In the cemetery, over a fresh earthen mound, stands a new cross, heavy and smooth. On the gray days of April, the wind is called by a porcelain wreath at the foot of the cross. He has a large convex porcelain medallion — a portrait of a schoolgirl with joyful, lively eyes. This is Olya Meshcherskaya.
As a girl, she did not stand out in any way among the crowd of brown school bitches: a pretty, rich and happy girl, smart, mischievous and carefree. And at fourteen she already had a thin waist, slender legs, at fifteen everyone considered her a beauty. She was not afraid of anything - neither ink stains on her fingers, nor a reddened face, nor disheveled hair, nor her knees bared in running around. Without any effort, grace, seductiveness, a sparkle in her eyes came to her ... No one danced at balls like Olya Meshcherskaya, no one ran on skates like she did, no one was looked after like she was. Imperceptibly, she became a girl, her gymnasium glory appeared, rumors spread that she was frivolous and could not live without admirers, that the schoolboy Shenshin was madly in love with her and even almost killed herself ...
Last winter, Olya Meshcherskaya went completely crazy with fun. The winter was snowy, sunny, frosty, the sun set early behind the fir trees of the snow-covered gymnasium garden and promised for tomorrow festivities on Cathedral Street, a skating rink in the city garden, a pink evening and music, a crowd at the skating rink, among which Olya Meshcherskaya was carefree, the happiest.
Once, at a big break, when mischievous first-graders were chasing her, she was invited to be the boss. Olya stopped running, took a deep breath, straightened her hair quickly, with a habitual female movement, tugged at the corners of her apron and ran upstairs. The youthful, but gray-haired boss sat calmly with weaving at the table, under the imperial portrait.
— Good morning Mademoiselle Meshcherskaya, she said in French. “This is not the first time I have called you here to talk about your behavior.
"I'm listening, madame," Meshcherskaya answered, and sat down as gracefully as she alone could.
“You don’t listen to me well, I have already convinced myself of this,” said the headmistress, raising her eyes to her. - I will not repeat myself, I will not speak for a long time.
Meshcherskaya liked this very clean and large office, which on frosty days breathed so well with the warmth of a brilliant golanka and the freshness of lilies of the valley on the table. She looked at the young king, painted in full length, at the parting of the headmistress's neatly ruffled hair, and was silent.
“You are no longer a girl,” the headmistress said meaningfully, beginning to get annoyed.
“Yes, Madam,” Meshcherskaya answered almost cheerfully.
"But not a woman either," the headmistress said with pressure, her dull face stiffening. What is this woman's hairstyle!
“It’s not Yana’s fault, madame, that I have good hair,” Meshcherskaya replied.
"So you're not to blame!" - The boss repeated - They are not to blame for the hair, in these expensive combs, they are not to blame for ruining their parents for shoes worth twenty rubles! But you are still a high school student ...
Here Meshcherskaya, without losing her simplicity and calmness, interrupted her:
— Excuse me, madam, you make mistakes: I am a woman. And blame for this - you know who? My father's friend and neighbor, brother Alexei Mikhailovich Malyutin. It happened last summer in the village…
A month after this conversation, a Cossack officer, ugly, of a plebeian appearance, not at all from the circle of Olya Meshcherskaya, shot her on the station platform, among the crowd. Everything was confirmed: the officer told the investigator that Meshcherskaya had seduced him, was close to him, vowed to become his wife, and at the station, seeing him off to Novocherkassk, she casually remarked that she had not even thought of loving him, that all talk of marriage was only a mockery of him and gave me a page from the diary about Malyutin to read.
“I followed these lines and right here on the platform where she was walking, waiting for me to finish reading, I shot her,” said the officer. The diary is here. This was written on the tenth of July last year.
