The action of the story is told on behalf of the main character - Alyosha Peshkov. He lived in Astrakhan, where his father, a cabinetmaker, was assigned to build a triumphal gate for the arrival of the Tsar. But the father died of cholera, and Varvara’s mother went into premature labor due to grief. The boy remembered her scream, disheveled hair, bared teeth.
His father was buried on a rainy day, there were frogs sitting in the hole, and the boy was shocked that they were buried along with the coffin. But he didn’t want to cry, because he cried rarely and only out of resentment: his father laughed at the tears, and his mother forbade crying.
The hero’s grandmother, Akulina Ivanovna Kashirina, came to Astrakhan, she took them to Nizhny Novgorod. On the way, the newborn Maxim died and was buried in Saratov. Alyosha almost got lost during the stay, but the sailor recognized him and returned him to the cabin.
All the sailors got to know the family thanks to their grandmother, whom they treated to vodka, and Alyosha to watermelons. The grandmother told strange stories, and it seemed to the boy that she was all glowing from within. Despite her plumpness, she moved easily and deftly, like a cat.
In Nizhny they were met by the large Kashirin family. The one who stood out the most was the small, dry grandfather Vasily Vasilyevich.
II.
The whole family lived in huge house, but they lived unfriendly. He felt mutual enmity between his grandfather and his sons, Mikhail and Yakov. The lower floor was occupied by a dyeing workshop - a subject of contention. The sons wanted to get their share of the inheritance and separate, but the grandfather resisted.
The uncles themselves often fought, and Alyosha witnessed their brawls. This frightened the boy, because he grew up in a friendly family where he was not punished, and here grandfather Kashirin whipped his offending grandchildren on Saturday. Alyosha accidentally ruined the formal tablecloth (he wanted to paint it) and did not escape this fate either. He resisted his grandfather, bit him, for which he beat the boy half to death.
Alyosha was ill for a long time afterwards; his grandfather came to him to make peace and told him about his difficult youth. The boy was also amazed that Gypsy, an apprentice, stood up for him and offered his hand so that the rods would break.
III.
Later, Tsyganok explained to Alyosha how to behave during a spanking so that it wouldn’t hurt. He was a foundling, raised by his grandmother, and three of her eighteen children survived. The gypsy was 17 years old, but he was as naive as a child: he stole from the market to bring more food and please his grandfather. And my grandmother was sure that he would someday be caught and killed.
Her prophecy came true: Gypsy died. According to Master Gregory, his uncles killed him. They quarreled over him, because everyone wanted him to get the Gypsy after the division of the inheritance: he could become an excellent master.
Ivan died while carrying a heavy oak cross with his uncles to the grave of Yakov’s wife. He got the butt, he stumbled, and his uncles, so as not to hurt them, let go of the cross - Ivan was crushed to death.
IV.
Alyosha liked to watch her grandmother pray. After prayer, she told outlandish stories: about devils, about angels, heaven and God. Her face grew younger, she became meek, and her eyes radiated a warm light.
Not afraid of either grandfather, or people, or evil spirits, my grandmother was terribly afraid of black cockroaches and woke Alyosha up at night so that he could kill another insect.
Apparently, the Kashirins angered God: the workshop caught fire, the grandmother burned her hands, but saved Sharap by throwing herself at the feet of the rearing horse. At the beginning of the fire from fear ahead of schedule Aunt Natalya began giving birth and died in childbirth.
V.
By spring, the uncles split up: Yakov remained in the city, and Mikhail settled across the river. Grandfather bought another house and began renting out rooms. He himself settled in the basement, and Alyosha and his grandmother lived in the attic. Grandmother was well versed in herbs, treated many people and gave advice on housekeeping.
At one time, she was taught everything by her mother, who was left crippled when, offended by her master, she jumped out of the window. She was a lacemaker and taught her daughter Akulina everything. She grew up, became a craftswoman, and the whole city learned about her. Then she was married to Vasily Kashirin, a water worker.
