Problems raised in Turgenev's fathers and sons. Current problems of fathers and children (based on the novel Fathers and Sons by Turgenev I.S.)

The most important feature of the amazing talent of I.S. Turgenev - a keen sense of his time, which is the best test for an artist. The images he created continue to live, but in another world, the name of which is the grateful memory of descendants who learned love, dreams and wisdom from the writer.

The clash of two political forces, liberal nobles and raznochintsy revolutionaries, found artistic expression in a new work, which was created during a difficult period of social confrontation.

The idea for “Fathers and Sons” is the result of communication with the staff of the Sovremennik magazine, where the writer worked for a long time. The writer had a hard time leaving the magazine, because the memory of Belinsky was connected with him. The articles of Dobrolyubov, with whom Ivan Sergeevich constantly argued and sometimes disagreed, served as a real basis for depicting ideological differences. The radically minded young man was not on the side of gradual reforms, like the author of Fathers and Sons, but firmly believed in the path of revolutionary transformation of Russia. The editor of the magazine, Nikolai Nekrasov, supported this point of view, so the classics of fiction - Tolstoy and Turgenev - left the editorial office.

The first sketches for the future novel were made at the end of July 1860 on the English Isle of Wight. The image of Bazarov was defined by the author as the character of a self-confident, hard-working, nihilist person who does not recognize compromises or authorities. While working on the novel, Turgenev involuntarily develops sympathy for his character. In this he is helped by the diary of the main character, which is kept by the writer himself.

In May 1861, the writer returned from Paris to his Spasskoye estate and made his last entry in the manuscripts. In February 1862, the novel was published in the Russian Bulletin.

Main problems

After reading the novel, you understand its true value, created by the “genius of proportion” (D. Merezhkovsky). What did Turgenev love? What did you doubt? What did you dream about?

Central to the book is the moral problem of intergenerational relationships. "Fathers" or "children"? The fate of everyone is connected with the search for an answer to the question: what is the meaning of life? For new people it lies in work, but the old guard sees it in reasoning and contemplation, because crowds of peasants work for them. In this fundamental position there is a place for irreconcilable conflict: fathers and children live differently. In this discrepancy we see the problem of misunderstanding of opposites. The antagonists cannot and do not want to accept each other, this impasse is especially evident in the relationship between Pavel Kirsanov and Evgeny Bazarov.
The problem of moral choice is also acute: on whose side is the truth? Turgenev believed that the past cannot be denied, because only thanks to it the future is built. In the image of Bazarov, he expressed the need to preserve the continuity of generations. The hero is unhappy because he is lonely and understood, because he himself did not strive for anyone and did not want to understand. However, changes, whether people of the past like it or not, will still come, and we must be prepared for them. This is evidenced by the ironic image of Pavel Kirsanov, who lost his sense of reality while putting on ceremonial tailcoats in the village. The writer calls for a sensitive response to changes and trying to understand them, and not indiscriminately criticize, like Uncle Arkady. Thus, the solution to the problem lies in the tolerant attitude of different people towards each other and an attempt to understand the opposite life concept. In this sense, the position of Nikolai Kirsanov, who was tolerant of new trends and was never in a hurry to judge them, won. His son also found a compromise solution.
However, the author made it clear that there is a high purpose behind Bazarov’s tragedy. It is precisely such desperate and self-confident pioneers who pave the way forward for the world, so the problem of recognizing this mission in society also occupies an important place. Evgeniy repents on his deathbed that he feels useless, this realization destroys him, but he could have become a great scientist or a skilled doctor. But the cruel mores of the conservative world are pushing him out, because they feel threatened by him.
The problems of the “new” people, the diverse intelligentsia, and difficult relationships in society, with parents, and in the family are also obvious. The commoners do not have profitable estates and a position in society, so they are forced to work and become embittered when they see social injustice: they work hard for a piece of bread, while the nobles, stupid and mediocre, do nothing and occupy all the upper floors of the social hierarchy, where the elevator simply does not reach . Hence the revolutionary sentiments and the moral crisis of an entire generation.
Problems of eternal human values: love, friendship, art, attitude to nature. Turgenev knew how to reveal the depths of human character in love, to test the true essence of a person with love. But not everyone passes this test; an example of this is Bazarov, who breaks down under the onslaught of feeling.

All the interests and plans of the writer were entirely focused on the most important tasks of the time, moving towards the most pressing problems of everyday life.

