A paradise of the distant past, a pleasant myths, a vanity of the present and a projects of the future. A culturological essay about the story by Konstantin Paustovsky "Telegram"
Аннотация: A paradise of the distant past, a pleasant myths, a vanity of the present and a projects of the future. A culturological essay about the story by Konstantin Paustovsky "Telegram".
A paradise of the distant past, a pleasant myths, a vanity of the present and a projects of the future. A culturological essay about the story by Konstantin Paustovsky "Telegram".
The story by Konstantin Paustovsky "Telegram" continues to live. [Константин Паустовский 'Телеграмма']
The great European actress painted this story with a fabulous colors. She came to the USSR and knelt before the writer...
Already in the biography of Alexander Pushkin, we see a difficult problem: the problem of the relationship between father and son ...
How was it in the old days? I would like to believe that the relationship between parents and children was cloudless.
But new times have come, uncontrolled flows of knowledge have come, new forms of life have come, and children, becoming adults, suddenly feel their powerlessness. They would like to express their love and respect for their parents, but how can this be done? There is no time, no strength, no will, not enough money and attention. There is a feeling of a huge mistake - a mistake that destroys the emotional life of a person.
The story by Konstantin Paustovsky "Telegram" is devoted to approximately this topic.
In the distant past, there were paradise times. A famous artist lived, he founded the estate, he had rare paintings (for example, Kramskoy's sketch is mentioned).
Now here is a memorial house. An old woman lives in the estate - the artist's daughter.
There is a pleasant myth in the story - this is the type of "faithful servant". This is a local resident who knew - in past - the artist himself (the founder of the estate), and who retained the respect for daughter of the founder.
There is a "kind peasant woman" - a little girl who takes care of the old woman.
In the center of attention is the daughter of an old woman. Apparently, nothing prevents calling this woman the granddaughter of a famous artist (the founder of the estate).
This woman is active in the cultural sphere in a big city. But she cares little for her mother.
The moment is closer and closer. Soon her mother will pass away. But the woman, the specialist in cultural issues, is immersed in the hustle and bustle of the big city.
She arrives late at the empty estate. She leaves secretly, with a feeling of irreparable guilt.
Nice story.
However, the writer "forgot" to talk about the family upbringing received by the granddaughter of the famous artist.
More than once (in various forms) it was told about the attractive cultural processes of a big city, about outstanding people, about the need to get an education, to find a respected place (position) in the cultural environment.
As for life in the estate, it is loneliness, primitiveness, isolation from civilization ... This is backwardness and degradation.
What was left for the granddaughter of a famous artist after such a family upbringing, except for moving to a big city, getting a serious education, and getting a solid position in a cultural environment?
Then the granddaughter had to dance dances to local music, getting in time.
The old woman at that time suffered from loneliness in the memorial estate.
This whole situation was combined with the relative lack of money inherent in the lifestyle of the "simple" intelligentsia in Soviet times.
The reader has read the story. He is confused. Intuitively, he understands that relationships with parents are an important topic. The granddaughter of a famous artist made a huge mistake!
The story does not say anything about family education, about modern living conditions.
The story "illuminated" part of the space, the reader looks at this illuminated part. Beyond borders of this illuminated space is a cultural and economic reality. The reality that encourages children to leave those settlements where their parents live, which encourages children to dance new dances to new music.
Later the children realize that they made a huge mistake - in their relationship with their parents.
And what to do?
The answer to this question goes beyond the story of Konstantin Paustovsky.
What to do?
To return to "traditional" forms of life, which are characterized by living in communities consisting of relatives? Three (four) generations under one roof?
Change family upbringing and views on success in life (education, respected position?).
To work in a team where each employee can be replaced by another, where each employee receives huge incomes, and where everyone can leave at any time and for any period of time, and has the ability to make a quick trip to any distance?
Maybe to remember the father of the wife of the famous Spanish artist - this father stayed in Russia and worked as a lawyer. All the children departed, and settled well abroad. Due to circumstances, he continued to live and work in Russia. This man adopted a boy from an unsecured family and became his de facto adoptive father. This boy grew up and realized that he was connected by some family ties with the very famous Spanish artist and his wife from Russia. He began to publish memoirs about his adoptive father. From the memories it is clear that this boy treated his foster father with respect and love. The "kind" peasant girl from Paustovsky's story could to become the adopted daughter of an old woman.
And how did the children of this lawyer feel themselves - those children who lived safely abroad?
Approximately fifteen years ago I read an interview with a traveler from a northern European country. He took a vow never to take money in his hands. Without money, he travels all over the world, he has many acquaintances who are ready to receive him in their homes (and a significant number of girlfriends). This person will not leave for a big city, will not get an education and will not get a job there, and this person's thoughts will not be occupied with official fuss. But will his thoughts be directed to his parents and to his relationship with his parents?
In general, thanks to Konstantin Paustovsky for posing the question, even if this question is put with the usage of 'paradise of the distant past', of 'pleasant myths', of 'vanity of the present'.
There is a problem, of course. And how to solve it? This is useful - at least - to think about this question ...
May 30, 2022 06:12
Translation from Russian into English: May 30, 2022 08:24.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Рай далёкого прошлого, приятные мифы, суета настоящего и проекты будущего. Культурологический очерк о рассказе Константина Паустовского 'Телеграмма''.
{ 3026. Рай далёкого прошлого, приятные мифы, суета настоящего и проекты будущего. Культурологический очерк о рассказе Константина Паустовского 'Телеграмма'.
MMCMXCVII. A paradise of the distant past, a pleasant myths, a vanity of the present and a projects of the future. A culturological essay about the story by Konstantin Paustovsky "Telegram". }