The following was written in the diary:
“It's two in the morning. I fell asleep soundly, but immediately woke up ... Today I became a woman! Everyone left for the city, I myself am so happy! In the morning I walked in the garden, in the field, in the forest, I was alone in the whole world! I dined alone, then played, to the music I had the feeling that I would live forever and be incredibly happy. Then she fell asleep in her father's office. At four they woke me up - Alexei Mikhailovich arrived. I was happy to receive it. He stayed because it began to rain, he regretted that he had not met his father, he walked in front of me as a gentleman, he joked, he had been in love with me for a long time. We walked in the garden, the weather was fine again, he led me by the arm and said that he was Faust with daisies. He is fifty-six, he is still handsome and well-dressed, the eyes of youth are black, his beard is completely silver. We sat at tea on the glass veranda, I felt unwell and lay down on the couch, and he smoked, then moved to me, spoke pleasantries, examined and kissed my hand. I covered my face with a silk scarf and he kissed me several times through it ... I don’t understand how this could happen, I went crazy, I didn’t think I was like that! Now there's only one way out for me... I feel so disgusted with myself that I can't bear it! .. »
The city in these April days became clean, dry, the stones turned white, it is easy and pleasant to walk along it. Every Sunday, after mass, a little woman in mourning walks along Cathedral Street, wearing black kid gloves and carrying an ebony umbrella. She crosses herself and habitually walks along the main alley of the cemetery. Having reached the bench near the cross, she sits down and remains under the wind in the spring cold for an hour or two. Listening to the birds and the sound of wind ringing in a porcelain wreath, she sometimes thinks that she would give half her life not to have this dead wreath before her eyes. How is it possible that under him is one whose eyes are so immortal glow from a porcelain locket! How to compare with this pure look all that terrible that is now combined with the name of Olya Meshcherskaya?
The woman is cool lady Olya, an elderly girl who lives in dreams that replace her real life. At first, her brother was such a dream, she connected her future with him, and he was killed near Mukden, then she convinced herself that she was an ideological worker. The death of Olya Meshcherskaya became for her a new subject of relentless thoughts and feelings. She goes to the grave, every holiday, remembers the face of Olya Meshcherskaya in the coffin, among the flowers, and her overheard conversation with Subbotino:
- In one of my father's books, I read what female beauty should be ... There is so much written there that you won’t remember everything at once: black hair, boiling with tar, by God, it is: boiling with tar! - Black as night, eyelashes, a gentle blush, a thin waist, longer than usual arms, a small leg, moderately large breasts, round calves, shell-colored knees, sloping shoulders - how true! But most importantly, you know what? - Easy breath! But I have it - now, listen to how I breathe - do I really have it?
Now the light breath has again dissipated in the world, in this cloudy sky, in this cold spring wind.
Easy breath
The exposition of the story is a description of the grave of the main character. What follows is a summary of her history. Olya Meshcherskaya is a prosperous, capable and playful schoolgirl, indifferent to the instructions of the class lady. At the age of fifteen, she was a recognized beauty, had the most admirers, danced the best at balls and ran on skates. There were rumors that one of the high school students in love with her attempted suicide because of her windiness.
In the last winter of her life, Olya Meshcherskaya "went completely crazy with fun." Her behavior makes the boss make another remark, reproaching her, among other things, for dressing and behaving not like a girl, but like a woman. At this point, Meshcherskaya interrupts her with a calm message that she is a woman and the friend and neighbor of her father, brother of the boss, Alexei Mikhailovich Malyutin, is to blame for this.
A month after this conversation, an ugly Cossack officer shot Meshcherskaya on the station platform among a large crowd of people. He announced to the bailiff that Meshcherskaya was close to him and swore to be his wife. On this day, escorting him to the station, she said that she had never loved him, and offered to read a page from her diary, which described how Malyutin had seduced her.