Characteristics of the characters in the novel

Evgeny Vasilievich Bazarov- comes from the people. Son of a regimental doctor. My grandfather on my father’s side “plowed the land.” Evgeniy makes his own way in life and receives a good education. Therefore, the hero is careless in clothes and manners; no one raised him. Bazarov is a representative of the new revolutionary-democratic generation, whose task is to destroy the old way of life and fight against those who hinder social development. A complex man, doubtful, but proud and adamant. Evgeniy Vasilyevich is very vague about how to correct society. Denies the old world, accepts only what is confirmed by practice.

The writer portrayed in Bazarov the type of young man who believes exclusively in scientific activity and denies religion. The hero has a deep interest in natural sciences. From childhood, his parents instilled in him a love of work.
He condemns the people for illiteracy and ignorance, but is proud of his origin. Bazarov's views and beliefs do not find like-minded people. Sitnikov, a talker and phrase-monger, and the “emancipated” Kukshina are worthless “followers”.
A soul unknown to him is rushing about in Evgeny Vasilyevich. What should a physiologist and anatomist do with it? It is not visible under a microscope. But the soul hurts, although it – a scientific fact – does not exist!
Turgenev spends most of the novel exploring the “temptations” of his hero. He torments him with the love of old people - his parents - what to do with them? What about love for Odintsova? The principles are in no way compatible with life, with the living movements of people. What remains for Bazarov? Just die. Death is his final test. He accepts her heroically, does not console himself with the spells of a materialist, but calls his beloved.
The spirit conquers the enraged mind, overcomes the errors of the schemes and postulates of the new teaching.

Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov - bearer of noble culture. Bazarov is disgusted by Pavel Petrovich’s “starched collars” and “long nails”. But the hero’s aristocratic manners are an internal weakness, a secret consciousness of his inferiority.

Kirsanov believes that respecting yourself means taking care of your appearance and never losing your dignity, even in the village. He organizes his daily routine in the English manner.
Pavel Petrovich retired, indulging in love experiences. This decision of his became a “retirement” from life. Love does not bring joy to a person if he lives only by its interests and whims.
The hero is guided by principles taken “on faith”, corresponding to his position as a gentleman - a serf owner. The Russian people are honored for their patriarchy and obedience.
In relation to a woman, strength and passion of feelings are manifested, but he does not understand them.
Pavel Petrovich is indifferent to nature. Denial of her beauty speaks of his spiritual limitations.
This man is deeply unhappy.

Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov- Arkady's father and Pavel Petrovich's brother. He failed to make a military career, but he did not despair and entered the university. After the death of his wife, he devoted himself to his son and the improvement of the estate.

The characteristic features of the character are gentleness and humility. The hero's intelligence evokes sympathy and respect. Nikolai Petrovich is a romantic at heart, loves music, recites poetry.
He is an opponent of nihilism and tries to smooth out any emerging disagreements. Lives in accordance with his heart and conscience.

Arkady Nikolaevich Kirsanov- a person who is not independent, deprived of his life principles. He completely obeys his friend. He joined Bazarov only because of his youthful enthusiasm, since he did not have his own views, so in the finale there was a break between them.

Subsequently, he became a zealous owner and started a family.
“A nice fellow,” but “a soft, liberal gentleman,” Bazarov says about him.
All the Kirsanovs are “more children of events than fathers of their own actions.”

Odintsova Anna Sergeevna- an “element” “related” to Bazarov’s personality. On what basis can this conclusion be made? The firmness of her outlook on life, “proud loneliness, intelligence - make her “close” to the main character of the novel. She, like Evgeny, sacrificed personal happiness, so her heart is cold and fearful of feelings. She herself trampled on them by marrying for convenience.

Conflict between "fathers" and "children"

Conflict – “clash”, “serious disagreement”, “dispute”. To say that these concepts have only a “negative connotation” means to completely misunderstand the processes of social development. “Truth is born in dispute” - this axiom can be considered a “key” that lifts the curtain on the problems posed by Turgenev in the novel.

Disputes are the main compositional device that allows the reader to determine his point of view and take a certain position in his views on a particular social phenomenon, area of development, nature, art, moral concepts. Using the “technique of debate” between “youth” and “old age,” the author affirms the idea that life does not stand still, it is multifaceted and multifaceted.

The conflict between “fathers” and “children” will never be resolved; it can be described as a “constant”. However, it is the conflict of generations that is the engine of development of everything on earth. On the pages of the novel there is a heated debate caused by the struggle of revolutionary democratic forces with the liberal nobility.

Main topics

Turgenev managed to saturate the novel with progressive thought: protest against violence, hatred of legalized slavery, pain for the suffering of the people, the desire to found their happiness.