Grandfather was sick and out of boredom began to teach Alyosha the alphabet. The boy turned out to be capable. He liked to listen to his grandfather's stories about his childhood: about the war, about the captured French. True, he did not say anything about Alyosha’s parents and believed that all his children were unsuccessful. He blamed his grandmother for everything, and even once hit her for it.
VI.
One day Yakov burst into the house with the message that Mikhail was coming here to kill his grandfather and take Varvarino’s dowry for himself. Grandmother sent Alyosha upstairs to warn him when Mikhail would arrive. The grandfather drove him away, and the grandmother cried and prayed that God would enlighten her children.
From then on, Uncle Mikhail appeared drunk every Sunday and caused scandals for the amusement of the boys all over the street. He kept the house under siege all night. Once I threw a brick at the window and almost hit my grandfather. And once Mikhail knocked out a small window with a stake and broke his grandmother’s hand, which she stuck out to drive him away. Grandfather became furious, doused Mishka with water, tied him up and put him in the bathhouse. When the chiropractor came to his grandmother, Alyosha mistook it for death and wanted to drive it away.
VII.
Alyosha noticed long ago that his grandparents had different gods. Grandmother praised God, and he was with her all the time. It was clear that everything on earth was subordinate to him, and he was equally kind to everyone. When the tavern owner quarreled with her grandfather and cursed at her grandmother, Alyosha took revenge on her by locking her in the basement. But the grandmother got angry and spanked her grandson, explaining that guilt is not always visible even to God.
Grandfather prayed like a Jew. Grandfather's God was cruel, but he helped him. When the grandfather was engaged in usury, they came to search them, but thanks to the grandfather’s prayer, everything worked out.
But the grandfather greatly offended Master Gregory: when he became blind, he kicked him out into the street, and he had to beg. Grandmother always served it to him and told Alyosha: God will punish grandfather. Indeed, in his old age the grandfather, having gone broke and left alone, will also be forced to beg.
VIII.
Soon the grandfather sold the house to the innkeeper and bought another one with a garden. They started taking tenants. Among everyone, the parasite Good Deed stood out. They called him that because he always said that.
Alyosha watched as he melted lead in his room, weighed something on the scales, and burned his fingers. The boy was interested - he met the guest and became friends. He began to come to him every day, although his grandfather beat Alyosha for every visit to the parasite.
This man was not loved in the house for his strange behavior, he was considered a sorcerer, a warlock, and the grandfather was afraid that he would burn the house down. After some time, they finally survived him, and he left.
IX.
Afterwards Alyosha became friends with the cab driver Peter. But one day Alyosha’s brothers dared him to spit on his master’s bald head. The grandfather, having learned about this, flogged his grandson. When he lay on the bed, tormented by shame, Peter praised him, and Alyosha began to avoid him.
Later he saw three boys behind the fence and became friends with them, but he was driven away by the colonel, whom Alyosha called “an old devil.” His grandfather beat him for this and forbade him to communicate with the “barchuks”. Peter saw Alyosha with the guys and complained to his grandfather. Since then, a war began between them: Peter released the birds Alyosha had caught, and Alyosha ruined his shoes.
Peter lived in a closet above the stable, but one day he was found dead in the garden. It turned out that he and an accomplice were robbing churches.
X.
Alyosha's mother lived far away, and he hardly remembered her. One day she returned and began teaching her son grammar and arithmetic. Her grandfather tried to force her to marry again. The grandmother stood up for her daughter all the time, which is why the grandfather even beat her. Alyosha took revenge by cutting up his favorite saints.
The neighbors often had “evenings,” and my grandfather also decided to have an evening in his house. He found a groom - a crooked and old watchmaker. But his young and beautiful mother refused him.
XI.
After a quarrel with her father, Varvara became the mistress of the house, and he became quiet. He had a lot of stuff in his chests. He allowed his daughter to wear all this, because she was beautiful. Guests often visited her, including the Maximov brothers.
