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This is to certify that the

thesis entitled

Jurij Nagibin's Short Stories:
Themes and Literary Criticism

presented by
Ellen J. Cochrum

has been accepted towards fulfillment
of the requirements for

Ph . D . degree in Russian ,
Language and Literature

4/]? ,( ALA/V1,;fi’t (AK/(g!(

Major professor

 

Date //// 7/ / "L“? ‘77

0-7639

 

6.) Copyright by
' ELLEN JOAN COCHRUM

1977

JURIJ NAGIBIN'S SHORT STORIES: THEMES AND LITERARY CRITICISM

By

Ellen Joan Cochrum

A DISSERTATION

Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Department of German and Russian

l977

ABSTRACT

JURIJ NAGIBIN'S SHORT STORIES: THEMES AND LITERARY CRITICISM

by

Ellen Joan Cochrum

This dissertation treats the themes in and criticism of the short
stories of Jurij Markovic Nagibin during l843-l974, synthesizing widely
scattered data available from Soviet and Western sources.

Chapter I provides insight into the thematic range of Nagibin's sto-
ries, scrutinizing five of his principal themes: (l) man's awakening;
(2) the war; (3) love; (4) societal ills; and (5) the kolkhoz. The
chapter also focuses on Nagibin's accomplishments and shortcomings in
his early period, l945-l954.

Chapter II examines several aspects of Nagibin's Mescera, or hunt-
ing, theme and characterizes Nagibin's work during the period 1954-1964.

S Chapter III investigates Nagibin's children's stories, including
his non-autiobiographical children's stories on war, nature, the role of
an adult in a child's upbringing, and the coming of age, and his auto-
biographical children's stories from the ékstye prudy and Leta moego
détstva collections; it emphasizes Nagibin's achievements in his most
mature period, 1965-l974.

Chapter IV surveys the critical reception of Nagibin from l943-
l974, including Nagibin's criticism of himself and other writers, the

criticism of Nagibin's links with other writers, and the criticism of

poetics.

For cataloging and analyzing the themes, 67 out of his 252 stories
were selected by these dictates: (l) Nagibin's own choosing as evi-

. denced by his self-critical statements and reprints in collections of
his short stories; (2) literary criticism of Nagibin; and (3) my own
evaluation. The criticism cited includes all significant Russian and
foreign critiques of Nagibin's stories.

The method is descriptive and chronological, emphasizing Nagibin's
thematic preferences in the course of his literary development. The a-
nalysis of any given work is not exhaustive; the dissertation seeks to
present his work from various angles, thus offering a general portrait
of Nagibin as a Soviet short story writer.

The conclusions find Nagibin's thematic dispersedness to be an in-
tegral part of his style. Embracing a broad spectrum of human life,
some themes are typically Russian (societal ills and the war theme),
others universal (hunting, school, man's awakening, love, death, etc.).
Parallel to the variety of themes is the variety of character types:
men, women, and children from all walks of life.

Nature plays a significant role in Nagibin's stories; changes in
nature are frequently attuned to changes in characters. Nature is used
to determine a character's moral worth; descriptions of nature abound in
lyrical undercurrents.

Nagibin's autobiographical children's stories reveal his youth; he
shows the child's inner world as more complex than adults realize. His
children's stories are better written than others, filling the tradition-
al theme of childhood, boyhood, youth, with a new content.

He has followed in the steps of Turgenev, Tolstoj, and Cexov, among

others. Links to Turgenev's Zapiski oxotnika are obvious; parallels with
Turgenev are also evident in the comparison of Nagibin's gurik to Begin
lug, notably in the fate of the heroes.

The parallel to Tolstoj is apparent in the first person narrative
of Nagibin's Leta moego detstva, reminiscent of Detstvo, Utroéestvo,
Junost'.

Nagibin's interest in man's inner world may be attributed to Cexov;
Nagibin's Skola dea vzroslyx evokes Duma s sobaékoj.

Nagibin is among the first contemporary writers to minimize the
prescripts of Socialist Realism by avoiding dogmatism and mellowing di-
dacticism, focusing on self-expression and a sincere attitude toward
life and his fellow man.

Nagibin's well-composed and compact paCCKaa is a distinguished
literary type. In his struggle for conciseness in the short story, Na-
gibin has achieved a stringent verbal economy. Due to this succinctness,
lack of superfluousness, and the "artistism" of his style, Nagibin has
been acclaimed one of the foremost short story writers in the Soviet

Union today.

To my favorite teacher and my family:
Mother, John, Jenny, Lynn, Julie, Paul,

Jeane, and Jim.

ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am deeply grateful to my daughter Julie Carlson for
her invaluable financial help during my one year leave of
absence from Michigan State University to write this dis-
sertation.

A very special word of thanks goes to my committee:
Professors Alexander Dynnik, Frank Ingram, and Denis
Mickiewicz for their readings and comments. I am parti-
cularly indebted to my chairman, Professor Munir Sendich,
for his guidance and excellent editorial assistance which

have aided me immeasurably.

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION l
CHAPTER ONE: A Survey of Themes in Nagibin's Short Stories l2
Introduction l2

The Theme of Man's Awakening l4

The War Theme 22

The Love Theme 33

The "Na zlobu dnja" Theme 38

The Kolkhoz Village Theme 46
Conclusion 57
CHAPTER Two: The Me§5era Stories - 59
Introduction 59
Nagibin's Mescera and Its Literary Antecedents V 60

The Meééerans and Their way of Life - 66

The Mescera and Its Landscape/Nature 68

The Love Theme in Nagibin's Mescera 78
Societal Ills of the Me§Zera 8l
Conclusion 96
CHAPTER THREE: The Children's Theme 98
Part One: Non-Autobiographical Children's Stories 98
Introduction ‘ 98

War Stories About Children 99

Nature Stories About Children l03

iv

The Role of an Adult in a Child's Upbringing
Coming of Age
Part Two: Autobiographical Children's Stories
Introduction
The atstye prudy Collection
The Leta moego detstva Collection
Conclusion
CHAPTER FOUR: Nagibin in Literary Criticism
Introduction
Nagibin About Himself, His Writings, and on Other Writers
Criticism of Nagibin's Links with Other Writers
Criticism of Nagibin's Poetics
CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY

lll
ll4
ll8
ll8
l2l
l32
l40
l42
l42
l44
l59
I66
l9l
l97

INTRODUCTION

Among the post-war generation of Soviet writers, Jurij Markovic
Nagibin occupies a prominent place. Some of his better works have been
compared to the works of Russian literary greats, Turgenev and Cexov for
example, the others have been placed on the same level with the works of
well-known Soviet writers, Paustovskij's among others. He has been sa-
luted for his refined literary professionalism, his innovative paccxaa,
or short story, and his continuity of traits innate to Russian clas-
sic literature. He has enjoyed an enviable popularity among Soviet
readers, old and young alike. His works have been included in many So-
viet highschool anthologies; his name is well-known to any educated
Russian in the Soviet Union.

And yet, Nagibin has remained largely a stranger to the Western
reader; he is hardly known in the West, let alone in the United States.
Several American surveys on Soviet Russian literature, though mentioning
Nagibin along with such other prominent writers as Jurij Kazakov and
Vladimir Dudincev, fail to give any in-depth analysis of his major works.

This study strives to fill the existing gap in the Nagibin scholar-
ship, here and abroad. For despite the rather extensive criticism of
Nagibin in the Soviet Union and some other Eastern European countries, a
doctoral dissertation on Nagibin has not yet been attempted. This is to
say that not one bibliographical source available here or in major So-

viet library catalogs, which I have had examined by my friends visiting

l

the Soviet Union during the summer of 1977, has recorded a dissertation
on Nagibin.1

Since three-quarters of Nagibin's creative activity (from 1943 to
the present) has been devoted to his favorite genre, the short story, it
seemed only natural to concentrate on this body of his work. In my view
Nagibin's best and most representative short stories have been written
during the span from l955 to the present; I have, therefore, devoted two
chapters to this period.

Chapter One gives an insight into the entire thematic range of Na-
gibin's short stories, thoroughly surveying five of his principal themes:
l) the theme of man's awakening; 2) the war theme; 3) the love theme;
4) the "na zlobu dnja" theme; and 5) the kolkhoz village theme. In ad-
, dition to this thematic inventory, the chapter focuses on theliterary
accomplishments and shortcomings of Nagibin in that early period (1943-
l953), thus preparing the ground for a detailed analysis of his two major
themes--the Mesdera stories and the children's stories.

The second chapter focuses on the first of the two most significant
themes in Nagibin's stories, the hunting theme, or the Mesdera theme, as
these stories have been more aptly labeled after their locale.

. Chapter Three is devoted to the second most significant theme, the
children's stories which include themes from Nagibin's own childhood mem-
ories. This chapter, treating the most prolific theme of Nagibin to
date, will include critical opinions and short synopses of Nagibin's best
children's stories, the majority of which have not been translated into

English. More specifically, Part One of the chapter will scrutinize the

 

1The dissertation catalogs of the Lenin Library in Moscow and the
Saltykov-Stedrin Library in Leningrad have no record of a dissertation
on Nagibin.

non-autobiographical stories: I) war stories about children; 2) na-
ture stories about children; 3) the role of an adult in a child's up-
bringing; and 4) the coming of age; and Part Two, focusing on the
autobiographical children's stories, will include stories selected from
the collections Clistye pmdy and Leta moego detstva.

The fourth chapter will provide a critical survey of the major
literary criticism of Nagibin's short stories and give Nagibin's own
views of himself, his work, and the writers who had influenced him.

The Conclusion will summarize factual data contained in the four
chapters.

The Bibliography following the main body of the dissertatation is a
comprehensive compilation through l974, None of the Soviet monographs on
Nagibin contain a bibliography. There is, however, one reference biblio-
graphy to contemporary Soviet writers: Russkie sovetskie pisateli; bib-
Ziografiéeskij ukazatel' (Leningrad, 1964), III, 108-l23, but even this
source fails to list many items recorded in my bibliography.

In order to catalogue and describe the themes in Nagibin's stories,
67 stories out of the total of 252 will be chosen for discussibn. In
this selection, I have been ruled by the following dictates: l) Nagi-
bin's own choosing as evidenced by his self-critical statements and by
reprints in anthologies and collections of selected stories; 2) literary
criticism of Nagibin; and 3) my own evaluation. Needless to say, not in
any category will it be possible to include Nagibin's total output on a
given theme. But the literary criticism to be cited throughout the dis-
sertation will be comprehensive, with the inclusion of all significant
critiques, Russian and foreign, of Nagibin's short stories.

The methods used to evaluate Nagibin's writings throughout the

investigation will be: l) descriptive and 2) chronological. This means
that my analysis of any given work is by no means exhaustive; rather
this dissertation seeks to study Nagibin's short stories from various
angles, and thus, strives to offer a general portrayal of Nagibin as a
Soviet short story writer.

I would like to conclude this Introduction with a brief biography
of Nagibin, with an emphasis on his early formative influences. Nagibin
was born on April 3, 1920, in the Moscow Oistye prudy district. In Cistye
prudy he knew every bench, every tree, every bush of stinging nettle by
the old boat station. There he went fishing with his neighborhood play-
mates at the pond where it seemed a miracle to catch a fish in the center
of a bustling city. It was there he enjoyed boating in an old shallow-
bottomed boat, swimming and diving from the piles. Cistye prudy was a
spot where early in life nature was Jurij's second home and classroom and
very few of its lessons were missed.2

In Cistye prudy Nagibin spent his childhood and youthful years under
the influence of his mother and paternal grandparents whom he immortal-
ized in his story Priezd. His earlieSt memories of his father go back to
the long journeys he and his mother made to see him, the strange towns
and large rivers they crossed to be with him. With the word "grand-
father," on the other hand, Nagibin immediately recalled their time to-
gether when he would teach the boy how to hoist himself up on rings,
work out with weights, or take his first steps on ice skates. The grow-
ing youth would turn to his grandfather for his first man-to-man discus-

sions about fights or the girls in his class at school, and could listen

 

2Ju. Nagibin, étstye prudy (Moscow: "Moskovskij raboEij," l962),
p. 8.

to him for hours when his grandfather would relate his past to him.3

By the time Nagibin was seven, he knew the stories of Several writers
including Dickens, Scott, and Cooper from his mother who read to him.4
He loved these reading sessions, and although it seemed to him that his
. mother chose thin little books to read from he was surprised in later
years when re-reading them for himself how much enjoyment these old
friends provided. How great was his joy when his mother showed him a
thick volume with the emblem of a musketeer's cape, crossed swords, and
'a wide-brimmed hat on the cover. Dumas's The Three Musketeers was the

5 discovering the deep enjoyment when

very first book he read by himself,
what is read becomes so clearly related to life that one is hard put to
tell fiction from reality.

Jurij loved his father deeply,6 though he seldom saw him because
he was always away on business. It would not be wrong to say that the
boy learned his geography while keeping track of his father's frequent
moves from one part of the country to another.7 Each name of a town,

lake, or river meant another construction site where his father was work-

ing. Jurij used to boast to his friends about his father's incredible

8

strength and courage. But his father was of very short stature, not a

midget, but had he been any shorter, he would not have been able to serve

 

3Ibid., p. 28.
4Ju. Nagibin, Zimnij dub (Moscow: "Molodaja gvardija," 1955), p. 72.
51am.

6Ju. Nagibin, Izbrannye roizvedenija v dvux tomax (Moscow: "Xudo-
iestvennaja literatura," 1973 , II, 287.

71bid.
8179M.

in the army. Jurij found his father's size difficult to accept and took
it very much to heart. Such a short little man did not fit into the
heroic legends he told about his father which helped him to cope with
his father's constant absence.

Among the many friends that frequented the Nagibin household Jurij
could easily tell his father's friends from his mother's, whom he pre-
ferred. His mother's friends would bring his mother flowers and a little
something for him. But his father's rare visitors paid no attention to
Jurij at all. They arrived with heavy briefcases, locked themselves in
his father's study, and, smoking constantly, talked and argued about
something, becoming so vociferous at times that Jurij was afraid for his
father. But these sessions ended peaceably: the door would swing open
expelling a cloud of smoke and his father would call for tea.

All the members of Nagibin's family were very busy people. Even
his mother, who had completed high school but had not gone on to learn a
profession, found herself a job typing at home. The money she received

for her work paid for German lessons for her son, for she had decided

9

early that Jurij should study foreign languages. Thus, after scnool

Jurij found himself as busy as his parents: studying German, learning
his times tables and doing sums on the four rules of arithmetic.

When Nagibin's grandfather died shortly before the boy turned ten,
his mother discovered that he had left them some money which she put to
good use: Mrs. Colbert, a "real" Englishwoman, appeared in their house-

l0

hold and Jurij embarked on learning English. Later, when he was in the

 

91am. , p. 345.

10Nagibin, "Cistye...," p. 74.

tenth grade, French was introduced in their school, After his grand-
father died, going through his library, Nagibin came across a French
book with an interesting title: .Memoires de Mbnsieur d'Artagnan he
read with difficulty. He began to read the book dealing with his
favorite literary hero, and started attending the first session of French
at his school.

His teacher, an older Russianized Frenchman, Sergej Petrovic Lefevr,
moved by Jurij's zeal, suggested he take some additional French lessons

1] Thus it

free from his niece Marie, who had recently come from France.
was that along with German and English Jurij also began to study French.

Apart from his language study Nagibin did not prefer any one sub-
ject at school. He was an "A" student which meant to him a lack of a
special interest in anything. Like most of the boys, he played soccer in
school and his coach, Jules Limbeck, foresaw a soccer career for him.

But his mother, who had by then remarried, had other plans for her son.
Under her careful prodding the boy's stepfather, the writer Ja. S. Ry-
katev, asked Nagibin to write something.

His first story about a skiing trip his class took to Losinoostrov-
skoe was very poor. And yet Nagibin believes that his yen for writing
started from this first attempt.12 At the time he noticed that in the
course of writing the simple events of the day, the events themselves and
the traits of the people in the story became more meaningful to him. It

was as though he saw his friends and the unexpectedly fine, confused

pattern of their relationships to one another in a new light. He

 

ll

12Ju. Nagibin, "A cel' vse ta-Ze," Sovetskaja kuZ'tura (June 16,
1970), p. 4.

Ibid., p. 77.

discovered then that writing was comprehending life. At that point in
time his future literary path clarified itself: he vowed not to invent,
but to take everything from life, from what he perSOnally experienced
or witnessed.

The path of becoming a writer, however, was neither short nor sim-
ple for Nagibin. Upon graduation from high school, unable to resist
the example of Cexov and Bulgakov, who became professional doctors, he
studied medicine briefly before becoming a student at the Institute of
Cinematography. But he continued writing, and in 1940 his first story,
Dvojnaja osibka, was published in a popular wide-circulation magazine.13
The Sunday following its appearance in print, a very excited young man
ran from one book kiosk to anotherasking whether they had something new
by Nagibin.

At the outbreak of World War II he volunteered for service at the
front. A good knowledge of German decided his fate in the army. He
became a political worker publishing a German-language newspaper and
making frequent trips to the front lines with a mobile radio unit to con-
duct ten- to fifteen-minute broadcasts for enemy soldiers. In his spare
time he wrote stories about signal-men, chauffeurs, translators, politic-
al workers, soldiers, and economic executives at the front.

Nagibin's path to writing was quite different from that of his
other literary friends. There was the school of war undoubtedly; the
war gave him the right to publish, but it did not become the main im-
pulse or theme in his works. He was preparing for a writing career be-

fore the war and actually started publishing before the war. Unlike

 

13Ju. Nagibin, "Dvojnaja osibka," Ogonek, No. 11 (1940), p. 3.

many of his colleagues, he never worked as a journalist for a civilian
periodical. He was a man of letters from the start and became a pro-

14 Incidentally, in

fessional writer, remaining one all of his life.
March 1942, when Nagibin was still at the front he was admitted to the
Union of Soviet Writers. The whole procedure transpired with unusual
simplicity. At a meeting for young writer-initiates the late L. Solo-
v'ev read one of Nagibin's war stories to which A. Fadeev commented:
"OH me nncarenb, nasanre npnmeM ero B Ham cows."

The first and most difficult stage in his writing career was the
publication of his very first books, which were not accorded high ac-
colades by the critics. His biography, furthermore, was thoroughly
lacking in unexpected, sensational events. A young writer simply re-
turned frpm the war and started writing. His first stories were a
cross between the oqepx and paccxaa, with ample attention given to
nature descriptions and characters, and to everything else that is
prescribed for in a story.

Among these stories appeared veganov with an almost conditional
romantic hero, as pure and ardent as Gorkij's Danko surrounded by
common soldiers, a story imbued with the idea that love triumphs over
death. In it one can find decorative style, "xpacnsoc'rb" and "3a-
nanaoc'rb," but it was dominated by genuine artistry and a gripping
passion. This story, however, and the "romantic" Trubka, writes Am-

15

linskij, were still a probe of his pen; when Nagibin became thirty-

three and published Kemerov and Zimnij dub, he made his mark as a writer.

 

14Vladimir Amlinskij, "Jurij Nagibin," Literaturnaja gazeta
[Moscow] (January 14, 1970), p. 6.

1 5mm.

 

lO

After Komarov and Zimmlj dub followed Noc'noj gost' and getunov,
syn OEtunova. In the earlier stories Nagibin wrote about the happiness
of being alone. The loneliness of Komarov who had escaped from his im-
portunate teacher to the slope by the sea and that of Savuskin in the
forest, is a form of happiness, a getting to know oneself, and a dis-
covery of the surrounding world of nature.

