Chekhov Intro & “The Student”

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov January 29, 1860 – July 15, 1904

Chekhov and the Short Story Reinvented the short story: Opened up areas of life not yet explored by Russian literature Tolstoy compared him to the Impressionists Considered one of the world’s great short story writers

General Principles of the Short Story Compression – everything compressed into one moment. A whole life should be felt. Suggestion (not explanation) – tip of the iceberg. Reader must infer. Point of illumination – plot is completed, character is revealed How are these exemplified in “The Student”?

Chekhov’s 6 principles that make for a good story 1. Absence of lengthy verbiage of a political-social-economic nature 2. Total objectivity 3. Truthful descriptions of persons and objects 4. Extreme brevity 5. Audacity and originality: flee the stereotype 6. Compassion *How are these exemplified in “The Student”?

Chekhovian Techniques Start with a murky situation which tightens. When you understand, you’re at the end. Description, setting = metaphor for meaning of story

Poshlost What Chekhov most hated was poshlost, which equals hypocrisy, vulgarity, banality.

Human connections that fail because of this…self-deception. Chekhovian theme

“The Student” Questions?

“The Student” What is this story about?

The Event-plot story…  Up until Chekhov, all short stories, virtually without exception, were event-plot ones. In these stories the skeleton of plot is all important, the narrative is shaped, classically, to have a beginning, middle, and end. Chekhov’s revolutionary technique: he did not abandon plot, but made the plot of his stories like the plot of our lives (random, mysterious, run-of-the-mill, abrupt, chaotic, fiercely cruel, meaningless).

The Chekhovian story… Chekhov = the father of the modern short story. His influence is still massive and everywhere. What is the essence of the Chekhovian short story? Chekhov wrote: "It is time writers, especially those who are artists, recognised that there is no making out anything in this world.“ Chekhovian point of view: look at life in all its banality and all its tragic comedy and refuse to make a judgment. Refuse to condemn and refuse to celebrate. Record the actions of human beings as they are and leave those actions to speak for themselves (insofar as they can) without manipulation, censure or praise.

What is life? His famous retort when he was asked to define life: "You ask me what is life? That is like asking: what is a carrot? A carrot is a carrot and that's all there is to it."

“The Student” What is this story REALLY about?

How is Chekhov using: setting? minor characters? allusions?

CONVENTIONS! Look at your list of conventions for prose What are some important conventions Chekhov uses in this story?

What is the mood Chekhov creates and how does he create it? How would you describe the tone of the story?

Although this is not an event-plot story, does it have movement? How does it move?