Cultural Shock in Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard projects the cultural conflict of the turn of the twentieth century of Russia. With a historical allusion, Chekhov exhibited the changing Russia with "slice of life" in his play. The Cherry Orchard is not only a depiction of Russian life but also an understatement of changing traditional value. Cultural conflict itself is an abstraction. To explain it, it is the traditional culture that is unable to resist the invading one. In the play, each character has his or her own personality, which symbolizes their individual social levels of Russian society. But these characters distinguish themselves into two sides, which are conservators and investors; therefore, they conflict each other in opinion. The following developments will begin with an outlook of The Cherry Orchard to acknowledge the basic concept of the play. The second part is culture in change that explains historical background of modern Russia. Third by a contrasting method, the main idea of this part is an illustration of conflict. And, in the fourth section, explaining symbolic meaning of The Cherry Orchard is an approach to highlight the conflict. Finally, the prospective development of different groups of characters is another contrast that echoes their attitudes in the beginning. In The Cherry Orchard, the dramatic development is parallel with the historical evolution of Russia in the end of the nineteenth century. Provided the orchard is a small copy of real Russia, each character of the play is the stereotype of his or her social status. In other words, the play is a condensation of reality. When it comes to the plot, ¡§The play does not have much of a p... ... middle of paper ... ...989. Gilman, Richard. Chekhov¡¦s Plays: An Opening into Eternity. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1995. Jackson, Robert Louis. Reading Chekov¡¦s Text. Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 1993. Kirk, Irina. Anton Chekhov. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1981. Matlaw, Ralph E. Anton Chekhov¡¦s Short Stories: Texts of the Stories Bachgrounds Criticism. New York: W.W. Norton & Company Inc., 1979. Rosenberg, William G., and Young, Marilyn B. Transforming Russia and China: Revolutionary Struggle in the Twentieth Century. New York: Oxford University Press, 1982. Rzhevsky, Nicholas. Modern Russian Culture. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. Senelick, Laurence. Anton Chekhov. New York: Grove Press, 1985. Zubarev, Vera. A System Approach to Literature: Mythopoetics of Chekhov¡¦s Four Major Plays. Westport: Greenwood Press, 1997.
Jonas decides to leave and change the lives of his people so that they can experience the truth. “The Giver rubbed Jonas’s hunched shoulders… We’ll make a plan” (155). Their plan involves leaving sameness and heading to Elsewhere, where Jonas knows the memories can be released to the people. He has a connection with Gabe, a special child who has experienced the memories, unlike the rest of the community. Jonas has a strong love for Gabe, and he longs to give him a better life. “We’re almost there, Gabriel” (178). Even with a sprained ankle, Jonas keeps pushing forward because he wants everyone to experience what The Giver has given him. He wants them to have a life where the truth is exposed. His determination allows him to make a change for a greater future in his community. This proves that Jonas has the strength to change his community for the
The book was entitled The Giver because this person is the one who transmits memories to the Receiver-in-training so that the memories can be passed on to the generations. The Giver, formerly knows as The Receiver, gives the memories to Jonas, who, in the future, will become the receiver. That us the true meaning of the title but quite a few different views say that there are deeper more extensive reasons on the entitlement of the book.
...simov. Ed. Joseph D. Olander and Martin Harry Greenberg. N.p.: Taplinger, 1977. 32-58. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Jean C. Stine. Vol. 26. Detroit: Gale, 1983. 41-45. Print.
Once Jonas begins his training with the Giver, however, the tendencies he showed in his earlier life—his sensitivity, his heightened perceptual powers, his kindness to and interest in people, his curiosity about new experiences, his honesty, and his high intelligence—make him extremely absorbed in the memories the Giver has to transmit. In turn, the memories, with their rich sensory and emotional experiences, enhance all of Jonas’s unusual qualities. Within a year of training, he becomes extremely sensitive to beauty, pleasure, and suffering, deeply loving toward his family and the Giver, and fiercely passionate about his new beliefs and feelings. Things about the community that used to be mildly perplexing or troubling are now intensely frustrating or depressing, and Jonas’s inherent concern for others and desire for justice makes him yearn to make changes in the community, both to awaken other people to the richness of life and to stop the casual cruelty that is practiced in the community. Jonas is also very determined, committing to a task fully when he believes in it and willing to risk his own life for the sake of the people he loves.
As December approaches Jonas feels apprehensive because this year his group will be given their assignments (Lowry 9). He is chosen as the receiver of memory. While this position holds high honor it is also a painful load to hold. Jonas will hold all memories of the past. Receiving memories is not like watching a movie, as Jonas soon expe...
Anton Chekhov’s short story “The Bishop” was written in 1902 and published in 1979 in “Anton Chekhov’s Short Stories” along with many of his other works, such as “The Betrothed” and “The Lady with the Dog”. While “The Bishop” is not a direct reflection of Chekhov’s life, the story does reflect elements of his life. His religious upbringing is most prevalent in this story, but being ill with Tuberculosis of the lungs during the time this story was written is shown as well through Bishop Pyotr’s sickness.
Acton, Edward, and William Rosenberg. Critical Companion to the Russian Revolution, 1914-1921. Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1997
Wood, A. (1986). The Russian Revolution. Seminar Studies in History. (2) Longman, p 1-98. ISBSN 0582355591, 9780582355590
In addition, Chekhov also utilizes allegory, imagery and symbolism. The Geisha, for example, serves as an a...
In a person’s lifetime, one is able to see the cause and effect the world around the individual has on one’s life. People are affected by the culture in which they live in and are affected by the history of their homeland. One can see these effects in the real world and in the fictional worlds of books, plays, and poetry. In the land of fiction, readers can find several examples of how a character’s psyche has been shaped by the culture and history that surrounds the character. One such example would be Madam Lubov Ranyevskaya from Chekhov’s famous play, The Cherry Orchard. One can see how her cultural and historical context has shaped her behavior, her relationships with those around her, and her family dynamics.
A. The Epic of Russian Literature. New York: Oxford University Press, 1950. 309-346. Tolstoy, Leo. "
"The Bear," which is a classic one-act play written 1900, is one of the great works of Anton Chekhov, which is very much about a widowed woman. The Bear can be regarded as a comedy since it is to give the audience entertainment and amusement. This comedy reveals the fine line between anger and passion. The theme is about a strange beginning of love between Mrs. Popov and Smirnov. It demonstrated that love changes all things it touches. Dialogue of the characters, the action of the characters, and the characters themselves shape the theme. Unbelievable actions and change in mood on the part of the characters show that love can sometimes come from an odd turn of events.
Chekov, Anton. "Vanka." Understanding Fiction. 3rd ed. Eds. Clanth Brooks and Robert Penn Warren. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hill, 1979. 46-49
The present play The Cherry Orchard is a modern play of 20th century, was not a comedy; it was not a tragedy. This play is admixture of both tragic and comic elements in their perfect balance,