The main themes in the novel “Fathers and Sons”:

Ideological contradictions of the intelligentsia during the preparation of the reform on the abolition of serfdom;
“Fathers” and “sons”: relationships between generations and the theme of family;
A “new” type of person at the turn of two eras;
Immense love for the homeland, parents, woman;
Human and nature. The world around us: workshop or temple?

What is the point of the book?

Turgenev’s work sounds an alarming alarm bell over all of Russia, calling on fellow citizens to unite, sanity, and fruitful activity for the good of the Motherland.

The book explains to us not only the past, but also the present day, reminds us of eternal values. The title of the novel does not mean the older and younger generations, not family relationships, but people of new and old views. “Fathers and Sons” is valuable not only as an illustration of history; the work touches on many moral issues.

The basis of the existence of the human race is the family, where everyone has their own responsibilities: the elders (“fathers”) look after the younger ones (“children”), pass on to them the experience and traditions accumulated by their ancestors, and instill moral feelings in them; the younger ones honor adults, adopt from them everything important and best that is necessary for the formation of a person of a new formation. However, their task is also the creation of fundamental innovations, impossible without some denial of past misconceptions. The harmony of the world order lies in the fact that these “connections” are not broken, but not in the fact that everything remains the old fashioned way.

The book has great educational value. Reading it at the time of forming your character means thinking about important life problems. “Fathers and Sons” teaches a serious attitude towards the world, an active position, and patriotism. They teach from a young age to develop strong principles, engaging in self-education, but at the same time honor the memory of their ancestors, even if it does not always turn out to be right.

Criticism about the novel

After the publication of Fathers and Sons, a fierce controversy erupted. M.A. Antonovich in the Sovremennik magazine interpreted the novel as a “merciless” and “destructive criticism of the younger generation.”
D. Pisarev in “Russian Word” highly appreciated the work and the image of a nihilist created by the master. The critic emphasized the tragedy of character and noted the firmness of a person who does not retreat from trials. He agrees with other writers of criticism that the “new” people may cause resentment, but it is impossible to deny them “sincerity.” The appearance of Bazarov in Russian literature is a new step in highlighting the social and public life of the country.

Can you agree with the critic on everything? Probably no. He calls Pavel Petrovich “a small-sized Pechorin.” But the dispute between the two characters gives reason to doubt this. Pisarev claims that Turgenev does not sympathize with any of his heroes. The writer considers Bazarov his “favorite child.”

What is "nihilism"?

For the first time, the word “nihilist” is heard in the novel from the lips of Arkady and immediately attracts attention. However, the concept of “nihilist” is in no way connected with Kirsanov Jr.

The word “nihilist” was taken by Turgenev from N. Dobrolyubov’s review of a book by the Kazan philosopher, conservative professor V. Bervy. However, Dobrolyubov interpreted it in a positive sense and assigned it to the younger generation. The word was introduced into widespread use by Ivan Sergeevich, which became synonymous with the word “revolutionary.”

The “nihilist” in the novel is Bazarov, who does not recognize authorities and denies everything. The writer did not accept the extremes of nihilism, caricaturing Kukshina and Sitnikov, but sympathized with the main character.

Evgeny Vasilyevich Bazarov still teaches us about his fate. Every person has a unique spiritual image, whether he is a nihilist or a simple layman. Respect and reverence for another person consists of respect for the fact that in him there is the same secret flicker of a living soul that is in you.

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The most significant works of Russian literature of the 19th century are distinguished by the formulation of the most important social, philosophical, and ethical questions of their time. The wealth of issues is one of the main qualities characteristic of works of Russian classical literature. This quality is clearly manifested in their titles, which often express in generalized form the essence

problems raised. A special group consists of titles containing antitheses: “War and Peace”, “Crime and Punishment”, “Wolves and Sheep”. This also includes the novel “Fathers and Sons” by I. S. Turgenev. This name primarily emphasizes the conflict between fathers and children, old and new, generational change - a manifestation of a universal pattern of life.

The collision of the main characters reveals the deepest difference in their entire worldview, the gap between generations. Transformations are necessary, but who will make these transformations? To understand this, we consider 2 camps presented in the novel - the “fathers’ camp” and the “children’s” camp. The camp of “fathers” primarily includes Pavel and Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov, the elder Bazarovs, while the “camp of children” includes Evgeny Bazarov, Arkady Kirsanov, Anna Sergeevna Odintsova. So which of them is capable of making changes in society? Perhaps the most prominent representative of the Fathers’ camp can rightfully be considered Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov. He is self-confident, straightforward, internally he is very similar to Bazarov, although he denies it with all his might. It would seem a wonderful candidate for a person who

will make these same transformations. But if we take a closer look, we will see that Pavel Petrovich is disappointed in life, what kind of transformations there are. He failed the “test of love.” If at the beginning we still see him alive, at least still interested in something, then at the end he is simply a “living dead”. “He still makes a little noise: it’s not for nothing that he was once a lion; but life is hard for him...