All Nagibin's paccxasbi and nosec'm are local. But early in his
writing career he wanted to grasp a broader segment of life so that the
winds of history could be heard and masses of people would take part in
his works. For this he would have had to write a novel. "Hc>sa He

16 Thus, Nagibin made a

mory mica-rs Tonc'ro," confesses Nagibin.
decision to write in the genre of the short story which, as he frequent-
ly argued, suits best his creative aspirations.

The themes in Nagibin's stories teem with variety: the war and
its fighting men, hunting and fishing, the kolkhoz village, nature and
its beauty, children and the role of the adult in a child's upbringing,
and many more. Nagibin's protagonists likewise abound in variety, most
of them being ordinary Soviet citizens: foot soldiers, signal-men and
radio communications men at the front, simple peasant hunters and fisher-
men of his beloved Mescera countryside, the visiting hunters from Moscow,
boys and girls from his native Cistye prudy district of Moscow, teachers,
composers, writers, and kolkhoz chairmen, to name but a few.

In 1955, after writing war stories for ten years, a non-autobio-
graphical children's story became Nagibin's choice of theme; this was

followed by the kolkhoz village and the love stories. In the period

from 1956 to 1960, he chiefly emphasized the war theme again, followed

 

16Ju. Nagibin, "A cel'...," p. 4.

ll

by the love theme and autobiographic and non—autobiographic children's
stories. From 1961 to 1965, Nagibin made several trips abroad which
accounted for a great number of travel stories and travelogues, the
former being a cross between a travel sketch and a short story. In
addition, he continued work on his cycle of autobiographical children's
stories, and completed the Mescera cycle. In the years between 1966
and 1970, Nagibin produced his autobiographic children's cycle, the
stories with the theme "Na zlobu dhja" and the theme of illness and
death; the years 1971 through 1977 marked the conclusion of the last
of his autobiographical cycles, a continuation of the "Na zlobu dnja"
theme, and the introduction of two new themes: the theme of famous men
and the theme of the writer and his work.

All of these themes will be analyzed in the following study, en-

titled "Jurij Nagibin's Short Stories: Themes and Literary Criticism."

CHAPTER ONE

A Survey of Themes in Nagibin's Short Stories

Introduction

The Theme of Man's Awakening

a)-.Noé%oj gost'

b) Pbdsadnaja utka
c) Mblodoéen

d) Razgovor

e) SZezaj, prrzlexali

The War Theme

a) Boj za vysotu

b) thlik

c) Qeljagi

d) Celovek s fronta

e) Zerno giant

f) iper uxodit v pZavanie
g) Vaganov

h) Put' na perednij kraj

The Love Theme

3) L'ubov'

b) SkaZistyj porog

c) Vejmar i okresnosti

d) delevek i dbroga

e) gRoZa dlja vzrosZyx

f) sroého trebujutsja sedge delovedeskie volosy

The "Na zlobu dnja" Theme

a) The Nobile Theme

b) The Jurij Gagarin Theme

c) The Children of Famous Fathers Theme
d) The Anti-Stalinist Theme

The Kolkhoz Village Theme

a) Stranicy éizni Trubnikova
b) Mht' kolxozav

c Sovremennik Seepkina

d Nbvaja professija

Conclusion

27
29
30
33

35
36
37
38

46

CHAPTER ONE

A Survey of Themes in Nagibin's Short Stories

Introduction

Although Nagibin has written in several genres, long and short
stories, film scenarios, travelogues and critical essays for example, it
is clear that the short story remains his most beloved genre. That this
is so, is evidenced not only by the number of stories he has published
(252), or by Nagibin's discrimination for short stories as worthy of his
collections and anthologies, but also from the book and articles he has
published about the genre of the short story and short story writing.

Also, one should note that critics generally agree that Nagibin is
one of the foremost Russian short story writers today, a criticism to be
expounded in more detail in Chapter Four. In my own study of Nagibin's
works, I have come to the same conclusion: the short story is his mag-
num opus. It is for the above reasons that I have decided to devote my
dissertation to a thematic analysis of Nagibin's short stories exclusive-
1y.

And another reason: Nagibin's short stories show great thematic
diversity, so much so that some Soviet critics atcused him of "thematic
dispersedness," to which Nagibin retorted:

...H anxorna He nyman, ‘I'I'O Tema'mqecxaa cneimamasaunfi B
xaHpe paccxasa, 1101106140 MenHuIdI-ICKOH, HBJ‘IHeTCH IIOCTOHH-
CTBOM, a OTCY'I'CTBPIe ee "" HGIIOCTaTKOM, TpGGYIOmeM HCKOPE'

HGHHH. Heymro ToanO Knaccnxam paccxasa npencrasneno
npaBo Ha "remarnqecxym pasopocaHHocrb," Kaxosan name

12

13
BOCXBanHeTCH e STOM cnyqae, xax anax meOTu oxeara
mnsnu...

Indeed, this "thematic dispersedness" is part and parcel of Nagi-
bin's stories. He has written stories about the war and fighting men
who have returned from war to the difficult task of picking up the
pieces of their lives in a war-ravaged country and economy. He has writ-
ten about children and his own childhood and youth. He has written love
stories, stories about hunting, fishing and ecology and stories about
the kolkhoz village. He has written about man's awakening and about
some famous men and women: poets, composers, explorers, and astronauts,
about some not so famous but equally outstanding personalities among
huntsmen, soldiers, teachers, writers, kolkhoz chairmen, etc., and about
aging, illness, and death.

Several of the themes mentioned may be singled out and unified for
closer examination. The two most significant themes in Nagibin's short
stories, i.e., the hunting theme in his Mesdera stories and the child-
ren's theme, as mentioned in the Introduction to this dissertation, will
be examined in greater detail in Chapters Two and Three, respectively.
Chapter One will be devoted to the examination of five more themes which
stand out in Nagibin's short stories: 1) the theme of man's awakening;
2) the war theme; 3) the love theme; 4) the "na zlobu dnja," or "on the

evil of the day" theme; and 5) the theme of the kolkhoz village.

 

lJu. Nagibin, "O rasskaze," Literaturnaja gazeta, No. 21 (February
16, 1957), p. 3.

14

The Theme of’Mhn's Awakening

The theme of man's awakening is one to which Nagibin has turned
frequently. Whether he writes about children or adults, the local
huntsmen of the Mesdera country and their 50phistiCated counterparts
from Moscow or of trained specialists in a village collective farm, the
theme of man's awakening has been superimposed on an existing theme and
elevated to the main theme in many of his stories.

In an interview, Nagibin maintained that the theme of man's
awakening has always been one of his main themes because "I'Ipooyxcuenne
- 3T0 KaK Becna, 3T0 Bcerna BonHyer."2 To awaken a person, to
help him overcome the blind spots of his everyday existence, to help him
to know himself, or to reveal another person's true nature, this has been
Nagibin's field of action for many years. George Gibian, one of the few
American scholars to write about Nagibin, duly observes that in Nagibin's
stories of psychological analysis the genre "is revealed in its purest
and most perfect form."3

In these stories, Nagibin does not focus on man's character in the
making. Many of his heroes have had years of experience in the army or
-work labor force. Yet, the heroes themselves, their biographies and ex-
perience rarely become the subject of the stories. All that remains be-
hind the scenes. Only the psychological results of their experience are
shown. On the one hand, on center stage is man's inner world as it has

been molded by contemporaneity, while on the other, the writer tests the

inner world of the character for humaneness.

 

2Ju. Nagibin, "V edinom rabocem stroju," Literaturnaja Rossija
(January 1, 1972), p. 2.

3George Gibian, "New Trends in the Novel," Survey, No. 36 (April-
June, 1961), p. 49.

15

The critic Inna Borisova notes this aspect of Nagibin's psycholo-
logical stories and how it affects characterization. The constant test-
ing that goes on in Nagibin's stories, writes Borisova, has determined
a special method of character building. Nagibin focuses on a person's
feelings exposing the essence of the character. He takes off one mask
after another until only the core of the personality remains. The bor-
derline here lies between the seeming and the real. But it is not the
contrast between the outward impression and inward actuality that inter-
estsNagibin, concludes Borisova. He is interested in the essence of man
and how "this essence impregnates the many layers and masks of the char-
acter."4

It frequently happens in these Nagibin stories that the reader has
barely had enough time to realize his dislike for the hero when he sud-
denly starts taking a liking to him, then quite unexpectedly the aver-
sion returns followed again by sympathy, etc. until through all these
feelings for the hero the reader arrives at a decisive event in the sto-
ry after which only one stand is possible: a clear-cut for or against
the hero.

A good example of this type of characterization technique is evi-
dent in Nbénoj gost' (The Nighttime Guest).5 Here we get a glimpse of
the inner world of Pal Palyc appearing unexpectedly in the but of Babka

Jul'ja and are surprised that he has come all the way from Moscow to go

fishing, but neglected to bring any fishing equipment or to dress

 

4Inna Borisova, "Put' na perednij kraj," Dru§ba narodbv, No. 4
(1959), p. 236.

5This and all subsequent translations of the titles of Nagibin's
works are mine.

l6

appropriately . However, in a few minutes we have forgotten about his
fetching city attire which seems so incongruous in the country setting.
His carefree attitude becomes something to think about; it is
quite fascinating. Pal PalyE begins to win us over by his kindness and
amiable disposition, by an ability to put the guests and hosts at ease
in the crowded hut. We are carried away by his sensitive reaction to
the charming family and the poetry of the surrounding countryside. We
are impressed with Pal Palyc's "sniper's eye," his steady hand and un-
erring instinct for catching fish. Only the skepticism of the second
fisherman, the silent and gloomy Nikolaj Sem'enovid, disturbs us.
Brushing his silent hostility towards Pal PalyE aside, however, we read-
ily agree with the narrator that the new guest has brought something with
him that no other fisherman has thought about: a genuine interest for
the members of the family which has brightened their lives:
. . .MIer. . .I-IeBOJ'IbHO nonymanocs: a ‘ITO HpHHeCJIH 3THM J'IIOJIHM
MH c anonaeM Cemenosuqem? Cxonbxo Hapony npomno qepes
STOT nOMMK, HO, Kpome puou, HHKTO Huqu He narepecosanca.
A BOT Han nanuq oxasanca cosceM npyrHM, H, BepHo, on oc-
'raHe'rca y XOBHGB B I'IaMHTH TeI'IJ'IOM H BecenbeM, Ko'r0poe
Bnec 3 xx xxsas...5
At this point we may think that we have fathomed the hero's nature but
we are wrong. Nagibin continues to reveal Pal PalyE's character. We
descend still deeper and find ourselves in a veritable swamp, a mire of
egoism and parasitism. This is how his hosts will think of him, rather
than with warmth and joy. It is all the more repugnant because these
people were led to think of him as kind and outgoing. For this reason

their deception is all the more cynical. The cynicism is not so much in

the uproar Pal PalyE stages at the loss of his pen knife as in his

 

6J0. Nagibin, Izbrannye proizvedenija v dvux tomax (Moscow: "Xudoze-
stvennaja literatura," 1973), I, 44.

17

hypocritical attitude toward Babka Julja's six-year-old granddaughter
who, having played with the knife, forgets it in her apron pocket, an
act for which she is severely punished.

Nagibin shows that kindness and compassion were simply tactics for
Pal PalyE, rather than characteristic virtues; they were an egoistical
profiteering of people's suffering rather than genuine compassion. More-
over, his far-sighted profiteering is based on an exceptional knowledge
of human nature with its innate desire for happiness and responsiveness
to sympathy.

We can only admire Pal PalyE's open-hearted faith in humanity which
he believes will come through for him even if he finds himself in the
desert with nothing more than a handkerchief in his pocket:

Bu anaere, xorna unemb K nmnHM c OTKpHTHM cepnueM, Teoe
Bcerna nomoryT. H roros ornpasnrbca XOTb B KapaKYMH,
XOTb Ha MaTqunH map c oanM HOCOBHM nnarxom s KaquTBe
oarama -- n yoexnen, qro He nponanyl7

Nagibin does not object. He simply exposes the profiteering,
sponging essence of Pal Palyc's philosophy. It is the philosophy of a
thief who enters openly, in broad daylight, and begins to steal while en-
joying the confidence of his hosts.

In this simple story without any dramatic plot, Nagibin manages to
develop the central character in such a way that we unavoidably see that
the real man is not the one Nagibin tries to personify, but the one who
reveals himself at the end of the story.

The critic M. Cerkasskij is grateful to Nagibin for introducing Pal

PalyE, a new type of hero whom the critic has not met in Russian

 

71bid., I, 93.

18

literature before;8 at the same time, however, he resents having the

old fisherman sum up Pal Palyc': "...Huq'roxcmsm, )KanI-IHPI, nacxosbm
napasu'r," and Nagibin's additional philosophical surrmation which spoils
an otherwise excellent story.

Most of Nagibin's writing retains several basic features of social-
ist realism. Russian literature has always been characterized by a de-
sire to preach (Gogol', Dostoevskij, Tolstpj), and a certain amount of
didacticism remains in contemporary Soviet literature. The difference is
one of focus; Nagibin's more personal directive might be applied specifi-
cally to the Soviet citizen rather than to humanity as a whole. Much as
in socialist realism, Nagibin sets forth ideals of human behavior.

Nagibin sometimes depicts a character who is willful, authoritarian
and self-assured. It frequently turns out, however, that at the end of
the story the character reveals himself to be a pitiless and petty man.

In another story, a similar case of irresponsible behavior and lack
of consideration for one's fellow man identifies the central character.
In Podsadnaja utka (The Decoy Duck), a visiting huntSman from Moscow
stays up all night talking to a general at the hunting site in the Mesde-
ra and in the morning accidentally shoots the local huntsman's live decoy
duck. After the hunt the narrator overhears him telling the others hunt-
ers how it happened:

-H anaere nu, HOTpaTHn-TaKK nopoxy Ha CBoeM sexy, n nor He
nanee xax ceronnn cnmy Ha sopbxe, a cnarb xoqercn --
crpacrb. Tonbxo nanOpHyn, Bnpyr oynro non pyxy Tonxny-
no. nponpan oqn -- marepaal H Ka-ax creoaHy H3 ooonx
crsonos -- wax nepba n nonerenn. Cnmmy, erepb qero-To
Kpnan. Marb qecrnafi -- H noncanaym npnnoxnn!

-Hacmeprb? ...c npnnuxannem cnpocnn qefi-TO mononon ronoc.
AHnPeeB sacmeanca.

 

8M. Cerkasskij, "Detali i mysl'," Neva, No. 5 (1957), p. 183.

l9

-0 qu cnpamnsaemb nnre manoel...9
In other instances a selfish character realizes his own shortcomings by
observing another efficient man in action.

In MbZodbéen (The Newlywed), the visiting huntsman, Voronov,
watches the young local huntsman, Vas'ka, with whom he is contrasted. He
admires Vas'ka's efficient handling of the boat, his effortless rowing.
But most of all Voronov marvels at the intenSe feeling Vas'ka has for his
wife: Vas'ka decides on an impulse of jealousy to make the difficult
eight-hour trip home from the hunting site to see the woman to whom he
has been married for six years and to be back again at daybreak. At the
end of the story Voronov realizes how empty his own life is in comparison
with that of happily-married Vas'ka. The fact that Voronov makes this
comparison and begins to understand himself better because of it, adds to
the beauty of his awakening.

D. J. Richards, in his introduction to Yurii Nagibin Selected Short
Stories, expands on this point by including some political considera-
tions as well. He contends that Nagibin's interest in individual psycho-
logy stems from the view that Communism is not simply a pattern of
social organization, but an attitude towards life. "This attitude,"
writes Richards, "is illustrated in some of Nagibin's most attractive
heroes, who are characterized by a natural honesty and openness towards
their fellows, sensitivity towards nature and often also by a certain re-
serve and modesty."10

Typical of such heroes is the quiet gamekeeper, Strii, in Razgovor

 

9
p. 19.

Ju. Nagibin, Na tixom ozere (Moscow: "Sovetskaja Rossija," 1966),

10D. J. Richards, Introduction to Yurii Nagibin (New York: The Hac-
Hillan Company, 1963), p. xv.

20

(The Conversation). As a result of his courageous defense of the chapel,
Striz is elected game warden. When a writer arrives in Strif’s native
Hestera to hunt, the gamekeeper comes to talk to him because he wants to
get to know all visiting huntsmen. The Moscow visitor invites him to
have some drinks and Strii, unable to refuse the hospitable gesture, gets
hopelessly drunk. He has come to tell the writer "camoe rnaeuoe,

qTo on BHHec n3 unsan: qenosexy Hano BepKTb." Butinsumd,lm
finds himself saying things further and further removed from what he had
intended.v The visitor takes him for the village drunk. The awakening
comes for Strii when he suddenly realizes that the man is not interested
in him at all, but is treating him nicely because he wants Strii to do
him a favor.

That people fail to communicate with each other is one of Nagibin's
deep concerns in man's realization of himself. Richards observes that
"like Chekhov, Nagibin sometimes stresses the lack of communication be-
tween people, the difficulty of really understanding another person."11

The problem that arises here is probably one of personalities be-
cause in Nagibin's stories people of very different characters meet and
some Soviet critics have expressed resentment for Nagibin's interest in
such meetings as they do not provide sufficient material for the depic-

12

tion of a valuable conflict. Gibian contends, however, that the mere

portrayal of characters in a true-to-life situation is valuable in it-
self and that Nagibin here shows sympathy and compassionate understand-

ing for imperfect and inconsistent humanity.13

 

1lama, p. xiv.

12M. V. Romenec, Problema gumanizma v sovremennom russkom rasskaze
(Xar'kov: Izd. Xar'kovskogo universiteta, 1969), p. 17.

13Gibian, p. 53.

 

DD.

21

In SZezaj, prievai... (Get Off, We've Arrived...), the insight in-
to another person's nature is revealed very gradually. The external ac-
tion describes how Sergej DaniloviE Maruskin drives a young Moscow agron-

14 to two collective farms, then back to the railway

omist from the M15
station. In each of the kolkhozes the working conditions are not to the
girl's liking and she refuses to stay. However, the real plot pertains

to the progressive revelation of the girl's nature and Maruskin's con-
current disillusionment. His attitude toward the girl gradually evolves
from a protective, paternal feeling to complete disgust at her selfish-
ness and lack of human kindness. Richards, among other critics, notes
that in Nagibin's stories the extent of a character's sympathy with nature
is used as a measure of his whole moral worth. Richards cites SZezaj,
prievai as an example, indicating that "the decline of the agronomist

in the eyes of Maruskin begins when she sees nothing beautiful in the

"15

local countryside. The following passage supports Richards's state-

ment:

M Bnpyr Bcen xposbm on omyrnn, uro cmeprenbno oonxen pron
manenbxon mnnosnnnon nesymxon, oonxen 3a ceoa, 3a coon
Kpafi, B KOTOpOM HM onnH yronox He npumenca en no nyme...
OH Bcnomann, Kax Henpnaanenno, xononHo acnonnooba ornanu-
Bana ona ponaon emy np00T0p: nona, nepenecxn, BOpHuy non
quorum, csernuM nbnom...n no qenoseqecxu oonnno a cranno
omno esnosomy, 910 on, crapmn myxnx, Tax omnécn B Hen,
Haawsan "noqxon"... 6

Nagibin's interest in individual psychology. however, does not let

 

14Mb§dnn0-trakt0rnye stancii were government-staffed rental and re-
pair stations renting tractors and other farm machinery to collective
farms, operating from 1929 to 1958 when they were converted to repair
stations only (remontno-texnigeskie stancii). Since 1958 individual
collective farms acquired their own farm equipment.

lsRichards, pp. xvi-xvii.

