Emerald. Stories

Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin (1870-1938)-an outstanding Russian writer-realist. Born in the small county city of Narovchat (now the Penza region) in the family of hereditary nobles. The father of the future writer died in 187i, a year after the birth of his son. Difficult times have come for the family, and the mother was forced to send the boy to the orphan board. In 1880, Kuprin entered the second Moscow gymnasium, in 1887 - to the Alexander Military School. He did not have a civil profession, and, before taking a pen, he changed many classes. A.I. Kuprin was an curious person, he was interested in trying himself in different roles. He himself jokingly told friends that “he would like to become a horse, plant or fish "first work of A.I. Kuprina - the story "The Last Debut" - was published in 1889, when he was a cadet of a military school. When the authorities became known about this, Kuprin was put in a punishment cell for two days. Then he vowed to leave literary experiments and not touch the pen and paper. However, acquaintance with Bunin, Chekhov and Gorky in the late 1890s. made him forget about this word once. The stories and novels of A. I. Kuprin are small in form, but surprisingly capture in content, they are distinguished by deep psychologism. The author admires the nobility of the spirit, the purity of the soul and thoughts of both man and animals and shows readers how scary when a person ceases to be a person. So, in the story "in the circus", everything - the Arbuzov himself, and the director of the circus, and the doctor - know that access to the arena is deadly for the strongman. And the opponent of Arbuzov, the American strongman, seeing that he does not spare him either, easily uses the opportunity to destroy the one with whom he would not cope in a regular duel. The handsome Hall Emerald also becomes a victim of human meanness. The strong young stallion who won the races was poisoned. According to the author, animals can not only feel, but sometimes are more noble and more devoted to people. The main character of the story "Yu-yu", a smart and beautiful cat, is wayward, like all cats. However, when her little owner Kolya fell ill, she did not leave the doors of his room until the boy was better.
2nd ed