It followed from the diary that this happened when Malyutin came to visit the Meshcherskys and found Olya alone at home. Describes her attempts to occupy the guest, their walk in the garden; Malyutin's comparison of them with Faust and Margarita. After tea, she pretended to be unwell, and lay down on the couch, and Malyutin moved to her, first kissed her hand, then kissed her on the lips. Further, Meshcherskaya wrote that after what happened next, she feels such disgust for Malyutin that she is unable to survive it.
The action ends at the cemetery, where every Sunday her cool lady comes to the grave of Olya Meshcherskaya, who lives in an illusory world that replaces reality for her. The subject of her previous fantasies was her brother, a poor and unremarkable ensign, whose future seemed to her brilliant. After the death of her brother, Olya Meshcherskaya takes his place in her mind. She goes to her grave every holiday, does not take her eyes off the oak cross for hours, recalls her pale face in the coffin among the flowers and once overheard words that Olya spoke to her beloved friend. She read in one book what beauty a woman should have - black eyes, black eyelashes, longer than usual hands, but the main thing is light breathing, and she (Oli) has it: "... you listen to how I I sigh, is it true?
Bunin's stories are imbued with subtle psychologism, so every little thing is important in them. But the human memory is not able to retain all the details of what has been read if the summer days of intense reading are already far behind. To help the students comes the shortest content of "Easy breathing" for reader's diary from Literaguru, as well as where everything necessary for compiling a quality review is written.
(306 words) A new cross appeared at the county cemetery, towering over a clay mound. A medallion was inserted into it, inside of which was a photograph of a smiling schoolgirl - Olya Meshcherskaya. The author then tells her story.
As a child, Olya did not stand out among her classmates, but with age she began to acquire a lively and natural beauty. Meshcherskaya was loved by the whole gymnasium: she was the best dancer at balls, the younger classes did not have a soul in her, Olya was charming and charming.
When she became a girl, rumors began to circulate about her: she was allegedly windy and takes courtship from a huge number of men.
Olya's last winter was sunny and snowy. Meshcherskaya spent time at the rink. She gracefully glided across the ice when her boss called her. In her office, she began to reproach the student that she was still a schoolgirl and could not wear such a hairstyle, such expensive shoes. Olya behaved openly and sincerely, she saw no sin in feeling like a woman. Moreover, the pupil admitted that the boss's brother, Alexei Malyutin, an officer and friend of the Meshchersky family, was to blame for this.
A month later, Malyutin shot Olya on the station platform. The officer claimed that Meshcherskaya had deceived him by promising to become his wife, but on the platform she allegedly admitted that all this was just a mockery. She also showed him a page from her diary that talked about their meetings. The narrative in the diary ends with a story about harassment by Malyutin: he was amiable, tried to kiss Olya through a scarf, with which she covered herself from embarrassment. The heroine admitted in her diary that she could not survive this.
The classy lady who scolded the girl in her office visits her student's grave. Her brother, ensign Malyutin, was killed near Mukden. She goes to the cemetery every holiday and hopefully thinks about Olya Meshcherskaya. She often recalls an accidentally overheard dialogue between Olya and her friend: Meshcherskaya read in one of her father's books that a woman should not only have beauty and grace, but also light breathing. “But I have it,” said Olya.
Interesting? Save it on your wall!The question of the meaning of life is eternal, in the literature of the early twentieth century, the discussion of this topic also continued. Now the meaning was seen not in achieving some clear goal, but in something else. For example, according to the theory of "living life", the meaning of human existence is in itself, regardless of what this life is. This idea was shared by V. Veresaev, A. Kuprin, I. Shmelev, B. Zaitsev. " living life”I. Bunin also reflected in his writings, his “Light Breath” is a vivid example.
However, the reason for creating the story was not life at all: Bunin conceived the short story while walking around the cemetery. Seeing a cross with a portrait of a young woman, the writer was struck by how her cheerfulness contrasts with the surrounding sad environment. What was life like? Why did she, so alive and joyful, leave this world so early? Nobody could answer these questions. But Bunin's imagination drew the life of this girl, who became the heroine of the short story "Light Breath".