It’s heavier than he himself suspects... It’s worth looking at him in a Russian church, when, leaning aside against the wall, he thinks and doesn’t move for a long time, bitterly clenching his lips, then suddenly he comes to his senses and begins to cross himself almost imperceptibly...” The conclusion is obvious: Pavel Petrovich is not will be able to make transformations, he is not able to do this and does not need it - he now cares little about anything at all. Nikolai Petrovich - yes, of course, he is hardworking and kind to people, is not indifferent to nature and music, and in this sense he expresses the essence of his generation than Pavel Petrovich. However, he is too soft, delicate and indecisive, he always strives for a compromise, afraid to go against someone’s will. This, on the one hand, separates him from his son, and on the other hand serves as the basis for their mutual understanding. Nikolai Petrovich is a typical representative of his time, he is no exception, like many - from an ordinary noble family, who received the usual education for that time, married for love and lived “good and quiet” in his village. He does not succeed in economic activities, does not live, like his brother, with the memories of a bright and stormy youth. In general, we can say that, despite his attempts to “keep up with Arkady,” Nikolai Petrovich will also not be able to make transformations - he is too soft and delicate, and he does not need them, these transformations - is it really bad for him to live in his a modest corner, quiet and peaceful? Bazarov's parents? It seems to me that they did not have their own opinion, and if they did, they preferred not to express it. They always relied on their son and trusted him. And it is still unknown what will happen after his death, how they will continue to live without this “authority”. And they themselves are not able to make any transformations. So, the “camp of the fathers” cannot make any changes. "

Children's Camp" consists of people such as Bazarov, Arkady, Odintsova. Are they able to carry out these transformations? It is difficult to answer unequivocally - perhaps if they wanted, they could change everything, because they are young and full of strength. But if we consider each of them separately, it becomes clear that this is practically impossible. Arkady, of course, is smart, active, full of strength, but he is constantly rushing between two fires - Bazarov and his father and uncle. On the one hand, he is Bazarov’s student and very much his respects, on the other hand, the devoted son of his father, whom he treats with love and even tries to support his father in his endeavor to “keep up with the new generation". Odintsova is not particularly interested in these transformations, she is ready to adapt to any situation. She even gets married." not out of love, but out of conviction, for one of the future Russian leaders, a very smart man, a lawyer, with a strong practical sense, a strong will and a wonderful gift of speech, a man still young, kind and cold as ice”... That leaves Bazarov. It would seem that he is smart, active and quite ready for great achievements, but “in order to build, you must first clear the place,” and what can he do alone? In general, the “children's camp” was not ready for transformation.

They did not know where to start, and the “place” for these transformations was not “cleared”. But the title of the novel “Fathers and Sons” has another meaning, a deeper one, in which “eternal” themes are put forward. Mundane everyday life and eternal philosophical questions collide in the novel, making it more vital, but also more complex. It is no coincidence that the novel begins with the exact date (May 18, 1859), and ends with words about “eternal reconciliation and endless life.”

This is the philosophical meaning of the novel. There is also a fairly common opinion expressed by critic D.I. Pisarev. He believed that the phenomena of life shown in “Fathers and Sons” are very close to the modern generation, so close that all “our young generation with their aspirations and ideas can recognize themselves in the characters in this novel.” According to the critic, the whole point of the novel was that “today’s young people get carried away and go to extremes, but the hobbies themselves reveal fresh strength and an incorruptible mind; this strength and this mind will lead young people to the straight path and support them in life.” . The critic narrowed the meaning of the novel and, accordingly, the meaning of its title, but in fact, the full depth of Turgenev’s work was revealed only some time after the publication of the novel. Perhaps in the future new touches will also be added to the understanding of the meaning of the novel.

At the plot level, the title “Fathers and Sons” sets the theme of the relationship between two generations of the thinking part of Russian society in the 60s of the 19th century. This was a difficult period in the history of Russia - the shameful defeat of our country in the war with Turkey, changes in politics due to the death of the Tsar, all this to a certain extent affects the creativity of writers. A new social force also appears - commoners, representatives of all classes.

Thanks to this, the noble class ceased to reign supreme in society. Turgenev only captured this social conflict of his time, the conflict between the nobles and the “third estate,” which actively entered the historical arena. What, after all, is the meaning of the novel's title? "Fathers and Sons" is a symbol of ever-renewing life.