After Christmastide, Alyosha fell ill with smallpox. His grandmother treated him and told him about his father: how he met his mother, got married against his father’s will and left for Astrakhan.
XII.
Mother married Evgeniy Maksimov and left. The grandfather sold the house and told the grandmother that everyone would feed themselves. Soon the pregnant mother returned with her new husband, as their house had burned down, but everyone understood that Evgeniy had lost everything. The grandmother began to live with the young people in Sormovo.
A sick child was born and died some time later. Alyosha himself began to study at school, but he did not develop relationships with either students or teachers. The stepfather took a mistress and beat his pregnant mother again, and Alyosha once almost stabbed him to death.
XIII.
After his mother left, Alyosha and his grandmother began to live with their grandfather again. He considered them parasites, and the grandmother had to weave lace, and Alyosha and other boys from poor families collected old things and stole firewood. At the same time, he successfully moved to 3rd grade and received a certificate of merit.
A sick mother arrived with her little scrofulous son Nikolai. His grandfather fed him little, and his mother lay silently all the time. Alyosha understood that she was dying. Soon she really died, and grandfather sent Alyosha “to the people” - to earn a living.
Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy is one of the most famous Russian writers. His most famous novels are “Anna Karenina”, “Sunday”, “War and Peace”, as well as the trilogy “Childhood, Adolescence, Youth”. Many of the great writer’s works were filmed, so in our time we have the opportunity not only to read, but also to see the heroes of the novels with our own eyes. One of the books filmed is the complete interesting events trilogy “Childhood, adolescence, youth”. A brief summary of the novel will help you better understand the problems of the work. Perhaps someone will have a desire to read the novel in in full.
Novel "Childhood, adolescence, youth"
Lev Nikolaevich wrote his novel for five years. The work “Childhood, adolescence, youth” tells about the life of a boy in different periods his life. The book describes the experiences, first love, grievances, as well as the feeling of injustice that many boys experience as they grow up. In this article we will talk about the trilogy written by Leo Tolstoy. “Childhood, adolescence, youth” is a work that will definitely not leave anyone indifferent.
“Childhood, adolescence, youth.” Summary. Book one. "Childhood"
The novel begins with a description of Nikolenka Irtenyev, who turned 10 years old some time ago. Karl Ivanovich, the teacher, takes him and his brother to their parents. Nikolenka loves her parents very much. The father announces to the boys that he is taking them with him to Moscow. The children are upset by their father’s decision, Nikolenka likes to live in the village, communicate with Katenka, his first love, and go hunting, and he really doesn’t want to part with his mother. Nikolenka has been living with her grandmother for six months now. On her birthday, he reads poetry to her.
Soon the hero realizes that he is in love with Sonechka, whom he recently met, and confesses this to Volodya. Suddenly his father receives a letter from the village saying that Nikolenka’s mother is sick and asks them to come. They come and pray for her health, but to no avail. After some time, Nikolenka was left without a mother. This left a deep imprint on his soul, since this was the end of his childhood.
Book two. "Adolescence"
The second part of the novel “Childhood, Adolescence, Youth” describes the events that occurred after Nikolenka moved to Moscow with her brother and father. He feels changes in himself and in his attitude towards the world around him. Nikolenka is now able to empathize and sympathize. The boy understands how his grandmother suffers after losing her daughter.
Nikolenka goes deeper and deeper into herself, believing that he is ugly and not worthy of happiness. He is jealous of his handsome brother. Nikolenka's grandmother is told that the children were playing with gunpowder, although it was only lead shot. She is sure that Karl has grown old and is not looking after the children well, so she changes their tutor. It is difficult for children to part with their teacher. But Nikolenka doesn’t like the new French teacher. The boy allows himself to be insolent to him. For some unknown reason, Nikolenka tries to open her father’s briefcase with a key and in the process breaks the key. He thinks that everyone is against him, so he hits the tutor and quarrels with his father and brother. They lock him in a closet and promise to flog him. The boy feels very lonely and humiliated. When he is released, he asks his father for forgiveness. Nikolenka begins to convulse, which plunges everyone into shock. After sleeping for twelve hours, the boy feels better and is pleased that everyone is worried about him.