The plot is outwardly unpretentious: the cheerful and developed beyond her years Olya Meshcherskaya arouses a burning interest in the opposite sex with her female attractiveness, her behavior irritates the head of the gymnasium, who decides to conduct an instructive conversation for the pupil about how important modesty is. But this conversation ended unexpectedly: the girl said that she was no longer a girl, she became a woman after meeting the brother of the boss and friend of Father Malyutin. It soon turned out that this was not the only love story: Olya met with a Cossack officer. The latter planned a quick wedding. However, at the station, before her lover left for Novocherkassk, Meshcherskaya said that their relationship was insignificant for her and she would not marry. Then she offered to read the diary entry about her fall. The military man shot the windy girl, and it is with the description of her grave that the short story begins. A cool lady often goes to the cemetery, the fate of the student has become a meaning for her.
Themes
The main themes of the novel are the value of life, beauty and simplicity. The author himself interpreted his story as a story about the highest degree of simplicity in a woman: "naivety and lightness in everything, both in audacity and in death." Olya lived without limiting herself to rules and principles, including moral ones. It was in this simple-heartedness, reaching the level of depravity, that the charm of the heroine lay. She lived as she lived, true to the theory of "living life": why restrain yourself if life is so beautiful? So she sincerely rejoiced at her attractiveness, not caring about neatness and decorum. She also had fun courting young people, not taking their feelings seriously (the schoolboy Shenshin was on the verge of suicide because of his love for her).
Bunin also touched upon the theme of the meaninglessness and dullness of being in the form of a teacher Olya. This “old girl” is contrasted with her student: the only pleasure for her is a suitable illusory idea: “At first, her brother, a poor and unremarkable ensign, was such an invention - she connected her whole soul with him, with his future, which for some reason she looked brilliant. When he was killed near Mukden, she convinced herself that she was an ideological worker. The death of Olya Meshcherskaya captivated her with a new dream. Now Olya Meshcherskaya is the subject of her relentless thoughts and feelings.
Issues
- The issue of balance between passions and propriety is rather controversially revealed in the short story. The writer clearly sympathizes with Olya, who chooses the first, sings in her "easy breathing" as a synonym for charm and naturalness. In contrast, the heroine is punished for her frivolity, and severely punished - by death. From this follows the problem of freedom: society with its conventions is not ready to give the individual permissiveness even in the intimate sphere. Many people think that this is good, but they are often forced to carefully hide and suppress the hidden desires of their own souls. But to achieve harmony, a compromise is needed between the society and the individual, and not the unconditional primacy of the interests of one of them.
- It is also possible to highlight social aspect in the perspective of the novel: the bleak and dull atmosphere of a provincial town, where anything can happen if no one finds out. There really is nothing else to do in such a place, except to discuss and condemn those who want to break out of the gray routine of being, if only through passion. Social inequality manifests itself between Olya and her last lover (“ugly and plebeian-looking, who had absolutely nothing to do with the circle to which Olya Meshcherskaya belonged”). Obviously, the same class prejudices served as the reason for the refusal.
- The author does not dwell on relations in Olya's family, but judging by the feelings of the heroine and the events in her life, they are far from ideal: “I was so happy that I was alone! In the morning I walked in the garden, in the field, was in the forest, it seemed to me that I was alone in the whole world, and I thought as well as never before in my life. I dined alone, then played for an hour, to the music I had the feeling that I would live without end and be as happy as anyone. Obviously, no one was involved in raising the girl, and her problem lies in abandonment: no one taught her, at least by his own example, how to balance between feelings and reason.
Characteristics of heroes
- The main and most revealed character of the novel is Olya Meshcherskaya. The author pays great attention to her appearance: the girl is very beautiful, graceful, graceful. But oh inner world little is said, the emphasis is only on windiness and frankness. Having read in a book that the basis of female charm is light breathing, she began to actively develop it both externally and internally. She not only sighs shallowly, but also thinks, fluttering through life like a moth. Moths, circling around the fire, invariably scorch their wings, so the heroine died in her prime.