The novel "Fathers and Sons" is about life, as it appeared before Turgenev, and as he understood it. The novel "Fathers and Sons" has a very rich range of issues. But the main problem, in my opinion, is nihilism. What is the essence of nihilism, in particular Bazarov’s nihilism? The novel is directed against the softness and toothlessness of the nobility, and in this work

Turgenev exposes the entire class of landowners, and not individual nobles, and shows their inability to lead Russia further along the path of development. The old, outdated morality is becoming obsolete, giving way to a new, progressive movement, a new morality. One of the bearers of this morality is Evgeny Bazarov. Bazarov is a commoner who, seeing the decline of the state, does not yet take the path of building new foundations, but the path of nihilism that precedes this future construction.

According to him, he denies absolutely everything - art, poetry, authorities, religion, autocracy, even love. A distinctive feature of Bazarov's nihilism is that he does not fight against what he denies. He doesn’t care whether they follow him and his beliefs; he does not preach nihilism, he just does not hide his convictions and is not afraid to express them openly. He is a materialist, and this is not his best trait - he calls spirituality “romanticism” and “nonsense,” and despises the people who carry it.”

A decent chemist is twenty times more useful than a great poet" - the words of Bazarov, from which we can conclude that the material world is much more important to him than the spiritual. Although it must be said that he does not have such a respectful attitude towards the entire material world - he does not care about his own material condition and what other people think about him. He is unpretentious, cares little about the fashionability of his clothes, the beauty of his face and body, he does not strive to get as much money as possible - what he has is enough for him. And this trait is a sign of strong and smart people.

Problems of the novel by I. S. Turgenev “Fathers and Sons”

“Fathers and Sons” can safely be called a new novel, since for the first time a new type of hero appears in it, a new person - the democrat commoner Yevgeny Bazarov.

In the title of the novel, the author sought to reflect not just the relationship between two generations, but the confrontation between two social camps. Showing the clash of two different social forces, Turgenev brought into the historical arena a new hero, a new force that marked the onset of a new era. In the face of social change, noble culture had to be tested.

All the acute social problems of Russian life in the 50s of the 19th century were reflected in the disputes between Bazarov and the Kirsanovs. Turgenev believed that “a poet should be a psychologist, but a secret one.” He must know and feel the roots of a phenomenon, but imagine only the phenomena themselves in their flourishing or fading. “To accurately and powerfully reproduce the truth, the reality of life is the highest happiness for a writer, even if this truth does not coincide with his own sympathies,” Turgenev wrote in his article “About Fathers and Sons,” setting this reproduction as his task. Therefore, he sought to comprehensively show his characters and their belief systems, without leaning towards any one point of view.

And he observes this principle throughout the novel. Turgenev shows the clash between Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich, who fiercely oppose each other and do not agree on anything. Pavel Petrovich does not accept anything that is in Bazarov, and vice versa. When Arkady tries to explain to his father and uncle who the nihilists are, he says that nihilists are those who do not accept a single principle on faith, doubt everything, and deny love. His uncle responds to this that “before there were Hegelists, and now there are nihilists,” but in essence everything is the same. This moment is very revealing; it suggests that Pavel Petrovich does not want to come to terms with the fact that times and views are changing.

Turgenev is a master of detail. Through such a touch as a knife with butter, Turgenev shows Pavel Petrovich’s hostility towards Bazarov. The episode with the frogs plays exactly the same role.

Bazarov, with his characteristic youthful maximalism, denies everything: he understands a person like a frog. Bazarov believes that “first you need to clear the place,” and then build something; he believes only in science. Paul

Petrovich is indignant, and Nikolai Petrovich is ready to think, perhaps, indeed, he and his brother are backward people.

In Chapter X, Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich approach the most important thing - the question of who has the right to speak on behalf of the people, who knows the people better. The most interesting thing is that each of them thinks that their opponent has no idea how things really are. “I don’t want to believe that you, gentlemen, know the Russian people for sure, that you are representatives of their needs, their aspirations! No, the Russian people are not what you imagine them to be,” says Pavel Petrovich, who insisted that the Russian people are “patriarchal” and “cannot live without faith.” Bazarov, in turn, believed that “the freedom that the government is busy about will hardly benefit us, because our peasant is happy to rob himself just to get drunk on dope in a tavern.” Thus, it turns out that one embellishes, and the other denigrates, and in this contrast Turgenev seeks to show the farce and absurdity of the situation.