After some time, Nikolenka’s brother, Volodya, enters the university. Soon their grandmother dies, and the whole family grieves the loss. Nikolenka cannot understand people who fight over her grandmother’s inheritance. He also notices how his father has aged and concludes that with age people become calmer and softer.
When there are several months left before entering the university, Nikolenka begins to prepare intensively. He meets Dmitry Nekhlyudov, Volodya’s acquaintance from university, and they become friends.
Book three. "Youth"
The third part of the novel “Childhood, Adolescence, Youth” tells the story of the time when Nikolenka continues to prepare to enter the university at the Faculty of Mathematics. He is looking for his purpose in life. Soon the young man enters the university, and his father gives him a carriage with a coachman. Nikolenka feels like an adult and tries to light a pipe. He starts to feel nauseous. He tells Nekhlyudov about this incident, who in turn tells him about the dangers of smoking. But the young man wants to imitate Volodya and his friend Dubkov, who smoke, play cards and talk about their love affairs. Nikolenka goes to a restaurant where she drinks champagne. He has a conflict with Kolpikov. Nekhlyudov calms him down.
Nikolai decides to go to the village to visit his mother's grave. He remembers his childhood and thinks about the future. His father marries again, but Nikolai and Vladimir do not approve of his choice. Soon the father begins to get along poorly with his wife.
Studying at the University
While studying at the university, Nikolai meets many people whose meaning in life is only to have fun. Nekhlyudov tries to reason with Nikolai, but he succumbs to the opinion of the majority. Ultimately, Nikolai fails his exams, and Dmitry's consolation is regarded as an insult.
One evening Nikolai finds his notebook with rules for himself, in which he wrote a long time ago. He repents and cries, and later begins to write a new notebook for himself with rules by which he plans to live his whole life, without betraying his principles.
Conclusion
Today we talked about the content of the work written by Leo Tolstoy. “Childhood, adolescence, youth” is a novel with deep meaning. After reading it summary, each reader will be able to draw certain conclusions, despite not having read it in full. The novel “Childhood, Adolescence, Youth” teaches us not to isolate ourselves with our experiences, but to be able to sympathize and empathize with other people.
(summary). The author wrote this work in 1852. This is the first story of three available about the life of Nikolai Irtenev. The hero talks in the first person about early period of his life, nostalgically regretting the irrevocable freshness of childhood feelings, carefreeness, love and faith.
Summary of “Childhood” (chapters 1-6)
In the morning, a few days after his tenth birthday, Irtenev Nikolenka was awakened by the teacher (or rather, by the clap of his fly swatter). The boy was offended that it was he, small and defenseless, who was woken up, and not his older brother Volodya. Out of anger and self-pity, he burst into tears, explaining the tears bad dream. But after the teacher, tickling and laughing good-naturedly, began to lift Nikolenka out of bed, Karl Ivanovich was forgiven and called “darling.”
Every morning, the mentor went down to the living room with the boys to wish their mother good morning.
Resurrecting her mother in her imagination, Nikolenka was never able to recreate her complete appearance. Most often I remembered a birthmark on my neck, an embroidered collar, the look of always kind brown eyes and dry, gentle hands. She inquired in German from Karl Ivanovich about how the children slept and whether Nikolenka was crying.
They often found their father doing calculations. He gave financial orders to the serf clerk Yakov. He was stingy, like any good and devoted servant, but he had rather strange ideas about the master’s benefits, caring about increasing his income at the expense of his mistress (namely, her Khabarovsk estate).
After greeting his sons, dad said that since they were already grown up, it was time to get serious about their studies. To do this, he takes them to Moscow to their grandmother’s house, while maman and her sisters will remain in Petrovsky. The brothers were amazed by this news. Nikolenka felt sorry for her mother and the old teacher, who would probably be given up their home. Feeling emotional, he began to cry.