153p. Nagibin, Zimnij aha (Moscow: "Molodaja gvardija," 1955),
pp. 195-96.

 

22

him ignore contemporary issues: many of his stories are set on collec-
tive farms, and the author is well aware of the problems facing Soviet
agriculture. In SZezaj, priexali... for example, two kolkhozes are con-
trasted:
H eanoson sanYManca Han TeM, Han qu MHoro nymamr H He on-
an KPECTbHHCKHe ronosu: noquy Tax no-pasnomy cxnana-
Baercn cynboa nByx xosancrs, nemamnx noonnaocrn npyr OT
npyxxn, a nopofi n Bosce 60K 0 60K? H semnn y an onHHa-
Kosue, H nmnu KaK 6ynro He paaafirca, H Te me 6enu nepexn-
TH E Bonny H B nocneBoeHHym nopy, H0 onao xosfificrso...
xpenno, pocno, neuranocs K cronoosofi nOpore mnsnn, a npy-
roe Heyxnonno xarnnocs non orxoc...
In addition, another modern issue is mirrored in the same story: the
social antagonism between the struggling peasantry represented by the M15
driver Maruskin and the privileged educated class, depicted by the young
Moscow agronomist.

But Nagibin is not interested in exposing the problems of the col-
lective per 32, nor is he interested in baring the issue of social antag—
onism. His primary interest lies in the inner world of his heroes, in
their attitude toward life, toward nature, toward their fellows and them—

selves.

Thehhrfflwme
Nagibin's experiences of World War II have prompted one of his
leading themes--the war theme. The writer feels indebted to his gener-
ation. He wants to say all he knows about the war itself and about his
peers, many of whom did not return from the war. In an article in 1970,
Nagibin gives us his reasons for his yen for war steries. Even after
many years, writes Nagibin, his war experiences continue to haunt him

and he yearns to write again about the Volga, the Donets Basin of the

”ma, p. 192.

23

war years, and of the many people he met at the front. He feels he may

'8 In these war stories, Nagi-

never completely exhaust these memories.
bin also recalls the war through experiences of its rank and file fight-
ing men. He depicts their courage and humaneness, their martial spirit,
their sense of duty and honor.

In Boj za vysotu (The Fight for a Peak), a young political in-

structor, Aleksej Rakitin,'9

is an inexperienced officer who gainsin sta-
ture over Captain Saternikov, whose courage and experience delight every-
one including Rakitin. Rakitin refuses to compromise: he cannot agree
to even the least inaccuracy where translation for clarity in propaganda

leaflets for the enemy is concerned:

- fluorosxa He ronnrcn,- cxasan PaKnTnH cnoxofiao H

Tsepno. - OHa npornBOpeqHT nyxy Hamen HOHHTpa60TH, xoro-
paa crponrca Ha npasne X T0th0 Ha npaBne. Mm He nmeM
HPOTHBHHKY.

Rakitin's courage and candor score a high regard from Saternikov
who before this pays no attention to him. The captain helps the inex-
perienced Rakitin get through a wooded area that is infested with enemy
sharp-shooters.

Boj za vysotu, contends the critic V. Dorofeev, is not only one of
Nagibin's most characteristic stories, but the peak of his literary out-
put so far. The fusion of deep social content and a precise, colorful
imagery in the story embody Nagibin's ideas in the flesh of characters

and pictures:

 

18Ju. Nagibin, "A cel' vse ta 2e," sevetskaja kuZ'tura (June 6,
1970).

'gThe hero's name seems to evoke Nagibin's own name.

20

Jurij Nagibin, OEZovek i dbroga (Moscow: "Sovetskij pisatel',"
1958), p. 67.

24

Dana n3 sameqarenbaux n Hanoonee xapaxrepnux nus Harn-

6aHa paccxasos "Boa 3a Bucory." Paccxas aror Hanncaa s
nocnennee spews, n noxa qro on, no-moemy, Bepmnna Boero
TOPO, qro cosnauo HaPHGHHHM. B prom paccxase ynnsnrenbno
rapmonnqno cnnnncs rnyooxoe odmecrsenaoe conepmanue, Bam-
Henmaa ages 0 nepsocrenenaom snaqeuun naannHoro nonxona B
nmoom nene n Koaxpernaa, Toquafi prafi 06pa3HOCTb, oonex-
mas sry nnem B mnBym xynomecreenayw nnorb qenoeeqecxnx
xapaxrepos H Kaprnn.

On the other hand, a Hungarian writer, Kristo Nagy, thinks that the main

22 But A. Aronov, a Soviet critic, praises

character is too literary.
Nagibin's remarkable literary craft in the well-developed character of
Saternikov. "How we all want to be like Saternikov!" writes Aronov,
"the well-built, smart, handsome, skillful and successful Saternikov
everyone admired." This character who stands out in Nagibin's book more
realistic than life, concludes Aronov, is the product of the mastery and
plasticity of the writer.23
Aizenstok, Nagibin's former war buddy and a contemporary writer,
recalls that both he and the author served at the same time during the
war and knew the same officers. Aizenstok describes one of them as Cap-
tain T. Whom he recognizes in Nagibin's characterization of Saternikov.
But he adds that the writer not only vividly drew the character of Sater-
nikov, endowing him with the traits of Captain T. but also gave Saterni-

kov exceptional bravery, something which his original lacked altogether.

Thus, Nagibin only starts with a real person, changing and enriching the

 

2'V. Dorofeev, "Rasskazy Nagibina," in Jurij Nagibin's Rennej ves-
noj (Moscow: Goslitizdat, 1961), p. 459.

Izzlstvan Kristd Nagy, Az d3 szovjet irodblom, eds. Jdnos Elbert
and Laszlo Kardos (Budapest: Gondolat c., 1963), p. 260. The transla-
tion from the Hungarian is by Maria Nevai. '

23A. Aronov, "Za Saternikovym i Eut' dalse," Mbskovskij komsomolec
(Sept. 15, 1974), p. 3.

25

personality to fit the artistic task before him. Nagibin's penchant for
drawing portraits from live pepple illustrates his creative method with-
out in any way lowering the artistic merit of his work. This aspect of
character portraiture, contends Aizengtok, concomitantly reveals the
writer's wish to preserve for the reader the authenticity of life at the
front which is so characteristic for Nagibin's stories.24

Boj za vysotu juxtaposes the characters of Saternikov and Rakitin;
it reveals their understanding of duty and life at the front which formed
and tempered their personalities.

Another story, "Pavlik," seeks a solution to problems which are
just as important today as they were then: the training of young sol-
diers who are familiar with the war only in its heroic aspect. The story
was published in 1960 as a separate book which was lengthened consider-
ably from its original journal publication in 1959.

Its hero, Pavlik, resembles Rakitin in looks and character. Pavlik
is a young man who even after he is married and serving at the front con-
tinues to be a "mama's boy" until, in the new conditions of life at the
front, in battles and in the most tragic ordeals, he gradually undergoes
such a change that he dies a seasoned commander and courageous soldier.

In the original version of the journal publication Pavlik's path
to courage and heroism seemed simpler due to the many reductions. In
the book version many episodes have been restared showing the complex in-
ner tempering of the hero by the trials of army life. Incongruous as it
may seem for a conmander to be known to his men as "Pavlik" Nagibin pur-

posely leaves the name unchanged to show that even with maturity Pavlik

 

24J. Aizenstok, "Frontovye povesti Jurija Nagibina," Zvezda, No. 6
(1961), p. 209.

26

retained his boyish inner purity. Gibian rightfully notes that with an
eye to the contradictions of human life, "Nagibin shows that although he
became an admired hero, his men still called him Pavlik, . diminutive of
Paul, as if he were a little boy - as his mother called him."25
Nagibin's stories and sketches written during the war, as the
critic M. Cerkasskij observes, were "OMbIThIe no'rOM PI KpOBblO Kycxn

26 People had fought and died for their country and the writer

mnann."
told about what he had seen and could not help revealing. That is why
his stories were exciting and thought-provoking. There was no time to
deal in trifles. But when the war ended and the writer took off his uni-
form, as did his heroes, his main characters continued to have conflicts.
But now these conflicts did not blow up like bombs, they were no longer
on the surface of life. Now Nagibin had to search for them in his newly
acquired life-style. He needed a new approach.

Allied to the war stories are those about the destinies of people
who have returned from the war. Characteristic of these stories is Del-
jagi (The Dealers), about two ex-service men, Fedor Rozkov and Sergeant
Stepan Zaxarovid, who decide to earn some money upon discharge from the
army by doing odd carpentry jobs. In one of the village collective
farms Fedor meets and falls in love with a war widow and starts helping
her fellow villagers, each time refusing their money. His comrade goes
to a neighboring town. After a separation of a week, Fedor is to meet
Stepan and fears that the sergeant, being more practical than he, will
be angry at him for working for free. When they meet, however, he dis-

covers that Stepan has also been working for nothing.' Stepan confesses:

 

25Gibian, p. 53.

26Cerkasskij, p. 179.

27

Hopaooran a moxer, n nonque TBoero. Baaxoopom, cnox-
Henmym mamnny, OTpeMOHTHpOBan. B mncrb Tax He prnnncs.
A xax crann oo onnare POBODHTB, a araxum ropnuM qeprom:
fitmiiéofi"; SSSE:'°§§.§§.§°ZZ§§EZZ$5T”' "a' W”
Critics have appraised this story differently. B. Dajrediiev
singled it out for special mention. He believes that the vitality of
the story is expressed in the actions of the two ex-fighting men. They
felt they could not take money from people for whom they had just fought
a war. And yet just before they had set out on their venture, Stepan
Zaxarovid said: "C mecaqox noesmm -- Bepnemca Tucnqnnxami."
The critic believes that both men, although they had lost everything, re-
mained human and humane. The vitality and acuity of Nagibin's percep-
tion, writes Dajrediiev, distinguishes this story from the rest. The
reader is attracted to Fedor because Fedor, though maimed and homeless,
does not become embittered, undisciplined or callous. "He no MHe Tame
.neneaii,"he says to Stepan, i.e., money of the poor and needy villag-
ers.28
A different view of the story is taken by the critic A. Tarasenkov,
who contends that the unselfish, idyllic ending seems far-fetched, and,
furthermore, that the heroes of the story are too removed from life with
its vicissitudes which the Soviet people experienced in the post-war
years.29 One critic, Dorofeev, notes that when one reads Nagibin's ear-

liest war stories today, such as those published in the collection 3210-

vek s fronta (A Man from the Front), one inevitably remembers the words

 

27Nagibin, Zimnij..., p. 70.

288. Dajrediiev, "Rasskaz v tolstom iurnale, veéernjaja Mpskva

(pct.1. 1956).

29A. Tarasenkov, Stat'i 0 literature (Moscow: GIXL, 19 ), II,
p. 184.

28

of Lev Tolstoj:

B nasecrnue roam nncarenb momer name no HeKoTOpon
crenean mepTBosaTb ornenxofi ¢0pMH; H ecnn TOflbKO ero
ornomenne x TOMy, qro on onncmeaer, acno n cnnbno npOBe-
neao, T0 nponaeenenne moxer nocrnqb csoen menu.

V. Smirnova, another critic, while praising Nagibin's talent, con-
tends that Nagibin's early war stories lacked imagination and inventive-
ness; she concludes that the photographic quality of characterization
with the recurring chance meetings of characters failed to excite the
reader.31

These stories did not paint battle scenes but told instead of epi- '
sodes from a battle or an event in the prosaic workaday life of the
front. However, even these first stories were infused with a certain
quality not found in Soviet war stories of the period. For example, in
dtlovek s fronta, an unknown soldier who is on his way to the rear for a
short leave happens upon a column of trucks carrying munitions which is
stopped by an attack from enemy planes. He assumes command of the col-
umn, bringing it to safety by another route, then leaves as unexpectedly
as he appeared. A significant lyric detail in the story, incidentally,
is the sound of a song which is heard before the soldier appears and
after he is gone. I

P. P. Gromov, another critic, contends that the concrete histori-
cal aspect of the story is missing and that the episode depicted by the
writer may have occurred in any era, in any country, in any situation.

Who is the brave, resourceful man from the front? Why does he do what

he does? What is the source of his courage and resourcefulness? Why is

 

30Dorofeev, p. 459.

3'V. Smirnova, "Xolodnen'kimi slovami...," Znamja, Nos. 9-10
(1943), p. 316.

 

29

he a Soviet man? Wherein lie the roots of his patriotism? These are
the questions posed by Gromov that Nagibin leaves unresolved. Gromov
argues that this "romantic stranger," whose emotional appeal for the
reader is due precisely to his heroic, adventurous, remote and mysteri-
’ ous qualities, serves as a literary device characteristic of all Nagi-
bin's stories of the Bol'eoe serdee collection.32

Gromov concludes that Nagibin has depicted a romantic stranger-
hero whoseappearance is accompanied by distant strains of a song coming
as if it were from the wind in the trees. For this romantic wind to be
heard, however, the author needed another detail which caused an incon-
gruity in the plot. From the ten or more soldiers involved in the inci-
dent not one could recall the stranger's name.

The critic insists that the lyrical strain in Nagibin's stories is
reminiscent of the Russian national flavor and of Russian nature in the
poetry of 810k and Tjutdev. He disapproves, however, of Nagibin's use of
lyrical details to conceal, as it were, the non-existent historical mean-
ing of the event in the story. For this reason, Gromov calls it an imag-
inary lyrical psychologism, an appended super-structure over the hero's
character as opposed to the hero's true character. Nevertheless, he im-
plies that without this strange lyric detail, a unique literary device
serving as the psychological collision of the narrative, Nagibin's story
would resemble the many thousands of run-of-the—mill war sketches that
filled the army newspapers and Soviet literary periodicals.33

In subsequent collections of war stories, such as BoZ'dbe serdee

(The Big Heart) and Zerno éizni (The Kernel of Life), Nagibin continued

 

32F. P. Gromov, Geroj i vremja (Leningrad: "Sovetskij pisatel',"
1961), p. 26.

33mm. , p. 24.

30

to work over the war theme, deepening the content and perfecting the
form of his stories. It is evident when reading these stories that the
writer is seeking his own treatment of the war theme and at the same
time is seeking the treatment of subjects and themes which correspond

to his experience and creative inclination. In their majority these are
frontline stories which exude heroism and bravery. However, among them
are also stories which focus on the hero's pre—war life. For example,

in Zerno iizni, an old soldier, who is fatally wounded, knows he has not
long to live. Realizing that he is afraid of death with its uncertainty,
he thinks back on his life in his village.

Here Nagibin depicts a soldier's behavior that is perhaps less
courageous than that of his more heroic peers, and yet we feel respect
for this old soldier, trusting him more than many of the other war heroes
with their brave exploits. Our trust seems to grow as we find out about
the soldier's pre-war peasant life which passes before his dimming con-
sciousness. He loves his village, his region and his fatherland. He ap-‘
preciates the beauty of his homeland. He remembers how in his native
village the summer air is filled with mingling fragrances of the local
countryside. As he identifies these different smells, a calm comes over
him. It is as though he can smell them again: fragrant camomille, wild
berries and mushrooms, replaced later in the year by the full-bodied
aroma of apples and pears. In these recollections of his native village
so dear to him the soldier receives strength and sustenance.

The simple events Nagibin describes in war stories prompt the read-
er to think not only about the fate of man during war and the formation
and changes of his character while he is engaged in battle, but also

about his former pre-war years which, although remembered somewhat

31’

lone-sidedly and stressing only their brighter aspects, nevertheless,
help to explain where the hero gets his fortitude and patriotism. With
short but deft strokes Nagibin traces the evolution of his hero's inner
world from confused, fearful thoughts of death to the fearless decision
to die like a soldier.

The theme of love and faithfulness appears in the early war story,
ghiper uxodit v pZavanie (The Skipper Goes 1a-Sailing). Captain Savin
leaVes on the ship "Gromoboj" to deliver munitions to Stalingrad. But on
the way to the besieged city an enemy bomb sinks his ship and the tragic
news soon spreads up and down the Volga. However, Savin's wife cannot
believe that her husband is dead:

OHa u cnymaTb He xorena u cnpamusarb He cnpamueana.
Bce noma cunena, anxyna He Baxonnna. A KaK Baxpycren Ha

pexe nenox, nocraBnna B neqb Kucnoe Tecro nnfi nenemex, Ko-
Topue CaBuH npennoquran BceM npyrnM. Ho He npnmen myx, a

smecro Hero 3aqacrnn oouman, npuHTenb Kannraaa. "Crane
moen xenon," cxasan on onuamnm.
- Pano Bu myxa moero cxoponnnn, - orseruna CaBnHa, - a

eme npyrom ero Hasusanucs... M OHa aaxpana nOM or nmnefl.

TOJIbKO pas sauna ona K )KGHe Haan'IbI-IPIKa nop'ra Id ITOIIpOCPIJ'Ia

y Hee 6enofi myxn B nonr. - Mos BCH Bmmna, - cxasana ona,

-.a H xoqy K mymannomy npnesny nenemeqxu cneqb...3

In March when the ice on the river breaks, Ol'ga Andreevna can

stand it no longer. She asks permission to become skipper of a boat and,
leaving her children with the harbor master's wife, sets out to look for
her husband. Though his death was rumoured, the living Captain Savin re-
turns home in May to find his house empty. But in the cold oven he dis-
covers some dried-up Zep'eeki--the type of bread he loves. Thus, for the
first time in the history of the Volga, a sailor husband waits for his

wife to return from the high seas. There is nothing superfluous in this

story, but the reader will notice the many fine details. Three times the

 

34Ju. Nagibin, Bol'ébe serdce (Moscow: "Sovetskij pisatel'," 1944),
pp 0 125'26 o

32

author mentions Zep'eski, and each time it reminds us of Savina's
faithfulness and love. Other significant details reveal the war priva-
tions the people faced. For instance, when the boatswain brings some
black cookies("Bo'rcmaH Hacunan ropxy qepnoro neqenba. . . , " ), we
are immediately reminded of the difficult war period. Cerkasskij con-
tends that an actual incident was at the inception of the story, however,
even if in reality Savin had not returned, if he had perished, the writer
did well to resurrect him to show that love and faithfulness triumph.35
As mentioned above, critics generally agree that in his early sto-
ries and sketches of army life Nagibin rarely paints battle scenes. In-
stead, he focuses on the inner world of his hero, away from the action at
the front. For instance, in Vaganov (1946) Nagibin depicts "the vital
strength and fiery spirit of his hero - and of Russia - not in the vio-
lent clashes with the enemy, but in the full-blooded vigor of a Russian
folk dance and in the squadron's inability to believe that Vaganov can
be dead."36
In Put' na perednij kraj (The Trip to the Front Lines), a radio
communications man suffering from serious shell-shock is sent to the
army doctor in a neighboring village. On his way there and while wait-
ing for the doctor, he meets two women who make a lasting impression on
him:

OT ee manoro, nOBepanoro nomamaero oonnxa HOBEHHO Ba
mean Bnpyr qem-Io HerHHTHHM u qymnum... Mae BCHOMHH-
naCB Ta, npyran menmnaa, B TeMHOM, Hoqnom noesne. OHa
no HHTKK oooopaaa Bonnon, oHa numnnacs myma, ponnTenen,
KpOBa. M Bmecre He norepana anero; oars momer, name

npnoopena Ty ynanTenBHym menpym noopory, qro cnocoona
npmo'rnrb K corpe'rb BCHKOI‘O Romy onimoxo n nnoxc‘...oHa

 

3SCerkasskij, p. 181.

