“Oskolki” is a magazine in which Chekhov published his story. “Over-Salted,” thus, refers to the early period of the writer’s work, completely correlating in terms of problematics and poetics with other works written at this stage (“Thick and Thin,” “Chameleon”).

Start

Chekhov's story "Over-Salted" has an extremely simple plot. One day, Gleb Smirnov, a land surveyor, needed to come to General Khokhotov for land surveying. At the station with the very telling name “Gnilushki” he tries to find the driver. The man Klim agrees to help him get to the general. Gleb doesn’t like riding in a cart (“You can’t tell where the back is and where the front is...” he notes dissatisfied). But there is nothing to do, at least we set off. And then in the soul of the hero, who was watching the endless plain - along it, it seems, you can get to the middle of nowhere - anxiety began to arise...

Funny misunderstanding

The summary of the story “Over-Salted” continues. Chekhov throws his hero into a terrible wilderness, and this makes Gleb treat Klim with great suspicion. “A child of nature...” the surveyor thinks to himself with disgust, “if he touches such a finger, he’ll be gone.” Gleb begins to be brave: first he “remembers” how he fought off the non-existent three robbers, then he mentions armed comrades who are about to catch up with them, and, finally, he pretends that he himself has a revolver hidden. The poor driver was frightened by the weapon and ran away screaming. Gleb called the fugitive for two hours until he believed him and agreed to take him further. The main character was no longer afraid of his driver - this is how Chekhov ends his story. The hero “oversalted” a little and couldn’t cope with his own fears.

The simplicity of the plot is fully met by the same simple composition of the story. So, the story is told in chronological order. The climax of the story - Klim's flight - relieves the tension in the souls of the characters, forcing them to trust each other.

Theme of the story “Over-Salted” by Chekhov

Let the reader not be misled by the very simple plot of this work; even with such a somewhat ridiculous adventure of Gleb Smirnov, the master of short prose could say a lot. So, what is the theme of the story “Over-Salted” by Chekhov? First of all, it is a depiction (and condemnation in a comic form) of how social belonging, appearance a person can be obscured by his inner, true content.

Let's turn to the text...

Let's look again at what Chekhov wrote - “Over-salted.” An analysis of the story shows that Gleb’s fear arises, essentially, because of cliches - of course, an uneducated person holding the position of a driver must be a cold-blooded killer or, at least, a thief.

On the other hand, why does Klim so easily believe Smirnov’s fantasies about a revolver and armed comrades? For the driver, the main character is, first of all, a resident of the city, an unknown creature, and therefore fraught with danger. These fears turn out to be so strong that the driver even abandons his simple property - a horse - to the mercy of fate. And only the incident they experienced made the heroes see each other as people capable of empathy.

Klim’s fear has a socially determined basis. He has a slave mentality, which was formed over centuries by serfdom. This doomed people like the driver to a feeling of their own complete lack of rights, which even makes them believe that the fellow traveler has a revolver, and he will not fail to use it. And there is no hope at all for the justice of higher authorities. In fact, Klim’s image is a composite one, typical of Russia at that time. Laziness and sluggishness - that’s probably negative traits Klima, who does everything “at random”. “We’ll get there!” - he says with complete carelessness when Gleb begins to shake on the terrible road.

Assessment of surrounding life

Chekhov's story "Over-Salted" concerns ridicule not only of specific human shortcomings. His problems also include condemnation of the surrounding bourgeois, unspiritual life, and in just a few short phrases. So, in the mentioned Gnilushka you won’t find a traveling dog for a hundred miles. A lazily yawning gendarme, a gloomy Klim, dressed in a torn homespun and bast shoes (apparently not in the best condition either), an uncomfortable cart, a skinny filly... All this surprisingly accurately conveys the hopelessness and gloom of life here, which is comparable to the rest of the “N cities”. It is not surprising that cowardice and terrifying distrust of another person grow on such “favorable” soil.

Style features

The first stylistic feature of Anton Pavlovich’s work is the extreme simplicity of the presentation of the material. Chekhov begins the story “Over-Salted” without lengthy introductions, thoughts of the author or landscape sketches. On the contrary, he immediately begins to search for the driver's land surveyor. Anton Pavlovich's prose is also emphatically impartial, the author only records what is happening, and the readers themselves must draw the conclusion.

Researchers also note that Chekhov “salted” his story with various details that are much more eloquent than the author’s direct assessments. Such details include the already mentioned cart, Klim’s clothes, and the “telling” name. The latter feature as a means of comic relief is often found in the early humorous short stories of Anton Pavlovich. Let us recall, for example, the official Chervyakov from “The Death of an Official” or Ochumelov from “Chameleon”. Funny names allow the writer to give an indirect description of his characters and draw the reader's attention to their shortcomings.

Comic means

Any humorous story by Chekhov (“Over-Salted” is a work from the same series) saturates with various comic means. These include, for example, mismatch appearance the main character and his condition. So, during the trip, Smirnov tries to be brave, even to frighten Klim. Although from time to time the surveyor’s cowardice sometimes made itself felt: when the driver turned into the forest, the surveyor shouted in a voice that was not his own. But, according to the land surveyor, to ensure safety at every step, police officers and police officers are “pushed”!

Another means of comic relief is a novelistically unexpected ending: after the driver’s flight and a two-hour fruitless wait, Smirnov almost affectionately (“darling,” etc.) persuades Klim to return. It also makes the reader laugh willy-nilly.

Features of the genre

The genre nature of the story “Over-Salted” is quite difficult to determine, as well as all of Chekhov’s short prose created in the 80s. Yu. Tyupa suggests talking about the anecdote as the dominant genre in Anton Pavlovich’s work. On the contrary, A.P. Chudakov designates the writer’s early works as comic short stories. In support of his words, the researcher names a number of features of the poetics of the writer’s short prose, including a double composition and an ending that does not meet expectations (you will agree that the scene of the reconciliation of Klim and Smirnov does not fit in with the gloomy forebodings of the land surveyor at the beginning). In addition, literary scholars tend to define Chekhov's short prose as humoresques, scenes and stories. The latter genre designation is also used in this article.

Chekhov created the story “Over Salted” as humorous prose, which means the laughter in it is soft and friendly. He is far from caustic sarcasm, much less grotesque. At the same time, satirical colors are noticeable in the work when it comes to specific shortcomings in an individual or an imperfect society. But, as the writer himself argued, a person will become better only when you indicate what he is now.

is a talented author of a short word, who in his short works reveals current issues, shows the true essence of people and teaches us to act like humans, so as not to get into awkward situations. His story Peresalil, which is a quick read, is also an excellent work. We offer for reader's diary to quickly get acquainted with the plot of the work Oversalt Chekhov.

I over-salted the summary

A land surveyor arrives at the Glinushki station and needs to get to the estate of General Khokhotov. It was about forty miles to get there. The hero learns from the local gendarme that there are no post horses here, but everything can be solved. You can use the services of local men who earn extra money as a driver. The land surveyor goes to the station and chooses a huge guy named Klim. He had a young horse, and the surveyor set off with great shaking.

The road turned out to be deserted, so our hero begins to fantasize. It seems to him that there is danger around him and that at any moment someone could attack. And the driver himself is already beginning to be imagined as a robber. So the idea comes to his mind to scare Klim a little. He began to talk about non-existent revolvers that were allegedly in his pocket. And when the cart turned off the road, and began to boast about how he loved to fight with robbers, he started talking about his non-existent acquaintances with judges and police officers, about how he had pulled out the hands of many robbers. He began to say that he was constantly guarded by invisible police officers who were hiding behind the bushes.

When the horse entered the forest, the driver drove it faster and then the surveyor yelled for Klim not to drive the horses. He began to look back at the passenger in bewilderment, which seemed suspicious to the land surveyor. He continued to write horror stories, talking about how he was supposed to meet his friends here, who, like him, each had a revolver. What happens next is incredible.

What does oversalted mean?

The cab driver Klim takes to his heels, shouting to the land surveyor to take everything he wants, just so as not to destroy his soul. And the land surveyor is left alone, but he doesn’t know the road, and they can accuse him of theft. He began to call Klim back. I was afraid that I would have to spend the night here alone. I screamed for two hours until I became hoarse. I had even come to terms with the idea that I would have to spend the night in the cold when I heard a rustling sound. This was Klim. The land surveyor began to explain that he intimidated the man because he was scared, so he lied and went too far with his tales. Realizing that the robber would have galloped off on his horse long ago, the man got out, sat down in his place, and the heroes of the story rode on. At the same time, Klim said that he would not have volunteered to deliver the master to the estate if he had known in advance that he would be so scared. The cart started moving and the surveyor no longer thought Klim was scary or the road dangerous.

Chekhov Oversalted - The main characters really need characterization. THANK YOU in advance. THANK YOU in advance and got the best answer

Answer from Oriy Polyakov[guru]
The surveyor shouted for two hours, and only after he had grown hoarse and had come to terms with the idea of ​​spending the night in the forest, a weak breeze brought to him someone’s groan. - Klim! Is that you, darling? Let's go! - U... you'll kill me! - Yes, I was joking, my dear! God punish me, I was joking! What kind of revolvers do I have? It was me who lied out of fear! Do me a favor, let's go! I'm freezing! - Klim, probably realizing that the real robber would have disappeared with the horse and cart long ago, came out of the forest and hesitantly approached his passenger. - Well, why are you scared, you fool? I.. . I was joking, and you were scared... Sit down! “God be with you, master,” Klim grumbled, getting into the cart. - If I had known, I wouldn’t have gotten you for a hundred rubles. I almost died of fear... Klim hit the horse. The cart shook. Klim lashed again, and the cart swayed. After the fourth blow, when the cart started moving, the surveyor covered his ears with his collar and thought. The road and Klim no longer seemed dangerous to him.
Don't say too much at the wrong time, otherwise things may come back to haunt you. reverse side medals.

Year of publication of the story: 1885

Chekhov's story “Over-Salted” is a very small work by a classic of Russian literature. Nevertheless, it is quite well known and is even included in the school curriculum. It is largely thanks to such iconic works that Anton Chekhov still occupies a high place among.

The plot of the story “Over-Salted” briefly

Summary of Chekhov’s “Over-Salted” should begin with the arrival of land surveyor Gleb Gavrilovich Semenov at the Gnilushki station. He was invited to work at the estate of General Khokhotov - Devkino. From the station to the estate with good horses and a non-drunk driver it was thirty versts, but with tired horses and a driver under the spell, all fifty would be lost. Therefore, the first thing the surveyor did was to approach the gendarme and ask where he could find post horses. The gendarme was surprised, because you can’t find post horses for 100 miles around. He advised us to look behind the station, men often drive there. There he found a hefty man in a torn sheepskin coat and bast shoes, who agreed to take him.

The young but skinny horse moved only after the third blow of the whip. Main character Chekhov's work "Over-Salted" I asked if they would trudge along like this all the way? But the driver assured that now the filly would accelerate and then there would be no stopping her. We left the station at dusk. There was a frozen plain all around and Gleb Gavrilovich had a thought: “Won’t he be robbed here?” The driver is a healthy guy, he only touches a finger and his soul is gone. Therefore, he asked what the cab driver’s name was, it turned out to be Klim, and whether robbers were playing pranks here, as in ,? Klim replied that God had mercy, but Semyonov, for greater confidence, lied that he had three revolvers.

By this time it was completely dark. Suddenly the cart turned left. This frightened the surveyor even more. He began to tell a fictitious story about how he once met three robbers. He immediately knocked the wind out of one, and the other two went to Siberia. In general, he is a necessary person and knows all the judges and police officers. Therefore, on his way, the sots and police officers were bumped into, so that no harm would come to the main character of the story “Over-Salting” Chekhov. Klim increasingly turned to look at his passenger, which caused him even greater anxiety. Therefore, when they turned into the forest, the surveyor even shouted: “Wait!” But then he pulled himself together and ordered to hold the already runaway horse. Klim, perplexed, asked why. To which the land surveyor replied that in this forest four comrades with revolvers should catch up with him. And then he offered to show Klim his revolvers. And to make things even more important, he even started fiddling with his pockets.

Further in Chekhov’s story “Over-Salted” you can read about how Klim fell out of the cart and began to run away on all fours. Along the way, he shouted that the land surveyor could take both the cart and the horse, just not ruin him. Semenov himself could not continue the journey, because he did not know the road, and he did not want to be accused of robbery. Therefore, he long and tediously called Klim and persuaded him to return. Only two hours later he responded. The land surveyor said with joy that all he was carrying was out of fear. The driver returned from the fourth blow and the horse slowly moved forward. And now the road no longer seemed so dangerous to the surveyor.

The story “Over-Salted” on the Top Books website

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov's story “Over-Salted” is so popular to read that it took a high place among. This popularity is largely ensured by schoolchildren. Therefore, the work more than once during its passage in school curriculum will be included in our ratings.

You can read Anton Chekhov’s story “Over-Salted” online on the Top Books website.

The cowardly land surveyor suspects that the driver he hired is a robber, begins to lie to protect himself from an attack, greatly frightens the man, he runs away into the forest and does not return soon.

Land surveyor Gleb Gavrilovich Smirnov arrives at the station. He has 30-40 miles left to the estate where he is heading. After a lengthy search, the surveyor finds Klim, “a very hefty man, gloomy, pockmarked, dressed in a torn homespun and bast shoes.” He agrees to deliver the surveyor wherever he needs it.

The companions shake for a long time on a dilapidated cart, pulled by a pitiful horse. It's getting dark. The cowardly land surveyor begins to be overcome by doubts: is his driver really a robber? The cart turns into the forest. The land surveyor becomes even more frightened and begins to boast of his incredible strength, revolvers, and tell stories about his battles with bandits.

Having driven into the forest, Gleb Gavrilovich asks not to drive the horses like that - his comrades with revolvers are catching up with him, and riding together is more fun. He pretends that he wants to show the driver the non-existent revolvers, and begins to rummage through his pockets. Klim gets scared and rushes into the forest. About two o'clock Smirnov calls the frightened man, gets very cold and realizes that out of fear he has gone too far with his boasting.

Finally, the frightened peasant returns. Smirnov confesses his cowardice to him, reveals his deception, after which they continue on their way. The land surveyor no longer thinks Klim is dangerous.