Summary of “Childhood” (chapters 7-12)
Dad took the boys hunting with him, and the girls also asked to come. Mama went with them in the carriage. Afterwards there was tea, fruit, ice cream and, of course, children's
Later, already at home, everyone went about their business. Mother played the piano, and the serfs came to father with a report. Volodya, Nikolenka and the girls decided to take a closer look at the chains of the holy fool whom mother had sheltered.
Nikolenka remembered for the rest of his life the sincere, powerful prayer a real Christian - the holy fool Grisha, whom they became unwitting witnesses. He prayed with love for everyone who gave him shelter. When there were not enough words, he fell to the ground in sincere, flowing tears.
Summary of “Childhood” (Chapter 13)
Red-cheeked, cheerful and fat Natasha was taken into the house as a young girl as a female servant for her grandmother. In her position as a maid, Natalya was distinguished by her zeal and meekness. Afterwards, mother was born, and the maid became a nanny, and here she also deserved awards and praise for the affection and loyalty she gave to the young lady (Natalia’s family did not work out).
After getting married, maman tried to thank Natalya Savishna, as she was now called, for her service. She was granted a free and lifelong pension of three hundred rubles. But her faithful Nasha tore up the document and remained to serve as a housekeeper, overseeing the household and giving love and care to the now third generation of her masters.
Summary of “Childhood” (chapters 14-28)
The boys lived in Moscow, in their grandmother’s house, for more than six months. The children studied, danced at balls, met their Moscow relatives: Princess Kornakova, Prince Ivan Ivanovich, the Ivin brothers, and even managed to fall in love with Sonechka Valakhina.
Having received an alarming letter from his wife, the father again took them to Petrovskoye. Unfortunately, the children found their mother already unconscious. Nikolenka experienced the death and funeral of his maman very hard. His suffering was slightly alleviated by the pious conversations and sincere tears of Natalya Savishna, who selflessly loved the deceased.
The grandmother learned about the death of her daughter only after the Irtenvys returned to Moscow. Her sadness and grief were touching and strong, but for some reason Nikolenka sympathized and empathized more with Natalya Savishna, because he was convinced that no one so purely and sincerely regretted his mother as this loving and devoted creature.
With the death of maman, Nikolenka’s childhood ended. The time of adolescence has begun.
August 12, 18– ten-year-old Nikolenka Irtenev wakes up on the third day after his birthday at seven o’clock in the morning. After the morning toilet, teacher Karl Ivanovich takes Nikolenka and his brother Volodya to greet their mother, who is pouring tea in the living room, and their father, who is giving housekeeping instructions to the clerk in his office.
Nikolenka feels pure and clear love for his parents, he admires them, making accurate observations for himself: “... in one smile lies what is called the beauty of the face: if a smile adds charm to the face, then it is beautiful; if she does not change it, then her face is ordinary; if she spoils it, then it is bad.” For Nikolenka, her mother’s face is beautiful, angelic. The father, due to his seriousness and severity, seems mysterious to the child, but undoubtedly beautiful man, which “is liked by everyone without exception.”
The father announces to the boys his decision - tomorrow he is taking them with him to Moscow. The whole day: studying in classes under the supervision of Karl Ivanovich, who was upset by the news he had received, and the hunt, which the father takes the children on, and the meeting with the holy fool, and the last games, during which Nikolenka feels something like her first love for Katenka - everything this is accompanied by a sorrowful and sad feeling of the upcoming farewell to one’s home. Nikolenka remembers the happy time spent in the village, the courtyard people who were selflessly devoted to their family, and the details of the life lived here appear before him vividly, in all the contradictions that his childhood consciousness is trying to reconcile.