- The Cossack officer is a fatal and mysterious hero, nothing is known about him, except for a sharp difference from Olya. How they met, the motives for the murder, the course of their relationship - all this can only be guessed at. Most likely, the officer is a passionate and enthusiastic nature, he fell in love (or believed that he loved), but he was clearly not satisfied with Olya's frivolity. The hero wanted the girl to belong only to him, so he was even ready to take her life.
- The classy lady unexpectedly appears in the finale, as an element of contrast. She never lived for pleasure, she sets goals for herself, living in a fictional world. She and Olya are two extremes of the problem of balance between duty and desire.
Composition and genre
The genre of "Easy breathing" is a short story (short plot story), many problems and topics are reflected in a small volume, a picture of life is drawn different groups society.
The composition of the story deserves special attention. The narrative is sequential, but it is fragmentary. First, we see Olya's grave, then her fate is told, then we return to the present again - a visit to the cemetery by a classy lady. Speaking about the life of the heroine, the author chooses a special focus in the narrative: he describes in detail the conversation with the head of the gymnasium, the seduction of Olya, but her murder, acquaintance with the officer is described in a few words. Bunin concentrates on feelings, sensations, colors, his story is as if written in watercolor, it is filled with airiness and softness, therefore the impartial is described captivatingly.
The meaning of the name
“Light breathing” is the very first component of female charm, according to the creators of the books that Olya’s father has. Ease, turning into frivolity, the girl wanted to learn. And she reached the goal, although she paid the price, but "this light breath again dissipated in the world, in this cloudy sky, in this cold spring wind."
Also, lightness is associated with the style of the novel: the author diligently avoids sharp corners, although he speaks of monumental things: true and far-fetched love, honor and dishonor, illusory and real life. But this work, according to the writer E. Koltonskaya, leaves the impression of "bright gratitude to the Creator for the fact that there is such beauty in the world."
One can treat Bunin in different ways, but his style is full of imagery, beauty of presentation and courage - this is a fact. He talks about everything, even the forbidden, but knows how not to go beyond the brink of vulgarity. That is why this talented writer is still loved today.
Interesting? Save it on your wall!The story "Light Breath" Bunin wrote in 1916. In the work, the author touches upon the themes of love and death, characteristic of the literature of this period. On our website you can read summary"Easy breathing." Despite the fact that the story is not written in chapters, the narrative is fragmentary and consists of several parts arranged in non-chronological order.
The main characters of the story
Main characters:
- Olya Meshcherskaya, a young schoolgirl, was killed by a Cossack officer because she said she did not love him.
- High school headmaster.
Other characters:
- Cossack officer - shot Olya because of unhappy love, "ugly and plebeian appearance."
- Cool lady Olya Meshcherskaya.
Bunin "Easy breathing" very brief content
The main character of the story is a young girl Olya Meshcherskaya from a wealthy noble family. She is studying at a gymnasium for girls in some county town. Olya's age is about 16-17 years old. This is a playful, carefree and fearless girl. She behaves more windily and frivolously than young noblewomen are allowed to. Olya is very beautiful and graceful and is the best dancer at balls.
Shortly before her death, in her last winter, Olya seems to go crazy with fun. The head of the gymnasium scolds the girl more than once for her defiant behavior. One day, the boss (“cool lady”) once again calls Olya to her place and reminds her that she is not yet a woman to behave so defiantly.
Suddenly, Olya replies to the lady that she had already become a woman last summer: it turns out that the girl was seduced by her father's friend, 56-year-old Mr. Malyutin. The man is also the brother of the “cool lady”. In the same winter, Olya begins an affair with a Cossack officer. The ugly, poor officer is not at all a match for the rich beauty Olya, but this does not bother her. The officer is allegedly going to marry Olya, but she suddenly declares that she does not love him and mocked him, talking about marriage. Olya also gives him a page from the diary to read, in which she describes the connection with Malyutin.