36Richards, p. xiii.

33

nomnBeT no TOPO Bennxoro npaanHKa Korna BCTpeTHTCfi Bce
paanyqeanue, coynyrcn Bce Hanemnm... A Bra, Taxaa me M0-
nonaa n xpenxan, He saana Huxaxnx ropecren n norepb. OHa
oxpymena ynoGCTBaMn, y Bee CHanHfi, nudamnn myx, ro-
TOBuH 3amnmaTB ee or Bcex Hanacrefl, n BceTaKH ona oenaa

n rpanymnfi npasnnnx He nnn Bee.

In his subsequent evaluation of these chance meetings, the hero pon—
ders about the striking difference between the two women. The first, who
had lost everything, had remained humane and kind; the second, who lacked
neither physical nor material blessings, was unfulfilled and spiritually
impoverished. And here Nagibin comes close to religious questions in his
interpretation of the "Big Holiday," symbolizing, in its own way, life af-
ter death, in which the first woman would participate but the second would
not.

The main attraction of Nagibin's stories is not so much the variety
of their themes as the interesting inner world of their heroes, their feel-
ings and thoughts. 'The distinctiVe trait his positive heroes have in com-
mon, that makes them akin to one another and truly Nagibinesque, is a
scrupulous exactingness in questions of duty, honor and conscience. This
is what determines their attitude toward life. They are young men and
women with strict moral judgements towards others, as well as towards them-

selves and their work.38

The Love Theme
Not surprisingly, in his focus on the complex inner world of his

heroes, Nagibin frequently writes about love; this is often love seen from
an uncommon point of view, or it is an unhappy, unrequited love.

In the story Ljubov' (Love), Nagibin tells about the true love of a
village boy, Egor, for his boyhood sweetheart, Nast'ja. Egor leaves

37

p. 221.
38

 

Ju. Nagibin, Skalistyj porog (Moscow: "Molodaja gvardija," 1958),

N. Vasil'eva, "Jurij Nagibin," Oktjabr', No. 12 (1958), p. 212.

34

his native village to study in town. Upon his return he is surprised to
learn that Nast'ja no longer lives at home. He finds out that she has

had a love affair with a prominent man who has then abandoned her. Now,
demoralized and cynical, she is working as a dishwasher. In her conver-

sation with Egor the writer shows how completely she has lost her inno-
cence. She tells Egor that she has learned about other ways of life

different from those of the village.

Nagibin analyzes Egor's many-sided and changing attitudes toward
Nast'ja. For reasons that are unclear to him, Egor no longer loves his
childhood sweetheart whom he has lost, but this strange, new Nast'ja.
When he asks her to return to him she again shows the full extent of her
degradation by boasting to her girlfriend about Egor's devotion. Final-
ly, after rejecting him several times, she joins Egor.

Gibian observes that, like his contemporary Jurij Kazakov, Nagibin
avoids facile interpretation of a situation. In Ljubov', as in many of
his other stories, writes Gibian, Nagibin sees human nature as complex
and baffling. But he refuses ixiembellish ("lakirovat'") reality. Nast'-
ja's flightiness and unreliability are underscored as human frailties
which lead to weakness and unhappiness.39

Shalistyj porog (Rocky Rapids) is a story of the unrequited love
of a young girl, Katja, living in a remote botanical experimental sta-
tion in the high mountains bordering the Afghan frontier. The geologist-
narrator on an expedition to that region brings Katja a letter. By
chance she confides to him that at the university she fell in love with
a man who was weak and irresponsible. After accepting her work at the

outlying post, she managed to have him assigned to the same botanical

 

39Gibian, p. 52.

35

station, but after a few months he became bored and ran away. Tracing
his whereabouts, Katja entreats him to come back. The letter the narra-
tor brings is the young man's reply refusing ever to return.

Although Katja's only companions are her pets, a turtle, a chicken,
a puppy and a pig, she has courage and hope. She continues her work,
trying her best to conceal her sorrow. This story shows, writes Gibian,
that like Kazakov, Nagibin considers unhappy or mixed emotions suffi-
ciently worthy topics in themselves without involvement with work, in-
dustry or agriculture.40

vejmar i okresnosti (Weimar and Environs) is an interesting analy-
sis of an uncommon middle-aged relationship in which the lovers lose
spiritual contact with one another. For the backdrop of the story, Nagi-
bin reproduces the terrifying spectacle of the Buchenwald concentration
camp. The hero, Georg Berger, is a Buchenwald guide who takes a group of
Soviet tourists through what used to be his former prison.i A history
teacher who refused to take his hat off to the FUhrer's portrait on his
birthday, Berger was sentenced to seven years of hard labor. Now he has
given his life to exposing the crimes that were perpetrated at Buchen-
wald. That evening in a dimly-lit Weimar basement pub the narrator
learns of the tragic fate of Georg Berger and his sweetheart Gisela who
has been waiting for him for over eleven years. The hopelessness of her
situation is summed up in her own words as she realizes that Georg has
allowed a Buchenwald of his own making to keep him from her forever:

Ee rnasa pacmnpunncs BupaxenneM ymaca n oonn. '"8 Be

nomnyCB Teoa, cxonbxo 63 He mnana! Tu HnKorna Be Bmxo-
nun H He Bannemb n3 narepfi, Peopr! Tu "oeccpoqnun

 

40George Gibian, "Soviet Literature During the Thaw," Literature
and Revolution in soviet Russia, 1917-62, eds. Max Hayward and Leopold
Labedz (New York: Oxford University Press, 1963), p. 138.

36

ByerBaana"...4l

In delovek i doroga (A Man and a Road), a chauffeur-hero p0pular in
Soviet literature (the reader is reminded of Antonov's "Empty Run") is
typified as the characteristic new socialist technician. An important
feature of the story is its unexpected ending. A young girl is picked
up by the lorry driver Bydkov who has an undesirable background. At
first he is unconcerned about the girl, then aggressive and finally he
becomes tenderly passionate. But she stays totally indifferent to his
changing moods. However, the opportunity for ByEkov to talk to someone,
who, albeit a captive audience and total stranger, makes self-renewal
possible. The cathartic alleviation of his fears and problems is the
turning point in the story.

The total vision which recognizes and uncovers paradoxes and the
complication of occurrences gradually deepens in Nagibin's writings. He
is able to describe his hero's personality with mood-evoking elements by
creating an adequate atmosphere and by psychological analysis which un-
covers not only the simple but complex, paradoxical and ambivalent feel-
ings without resorting to moralizing.

This is shown in the story ghola dea vzroslyx (The School for A-
dults), where there are neither exhortations, the traditional remembrance
of one's childhood friendships, nor the unwarranted happy ending. In-
stead, there is a trustworthy depiction of characters: a young country
hobo, Ule§ov, turned tanner and a rather plain, but charming school
teacher, Anna Sergeevna. There are true—to-life details, such as class
sessions, dances and dates of Anna Sergeevna and Ule§ov and their dis-

parate feelings about life, their feelings which do not consider the

 

4'Nagibin, Izbrannye..., 243.

37

cliches of good or bad.

The main point in the story is that conflicts such as this do not
take place in a vacuum, but in the unique conditions of the school for
adults where it ill behooves a teacher to fall in love with her student.

In Shola dea vzroslyx, incidentally, the critic M. Iof'ev hears
intonations of Bunin. In the composition and atmosphere of the story

the critic sees a fruitful assimilation of past experience. But in the
stylistics where the rhythm and phraseology may be cited, Bunin's intona-
tions are unmistakable, concludes Iof'ev.42
That Buninian soZnecnyj udhr-type of life, to follow up the re-
mark above on Bunin, is described in another story, Sroého trebujutsja
sedye éeZoveéeskie voZosy (Gray Human Hair Urgently Needed). Only here
the sudden "sunstroke" love comes to an old family man,(3u§din, who is
tired of life with his wife and daughter who do not love him, so he
spends all his free time pursuing a hobbye-the architecture of old Pe-
tersburg. In Leningrad by a theater marquee announcing a film about
gray hair he meets a young actress, Nata§a Proskurova. That same day
he expresses his love for the arts to her. Nata§a in turn shows Gu§iin
her favorite Petersburg haunt-~an artist's studio. Back at home in Mos-
cow, convinced of his genuine love for Nataga, bdt unsure of her actual
feelings for him, he sends her a Curious telegram in the form of a
question asking whether or not she has any further need of gray human
hair: "Tpeoyio'rcn ma eme cenbie qenOBeqecxne 801100151?" The reply:
"na, na, na, cpoimo!" shows how the story gets its name, and reas-
sures Guééin, who tells his wife and daughter that he is leaving. YOn his

way to the railway station, however, glancing back at his house, Gu§6in

sees his wife in the window, and turns back.

 

42M. Iof'ev, "Pisatel' v puti," Novyj mir, No. 3 (1959), p. 240.

38

Some critics attribute the surprise ending of the story to Guidin's

43 but a different and more plausible view is taken by Sapo§ni-

weakness,
kov who holds that Gu§tin's interest becomes more than just a hobby. It
is his refuge from an unhappy marriage. Gu§5in devotes all his time to

a scholarly study of Peterburg's architecture with which he is then able
to impress Nata§a. Ironically, however, while pursuing this means of es-
cape Gu§Ein is gradually shutting himself off from reality and building

a shell around himself that grows so hard that human emotions can no
longer penetrate it. This shell shuts tight at the precise moment when
Gu§5in was required to take one step towards his happiness. It was not
Nagibin's aim to accuse or unmaSk anyone in this story, continues Sapo§-
nikov. The author has simply written an excellent love story reminding
the reader that happiness comes to those who deserve it. In the critic's
view Nagibin's story is one of the most poetic in the annals of contempo-

rary love stories.44

"Na zlobu dnja" Theme
Some of us might remember from history classes that in 1928 the
whole world was shaken by the tragic fate of aeronaut Umberto Nobile and
his companions who undertook an expedition to the North Pole on the air-
ship "Italia." Short wave radio enthusiasts all over the world stayed
at their wireless sets hoping in vain to catch the "Italia" crew's SOS.
Swedish and Norwegian ships were dispatched to Spitzbergen. Scandinavi-

an, French and Italian pilots launched a rescue mission. The Soviet

 

43
228-29.

44V. Sapo§nikov, "Dela semejnye, dela serdeEnye," Sibirskie ogni,
No. 9 (1974), pp. 172-73.

Lidija Fomenko, "Pobeidaet xudoinik," Znamja, No. 9 (1973), pp.

39

Union set two ice-breakers, the "Krasin" and "Malygin" with the noted
Polar aces, Babugkin and Cuxnovskij aboard.45

Nagibin relates how at the age of eight he emulated the brave ex-
plorers and years later was asked to write the screen version of the ill-
fated polar rescue:

BmeCTe c npyrnMH nmnBMH caMOBaoBeHHo cnennn 3a 60pb-
6on cmensanOB BOCBMHneTHHn maannx, Booopamaanfl ceoa
nooqepenHo T0 oaaaranuM Amynncenom, T0 0TBaXHHM 9yx-
HOchnM, TO pomaarnqecxnm ManbMPpeHOM, T0 CYpOBHM Camou-
HOBnueM. 9THM maanuxom, noqru cheBBmenM n3 moefl naMH-
TH, pan a cam... Cnycrn rpunnarb ceMB new MHe npennomnnn
Harmoa'rb cuenappm 0 cnacemm SKCIlenHLlHPI HOGHJ'Ie. KOHel-IHO,
H. C paJZIOCTblO Ir! BOJ‘IHeI-IHeM COI‘JIaCHJTCH.

It was as though an unseen bridge was thrown across the present
from the days of the author's youth. All the excitement he felt then
came alive in him now as he poured over the yellowing pages of newspapers
and magazines and then set out to interview participants and eye—
witnesses of the expedition both in the Soviet Union and abroad. 'From
their stories Nagibin wrote the scenario and an additional four stories
about the places he visited and the pepple he interviewed, among them the
"Italia's" communications operator, Giuseppe Biaggi, in Rome. He com-
bined the four stories into one long narrative under the title Po sledam
odnoj ekspedicii (On the Trail of an Expedition).47

In it Nagibin focuses on the characters' worth, on their reactions

in the dramatic Surroundings of an Arctic prison. It is as though the
author were filling the shells of the actors in the scenario with emo-

tional and psychological content. The actors portrayed in the scenario

had to be described by their outer portraits as characteristically

 

45J. Nagibin, “Vmesto predislovija," Ne doj emu pogibnut' (Moscow:
"Molodaja gvardija," 1968), p. 5.

46
47

Ibid.
Ibid.. PP. 101-146.

40

required in a scenario. But here the author does not concern himself as
much with the events. The sphere of his search here is the human soul.
At the same time, he records many interesting developments and discover-
ies which serve to illuminate the actual events. The critic I. Kozlov
calls the story one of meetings and reactions. In working out the same
Nobile theme, says the critic, Nagibin structures it as a sort of com-
mentary to the scenario in the genre of "pure prose.” Thus, the story

has independent artistic value.48

In 197049 50

and 1971, Nagibin wrote a cycle of fourteen stories in
honor of the first cosmonaut, Jurij Gagarin, entitled Malen'kie rasskazy
o bol'éoj sud'be (Little Stories about a Great Destiny). In 1974 he pub-
lished seven more stories called Rasskazy o Gagarine (Stories about Gaga-
rin)5' which complete the collection. Initially, Nagibin gathered the
material for a scenario of Gagarin's life but the plans to produce the
film did not materialize. Written after Gagarin's death in 1968, the
stories about him give a retrospective view of the Smolengdina, Gagarin's
school years, days of occupation, then the flying club, years of train-

ing and finally, a trip to the stars.52

Many stories are told from the
point of view of the hero's parents, others from the author's point of
view. One story named Bujanka, which was the name of the Gagarin family

cow, has a humorous-polemic ending in which Nagibin compares Bujanka to

 

481. Kozlov, "Po raznym stranam," Znamja, No. 9 (1968), p. 244.

49
89-108.

50Ju. Nagibin, Pereulki moego detstva (Moscow: "Sovremennik,"
1971). pp. 7-48.

Ju. Nagibin, Perekur (Moscow: "Sovetskaja Rossija," 1970), pp.

S'Ju. Nagibin, Ty budeé' Eit' (Moscow: "Sovremennik," 1974), PP. 5-30.

52V.'Povoljaev, "Nadinaja s pereulkov detstva," Literaturnaja gazeta
(Sept. 27, 1972, p. 5.

41

the lengendary she-wolf that nursed Romulus and Remus:

HpocnaBnena B Bexax Bonqnna, BCKOpMflBmafi xpOBoxanaoro
Pomynaeoparoyounny. He cqecrb ee nsoopaxenufl B Mpamope,
oponse, rpannre. A B Pume, y Kannronus, oonraer B xnerxe
mason chBon KOpMHflHuH ocaoBarena Beqnoro ropona. Kaxoro‘
me naMfiTBHxa sacnyanaeT noopax pyccxaa xopoBa, Bcnoanaa
'CBouM monoxom npexpacnenmero cuna Hamero Bexal..§3

v a V C 54 . .

In Cetunov, syn etunova (Cetunov, The Son of etunov) , Nagib1n
investigates the theme: children of famous fathers. The young geolo-
gist, Cetunov, son of the famous geologist and academician, undergoes a
severe trial in the hot desert sun where he works alone scaling the wall
of a huge crater-like basin. His inner world is tested on the touch-
stone of privations and intense desert heat. Perched on a perpendicular
wall of rock, his supply of water gone, he struggles to conquer his fear
and weakness. The scorching sun is the second main character in the
story:

Conane - nooena pacxanenaun, mourn oeaneTHHH map —
croano B BEHHTe, n Bcaxnn pas, Korna quyHOB BarnanuBanca
B Hero...emy npnxonnnoCB Ba HeCKoanO cexynn 3aKpHBaTb
rnaaa... POT ero ooBonoxno nunxofi canofi, Koma Ba nune H
pyKax synena n qecanaCB or omerOB connua... Emy npencraB-

nanocs, qTo confine nponuuaer ero ourypy, CHOBHO crex-
.no..

Cetunov is mistaken about his strength and ability but he does not
find this out until he lives through the ordeal in the desert discovering
himself as he really is: a weakling and coward.

Nagibin first got the idea of writing a story set in the Kara-Kum
desert when he crossed it in an airplane. The yellow-gray emptiness of

the landscape was heart-rending:

 

53Nagibin, 2y budes..., p. 7.

54The story was first published under the title Pustynja (The Des-
ert) and co-authored by geologist L. Tisov in the Zimnij dub collection.

55Nagibin, Izbrannye..., I, 67-68.

42

...MH cn0BHo HenBHmHo n0Bncnn Han xenTo-cepmm roopnpOBaH-
Hum npocrpanchom, nycrmm, neqanbnmm, xBaTammnm 3a cepnne,
ono KaBaHOCb onBOBpemenHo H oecxoneqno nanexum, a onacno
onusxnm... Hosnnee, Korna mne anmHOCb Ha aBTomamnHe nepe-
ceKaTB necqauue HPOCTpaHCTBa Kapa—KyMOB,;I yme He mor
cnnbaee noquCTBOBaTB nycrunm, qem npn nepBom ee orxpurnn
c Bosnyxa...anqro He morno an paaaooopasurb, an ycyryonTB
mow nepBym Tarocraym omenomnenaocrb or 6ecxpaanux, nycrmx
cepo-menrux HpOCTpaHCTB. M Torna a nonan, qro Be ycno-
KOMCb, noxa He Hanumy paccxaa o nycruae.

Ten years passed after Nagibin's first glimpse of the desert but he
stillhad no theme for the story that would utilize the awesome landscape
untillwabecame interested in the children of famous fathers theme. Not
a new theme inliterature, it seemed, nevertheless, as inexhaustible to
him as other themes common to all mankind such as, love, envy, friend-
ship, etc. Moreover, his interest in this theme was heightened because
he had a close personal friend with a famous father. If he were not the
son of his well-known father this talented, ambitious young man would
have achieved great success or even fame. However, he always felt in
constant conflict with those around him and in order to write about him

Nagibin had to get away from the prototype so that neither his friend

nor his friend's acquaintances would guess his identity:57

...3 CTaBnn ceoe'uenbm ananns xapaKTepa a B0Bce He pa-
aofinaqenne H Bce me pemnn KaK momBo nanbme yBeCTH‘CBoero
repon or ero nporornna, HOCTaBHTb ero B name mnanennue-
oocronrenbcha, naTB emy nHym onorpaonm, npooeccnm, BHem-
Hun oonnx. M TYT mean ocennno: yBeny-xa a ero B Kapa-
Kymcxym nycruam, nanbme Hexyna. Tax mon repon H cran
reonorom, a nenchne paccxasa nepemno B rnyouny Kapa-
KyMOB. Haxoaeu-To Hacennn H CTOHb nonro nyCTOBaann
nefisam...qroou ours nonarum no xoaua, nonxea nooaBnTB:
nycrunn B srom paccxase He oon, a nenchywmee nauo npnrom
BeCBma axTaBHoe.