The next day at twelve o'clock the carriage and chaise are standing at the entrance. Everyone is busy preparing for the road, and Nikolenka especially acutely feels the discrepancy between the importance of the last minutes before parting and the general bustle reigning in the house. The whole family gathers in the living room around round table. Nikolenka hugs her mother, cries and thinks about nothing but her grief. Having reached the main road, Nikolenka waves her handkerchief to her mother, continues to cry and notices how tears give him “pleasure and joy.” He thinks about his mother, and all Nikolenka’s memories are imbued with love for her.
For a month now, the father and children have been living in Moscow, in their grandmother’s house. Although Karl Ivanovich was also taken to Moscow, the children are taught by new teachers. On her grandmother’s name day, Nikolenka writes her first poems, which are read in public, and Nikolenka especially worries about this moment. He meets new people: Princess Kornakova, Prince Ivan Ivanovich, the Ivin relatives - three boys, almost the same age as Nikolenka. When communicating with these people, Nikolenka develops his main qualities: natural keen observation, inconsistency in his own feelings. Nikolenka often looks at herself in the mirror and cannot imagine that someone could love him. Before going to bed, Nikolenka shares his experiences with his brother Volodya, admits that he loves Sonechka Valakhina, and his words reveal all the childish, genuine passion of his nature. He admits: “... when I lie and think about her, God knows why I feel sad and really want to cry.”
Six months later, the father receives a letter from his mother from the village saying that during a walk she caught a severe cold, fell ill, and her strength is fading every day. She asks to come and bring Volodya and Nikolenka. Without hesitation, the father and sons leave Moscow. The worst premonitions are confirmed - for the last six days, my mother has not gotten up. She can't even say goodbye to her children - her open eyes they don’t see anything anymore... Mama dies on the same day in terrible suffering, having only managed to ask for a blessing for the children: “Mother of God, do not leave them!”
The next day, Nikolenka sees his mother in the coffin and cannot come to terms with the thought that this yellow and waxy face belongs to the one whom he loved most in his life. The peasant girl, who is brought to the deceased, screams terribly in horror, Nikolenka screams and runs out of the room, struck by the bitter truth and despair in front of the incomprehensibility of death.
Three days after the funeral, the whole house moves to Moscow, and with the death of her mother it ends for Nikolenka. happy time childhood. When he later came to the village, he always came to his mother’s grave, not far from which they buried his faithful daughter. last days their home Natalya Savishna.
Option 2
The story “Childhood” by L. N. Tolstoy is autobiographical. In it, the writer depicts his childhood, which he tries to embody on the pages of his work, in every detail. However, the main point in this work is that the author is trying to explain to his reader about the importance of this time. To do this, the writer uses a technique called “dialectics of the soul.”
Now, the author not only pays attention to the actions of the hero Nikolenka, but also to his feelings, which are closely interconnected. As a result, the reader manages to get to know the boy better, learn all his weaknesses and fears. However, the main thing is to know it inner life: what he thinks about, worries about. The writer depicts not just life little hero, which is exposed to emotions, Tolstoy depicts the kindness and cruelty that is woven into the lives of the heroes.
The reader witnesses the warm relationship between the boy and his parents, as well as his tutor Karl Ivanovich, nanny Natalya Savishna, grandmother and brother. Thanks to their kind words, Nikolenka grows up to be a kind boy. The feeling of compassion that is developed in the hero’s soul makes the reader himself worry about the boy.
Reading page after page, the reader comes across a situation where I throw a puppy over the fence or a bird out of the nest. This moment not only hurts the soul and mental condition hero, but also the reader. However further events take an unexpected turn. Sometimes a boy's attitude towards his family and friends turns out to be unfair and unworthy. So, he thinks poorly of tutor Karl Ivanovich, who is the most kind person on the ground.
At the very beginning of the story “Childhood,” the reader sees Karl Ivanovich tickling his little heel, trying to wake up the hero. However, he perceives this as the boringness of a nasty person who deliberately torments him because he is in the family youngest child. At the same time, the author depicts the boy’s repentance, he understands that he was wrong and he becomes ashamed.
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Leo Tolstoy "Childhood" A summary of each chapter should be read by anyone who cannot complete this story in its entirety.