Bazarov is too pessimistic about the current state of the people: he talks about superstitions, about underdevelopment, about the lack of enlightenment of the people. He pompously declares: “My grandfather plowed the land,” thus trying to show his closeness to the people, to prove to Pavel Petrovich that he better understands the peasants and their needs. But in fact, this phrase is an exaggeration, since Bazarov’s father was poor, but still a landowner, and “was formerly a regimental doctor.” Turgenev writes that, despite the fact that Bazarov was a commoner and considered himself close to the people, he “did not even suspect that in their eyes he was still something of a fool.”

Pavel Petrovich's attitude towards the people is also described in the novel rather ironically. He idealized the people, believed that he loved and knew them, but at the same time, speaking with a peasant, he “wrinkled his face and sniffed cologne.” At the end of the novel, Turgenev writes that Pavel Petrovich went to live in Germany, “he doesn’t read anything Russian, but on his desk there is a silver ashtray in the shape of a peasant’s bast shoe.”

The story of the relationship between these irreconcilable disputants ends with a duel. This happens after Pavel Petrovich sees Bazarov kissing Fenechka in the gazebo.

Turgenev approached the description of the duel scene very carefully, which is presented in the novel as if from the author’s point of view, but it is clear from everything that this episode is shown through the eyes of Bazarov. Before the duel, a verbal duel takes place, where there is one multi-valued symbolic detail: in response to the French phrase of Pavel Petrovich, Bazarov inserts an expression in Latin into his speech. Thus, Turgenev emphasizes that his heroes really speak different languages. Latin is the language of science, reason, logic, progress, but it is a dead language. French, in turn, is the language of the Russian aristocracy of the 18th-19th centuries; it implies a huge cultural layer. Two cultures stand on the historical arena, but together they have no place on it - and a duel takes place between them.

The whole pathos of the author’s position states with regret that the best people of Russia do not understand, do not hear each other. Their problem is that no one wants to make concessions. Turgenev laments that they speak different languages and cannot agree and understand each other.

The secret psychologism of the novel lies in the fact that the narration is told on behalf of the author, but it still seems that the author’s position is close to Bazarov’s position. Due to the fact that the description of the duel is given as if from the perspective of Bazarov, it has a mundane character. This noble tradition is not close to Bazarov, he is a man of a different culture, a physician, and for him this is doubly unnatural.

The duel produces a kind of revolution in Pavel Petrovich. He now looks differently at the civil marriage of Nikolai Petrovich and Fenechka - he blesses his brother to marry her.

Turgenev masterfully combines the comic and the serious. This is especially evident in the description of the duel, or more precisely of Commandant Peter, who first turned green, then turned pale, and after the shot generally hid somewhere. The wounded Pavel Petrovich, seeing Peter appear, says: “What a stupid face!”, which is also, of course, an element of the comic.

In Chapter XXIV, Turgenev allows himself a direct author’s word: “Yes, he was a dead man,” in relation to Pavel Petrovich. This should be understood as a statement that a “change” has already occurred: it is clear that the era of Pavel Petrovich is ending. But the author resorted to direct expression of his own views only once, and usually Turgenev used hidden or indirect ways to show his attitude, which, undoubtedly, is one of the types of Turgenev’s psychologism.

While working on the novel “Fathers and Sons,” Turgenev strives to be objective, so he is ambiguous in relation to his heroes. On the one hand, Turgenev shows the failure of the nobility, and on the other, he says about Bazarov that he cannot accurately answer the question of why he killed him. “I dreamed of a gloomy, wild, large figure, half grown out of the soil, strong, evil, honest - and yet doomed to death - because it still stands on the threshold of the future,” Turgenev wrote in a letter to K. K. Sluchevsky.

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The novel “Fathers and Sons” was created by Turgenev at a difficult time for Russia. The growth of peasant uprisings and the crisis of the serfdom system forced the government to abolish serfdom in 1861. Peasant reform was necessary in Russia. Society split into two camps: in one there were democratic revolutionaries , ideologists of the peasant masses, in the other - the liberal nobility, who stood for the reformist path.The liberal nobility did not put up with serfdom, but feared the peasant revolution.

The great Russian writer shows in his novel the struggle between the worldviews of these two political directions. The plot of the novel is based on the contrast of the views of Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov and Evgeny Bazarov, who are prominent representatives of these directions. The novel also raises other questions: how to treat the people, work, science, art, what transformations are necessary in the Russian village.