 

56Ju. Nagibin, Razmyglenija o rasskaze (Moscow: "Sovetskaja Ros-
sija," 1964), pp. 61-62.

57
58

wide, pp. 62-630
Ibid., p. 64.

43

He achieves this by changing his friend's profession and luring
him from his natural surroundings to the heart of the scorching Kara-Kum
desert.

V
In this story the main character, Cetunov the younger, seems to
have nothing in common with another Nagibin hero, Pal Palyd (Noénoj
V
gost'). Cetunov is a young geologist, son of the famous academician,
Cetdnov; Pal PalyE is an older experienced man who turns out to be shal-
low and petty, used to living parasitically off the kindness and out-
going nature of those around him.
And yet, the two characters have some similar character traits.
v ,
Cetunov, a talented, goal-oriented man, nevertheless, as Nagibin shows,
is also a parasite: his relative success in life is due largely to the
name of his famous father:
Mrpaa co CBonmn CBepCTBHKamn B nmonmym nercxym nrpy
"Kem TH oynemb?", on Huxorna He TepHHCH cpenn BceBoamom-
Bax BamaaqHBux npooeccnn... OH Bcerna roBopnn onno a T0
me, npocro H yoemneHHo: "H 6yny anameanrum reonorom."
Ha STOT cqer He ouno anxaxnx comaeann, an y Hero camoro,
an B ceMBe. Kem me mor CTaTb quYHOB, can quYHOBa? Emy

He 11195131111100!) HCKaTb, 011M6aTbCH B onpeneneann CBOGI‘O
HYTPI

Whereas the character of Pal Palyd is fully formed, Nagibin shows
Cetunov in development. Faced with the first difficult situation in life
with which his father could not help him, he finds that he is not well
prepared for life on his own. In fact, in his judgement he has failed
miserably. The reader, nevertheless is left with the hope that young
Cetunov will overcome his weakness and develop into the worthy, honest
and courageous man he thought he was. We are encouraged in this hope as
we see how severely he chastizes himself for his cowardliness. We are

further assured of this by the changes for the better that have taken

 

59Nagibin, Zimnij..., p. 287.

44

place in his character during the few short hours he Spent on the danger-
ous crater wall.

Penetrating into his hero's consciousness, Nagibin shows Cetunov's
utter confusion at the moment when he loses his self-control, ready to
curse all those near and dear to him, including his parents.

Nagibin raises some serious questions when he calls for the reader
to think about the responsibility of man towards society and towards him-
self. At the end of the story he leaves us with the thought that,irithe
final analysis, the most terrifying thought is not that someone else may
find out about one's unseemly actions of cowardice and lies (for
Cetunov everything turned out well in this respect) but the loss of one's
own self-respect.

In his story Svet v okne (A Light in the Window), Nagibin tells a-
bout a sanatorium in which a magnificent apartment is kept vacant for
years in the hope that a certain "someone" will soon occupy it. So real
is the expectancy of this personage that his bodiless authority, the
specter of officialdom already resides in the empty rooms. The utopian
promise reminiscent of that in Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot" be-
comes a symbol. Phantom-like, the great "someone" rules in the hearts of
the people in the sanatorium. His presence is especially closely felt
by the sanatorium director and Nastja, the cleaning woman.

The director, Vasilij Petrovid, did everything in his power to en-
sure that the arrival of the great guest would not take him unawares. He
instructed the best cleaning woman to take care of the rooms and Nastja
devoted herself to her new assignment with all the strength of her uncor-
rupted heart. Gradually the legendary personage who was to occupy the

apartment took on an ever more story-like appearance in her mind until

45

she was convinced that a being to whom one was so devoted every minute
of the day can have little to do with other mortals. For this reason
nothing provided a greater joy than the daily upkeep of the beautiful
rooms that would welcome him. But the days passed, weeks turned into
months, and months into years but no one came. The rooms grew colder
and emptier because no one warmed them with their presence. The tele-
vision gazed with a blind eye, the billiard balls slumbered on the grass-
y table top. Then one day Nastja stopped waiting. The foolishly wasted
time, her meaningful love began 'h) turn to hate. There is a verse in
Proverbs 13112 stating that hope deferred makes the heart sick. Final-
ly, the one that Nastja had so long hoped for became the one she hated,
so that she considered it the greatest injustice to turn the bright rooms
and useful objects over to the "hated one." Nagibin shows that Nastja
could stand the empty rooms no longer. She therefore invites the lowli-
est of the lowly-~the sanatorium watchman and his children--into the a-
partment to watch television with her. When the director sees the light
in the window of the apartment and realizes what has happened, he angrily
throws them out, but in so doing only feels aversion for himself.

The East German critic, Helen von Ssachno, comments on the symbol-
ism in the story which depicts Nastja as the hardworking, patient peoplethat
rise up in hatred against the "someone" for whom Vasilij PetroviE is a
paid guardian of the masses. Von Ssachno remarks that Nagibin's story
"rests" on two "pillars," a realistic and a symbolic one, and that Nagi-
bin portrays a typical Soviet sanatorium where nothing "richtig klappt."60

The most dangerous symptom of all is the gap between the party of-

ficials and the people which allows the reader to draw the direct

 

60Helen von Ssachno, Der Aufstand der Person (Berlin: Argon Ver-
lag, 1965), p. 166.

46

conclusion that class differentiation still exists.

The Kolkhoz Village Theme

In the late fifties and early sixties Nagibin started writing sto-
ries with sharp societal conflicts and contemporary issues. Such sto-
ries, for example Razgovor (The Conversation), xazarskij ornament (The
Hazar Ornament), Kogdo utki v pore (When Ducks are in their Prime), Po-
ganja (The Chase), belong to this group. But the dramatic effect of these
stories never reached the intensity of societal conflicts portrayed in
Stranioy 5izni Trubnikoua (The Pages of Trubnikov's Life). This long
short story was immediately acclaimed as an example of the writer's lit-

6' Its hero, Egor Trubnikov, is a maimed ex-soldier

erary creativity.
who returns from the war to breathe new life into the devastated collec-
tive farm in his native village.

In an article Nagibin describes his meeting with an unusual kolkhoz
chairman who became the dominant hero in Nagibin's stories of the kolkhoz
village theme. Travelling extensively throughout the U.S.S.R., Nagibin
spent the summer of 1947 in the Kursk region. The year before, a severe
drought had parched the Kursk lands, destroying the Moéinno-traktornaja
stancija. Collective farm workers were forced to plough their fields
with their cows that year or to harness themselves to their ploughs. But
suddenly, like a veritable oasis in the desert, there, in the village of
Cerkasskie konopel'ki, near Sudia, was a large, prosperous collective
farm:

...Konxos "qu" samuroqamfi, curufi, a,B Hem npencenarenb-

Hana TaTbHHa HeTpOBHa nbnqeaxo...6e3mepno TanaHTnnBaa B
Kaxnom xpenxo nocraBneBHom cnOBe, B xamnom Bupasurenbnom

 

61
p. 109.

Fomenko, "Dalekoe i blizkoe," mod sovremennik, No. 2 (1966),

47

KapTHHHOM xecre, B Kaxnom pemeanu... Bra nomanan rpyBHaH
meamnaa ouna or oora OprannsaTOpom, Tpnoyaom, Bomaxom.
Horom a nncan o Hen n Bnpnmym n KOCBeHHO, Hanenan Tepnxnm
apomaTom ee nnqnocru npyrnx repoeB. OHa ouna Tax ooraTa,
qro ee Ba maornx XBaTano. Heomnnanno nna mean camoro, ona
upOpBanaCB B Er0pe proauKOBe...

Mot' kolxoza (Mother of the Collective Farm) is the second story'
with Tat'jana D'jaEenko as prototype. It tells about the life and work
of an unusual peasant woman, Nadeida Petrovna Kostenko, who was elected
kolkhoz chairman by the people of her native village of Malye dvoriki.

The narrator describes his meeting with NadeZda Kostenko in the fall of
1947 when he undertakes to visit several collective farms in the Kursk
region under enemy occupation during the war. He wanted to see for him-
self how kolkhoz workers were managing to restore the damages.

Only semi-literate but with an unbounded energy and a natural gift
for leadership, Nadeida Petrovna tells about the efforts that went into
the rebuilding of a collective farm which was burned to the ground during
the war. The story, thus, has two narrators: Nagibin and Nadefda Ko-
stenko. Nadeida's narrative is frequently interrupted by collective farm
administrative personnel who come to seeher about the everyday problems
pertaining to the life of the farm. As demands are made on her time, Na-
gibin takes the opportunity to give the reader his own evaluation of the
farm and the colorful character of Nadeida Kostenko. In one of these a-
sides, for example, when she goes to inspect the newly-erected club
house, he goes along, and with the description of the farm grounds and
buildings gives us the main character traits of Nadeida Kostenko, who is

making her dream farm a reality:

Ha STOM oasy a nque nouan qepry xapaxrepa KOCTeHKO,
n0pon ycxonbsaBmym or mean B qacrmx npoaBneHnax ee

 

62Nagibin, "A ceP..., p. .

48

Temnepameara... HeHOBeK HeoomKHOBeBHon nymeBHon emxocrn,
cnocoonufi 6ecxoaeqno maoro B ceoa BmeCTHTB, oaa Bce nonun-
Hner enHHon uenn, mecrxon BHyTpeHBen nucnnnnnne. Taxon

me 06pa3uOBHfi n0panox, xax Ha 6a3y, napnr B ee mucnax n
quchax...

. Vv . V .

In souremennik Scepkina (A Contemporary of Sdepkin), the narrator
tells how he joins another correspondent whom he meets while in the
Kursk regionvdwiis on his way to the village "K" near Sudia to interview
the collective farm chairman about sheep-herding in the winter. While
his friend is interviewing the chairman, the narrator finds out that the

vV . o 0' o o
famous actor Scepkin was born in this very Village; and that there 15 an
o o o o v I
old man liv1ng in the Village who is SEepkin's coeval. The narrator asks
if he can interview the man and the chairman, after talking it over with
his wife, suggests the man be brought over to his house. In the mean-
time the conversation turns to the oldster's age. The consensus is that
he must be between a hundred and ten and a hundred and fifteen.
'V o c o o o 0
When Scepkin's coeval finally arrives and the questioning begins,
v o
we learn that the man does not rememberSfiepkinat.aiibut the story turns
out to be a fine character sketch which is dominated by a description of
the old man:

OrxnnynaCB nBepB, a noxasanaCB xpynnaa, non crapnnaum
xoxannum xaprysom, ronoBa B cennne Bonoc, 6pOBefl, ycoB n
nnnuaon, mano He no nony, oopona. M3 sapocnn Barnantan
prnBOBaran HOC, Tome B menxnx cenux Bonocxax, n nBa
cnaux-cnnnx rnasa, uncrux, oynro xnmquon Bonon npomurmx,
Kax y proenbcxoro Hana. 3a ron0Bofi UOKasaHOCb oonbmoe,
cnomnenaoe B noncanne Tynanme...naxe cxpmqennan ronamn,
on see DaBHO oun BHCOK, xyna Bume He Tonbxo npencenarenn,
HO n xomcomonbcxoro cexperapa, nonnepmnBaanx ero csann
3a noxrn. OH onnpanca Ha Toncrym nanxy, menneano nepec-
TaBnaB xax CBnnuom HanHTHe Born B axxypaTHHx qecanxax. Ha
Hem Gan onparaan, nooporamn asamqnx, BaCTerBmifl no camoro
r0pna, n 6meH B nonocxy, BanpaBneHHHe B qecaaxn. Ero

pocr a mnpb Tena, B xoropom, HeCMOTpH Ba Hanemnee oeccn-
nae, yrantanaCB ounaa rBepnaa npoqaocrb, He Tonbxo He

 

63Nagioin, Zimnij..., p. 130.

49

ymenbmanu, HaHPOTHB nonqepKnBanu npnxnocrb crapua. A
HCHaH anb ero uncrux, 6ynTo npomurmx rnas FOBopHna name
0 oesnymBe, o noqrn nonnon annmqenaocrn cosaannn...

Along with very well written stories, such as Stranioy éizni Trub-
nikova, Mbt' kolxoza and Sovremennik gdepkina, the story Novajalhmjes—
sija (The New Profession), is weak because the author does not tell us enough
about the main character. In Novaja professija, the author is given an
assignment to write about the local shepherds. So he sets out to see a
hero-shepherd Xlopin. On the way to the village he meets a bearded man
driving a late model "Moskvii." When he arrives at the place where the
flock is grazing, he finds out that the man in the MoskviE was Xlopin.
Sorry to have missed him, the writer stays to talk to the shepherd's
helper and finds out amazing things about Xlopin. Should the reader
take the writer's word for it? Taking a skeptical pose, Nagibin records
the conversation with the shepherd's helper:

- Ho cornacheCB, qro n Xnonnu - nanexo He oomee aneHne B
xonxosaon nepeBHe.

- na, no Xnonnnux no Konxosam CTaHOBnTcn Bce oonbme n
oonbme. M npaBnano o Hem nncann B Hamen panonaon raaeTe,
qro on noxasarenb npouecca, ROTOpun nneT B nepeBBe...

- 9T0 me on cnenan Taxoro, qroom CTaTb "noxaaarenem
nponecca"?

- 9T0 cnenan? - napeBeK sanymancn - Kax Bam cxasarb? OH
COBceM no-nnomy nonomen x crany...

- qTo me TyT HOBoro? Bcnxnn x0pomnn nacryx nonxen 3HaTb
CBOHX KOPOB.

- Snare-To momno no-pasnomy... OnHo neno anarb "HOBOp" Ko-
pOBH, BH6KBaTb n3 Bee xnyrom "onamb", Kax 9T0 nenan npem-
nun nacryx, a npyroe neno - anarb no-xnonnacxn, no-Hayq-
Homy. nyno asyanB onsnonornqecxne 0006eHHOCTH xaxnon
Koposu, ee xapaxTep, npnBuqxn n cosnaTB nnn Bee Ba nacr-
6nme ocooae ycnOBnn... Benb 9T0 rnaBHan, TBOpqecxan 3a-
naqa nacryxa.

Should it be surprising that an artificial scheme will produce

 

64Ju. Nagibin, Rasskazy (Moscow: "Sovetskij pisatel'," 1955), p.

173.

65Ju. Nagibin, Gospodstvujuséaja vysota (Moscow: "Pravda," 1950),
p. 90-910

50

artificial language? In addition, the author is talking about the vir-
tues of a man with whom he has not so much as exchanged a word. A fleet-
ing encounter on the village road is all we see of Xlopin. There is no
background on him, but the story bristleswith fine detail, for example:
OT Hequ‘O nena'rb H c'ran cmo'rpe'rb Ha B01134, Han KOTODOFI
xpymnnBCB crpexosu co CTeKnnHHmMH xpunbamn. Onn HOCHHHCb
Cpenn KaMhIIIIPIHOK PI WHHHX, TOIIIHX XBOIIIeH, TO nouesan, T0
I'IOHBJ'IHHCI: 88081:; a sarem H ITOHFIJI, ‘I'I‘O OHM BOBce He
HC‘IGBBIOT, a, CKJIallblBafi KpleIbIIflKPI, DpHJIeITJTFIIOTCH K XBOILIaM
H KWHKaM B BPIIIe BOJ‘IOCHHO-TOHKHX CTpY‘IO‘IKOB.6
This is a keen observation about dragonflies and almost an idea. Xlopin
and othernpokazateli processa exist and it is entirely possible that
Nagibin may have met them in a Moskvid somewhere. This story might a-
rouse some curiosity about the processes of kolkhoz life; as a literary
work, however, it is not one of Nagibin's better short stories.

Some of us may remember that many such stories were written and
considered acceptable at a time when the village economy was going
through a difficult period. A similar lack of artistic quality is dis-
played in other Nagibin stories.

Another shortcoming in Nagibin's stories of that period is a
schematicism and a happy ending that is contrary to logic, a criticism
voiced by Tarasenkov. A deficiency in many of his stories, contends Ta-
rasenkov, becomes evident when one reads Nagibin's stories one after a-
nother, whereupon the same scheme in plot development appears.

Critics have pointed out that one of the most characteristic
traits of Nagibin's prose is his use of precise, meaningful detail. In

his search for a better style in his post-war stories, however, Nagibin

goes overboard in the use of insignificant details. His stories of that

 

66Ibid., p. 89.

67Tarasenkov, II, 182.

51

period are replete with unhappy choices of detail which only expose a
weak, unlikely narrative. There are instances when his choice of detail
is So far removed from the narration that it stands in the way of an
otherwise good story.

Besides superfluous detail, some of Nagibin's post-war stories suf-
fered from et'udnost'--a sketchy, unfinished quality. Evgenij Vorob'ev,
praises Nagibin's story Rauk (The Spider)68. Vorob'ev's praise is valid,
however, only for the beginning and ending of the story. This is how it
starts:

no Boqam yconbnu nOBnT paoy "nayxom" - nnocxnm caqxom,
npnxpenneanum x nnnnnomy mecry n3 CTBona mononon oepesxu
PUD! OCHHbl.

After this short description of their fishing nets, called "spi-
ders," the fishermen gather on the bridge with their nets. There is talk
of a fulfillment of a plan and that someone lacked getting the premium by
three tenths of one percent, and about other things not pertinent to the
story. But at last the main character Glotov appears, but says nothing.
The reader finds out from the fishermen that Glotov is a very greedy man
and had to be reprimanded. However, nothing had changed, for he is one
of those people who knows all the ins and outs of the courts, so people
have had to put up with him. Suddenly a stranger gets into the conversa-
tion and says "prcu Bbl 6pa’I‘uhI, Bo'r two!" But when one of the
fishermen inquires who this stranger is, somebody out of the darkness an-
swers: "K'ro ero snae'r -- ‘IenOBech'

Thus, the story closes on an important note, a remarkable descrip-

tion of a cold spring night, another exchange by the fisherman and an

 

68
69

Evgenij Vorob'ev, Novyj mir, No. 11 (1955), p. 249.

Nagibin, Zimnij..., p. 213.

52

effective ending. All this makes a certain impression, but it is for-
gotten in a few minutes. The reason for this is simple.) "onno neno
paccxasaTB, npyroe -- nsoopasuTB," Maksim Gor'kij was known to
say: This is precisely the problem here. It is not enough for Nagibin
to call Glotov a "spider" where there is no evidence against him. The
reader cannot believe the author's word alone. He must see the hero,
know about his vices or virtues, then make up his own mind whether he
likes or dislikes him. The writer hears some negative reports on Glotov:
he is supposed to have lied about his age, so in addition to a pension
he gets a hundred and seventy rubles from his daughter. However, the
reader gets no clue as to how Glotov gets the money. We want to believe
the author, but he fails to convince us:

...qToou Tpouyno, HToou Banno 3a nymy, mu nonxnu anneTB

Kan nayK-necnOT HCTfiaaET CTapyxy; xaK saoun on ponnym

nous; xax nosxo onnen ch Oprry, B TOM uncne n cynaqamnx

o Hem pH6OHOBOB; xax manen n mepaox, Kax xono en a meCTox.

BOT Torna-To n mm c omepaennem oxaxem "nayx!" 0

Luka§evi€71 sees a number of Nagibin's shortcomings in the fact

that the writer left the novella and turned to the "rasskaz," that is,
instead of the unusual he started writing about the ordinary and common-
place. But Cerkasskij believes it is not exchanging the uncommon for the
ordinary events that spoils such stories as Kombajnery (The Combine Oper-
ators), Liénoe pervenstvo (Personal Superiority), Pobeditel' (The Winner)
for example, in which the hero's character does not fit the artist's in-
tention, but a fictitious scheme dwarfs and cripples the character. Thus

we find a shallow truth of details instead of a story that rings true to

the hero's character.

 

70

7"V. Lukasevid, "Pogovorim o rasskaze," Literaturnaja gazeta (Au-
gust 16, 1955), p. 3.

Cerkasskij, p. 180.

53

The sensation of artificiality grows when we read some other Nagi-
bin stories. There is the schematic portrait of the seventy-six-year—old
milkmaid, Avdotja, who after retirement cannot stay home but zealously
interferes in all the affairs of the collective farm (Na pokoe [The Re-
tirementl). Then there is the awkward but hardworking and honest stu-
dent Kostja who successfully competes with the handsome Alik for Tanja's
love (Junnye gody (Young Yearsl). Also the champion ice-skater Stre§nev
who runs a race knowing he will lose his championship to his student,
KurEatov (Pobeditel' [The Winner]). Such individuals in similar situa-
tions if they are taken separately do occur. However, the importunate
monotony of irreproachable characters, and happy endings recur too fre-
quently and are too obvious in the stories under discussion to give the
illusion of true-to-life conflicts.

Even the director of an MTS, Petr KirilloviE, who has been sus-
pended from work because he failed to keep pace with life, as Nagibin
assures us, will soon understand his shortcomings and re-orient himself
(Pozdnjaja osen'fLate Autumn]). Unhappy Polja will cease envying her
Alikper and marry him soon to everyone's general contentment (V Sinegorii
[In Sinegoriel).

Thus, it seems that the optimism of a number of Nagibin's stories is
an automatic optimism. The conflicts that arise in the course of the
narrative are not solved by means of victory of the progressive principle
over the backward one, but are simply forced out of life, which dissolves in-
to a "general happiness."

In Kombajnery (The Combine Operators), Nagibin forces combine opera-
tors who have fallen behind in production to work in great anxiety while

awaiting the arrival of a master combine operator, Gorban' from the

54

Rostov region. As they prepare to meet this legendary hero, the local
combine workers double their output norms. The writer tells about this
interestingly. At the end of the story, however, it becomes apparent
that the famous combine operator is not coming after all; he is already
working at another collective farm, and moreover turns out to be a
female worker by the name of Elizaveta Gorban'. Thus, the conflict never
materializes, and furthermore, the story becomes an anecdote that is not
original as the reader is reminded of Nozdr'ev's Elizaveta Vorobej.

Yet another Nagibin shortcoming was the result of his falling under
the influence 6f the "no conflict theory," of which, as Tarasenkov
states, he may not even have been consciously aware. Nagibin's timidity
in portraying the existing contradictions of life, contends Tarasenkov, is
one of the latent results of the no-cbnflict theory.72

In Gosudarstvennoe delo (A State Affair) ,which was initially called
Pokupka konja (A Horse Purchase)73,twwehero of the story, Kretov, who is
a connoisseur and lover of horses, wants to establish a horse breeding
farm in one of the well-to-do collective farms in the South. The obstacle
in the path of Kretov's dream is the chairman of the kolkhoz, Struganov,
who refuses to advance the few thousand rubles for the project. This is
the main conflict in the story.

In the beginning Kretov and the zoo technician are exchanging their
views about Kretov's idea:

- Ho nosBonBTe, 3a qem neno CTano? Ha xonesaBonax moxno
nonHCKaTb Bce, qTo BaM nyxno... Bam xonxoa B HHHemHeM Tony

5OJ'IbLIJOfi ,IIOXOfl BBHJ'I. Tax Heycho npaBneHne He MOJKeT OTHYC"

THTb KaKnx-Huoynb TpnnnaTb Tucan?
- A B5 co CprraHOBmm nor0BopnTe - on 3a xonxosnmn KapmaH

 

72Tarasenkov, p. 185.

73Ju. Nagibin, "Pokupka konja," Novyj mir, No. 9 (1950), p. 109.

55

ooenmn pyxamn nepancnl.. OH BenB Kax nenb ynpnmmn.74
Further along in the story the author explains Struganov's obstina-
cy: although he is a good manager, he lacks long-range vision.
CprraHOB x0pomo SHan xoaancho, ymen sameq nmnen,
He oonncn HOBOBBeneBnn. Ho ouna emy CBonCTBeHBa xaxan-
T0 orpannqeaaocrb, SaCTaBnHmafi ero OTCTpaHHTb or ceon
_mnoroe, qro He ouno CanaHo c onnmanmnmn unrepecamn
xosnncha. ' '
Nagibin outlines very carefully the beginning conflict be-
tween the far-sighted determined man and the able but limited administrator
who is unwilling to make a long-range commitment. On the next page Na-
gibin gives a dialog which explains the main point of the conflict.
Struganov would rather put the money into construction of greenhouses for
the raising of vegetables which will return the initial outlay of capital
much faster than the breeding farm:
- na nomucnn me TH axonomnqecxn, Anexcen ¢enopoan£
Pannne oeomn B rocnocrany xunorpamm Bsaqu TpeX oepyT, a
ma punxe'nm, cam anaemB uena xaxan. Mu 3TOT aaBon B
nepBun xe ron onpaBnaem. A c KOHe¢epMH Korna eme noxony
nomnembcn?76
Thus, in the exposition of the story we have a conflict between a
narrow-minded, utilitarian attitude on the one hand, and an attitude that
is bold in its vision on the other. This is the point of departure from
which the plot should develop. The author seems fully aware that his
proposed conflict is serious and fundamentally sound. Unfortunately, the

matter ends with the posing of the conflict. The writer does not give an

effectual development of the conflict but takes a completely different

COUY‘SE.

 

74Ju. Nagibin, Gosudarstvennoe dela (Moscow: "Pravda," 1950), p. 4.

75mm. , p. 5.

761bid., p. 6.

56

In great detail he tells how Kretov starts training the young
kolkhoz filly, Strelka, for an upcoming horse race, how patiently he
works with Nikifor, the horse's rider. Indeed, he does such a creditable
job of describing all this that the reader does not become aware of the
fact that the writer has actually substituted one story for another.
Instead of showing the clash of two different points ofview, how the
heroes' characters are developed in the conflict, Nagibin shows us an
exciting horse-race, thus circumventing the initial conflict altogether.
However, at the end of the story he brings Struganov back on stage. The
kolkhoz chairman comes to watch the race, and from sheer delight that
Strelka has won, he allots the needed funds for the horse-breeding farm.
Thus, somehow Nagibin makes both ends meet. However, the conflict is re-
solved purely by chance. Kretov was just lucky that Strelka had won the
race.‘ But this is not the important issue. This outcome would have been
valid in the event that the controversy was not about a state or utili-
tarian approach to a matter but rather about which horse would win.

Soskin Opines that Nagibin's existing solution of the initial con-
flict has weakened the ideological content of the story:

YKHOHHBmHCb 0T npnmoro, KOHerTHOPO nsoopanenun KOH-
onuxTa B ero paSBHTHH u paspemennn, nncaTenB, xoTB n
cymen 3aBepmHTb paccxas, no saaqurenbao cnusnn ero

nneneym neHHOCTb. Paccxas mor on BasuBaTbcn "Pocynag-
CTBeHBoe neno," H0 nonxen HasuBaTBcn "noxynxa KORE." 7

 

77A. Soskin, "Vozmoinosti ianra," Zvezdo, No. 3 (1953), p. 158.

57

Conclusion

As we have seen, in the period 1945-1954 Nagibin wrote a number of
weak stories. A reason for this may well have been his involvement in
themes that were of little interest to him, themes that were perhaps
"thrust" upon him such as stories with the village theme. I

This assumption is corroborated by Gibian who notes that both Ka-
zakov and Nagibin choose their themes very carefully:

[Their stories] are characteristic of something new - of disagree-
ment with the public values of the party. They do not express their
dissent in direct polemic. Kazakov and Nagibin are saying "No" by

turning their backs on public themes, ignoring them completely - and
cultivating assiduously what they have staked out as their own small

garden.78
Indeed, when Nagibin chooses a theme with which he cannot fully i-
dentify or when he does not become directly involved with the inner world
of his heroes no matter what the theme, his stories turn out to be of
little artistic merit, as El'jasevid rightfully observes:

Tam, rne Harmonn BHéHpaeT nnn ceon Temu mnnmo aKTy-
anbnue, nnnmCTpnpywmne, a He OTKpHBammfle mnsnb, TEMH,
nocrpoeHBme Ha BHeman KOH¢HHKTaX (3T0 0C06eHHO xapax-
TepHO nnn nenon cepnn nponsBenennn nncaTenn o xonxoanon
nepeBHe), Tam on anem Be BanenneTcn us comma camux.op-
nnnapaux paccxasquOB. Ho CTonT D. HarmonHy norpyanTBcn
B map nepemnBannn CBOHX repoeB, Kax on CHOBa CTaHOBHTCH
maCTepom-Kynecanxom, B COBepmeHCTBe Bnanemmnm Bcen nann-
Tpon H306pa3HTeanHX xpacox.

Some good stories of this early period include the war stories
voganov, PerevodEik (The Interpreter) and Radiosoldat (The Liaison Man).
Only partially successful is the kolkhoz story Gosudarstvennoe delo. A
favorite with many critics is a story about gypsy life called Trubka (The
Pipe). Differing from gypsy stories and poems that depict gypsy nomad

 

78Gibian, “New Trends..., p. 49.

79A. El'jagevid, "Xaraktery i sjuiety," Zvezdo, No. 10 (1957), p.
201.

58

life primarily in a romantic light as for example its wild but beautiful
originality, Nagibin shows us the other side of this imaginary beauty by
portraying the rapacious gypsy Chieftain Baro Siro, a brutal, implacable
man who leads his gypsies in wild clashes with other gypsy gangs that
break and perish in the calamitous time of the Revolution.
Nagibin observed in an interview that this story is often mistaken
for one of his autobiographical pieces:
Mon HOBeCTH n paccxasu n eCTb mon Hacronman 6Horpa-
onn. TonBKo "proKa" Hanncana co cnOB noxonnoro apTHCTa
n npamaTypra H. Hapomnoro, XOTH anaTenn ynopno canamT
nmeHHo ee Bembm aBToonorpaonquKon.
But Nagibin's greatest success in this post-war period was his per-
sistent work on language and style which becomes evident in such stories

as Mblodoien, Mesdorskie storoia (Mesderan Forest Rangers) and many

others to be discussed in the following chapter.

 

80Nagibin, "A cel'..., p. 3.

CHAPTER TWO

The Mesdera Stories

Introduction

Nagibin's Mesdera and Its Literary Antecedents
The Mesderans and Their Way of Life

The MesEera and Its Landscape/Nature

The Love Theme in Nagibin's Mesdera

Societal Ills of the Me§5era

Conclusion

page
59
6O
66
68
78
81
96

CHAPTER TWO

The Me§Eera Stories

Introduction

In the ten-year period of 1954-1964, Nagibin wrote a cycle of stories
about the Mesdera, a land of lakes and forests about 200 kilometers from
Moscow, situated on the border of the Moscow and Ryasan territories.
These stories include, in their chronological order, the following: Noel
noj gost', Razgovor, Pbdsadnaja utka, Molodoéen, Meséorskie storoéa,
Xazarskij ornament, Pbslednjaja oxota, Petrak i Val'ka, ISpytanie, Kogda
utki v pore, Oleéka Eenilsja, Obormot, and Pogonja.

In his Me§5era stories, Nagibin shows us many sides of life in this
region: its heritage of centuries of want; the paradox of its economy
today. The Mesdera means living from hand to mouth; it means ignorance
and the fatalism of the peasant. The Mesdera is a swamp that isolates
its people from the rest of the world for months at a time. It is the
need to poach in order to survive. It is children who end their educa-
tion at age ten: only girls go on in school, the boys are needed in the
economy.

All this goes on just 200 kilometers from Moscow. Hunters from the
capital come here on Sundays, traveling the distance in several hours;
however, the distance from the Mesoera to Moscow seems to be far longer.

For eXample, it takes a letter ten days to get to the capital. Not more

59

60

than three Meséerans have even been to Moscow, and they went because of

army duty.

Nagibin's Meséera and its Literary Antecendents

Nagibin, as we all know, was not the first to write about the Nest-
era. Turgenev, Kuprin, Paustovskij, to name but a few, have also written
about this region. For example, Kuprin's Lesnaja gzus' (The Dense For-
est), Boloto (The Swamp), and Abrgluxarej (Hunting Woodgrouse) are uni-
fied in so far as they all take place in the forest; in fact, the action
of the story Boloto takes place in the Mesdera.1 Paustovskij devoted the
entire cycle of stories, Megdbrskaja storona (The Mescera Region), to
this territory. Attracted to the simple beauty of this land, Paustovskij
tells us how he came to love it, and how his love for it grew, never to
be forgotten:

Ha nepBun Barnnn - 3T0 Tnxan n Hemynpan semnn non
HerKHM He6OM. Ho qem oonbme ysaaemB ee, Tem Bce oonbme,
nhon no oonn B cepnne, Haqnnaemb nmonrb 3Ty OGHKHOBeHHyw
semnm. M ecnn npnneTcn BamnmaTb CBom CTpaHy, T0 rne-To B
rnyonne cepnna a oyny 3HaTb, qTo a saunmam npexpacnoe ran
on BeBspaqu Ha Bun oao omno - BTOT necnon sanqunBun

xpan, nmooBB K KOTODOMY He saoyneTcn Kax HnKorna He aaou-
BaeTcn nepBan nioooBB.2

But in his first volume of Povest' o éizni (A Story of Life), Paustovskij
describes this region quite differently from the aesthetic manner of land-
scape depiction that he uses in Meséorskaja storona:

B nnTnnechn BepCTax 0T Mochu HaqnaanaCB rnymB -
pasoonnnqbn neca, Henpoesxne nOporn, rnnnue nocanu, oony-
nannecn npeBnne cooopu, nomanenxn c npncoxmnm K mepCTn
HaBOBOM, nbnnue nooonma, xnanonma c n0BaneHHumn erCTaMH,
osna B usoax, connane neTn, cyposue monacrupn, mponnBue

 

1A. I. Kuprin, sobranie soéinenij (Moscow: "Xudofestvennaja liter-
atura," 1971), III, 201-18.

2Konstantin Paustovskij, Sobranie soéinenij u vos'mi tomax (Moscow:
"Sovetskij pisatel'," 1969), VIII, 257.

61

Ba nanean, sacunannae prxofi oasapu c nopocnqbnm anrom
n maTepHon opanbm, annB, BnmeTa, BopOCBTBo.

Paustovskij found himself anew in the Mesdera. But he was a hobo
rather than a hunter: he would pitch his tent in the dense forest and
sit for hours on an old raft watching the float of his home-made fish-
ing rod. He would see bears turning out old tree stumps to feast on
ants, and would hear the singing of numerous birds; he would admire the
blue-bells on the meadows. For this elegiac admiration of the simple
Russian countryside the reader grew to love the artist.4

The epithets, colors and accessories with which Paustovskij de-
scribes the Mesdera clash with Nagibin's Mesdera description. Paustov-
skij's Mescera is a peaceful pastoral countryside, whereas Nagibin, an
avid hunter, first sees it as a hunter's paradise. He paints a cold wind
lashing the water, a gray sky or milky-white fog, roads rutted by pits
and puddles, mud huts flooded by early spring rains and thick, coal-black
water in the many lakes and canals. Like Paustovskij before him, Nagibin
sees numerous birds, but they are not song birds. His birds are game
birds, such as the wild duck, Golden eye and Teal that excite the half-
frozen hunter lying in wait at twilight. I

This similarity of features in works of both Paustovskij and Nagi-
bin has been observed by Ssachno; she emphasizes, however, that Nagibin
presents his Mesdera region without aesthetic embellishments:

Es ist Paustovskij's geliebte Meschtjera...die Nagibin aller Esthe-
tisierenden Romantik entkleidet. Schbn ist an der Meschtjera nur

die unberuhrte Natur, aber auch diese ist der Raublust des Menschen
ausgeliefert, der die Walder fallt, die FlUsse ausplUndert, das

 

3112121., IV, 48.

4Nikolaj Atarov, "Celovek iz glubiny pejzaia," Nag sovremennik, No.
12 (1972), p. 106.

62

Wild vernichtet.5

Nevertheless, it is here, amid the simple hunters and fishermen,
that Nagibin finds his poetry; he finds in the Me§5era a greater sensi-
tivity for the unusual and even the miraculous, than he can find in the
city.

But the writer who most closely resembles Nagibin's Mesdera stories
is, of course, Turgenev, in his Zapiski oxotnika (A Hunter's Sketches).
The content of Nagibin's Mesdera stories, for example, shows us the last-
ing quality of the material which Turgenev used for his hunting fable.
Today, just as a century ago, the writer-hunter wandering along the back-
roads of Russia meets people of different backgrounds, talks with them,
inquires and observes, and in so doing brings many contemporary problems
to light. Furthermore, these stories, based on the traditional hunting
stories in Russian literature, exhibit qualities similar to those in Za-
piski oxotnika. As the Polish critic, Jadwiga Szymak, correctly observes:
"Turgenev's style is clearly evident in the description of a village hut
the huntsmen enter in 1956."6

Turgenev's influence is likewise evident in Nagibin's choice of a

 

5Helen von Ssachno, Der Aufstand der Person (Berlin: Argon Ver-
lag, 1965), p. 170.

6Jadwiga Szymak, "Opowiadania mysliwskie Jurija Nagibina," Slavia
Orientalis, No. 16 (1967), p. 294. One can easily substantiate Szymak's
statement with a passage from Nagibin's story xozarskij ornament: "B
Memepe He omno cnyqan, qToou OXOTHHKaM OTKasann B HpHCTaHH-
me, xax on mano n Tecno Be ouno mnnbe. A yx Tecnee aToro
xnnbn Benb a ceoe u npenCTaBnTB nocpenn KOMHaTH Bncena 3H6Ka,
n CTapyxa c nnuom nsbenennam Bonqanxon, xaqana 3H6Ky, Bane-
Ban qTo-To onHoronnoe, uTo yoamquano ee camoe, a He mnanen-
ua. CTonno crapyxe saxneBaTB HOCOM, KaK peoeHox npnnnmancn
ucromno KpnanB. Ero KpHK Hucxonbxo He TpeBomnn npyrnx muo-
roqncnennux oonTaTenen neon, cnaanx B noxaT Ha nony. na
eme c neim CBeIJIPIBaIIPICb nBe napBi oocux nor (Ju. Nagibin, Na tixom
ozere Moscow: "Sovetskaja Rossija," 1966), p. 38.