This book describes the great psychological experiences that many boys experience in childhood: falling in love for the first time, a sense of injustice, resentment, embarrassment.
“Childhood” summary by chapter
On August 12, 18**, ten-year-old Nikolenka Irtenev wakes up on the third day after his birthday at seven o’clock in the morning. After the morning toilet, teacher Karl Ivanovich takes Nikolenka and his brother Volodya to greet their mother, who is pouring tea in the living room, and their father, who is giving housekeeping instructions to the clerk in his office.
Nikolenka feels pure and clear love for his parents, he admires them, making accurate observations for himself: “... in one smile lies what is called the beauty of the face: if a smile adds charm to the face, then it is beautiful; if she does not change it, then her face is ordinary; if she spoils it, then it is bad.” For Nikolenka, her mother’s face is beautiful, angelic. The father, due to his seriousness and severity, seems to the child to be a mysterious, but undeniably beautiful person who “is liked by everyone without exception.”
The father announces to the boys his decision - tomorrow he is taking them with him to Moscow. The whole day: studying in classes under the supervision of Karl Ivanovich, who was upset by the news he had received, and the hunt on which the father takes the children, and the meeting with the holy fool, and the last games, during which Nikolenka feels something like her first love for Katenka - everything this is accompanied by a sorrowful and sad feeling of the upcoming farewell to one’s home. Nikolenka remembers the happy time spent in the village, the courtyard people who were selflessly devoted to their family, and the details of the life lived here appear before him vividly, in all the contradictions that his childhood consciousness is trying to reconcile.
The next day at twelve o'clock the carriage and chaise are standing at the entrance. Everyone is busy preparing for the road, and Nikolenka especially acutely feels the discrepancy between the importance of the last minutes before parting and the general bustle reigning in the house. The whole family gathers in the living room around a round table. Nikolenka hugs her mother, cries and thinks about nothing but her grief. Having reached the main road, Nikolenka waves a handkerchief to his mother, continues to cry and notices how tears give him “pleasure and joy.” He thinks about his mother, and all Nikolenka’s memories are imbued with love for her.
For a month now, the father and children have been living in Moscow, in their grandmother’s house. Although Karl Ivanovich was also taken to Moscow, the children are taught by new teachers. On her grandmother’s name day, Nikolenka writes her first poems, which are read in public, and Nikolenka especially worries about this moment. He meets new people: Princess Kornakova, Prince Ivan Ivanovich, the Ivin relatives - three boys, almost the same age as Nikolenka. When communicating with these people, Nikolenka develops his main qualities: natural keen observation, inconsistency in his own feelings. Nikolenka often looks at herself in the mirror and cannot imagine that someone could love him. Before going to bed, Nikolenka shares his experiences with his brother Volodya, admits that he loves Sonechka Valakhina, and his words reveal all the childish, genuine passion of his nature. He admits: “... when I lie and think about her, God knows why I feel sad and really want to cry.”
Six months later, the father receives a letter from his mother from the village saying that during a walk she caught a severe cold, fell ill, and her strength is melting every day. She asks to come and bring Volodya and Nikolenka. Without hesitation, the father and sons leave Moscow. The worst premonitions are confirmed - for the last six days, mummy has not gotten up. She cannot even say goodbye to the children - her open eyes no longer see anything... Mama dies on the same day in terrible suffering, having only managed to ask for a blessing for the children: “Mother of God, do not leave them!”
The next day, Nikolenka sees his mother in the coffin and cannot come to terms with the idea that this yellow and waxy face belongs to the one whom he loved most in his life. The peasant girl, who is brought to the deceased, screams terribly in horror, Nikolenka screams and runs out of the room, struck by the bitter truth and despair in front of the incomprehensibility of death.
Three days after the funeral, the whole house moves to Moscow, and with the death of her mother, the happy time of childhood ends for Nikolenka. When he later comes to the village, he always comes to his mother’s grave, not far from which they buried Natalya Savishna, who was faithful to their home until her last days.