The title already reflects one of these problems - the relationship between two generations, fathers and children. Disagreements on various issues have always existed between the youth and the older generation. So here, the representative of the younger generation Evgeny Vasilyevich Bazarov cannot, and does not want to understand the “fathers”, their life credo, principles. He is convinced that their views on the world, on life, on relationships between people are hopelessly outdated. “Yes, I will spoil them... After all, this is all pride, lionish habits, foppishness...”. In his opinion, the main purpose of life is to work, to produce something material. That is why Bazarov disrespects art and sciences that do not have a practical basis; to “useless” nature. He believes that it is much more useful to deny what, from his point of view, deserves denial, than to watch indifferently from the outside, not daring to do anything. “At the present time, the most useful thing is denial - we deny,” says Bazarov.

For his part, Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov is sure that there are things that cannot be doubted (“Aristocracy... liberalism, progress, principles... art...”). He values habits and traditions more and does not want to notice the changes taking place in society.

The disputes between Kirsanov and Bazarov reveal the ideological concept of the novel.

These heroes have a lot in common. Both Kirsanov and Bazarov have highly developed pride. Sometimes they cannot calmly argue. Both of them are not subject to the influence of others, and only what they themselves have experienced and felt makes the heroes change their views on certain issues. Both the democrat commoner Bazarov and the aristocrat Kirsanov have enormous influence on those around them, and strength of character cannot be denied to either one or the other. And yet, despite such similarities in nature, these people are very different, which is due to the difference in origin, upbringing and way of thinking.

Discrepancies already appear in the portraits of the heroes. The face of Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov is “unusually correct and clean, as if carved with a thin and light chisel.” And in general, the whole appearance of Uncle Arkady “...was elegant and thoroughbred, his hands were beautiful, with long pink nails.” Bazarov’s appearance is the complete opposite of Kirsanov. He is dressed in a long robe with tassels, he has red hands, his face is long and thin , with a wide forehead and not at all an aristocratic nose. The portrait of Pavel Petrovich is a portrait of a “socialite”, whose manners match his appearance. The portrait of Bazarov undoubtedly belongs to a “democrat down to his nails,” which is confirmed by the behavior of the hero, independent and self-confident.

Evgeniy's life is full of intense activity; he devotes every free minute to natural science studies. In the second half of the 19th century, the natural sciences experienced a boom; materialist scientists appeared who, through numerous experiments and experiments, developed these sciences, for which there was a future. And Bazarov is the prototype of such a scientist. Pavel Petrovich, on the contrary, spends all his days in idleness and groundless, aimless thoughts and memories.

The views of those arguing about art and nature are opposite. Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov admires works of art. He is able to admire the starry sky, enjoy music, poetry, and painting. Bazarov denies art (“Raphael is not worth a penny”) and approaches nature with utilitarian standards (“Nature is not a temple, but a workshop, and man is a worker in it”). Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov also does not agree that art, music, nature are nonsense. Going out onto the porch, “...he looked around, as if wanting to understand how one could not sympathize with nature.” And here we can feel how Turgenev expresses his own thoughts through his hero. The beautiful evening landscape leads Nikolai Petrovich to a “sorrowful and joyful play of lonely thoughts,” brings back pleasant memories, and opens up to him a “magical world of dreams.” The author shows that by denying admiration for nature, Bazarov impoverishes his spiritual life.

But the main difference between a commoner-democrat who finds himself on the estate of a hereditary nobleman and a liberal lies in his views on society and the people. Kirsanov believes that aristocrats are the driving force of social development. Their ideal is “English freedom,” that is, a constitutional monarchy. The path to the ideal lies through reforms, openness, progress. Bazarov is confident that aristocrats are incapable of action and there is no benefit from them. He rejects liberalism, denies the ability of the nobility to lead Russia to the future.

Disagreements arise over nihilism and the role of nihilists in public life. Pavel Petrovich condemns nihilists for the fact that they “respect no one,” live without “principles,” and consider them unnecessary and powerless: “There are only 4-5 of you.” To this Bazarov replies: “Moscow burned down from a penny candle.” Speaking about the denial of everything, Bazarov means religion, the autocratic serfdom system, and generally accepted morality. What do nihilists want? First of all, revolutionary actions. And the criterion is the benefit for the people.

Pavel Petrovich glorifies the peasant community, family, religiosity, and patriarchy of the Russian peasant. He claims that “the Russian people cannot live without faith.” Bazarov says that the people do not understand their own interests, are dark and ignorant, that there are no honest people in the country, that “a man is happy to rob himself just to get drunk on dope in a tavern.” However, he considers it necessary to distinguish popular interests from popular prejudices; he claims that the people are revolutionary in spirit, therefore nihilism is a manifestation of the national spirit.