Mad with jealousy and anger, the Cossack officer kills Olya at the station in front of everyone. After the death of Olya Meshcherskaya, details of how the 56-year-old Malyutin seduced her and how he became disgusting to her are found in her diary. Olya also wrote in her diary that she had seen “only one way out” since then. Apparently, she considered her life ruined (for a noblewoman, a premarital affair with a man meant a loss of reputation).
After Olya's death, that same "cool lady" goes to her grave every holiday. This strange middle-aged lady lives in her own fantasy world, with no real personal life. The woman's brother, the same scoundrel Malyutin, dies in the same winter in the Russo-Japanese War in the battle of Mukden. Sitting at Olya's grave, the boss recalls how the girl boasted of her light breathing, which men allegedly like so much. Now Olya's light breath is scattered “in the world, in the sky, in the wind”.
This is interesting: Bunin's story "Clean Monday" was written in 1944 and was included in the author's collection dedicated to the theme of love "Dark Alleys". You can read on our website. The work belongs to literary direction neorealism.
A short retelling of Bunin's "Light Breath"
Bunin Easy breathing summary:
The exposition of the story is a description of the grave of the main character. What follows is a summary of her history. Olya Meshcherskaya is a prosperous, capable and playful schoolgirl, indifferent to the instructions of the class lady. At the age of fifteen, she was a recognized beauty, had the most admirers, danced the best at balls and ran on skates. There were rumors that one of the high school students in love with her attempted suicide because of her windiness.
In the last winter of her life, Olya Meshcherskaya "went completely crazy with fun." Her behavior makes the boss make another remark, reproaching her, among other things, for dressing and behaving not like a girl, but like a woman. At this point, Meshcherskaya interrupts her with a calm message that she is a woman and the friend and neighbor of her father, brother of the boss, Alexei Mikhailovich Malyutin, is to blame for this.
A month after this conversation, an ugly Cossack officer shot Meshcherskaya on the station platform among a large crowd of people. He announced to the bailiff that Meshcherskaya was close to him and swore to be his wife. On this day, escorting him to the station, she said that she had never loved him, and offered to read a page from her diary, which described how Malyutin had seduced her.
It followed from the diary that this happened when Malyutin came to visit the Meshcherskys and found Olya alone at home. Describes her attempts to occupy the guest, their walk in the garden; Malyutin's comparison of them with Faust and Margarita. After tea, she pretended to be unwell, and lay down on the couch, and Malyutin moved to her, first kissed her hand, then kissed her on the lips. Further, Meshcherskaya wrote that after what happened next, she feels such disgust for Malyutin that she is unable to survive it.
The action ends at the cemetery, where every Sunday her cool lady comes to the grave of Olya Meshcherskaya, who lives in an illusory world that replaces reality for her. The subject of her previous fantasies was her brother, a poor and unremarkable ensign, whose future seemed to her brilliant. After the death of her brother, Olya Meshcherskaya takes his place in her mind.
She goes to her grave every holiday, does not take her eyes off the oak cross for hours, recalls her pale face in the coffin among the flowers and once overheard words that Olya spoke to her beloved friend. She read in one book what beauty a woman should have - black eyes, black eyelashes, longer than an ordinary arm, but the main thing is light breathing, and she (Oli) has it: “... you listen to how I sigh, - is there any truth?
See also: The story was written in 1924, and touched on the author's favorite topic - a difficult love relationship. Bunin managed to very subtly and at the same time artistically convey the experiences of a young man who found himself face to face with unrequited love. A retelling of the story will also be useful for the reader's diary.
