype, beginning; representative; dream sample. Ideal, related to the ideal; ideal, imaginary, thoughtful, mental; primitive, archetypical or beginning-like. Ideality is the opposite of reality, a conceivable prototype of the present. Idealist m. -tka f. a speculator who is carried away by unrealistic inventions; dreamer, speculator. Idealism is a philosophy based not on the phenomena of the material world, but on the spiritual or mental. A person's tendency towards daydreaming of this kind
Thought - insight
It comes with the prefix "fix"
Among the main works of the Russian philosopher Nikolai Berdyaev there is “Russian...”
What is a dominant
Gray matter insight