Turgenev shows that, despite his tenderness, Pavel Petrovich does not know how to talk with ordinary people, “he frowns and sniffs cologne.” In a word, he is a real gentleman. And Bazarov proudly declares: “My grandfather plowed the land.” And he can win over the peasants, although he makes fun of them. The servants feel “that he is still his brother, not a master.”

This is precisely because Bazarov had the ability and desire to work. In Maryino, on the Kirsanov estate, Evgeniy worked because he could not sit idle; there was “some kind of medical-surgical smell” in his room.

In contrast, representatives of the older generation did not differ in their ability to work. So, Nikolai Petrovich is trying to manage things in a new way, but nothing works out for him. About himself he says: “I am a soft, weak person, I spent my life in the wilderness.” But, according to Turgenev, this cannot serve as an excuse. If you can't work, don't do it. And the biggest thing that Pavel Petrovich did was help his brother with money, not daring to give advice, and “not jokingly imagining himself to be a practical person.”

Of course, most of all a person manifests himself not in conversations, but in deeds and in his life. Therefore, Turgenev seems to lead his heroes through various trials. And the strongest of them is the test of love. After all, it is in love that a person’s soul reveals itself fully and sincerely.

And then Bazarov’s hot and passionate nature swept away all his theories. He fell in love, like a boy, with a woman whom he valued highly. “In conversations with Anna and Sergeevna, he expressed his indifferent contempt for everything romantic even more than before, and when left alone, he was indignantly aware of the romanticism in himself.” The hero is experiencing severe mental discord. “... Something... took possession of him, which he never allowed, which he always mocked, which outraged all his pride.” Anna Sergeevna Odintsova rejected him. But Bazarov found the strength to accept defeat with honor, without losing his dignity.

And Pavel Petrovich, who also loved her very much, could not leave with dignity when he became convinced of the woman’s indifference to him: “.. he spent four years in foreign lands, now chasing after her, now with the intention of losing sight of her... and already I couldn’t get into the right groove.” And in general, the fact that he seriously fell in love with a frivolous and empty society lady says a lot.

Bazarov is a strong character, he is a new person in Russian society. And the writer carefully considers this type of character. The last test he offers his hero is death.

Anyone can pretend to be whoever they want. Some people do this their whole lives. But in any case, before death a person becomes what he really is. All pretense disappears, and the time comes to think, perhaps for the first and last time, about the meaning of life, about what good you have done, whether they will remember or forget as soon as they are buried. And this is natural, because in the face of the unknown, a person discovers something that he may not have seen during his lifetime.

It’s a pity, of course, that Turgenev “kills” Bazarov. Such a brave, strong man should live and live. But perhaps the writer, having shown that such people exist, did not know what to do with his hero next... The way Bazarov dies could be an honor to anyone. He feels sorry not for himself, but for his parents. He is sorry to leave life so early. Dying, Bazarov admits that he “fell under the wheel,” “but is still bristling.” And Odintsova says bitterly: “And now the giant’s whole task is to die decently... I won’t wag my tail.”

Bazarov is a tragic figure. It cannot be said that he defeats Kirsanov in an argument. Even when Pavel Petrovich is ready to admit defeat, Bazarov suddenly loses faith in his teaching and doubts his personal need for society. “Does Russia need me? No, apparently I don’t,” he reflects. Only the proximity of death restores Bazarov's self-confidence.

Whose side is the author of the novel on? This question cannot be answered unequivocally. Being a liberal by conviction, Turgenev felt the superiority of Bazarov, moreover, he asserted: “My whole story is directed against the nobility as an advanced class.” And further: “I wanted to show the cream of society, but if the cream is bad, then what about the milk?”

Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev loves his new hero and in the epilogue gives him high praise: “... a passionate, sinful, rebellious heart.” He says that it is not an ordinary person lying in the grave, but really a person that Russia needs, smart, strong, with non-stereotypical thinking.

It is known that I.S. Turgenev dedicated the novel to Belinsky and argued: “If the reader does not fall in love with Bazarov with all his rudeness, heartlessness, ruthless dryness and harshness, it is my fault that I did not achieve my goal. Bazarov is my favorite child.”

Turgenev wrote the novel “Fathers and Sons” in the last century, but the problems raised in it are still relevant in our time. What to choose: contemplation or action? How to relate to art, to love? Is the generation of fathers right? These questions have to be addressed by each new generation. And perhaps it is precisely the impossibility of solving them once and for all that drives life.

The disputes between Kirsanov and Bazarov reveal the ideological concept of the novel.

Bazarov is a strong character, he is a new person in Russian society. And the writer carefully considers this type of character. The last test he offers his hero is death.