Contents "Easy Breath" with quotes
« In the cemetery, over a fresh earthen mound, there is a new cross made of oak". A convex porcelain medallion with a photographic portrait of the schoolgirl Olya Meshcherskaya is embedded in the cross. with joyful, amazingly lively eyes».
As a girl, Olya did not stand out among other gymnasium girls, she was " capable, but playful and very careless to instructions» cool lady. But then the girl began to develop, " flourish". At the age of 14" with her thin waist and slender legs, her breasts were already well defined» and forms. " At fifteen she was already known as a beauty". Unlike her stiff girlfriends, Olya " I was not afraid - no ink stains on my fingers, no flushed face, no disheveled hair". Without any effort came to her " grace, elegance, dexterity, clear brilliance of eyes».
Olya was the best dancer at balls, she ran on skates, she was looked after the most at balls, and she was most loved by the younger classes. " Imperceptibly she became a girl”, and even there was talk about her frivolity.
« Olya Meshcherskaya went completely crazy with fun during her last winter, as they said in the gymnasium.". Once, at a big break, the boss called the girl to her and reprimanded her. The woman noted that Olya is no longer a girl, but not yet a woman, so she should not wear " women's hairstyle”, expensive combs and shoes. " Without losing simplicity and tranquility”, Meshcherskaya replied that madame was mistaken: she was already a woman, and the father’s friend and neighbor, brother of the boss Alexei Mikhailovich Malyutin, was to blame for this -“ it happened last summer in the village».
« And a month after this conversation"Cossack officer shot Olya" on the station platform, among a large crowd of people". And Olya's confession, which stunned the boss, was confirmed. " The officer told the judicial investigator that Meshcherskaya lured him, was close to him, swore to be his wife”, and at the station she said that she did not love him and“ gave him to read that page of the diary, which spoke about Malyutin».
« tenth of July last year Olya wrote in her diary: Everyone left for the city, I was left alone.<…>Alexey Mikhailovich arrived.<…>He stayed because it was raining.<…>He regretted that he did not find dad, was very animated and behaved like a gentleman with me, he joked a lot that he had been in love with me for a long time.<…>He is fifty-six years old, but he is still very handsome and always well dressed.<…>We sat at tea on the glass veranda, he smoked, then moved over to me, again began to say some courtesies, then looked at and kissed my hand. I covered my face with a silk handkerchief, and he kissed me several times on the lips through the handkerchief ... I don’t understand how this could happen, I went crazy, I never thought that I was like that! Now I have one way out ... I feel such disgust for him that I can not survive this!..»
Every Sunday, after mass, a little woman in mourning comes to the grave of Olya Meshcherskaya - the cool lady of the girl. Olya became the subject of " her relentless thoughts and feelings". Sitting at the grave, the woman recalls the pale face of the girl in the coffin and the conversation she accidentally overheard: Meshcherskaya told her friend about what she had read in her father’s book, that supposedly the main thing in a woman is “ easy breath and that she, Olya, has it.
« Now that light breath is scattered again in the world, in this cloudy sky, in this cold spring wind.».
Conclusion
In the story, Bunin contrasts the main character Olya Meshcherskaya with the head of the gymnasium - as the personification of the rules, social norms, and a cool lady - as the personification of dreams that replace reality. Olya Meshcherskaya is a completely different female image- a girl who has tried on the role of an adult lady, a seductress, who has neither fear of the rules nor excessive daydreaming.
This is interesting: The story was written in 1915. Like most of the writer's works, the book is dedicated to love. This was a favorite theme of all Bunin's work, which, like no one else, could show all the diversity and versatility of this feeling. A concise retelling will be useful in preparing for a literature lesson.
Video of the story Light breathing
At the very beginning of the story, we see the grave of the main character. What happened to the heroine of the work? And the thing was this: the fifteen-year-old schoolgirl Olya Meshcherskaya, a cheerful and carefree girl, almost never listened to the advice of her senior mentor ...
Bunin Easy breathing on video:
