Complete Despair in in Anton Chekhov's Misery

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In the story "Misery" by Anton Chekhov, I identified despair and misery

as a theme. The surroundings amplify the sentiment of the main character, Iona

Potapov. Cold and gray surrounds Iona Potapov and he is extremely miserable.

Iona Potapov wants to speak to another human about his son's death but no one

will listen. Failing to speak with any humans, Iona is resigned to speak with

his horse.

At the beginning of the story Anton Chekhov sets the environment for the

story. "The twilight of evening." (30) While reading this story, I envision

the scenery by what Anton Chekhov wrote. "Big flakes of wet snow are whirling

lazily about the street lamps, which have just been lighted, and lying in a thin

soft layer on the roofs, horses' backs, shoulders, caps." (30) The picture

portrayed is that of dull, gloomy, sludge and gray ash covering all of the

surrounding areas. " The familiar gray landscape." (30)

The dispair and loneliness that Iona feels are sorrow. "May it do you

good . . . But my son is dead, mate . . . Do you hear?" (33). Iona

desperately wants to tell about his sons' death, and how it is affecting him.

"He wants to tell how his son was taken ill, how he suffered, what he said

before he died, how he died"(34). Ionas' son has died, and he feels as though it

should have been he to the grave instead of his youthful son. "My son ought to

be driving not I"(34).

The gray dismal surroundings entrap Iona and make the desolation worse

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