63

narrator, Anatolij Ivanovid, who in reality is the hunter and forest
ranger, Anatolij Ivanovid Makarov.7 In Zapiski oxotnika, Turgenev's
faithful companion in all of his hunting ventures was Ermolaj, whose
prototype was Afanasij Timofeevid Alixanov. Turgenev relates that Ermo-
laj was formerly a serf who belonged to one of the landowners near his
home at Spasskoe. Meeting him by chance, Turgenev was very impressed
with Ermolaj and decided to buy him from his neighbor, whereupon he im-
mediately gave him his freedom. Alixanov, like Nagibin's Anatolij Ivan-
oviE, was a skilled hunter and nature lover who knew many secrets of the
forest. In particular he was a bird-fancier, able to imitate their calls
perfectly.8

This does not mean than Nagibin's Megdera stories are patterned by
the Me§dera and hunting stories of, say, Paustovskij or Turgenev. On the
contrary, Nagibin's Megdera cycle displays a great deal of novelty.
While the plot of his stories, for example, is based on the traditional

hunting stories in Russian literature, Nagibin's attempt at composition

 

vv 7In an article, Nagibin tells of his first acquaintance with the
Mescera and with the man who first introduced him to this region, Anatolij
Ivanovid Makarov, who later became the hero of many of his stories:
"...nomnm OTKpOBeHHeM omno nnn mean BHaKOMCTBO c AHaTonnem
HBaHOBuqem MaKapOBmm, memepCKHM'erepem, KOTOpan nosnaxomnn
mean c nenmm KpaeM norone HeBenommm, xpaanum, Tonxnm. nomnm
xax Haqann mu esnnTB c HHM Bennxoe osepo, HOKaBaBmeeCfi mne
Bnaqane TaKHM HeHaCeneHHHM, n xax erepB 3aCTaBthflflflI nonmouTB
8P0: nayimn fi3bIKy 1191413011121... " (Ju. Nagibin, "Moj trud vlivaetsja v
trud moej respubliki," Literaturnaja gazeta,lFebruary ll, 1971L p. 6). A-
nother hero, known in these stories simply by his nickname, Dedok, is in
real life Mesiera's oldest hunter, Mixail Semenovii Savel'ev. Both Ana-
tolij IvanoviE and Dedok are as vivid in the pages of Nagibin's stories
as are Turgenev's Ermolaj in Zapiski oxotnika or Tolstoj's Eroska in Ka-
zaki (The Cossacks).

8
p. 98.

H. Salonen, Die Landschaft bet I. S. Turgenev (Helsingfors, 1915),

64

is new. The stories, complete in themselves, form a cycle by the unity
of place--the Me§5era region, by manner of exposition, by use of a single
narrator, and by an interdependence in the chronology of events.

In addition to the unity of place, manner of exposition, single
narrative style and an interdependence in the chronology of events,
another unifying factor is that the same heroes appear in several of the
stories. For instance, the main hero, Anatolij IvanoviE, is the leading
character in Pbdsadnaja utka, Novyj dam (The New House), Pbgonja and Keg-
da utki v pore. Additionally, in six other stories he is either a sec-
ondary character or has taken part in an incident which is related in the
story. And those stories that do not have a narrator, Noéhoj gost', Mo-
lodoéen and Ispytanie, are included in the cycle on the basis of unity of
composition.

Still another unifying factor involves the comparison and appraisal
of characters who are representatives of two social groups: the inhabi-
tants of the Me§Eera and visitors from Moscow. This comparison forms the
compositional basis of many stories, for example: Nodhoj gost', Bazgovor,
Podsadnaja utka,andlkdoob§en. Generally, the comparison does not flatter
the Moscow visitors who frequently turn out to be intellectuals, repre- A
sentatives of the capital's elite.

Also, the names of places mentioned in the Me§5era stories exist in
reality: the town Spas-Klepiki, the villages of Kon'kovo, Podsvjat'e and
Faleevka, the river Pra, Lake Velikij, etc. In general, then, the Mesdera
stories are clearly autobiographical, as are incidentally the author's
other works. This true autobiographical quality is similar to that of
Turgenev in Zapiski oxotnika and in his other works as well.

In addition to true settings and characters, Nagibin bases

65

the plots of his stories on his own experiences. Where names of places
or things are used colloquially, he gives explanations, as in the fol-
lowing dialog from Pogonja, in which he explains the meanings of Kcnxb,

nomai-ibxa and Kynnqicn:

--qTo 3T0 3a HasBanne Taxoe, "Kopb"? - cnpocnn renepan...
Saxonaoe cnOBo. BepeBOan Kopb. flunOan Kopb, HcaeB
Kopb. KopB, eme Kopbe rOBopnT, - ansxopocnun, xpnBon ne-

cox. nquu TyT Ha OCTpOBKax Taxue, QTO HaCToann nec He
paCTeT, onnu xpnBynnHu.

--A "nomanbxa"?..

—-OCTp0Box nyPOBon, nne B nmoon ron Koch. A BOT "Kynnq-
Kn" - 3T0 OCTpOBKn, rne momno KOCHTb numb B cyxon ron, B
moxpmn - Henponasnan Tonb.9

Another example, in Mesdorskie storoz'a, explains the word npOTOKH:
nporoxn - 3T0 yanne, B mar, xauanu, coennnnmmne mnoro-
uncnenaue osepa n pexn STOPO xpan. HpOpHflH nx xpeCTBnHe-
I'IpOMHCJTOBPIKPI B HEBaI'IaMHTI-Ible Bpemeaa, a Bce ITOCJ'IeJIYTOIIIHe H0-
Konennn memepcxux OXOTHHKOB n pHGOHOBOB saooTnnBo cnennnn
3a HHTHHHMM Bonuumn TpOHKaMH, ooeperas nx or Bannennn u
Bucmxannn.10
The narrator in Nagibin's stories is also one of the story's main
characters. It is his ideas and perceptions that create the image of con-
temporaneity. His influence gives the story its inner unity. His know-
ledge of life and people, his happiness or sadness, his unwillingness to
accept oppression, his hatred of the local regime and his yearning for
purity and simplicity go to make up the image of contemporary man and his

attitude toward reality.11

 

9Jurij Nagibin, Izbrannye proizvedenija (Moscow: "Xudofestvennaja
literatura," 1973), pp. 220-21.

1ONagibin, No tixom..., p. 20.

11This point is also convincingly discussed by Szymak (p. 300) and
George Gibian, "Soviet Literature During the Thaw," in Literature and
Revolution in soviet Russia 1917-62. eds. Max Havward and Leooold Labedz
(London: Oxford Universitv Press. 1963). p. 146.

66

The Mesderans and Their way of'Life

One of the principal themes in Nagibin's Mesdera stories is the
theme of the pepple's way of life in this region. For example, Nagibin
is attracted by their stern wisdom and simplicity, their life close to
nature, and their system of values which differs from that of the city
dweller. Thus in the home of Babka Jul'ja in Nodhoj gost', Nagibin is
attracted by the old-fashioned way of life characterized by their sin-
cerity of feelings and genuine actions which he contrasts with the flight-
iness and egoism of Pal Palyd.

Another trait of the people the author admires is their sense of
duty. For example, in Heséorskie storoéa, the inhabitants, who had never
written a petition before, send a letter to the government requesting the
removal of a game warden who did not fulfill the obligations of his of-
fice. In the same story, Anatolij Ivanovid explains the custom of using
first names among the hunters. Those who are not considered by their fel-
low hunters to be solid citizens, are called by their first names only.

In this respect it is interesting to note that only Anatolij Ivanovid

and the forest ranger from the town of Spas-Klepiki, Egor Ivanyd, had
patronymics. In contrast is the case of Dedok who is almost seventy. We
are told that his passion for poaching, which has persisted throughout his
life, has earned him a nickname instead of the more respected patronymic.

In dress the Mesdera hunters present a stereotyped appearance. They
wear rough quilted jackets, caps with torn-off visors and boots stuffed
with straw. When they go hunting they invariably carry a basket with the
noncannan, a live decoy duck. Their rifles are old, rusty Tynxn or

miceBKH 12, the stocks frequently cracked and bound with wire.

 

12Rimes manufactured in the city of Tula and in the Iievsk factor-
ies, respectively.

67

In Podsadnaja utka the narrator tells us:

...n an pasy Be cnmman, qToou KTo-Bnoynb n3 OXOTHHKOB
meqTan o Bayspe-Tpu Konbna Tynchom Tponnnxe nnn nmoom
npyrom COBpemeHBom opymnn, no KOTODOPO CTonB nanxn MOCKOB-
cxne’nmonTenu. OHn Bnonne HOHaPaHHCb Ha c06CTBeHHun rnas
H pyxy... Ho BOT noncannan yTxa - neno npyroe, ee Be
sameHnTB nuxaxon cnopOBkon. 3

The noncannas is trained to sit on the water in front of the hunt-
er's hut to lure wild fowl. To insure her staying on the water, a string
with a plummet is secured to the duck's foot. This allows her enough
freedom, but prevents her from flying away. A clever decoy duck, one that
understands what is required of her is a pearl of great value to the
hunter:

Taxan yTKa Be nepeT napom rnOTKn, no an onnB ceneaenb
He nponeTnT mnmo, aacnumaB ee Berpomxnn, BasuBBon xpnx.
OHa TOHKO a BKpanano nonmaHnBaeT TOBapOK, nernmnx Ba
Beqepnnn m0p... OHa Barons npenynpexnaeT OXOTHHKa o npo-
neTe; cnOBom, ona noanmaeT, qTo 0T Hee TpeoyeTcn, n
paooTaeT He 3a CTpax, a 3a COBeCTb.1

An example of how the hunter places the noncannan on the water is given
irifbslednjaja aroma:

...xorna on Btun n3 Komenxn noncannym, ona aaonnaCB B ero
oxoueHeanx pyxax. nenox nonyrancn, Kax on He canyna ona
HOFaBKy n He yneTena on K CBOHM ponnqam... Haxoneu emy
ynanocs yxpennTB manxeTxy Ha ee nanxe, on c oonerqennem
pasxan pyxn. Honcannan ynana Ha Bony, pBaHynaCB Bnepen n
BBHCb, HO rpysnno, CTpemnTenBHo n 6ecmymno ynnn Ha nHo,
npanosnnno ee K meCTy. OHa aaxpnqana BHCOKHM n peaxnm
ronocom pas-npyron H, YCHOKOHBmHCb, sapuna Knt B rpynaue
nean.

Incidentally, these last two descriptions are remarkable pieces of narra-
tive; first, because they describe a rarely-used practice in duck hunting

today and, secondly, because of their vocabulary. Nagibin again uses a

 

13Nagibin, Na tixom..., p. 9.

'4Iptd.. pp. 9-10.

15Nagibin, Izbrannye..., p. l43.

68

style which reminds us of Turqenev's hunting experiences by his utiliza-
tion of a number of special terms proper to the practice of Mesderan
hunters. Such words, for example, as noncannan, the live decoy duck;
naraBKa, a bracelet which is clamped onto the duck's foot; max-niceTxa,
another term for this bracelet; rpysnno, the plummet; sasuBHon «per,
the decoy duck's luring quack; and Beqepnnn mop, the duck's evening

feeding.

The Mesd‘era and its landscape/Nature

In Russian literature the relationship between man and nature has
been a subject of interest from its early beginnings. In Slovo o polku
Igoreve, for example, nature plays an active part in man's destiny, warn-
ing him of impending danger, helping him, suffering with him. According
to Fedotov, "nature and its phenomena occupy in Igor's Tale at least as
important a place as human society."16

The works of some of the finest 19th century writers, such as Pus-
kin and Lermontov, contain colorful landscapes of the native country-side
which reflect the many moods of their heroes. Moreover, Tolstoj and Tur-
genev are "outstanding proponents of a romantically tinged attitude to
man's relations with nature. Tolstoj insists that only a return to a
simpler existence, closer to nature can save man from the moral depravity

"17 For example, in Anna Karenina, Levin hopes to find con-

of society.
tentment only when he returns to the land.

On the other hand, Turgenev holds that nature has to live an

 

16George P. Fedotov, The Russian Religious Mind (New York: Harper
Torch Books, The Cloister Library, Harper and Brothers, 1946), p. 323.

17Erika Dibahl, "The Theme of Man and Nature in the Works of Kon-
stantin Paustovskij," an unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, New York Univer-
sity, 1974, p. 8.

69

independent life in literature. The landscapes in his stories are not
accessories, but an organic part of the narration and critical to the
fates of the heroes.18 His main characters combine love for nature with
kindness and sincerity of feelings (xor' i Kalinyé'IXor' and Kalinydl,
Begin lug [The Beiin Meadow], etc.) or, as in Otcy i deti (Fathers and
Sons), and Zivye mosdi (The Living Relic), the heroes' characters and
world view depend on their attitude toward nature. The true Russian, Ni-
kolaj Petrovid Kirsanov, cannot admire the Russian countryside without
considerable emotional feelings whereas his brother Pavel Petrovid, who
has spent most of his life abroad, cannot be moved by anything Russian,
not even a native landscape.

There are writers who are constantly preoccupied with nature's val-
ues. The deep feeling with which they experience the beauty of nature
colors all their works. Such writers were Pri§vin and Paustovskij. Al-
though to a lesser extent, Nagibin stands with them as well.

Nagibin frequently uses descriptions of nature in the Turgenevian
tradition and Salonen's statement about Turgenev applies to Nabibin as
well:

Der wichtigste und zugleich gewbhnlichste Zweck einer Landschaft
bei einem Schriftsteller ist den raumlichen Hintergrund der Handlung
darzustellen, d.h. den Ort des Tuns und Treibens der handelnden Per-
sonen in der Natur zu schildern.1 ‘

In the Me§5era stories where most of the action takes place out-of-
doors this is self-explanatory. The hunter is in a position to
observe the changing scenery throughout the seasons of the year. More-

over, "it is hunting," says Turgenev, "that brings us closer to nature;

 

18Lev Leviskij, KOnstantin Paustovskij. 05erk tvoréestva (Moscow:
"Sovetskij pisatel'," 1963), p. 180.

19
p. 120.

H. Salonen, Die Landschaft bei I. S. Turgenev (Helsingfors, 1915),

70

only the huntsman sees nature at every time of day and night in all its
beauty and all its terror."20

Typical are the following illustrations of Nagibin's nature de-
scriptions used as background. The first is a sunset on Lake Velikij
in late autumn:

Memny Toaxon cnson nonocon, nexamen Ha ropnsonTe,
n Taxonon, cnOHCTon anemenOBon quen Bosnnxno KpOBaBo-
xpacnoe syoanoe nnamn, 6ynTo BananaCB noxapom Bepxymxa
CTopomeBon 6amnn. 3aTem QTO‘TO cmeCTnnOCB B Hacumennom
Bnaron Boanyxe, n ayouu CHHnKCb Boennao, oopaBOBaB nnocxo
oopeaanuoe CBepxy quen nonyxpymbe orpomnoro Baxonnmero
conana.

The second is a description of a night sky over Lake Ozerko:
Heoo Bnceno BHBKo-Hnsxo, Tax nnOTHo BaonToe 3Be3namn,
‘ITO KaBaJ'IOCb, 01-10 88 37,118me PIX PI BBGSIIH UpOCbIITJIlOTCH. 11a
OHH PI BITpFIMb ocananncro. H TaM PI 3.118013, XpYCTaJIbHO ‘aenenen
Ha neTy, T0 OTBeCHO, To xpmimn, T0 mnpoxnmn nyramn nanann
onn Ha semnm. OT neperpeTon 3a neHb Bemnu B Bosnyx Bon-
I-IaMPI THHYJTO Tennoe ncnapenne.

Both selections are characterized by a quiet,rhythmic narration with
simple syntactic structures, a large number of color words, compound ad-
jectives, expressive descriptive similes and metaphors.

In addition to using descriptions of nature as backgroundtp the ac-
tion of a story, Nagibin often makes nature interact with the inner world
of his heroes. And Salonen, who has studied the same manner of descrip-
tion in Turgenev, gives the following commentary:

Er hat namlich das Verhaltnis zwischen Landschaft und Mensch, zwischen
Naturstimmung und Seelenstimmung des Menschen zu schildern und betritt

also neben der Naturschilderung das Gebiet der psychologischen Schild-
erung: er hat dem Leser zu zeigen, welche Gerhle der Anblick einer

 

20A quotation from Turgenev's letter to the editor of souremennik,
cited by H. Salonen, pp. 95-96.

ZlNagibin, Izbrannye..., pp. 138-39.

”Iota. , p. 100.

71

Gegend oder eine Naturstimmung erweckt.23
An example of nature used this way is seen in Pogonja, where Ana-
toli Ivanovid, aftera long absence from Lake Velikij, is back rowing
his boat in its cool water once more and breathing its uniquely-scented
air. In fact, here we see a subtle description of the process of es-
trangement of a man from his family, a man for whom nature has become
the be-all of his life:

...oqenb cocxyqnnca on no Bennxomy, no ocooomy, Bu c
qem He cpaBBnmomy snemnemy Bosnyxy, no Ton BHyTpeHHen
cocpenOToqunon Tnmnae, xaxym on acnuTuBan Toano BneCB.
Cenqac, CHOBa oxasaBmHCB B mnnom, npnBuqum oxpymbe noann
on no-HaCTonmemy, xax nnoxo n HecuaCTHo on mun Bce noc-
nenaee Bpemn. OH x x nomamnnm yTpaTnn CBoe oouqnoe noo-
poe Bnnmanne. TaBBxa nemen ron nomna B mxony, nx yqnnn
nncaTB nanoqxn n Bonnxn. "Banana! BOCTopmeHo Kpnqana
Tanbxa. --Pnnnn Kaxoro n prrann HapHCOBaHa!" A on cmo-
Tpen Ha xpnBon prxoqex a He Haxonnn B ceoe nacxn, KOTo-
pym ona mnana 0T Hero...

The hero, feeling his strong connection with nature, observes the
life around him with the eyes of a true creature of nature. He feels
sorry for the bittern whose plaintive cry he hears high above him. He
is aware of the interdependence of all living creatures and of their de-
pendence upon nature:

OT ee CPIpOTJIHBOI‘O P011003 [31311114] Bce CWMaJIOCb BHYTPH.
AHaTonnn MBaHanq oynTo Bnnen ceon rnasamn Bunn: maneHB-
Kafi qepnas Toqxa Ba orpomnom cympaqaom npoCTope osepa.
Kax me Henpoqen qen0Bex B mnpe npnponH! BoT on TooxyeT
0T 6HHBOCTH SHMH, Korna Bce Boxpyr BarnoxaeT non onero-
BHM noxposom, a nna npuponu 3T0 Boero numb KopOTxun con.
npooynanHCB, ona BHOBb urpamqn noCTponT camoe ceon, a
Tax oyneT no cxonqannn Bexa...

Dedok, whose very breathing seems to be in harmony with nature,

sees a musk-rat's nest which triggers for him a whole chain of thoughts

 

23
24

Salonen, p. 129.

Nagibin, Nb tixom..., p. 126.

25Nagibin, Izbrannye..., p. 223.

72

about reincarnation:
HyBCTBo: a ucqeauy 6e3 cnena, mean He oyneT - ouno quno
ero nyme. On He To QToou Bepun, a nonycuan, HTo ymepmuu
qenoBex BOBBpamaeTCfi B xaxom-nuoo muBornom, a TOT, B eBom
oqepenb, B oonee menuou TBapu, u Tax no Tex nop, noxa
neno He CBeneTcn K ueapumomy cymeCTBy, KOT0poe yme OCTa-
HeTcn Hcherna... HenOBeqecuoe oonuqbe - caman nquan,
caman nocrounas n0pa sTou oeccmeanou musuu.25

The youngest natural man is Jurka, the 12-year-old son of Anatolij
Ivanovid, who is allowed to go hunting alone for the first time. He may
shoot only five ducks although he has many more shells. When he shoots
his limit, a variety of water fowl alights on the lake and he is tempted
to go on hunting:

EnBa nu on coauaBan, qTo B Bron nymeBHou 60pboe pemanOCB
ero 6ynymee... mpua paCTeanHo ornnnencn, cnOBHo ucxan
nomomn npOTuB camoro ceon. Ho xpyrom ounu numb Tuxo no-
xaqusammueca osepnue TpaBH, Heoo, Bona u yceHBmHe ee yT-
Ku. OH own onun, HuKTo He mor emy nomqu.

Nagibin often places his heroes in a situation where they must
grapple with their conscience to make an individual choice. Jurka was
able to overcome the temptation and come out of this test of courage a
better person. As he watches the ducks on his way home, he feels as one
with them:

mpua rnunen Ba onymeBnenBym muons oaepa, Ba KpaCHBHX
u CKanHX nTuu... ruoHmeux COTHBmu non BHCTpenaMH OXOT-
HHKOB u Bce me coxpannmmux B nenoCTu eBou upOTxuu u ynpn-
mun pon, u quCTBOBan ceon B aux, a nu B ceoe. M on ny-

man 0 Tom, HTo He ouno on B Hem aTou paHOCTBou onuBOCTu
Bcemy muBomy Ba osepe, ecnu on on cmanonymnuqan.2

Another way in Which Nagibin uses nature is as a measure of a per-

son's moral worth, as Borisova points out: "npupona onnuT B

 

26Ibid., p. 223.

27Ibid., p. 144.

28Nagibin, Na tixom..., p. 54.

73

paccxasu Haruouua kau CTpoxaumuu KpuTepun oneHKu nwnen."29
This approach to the analysis of a character is seen in stories where
the conflict ends in an unveiling of the hero. For example, in Podsad-
naja utka, the game warden's duck is accidentally shot. The event

seems insignificant. But Nagibin, following his bent of analytical in-
vestigation, exposes the true culprit, Andreev, who is indifferent to
nature and proves to be a petty man hiding behind a mask of goodnatured-
ness and joviality. However, Nagibin does not always choose the device
of sudden revelation. Burenkov, in both Pogonja and Kogda utki v pore,
exhibits character traits that typify him from the beginning as a power-
hungry, incompetent man.» Loud and fidgety, Burenkov nevertheless likes
to assume a statue-like pose with his hand on his chest and his light
blue gaze directed into the distance over the head of the person with
whom he is talking:

On CTonn Ba CTyneanax nenOCTpoeuBoro cmonuCToro
upanbna, ero onenuoronyoou Bsrnnn nOBepx POHOBH cooecen-
uuKa yxonun uyna-To B nanB. "BynTo nonKOBonen," nonyman
AHaTonuu MBaBOBuq, causy BBepx paccmanuBan Heoonbmym,
uopenacrym ourypy Baqanbuuxa B Temnom BaTHOM KBCTmMe,
Tyro nepexsaqenuym mupoxum oounepcuum pemuem.3

And:

BypeHKOB pun rpomornacen, HaCTHpeH, cyeTnuB, XOTn u
nmoun unou pas HOKpaCOBaTbCH B uCTyuaHBeu nose, c pyuou,
cyHyTou sa 60pT BaTuuKa, c Bsrnnnom nooenuTenn, yCTpem-
neunum B CTOpOHy Hyunmxunou saBonu.

Burenkov does not understand nature, and placed in a position of power

over her, he could think of nothing better than to build a battery

 

29Inna Borisova, "Put' na perednij kraj," Druéba narodov, No. 4
(1959), p. 235.

30Nagibin, Izbrannye..., p. 214.

311bid., p. 249.

74

of outhouses on the steep bank of the lake.

Another man who is indifferent to nature is Semen in Obormot.
Hired by Burenkov as hunter and guide for the newly established hunting
base, Semen knows nothing about the habits of the wild fowl or how to
handle a boat. His boredom during the hunt awakens the narrator's cur-
iosity and gives the reader an insight into his character:

--na KaKOu n erepbl - c Ton me sBepuHHOu Tocxou B
rnasax cuasan Cemeu. - H upeCTBnHuH...

--Hy u paOOTan 6m B Konxose.

--HeTy y mean uanuTany B Konxose pa60TaTb.

--npu qem TyT KanuTan?

--A npu Tom! y Hac Ha prnonenb He pasrynnembcnl
BOT u paccynu, Kax TyT Oes KanuTany npoxcuTB?32

Semen is not only indifferent to nature, but cruel to her crea-
tures. From sheer boredom he kills a harmless water-rat. This sense-
less killing spoils the narrator's hunting for the day:

--Oupomn HOHb3H, Huqero, - CBenymmum TOHOM HaTypa-
nuCTa cuasan Cemeu.

Kpuca noxatuanaCB Bosne manama, manenbxuu Komoqex
HenaBHO eme muBOu nenTenBHou nnOTu.

3T0 decomucneuuoe yOuBCTBO ucnOpTunO mue OXOTy, n
quCTBOBan, HTO He mory CTpennTB no yTxam. KOHeqHO sTo
npouneT, HO ceuqac n nnn OXOTH He ronuncn.

On the other hand, Nagibin's characters who are close to nature
are described with great warmth. Voronov, the visiting hunter from
Moscow in Mblodosen, watches young Vas'ka's dexterous movements:

Emy anHTHO Ouno cnenuTB, xax nOBuo u cunBuo opynyeT
Bacsxa Becnom. HyTB SaneHHBmeeCH ernKoe Teno napna,
Bunuo, HCHHTHBaHO panocTB 0T sTou pasmuuxu. HyBcTBOBa-
nocs uau urpamT non pyOamuou ero HanuTue mycxynu, xax

xopomo emy nmmuTcn.

He admires his skill and markmanship:

 

32Nagibin, Na tixom..., p. 138-39.

331bid., p. 140.

34Nagibin, Izbrannye..., p. 113.

75

BopOBOB Own nOTpnceH He CToanO Heomunanamm
BHCTpGHOM, nporpemeBmum Ban cammm ero yxom, cuonBKO
CBepxeCTeCTBeHHOu OHCTpOTou u nOBKOCTBm Baobuu, ycneB-
mero OpocuTB Becno, CXBaTuTB u BCKHHYTb pymBe c Taxou
HeOOaKuOBeBHOu TOqHOCTBm.

Dedok in Posledn'aja oxota, cannot resist the call of the great
outdoors to go hunting again:
PonyOou, senenmn, onanenuuu pauueu xenTusuOn oceuu
mup pacxpuBancn nepen Hum, Tnuyn, sBan,iinenox samaran
B ero Hanoennyw upenuum, Bnaxnmm 60HOTHHM nyxom CBemeCTB,
Ba Temgocuuun, c cepeOpuCTou ucxpou, BeTpeBHuu Onecx

3 .
pexu.

At the end of the hunt we are given to understand that Dedok will die,
and mother nature starts rocking under his feet, ready to claim her son:
3emna To nonumanaCB nepen Bum BBepx co Bcemu nepeBB-

nmu, usOamu, c npxopmxum KyCTom paOuHu, c cuHeu nonocxou

pexu, TO CTpemuTenBHO yxana BHus, prma, nypmann ronOBy,
semnn yxauuBana ero, xax B neTCTBe yxatuana smOxa.

Critics have noticed some similarity in the plot of Poslednjaja
oxota and Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. In both cases it is the
story of an old man who gradually acquires wisdom as he is bidding fare-
well to life and nature, and through it, to his youth. There is, how-
ever, a very important distinction in that Hemingway used hunting as the
framework for masculine self-fulfillment, whereas Nagibin and other Rus-
sian writers today, as in the past, have sought for harmony between man
and nature and for a natural settlement of the individual in the world.
In commenting on Nagibin's story, the Hungarian critic Kristo Nagy states

that if Nagibin had not written anything but Poslednjaja oxota, this

 

351bid., p. 115.

361bido, p. 1340

37Ibid., p. 147-48.

76

story alone would place him among the best writers of his age.38

It is also interesting to note that Soviet critics, when comparing
Nagibin's Poslednjaja oxota with Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea,
find Hemingway's-novel pessimistic in outcome. They claim that the
American author's old man actually fails in his efforts, whereas Nagi-
bin's hero, Dedok, is more successful in his last hunt.39

One of Nagibin's most vivid characters is Anatolij Ivanovid, the
one-legged warden of the Mesdera. If Burenkov is presented as the per-
sonification of dark forces, foreign to the harmony with nature, then
Anatolij Ivanovid, who has devoted his life in service to nature and his
land, is the true natural man. The beauty of his hunting skill is por-
trayed by the wisdom of limitation which distinguishes hunting from kill-
ing. His concern for the preservation of the species and his unsenti-
mental yet kind 1ove for nature are born from a feeling of a bond with
all living creatures.

Some critics tend to find likenesses between Anatolij Ivanovid's
attitude to nature and that of Turgenev's hero, Bazarov, in Otoi i deti.
One must concede, however, that there are more distinctive contrasts
than similarities between the two. Bazarov's attitude to nature is prag-
matic. Nature to him is a battlefield, a sphere of action, whereas for
Nagibin's hero it is an independent world living its own versatile life.
He admires nature, yet his admiration is devoid of idealization. For ex-
ample, in pursuing the poacher in Pogonja, he is aware of the treacher-

ous marshy banks of forest lakes hidden under luxuriant vegetation.

 

38Istva’n Kristo Nagy, "Nagibin," Az a5 szovjet irodalom, eds. J5-
nos Elbert and Laszld Kardos (Budapest: Gondolat, n.d.), p. 260, trans-
lated from Hungarian by Maria Nevai.

39George Gibian, "New Trends in the Novel," Survey, No. 36 (April-
June, 1961), p. 53.

77

Another way in which Nagibin uses nature is by placing the nature
description close to the action of the story and letting the reader de-
cide for himself how it relates to the action. In this respect Luter-
bacher's comments are of interest:

Es wird Ubrigens bei vielen Landschaften vom subjektiven Emp-
finden des Lesers abhangen, ob er ihnen Selbstandigkeit zuerkennen
will, oder ob er psychologische Beziehungen zur innern Handlung
splirt.40

A case in point is the story Petrak i val'ka. When the hunt is
over, the hunters get together on the lake, each in his own boat, to
see how successful they have been. The bragging teenager, Val'ka, tells
a lie about how many ducks he has shot. Petrak, who is trying to break
him of lying, rows off into the dark and the other two hunters follow,
leaving Val'ka alone in the night,very frightened and calling out to
his friend, Petrak.

In the nature description that follows, Nagibin personifies the
lake, the trees, the grass and the night, leaving it up to the reader
to interpret the passage as either independent of the action, or as sym-
pathetic with Petrak and the other hunters while grieving with them over
Val'ka's poor behavior:

Huxorna eme me Bunen n osepa Benuxoro Tauum yrpmmum.
Tuxo BOpqa, ouo Tpenano qenuou, CHHHCb HOBepnyTB ero
BensTB, numano npomosrnum xononom, Ba Oepery CTOHanH
nepeBbH, u TpaBH menTanuCB TOCKHHBHMH, Besnemaumu rono-
carpi. '

Still another way in which Nagibin uses nature is to give it the role of

a main character in the story:

 

4OOtto Luterbacher, Die Landschaft in GOttfried Kellers Prosawerken
(Thbingen, 1911 "Sprache und Dichtung," Heft 8), p. 26, cited by H. Sa-
lonen, Die Landschaft bei I. S. Turgenev, p. 116.

41Nagibin, no tixom..., p. 72.

78

Hpupona B paccuase HaruOuHa - nonuonpaBHOe neHCTByw-
mee nuno. Moxno cnenuanbuo POBODHTB o HaruOuHe neusamuc-
Te, H0 name cammn neTanBHHu aHanus ero neusaxen Be OyneT
nonuouenuum ecnu He yquTaBaTB ux COBepmeHHO ocoOou cmmeT—

HOP! 90.1114.

In xazarskij ornament, the floodwaters after the Spring thaw be-
come one of the leading elements in the story subordinating, at the very
beginning, not only the heroes but their actions as well. Flooding all
the low-lying areas of the Me§€era, the waters keep rising until there
are newly-formed lakes as far as the eye can see. The sun is mirrored
from the surface during the day and when darkness falls the light of the
moon shines down from the sky and is mirrored on the water in such a
way that one can hardly tell the earth from the sky:

H0 sepxany HOBOHBJ'IeHI-Iblx osep, Han I'IaIIII-IFIMPI, nyramu,
nepenecxamu cuonbsunu nnocuononxu...nepeBBn u xyCTm, Han
KOTOprMPI OHPI HpOI‘IJ‘IhlBaJ'IPI, LleITJTHJ'IPI PIX 3a JIHPIme CBOPIMPI Bep-
XYIUKaMPI, CJIOBI-IO BOIIOPOCJIPI...BI:IPI.IIH 110,11 Beqep, Mb} K HO‘IPI
us-sa GECKOHe‘II-IHX OGXOJIOB He CIIeJ'IEUIPI PI HHTH KPIJIOMGTpOB
ITOJ'IeBHOI‘O I'IYTPI. TbMa HaCeJIPIJ'IaCb BBGBIIaMPI. OHPI ropenu
Han Hamu, non Hamu, Boxpyr Hac. Bnuxe K nonynoqu CBepxy
BHHB u cnusy BBepx norex nyauun CBeT, u yxe HeanH Ouno
pacnosHaTB, rne semnn, rne HeOO.

The Love Theme in Nagibin's Me§éera

Nagibin writes about sex with the characteristic restraint of Rus-
sian writers, but in stories where intimate relations do occur, we find
a note of wonder at the beauty of the natural instinct. In Kogda utki v
pore, Anatolij Ivanovid gets restless and irritable when his wife leaves
for a few days to visit her parents. The following day, as he and the
narrator are returning from the lake after the hunt, he cannot help voic-

ing the regret that his wife has been away for so long. But as they near

the house they see Surka standing in the doorway so beautifully dressed

 

42Borisova, p. 235.

43Nagibin, ma tixom..., pp. 34-35.

79

that the narrator does not recognize her at first. They walk up to the
house without speaking, but the narrator notices a deep crimson flush
cover Anatolij Ivanovid's face and neck at the sight of his beloved:
"H auxorna eme Be Bunen mypy Taxou Hapnnnou u napCTBeHHO
npasnnon u He cpasy ysuan ee. Huno u men ABaTonun MBano-
Buqa mennenuo sanunucs Tamenum, rycrum pyMHHuem. H OCTpo
nosaBunOBan erepm. Hoqemy u mean He mneT Ba n0pore menmuua
HeooXOnumaa mne no CMHTEHHH, no nOTeanHOCTu?...44
In Molodoien, Voronov asks Vas'ka if he loves his wife. The
young man registers surprise at the question:
--Hy Kax me He anuTB? - cxasan BaCbKa panOCTHO u
YnHBneHHO.
--Bu me Bunenu, Kaxan OHa... KTO n nepen Hen eCTb?...
H OH pasBen pyxamu.
Six years after Vas'ka's marriage the whole village still calls him the
newlywed. He agrees to submit to his wife. Without vacillating, he de-
cides on an impulse of yearning to go to her. He leaves the hunting
site where he has brought Voronov and is back again early in the morning
just as Voronov is waking up. Listening to Vas'ka's confession the
visiting hunter from Moscow cannot conceal his irritation:
--Bu He nonymauTe, qTO a eu He nOBepnm. HpOCTO mean
Taxan Bnpyr Tocxa BBHna... Hero-To mue Bonano, QTO morna
me one npyroro BflfipaTb, morna me o npyrum ceuqac fiflTb.
u Tau mue HeBMOPOTy OT sTux mncneu cnenanOCB!..
--Tu, nonu, u OXOTHTbCH-TO Be cmomemb TenepB, same-
Tun BOPOHOB. BumaTancn BeCB!
--HTO BH, Cepreu MBaBOBuq! na n ceuuac Taxoe nona-

nenaTB mory! Ha n...

It becomes evident to Voronov that Vas'ka is the recipient of a steady

 

44Nagibin, Izbrannye..., p. 254.

4SIbid., p. 114.

46Ibid., p. 119-20.

8O

stream of strength and joy from his preoccupied little freckle-faced
wife. This feeling is lacking in Voronov's life.

In Poslednjaja oxota, Dedok, who usually wants to be self-
sufficient, is, on this occasion, overcome by weakness and allows his
wife to help him get ready to go hunting. As she helps him with his
hunting jacket a long-forgotten feeling of tenderness for his wife
comes over him:

CTapyxa nomorana emy HaTanyTB BaTnoe Haaneuo, onep-
uyna nonu, oOmnna saCKOpysnnu BOpOT. OH qucTBOBan Ba
ceOe ee mecrxue pyxu, cnuman Tennoe, quB PopbKOBaToe
yqamennoe nuxauue, u B HeM nonumanacb naBno BaGHTaH Hem-
HOCTb x CTapOu cnyTHune erO mussu.

Another love story has even become controversial in the U.S.S.R.
The plot of Oleska senilsa is simple. The old veteran, Bolotov, who
runs a hunting lodge, is surprised one evening by a visit from his best
war-buddy's son, accompanied by his young bride and a friend, a serious
young man in horn-rimmed glasses. After a cheerful summary in which 80-
lotov thinks back on his life (and finds in it no room for envying the
happy newlyweds), he is suddenly plunged into shock when he comes early
the next morning to awaken the young people. He finds in bed beside the
young woman, not OleEka, her husband, but the other man. And immediate-
ly some Soviet critics were up in arms:

BonBHo Ba maCTepa, HanucaBmero paccxas "Onexua xeuun-
ca". Heyxenu nnn Toro, HToou oOpymuTB PHeB Ba "monepnym"
mononemB Byxno Ouno naTypanuCTuqecxu oOuaquB nonOBym
pacnymeuHOCTB?

But other critics find the story to be an idyl: "the writer's excellence

is shown by this 'stunt,‘ and the story becomes the carrier of deep moral

 

47Nagibin, no tixom..., p. 104.

48Lidija Fomenko, "Dalekoe i blizkoe," Nag sovremennik, No. 2
(1956). p. 109.

81

values."49

Although Nagibin's favorite and recurring theme is the complicated
inner world of his characters, in the Me§5era stories he also reveals an
interest for social problems. With respect to Nagibin's interest for
social problems in the Russian village, there is another parallel with
Turgenev's Zapiski oxotnika, which of all his works was to have the

50 This aspect of Nagibin's work has been,

greatest social significance.
so far, mentioned only in Polish criticism:

B ero TBopquTBe HaOnmnaeTcn uHTepec x npoOnemam OO-
MECTBGHHOI‘O nopnnxa 0 KOTOPHX OH sarOBopun BI'IepBble.
3Tomy cnocoOcTBOBanu nepemenu B CTpaHe nocne ZO-ro Obes-
na napTuu. CTanO'Bosmoxnum nucaTB o Tex npoOnemax o
KOTOpux monuanu no 19S6r.51

Sboietal Ills of‘the Mesdera

In different stories of the cycle, Nagibin brings to light the
many social ills that beset the Meidera people and their land. He shows
the intellectual-peasant conflicts existing between the visitors from
Moscow and the local population. He reveals bureaucratic mismanagement
in the countryside which leads to the wasting of natural resources; he
discloses the low standard of living which is neglected by government
officials specifically appointed to find ways to ameliorate the problem.
He exposes local government representatives who are incompetent and,
therefore, fail to command the peasant's respect, causing distrust for
the law and a further widening of the existing gulf between the little

man in the village and a far-removed, hostile government in Moscow. He

discloses the failure of the government to build roads in outlying areas

 

49Nagy, p. 146.

50Salonen, p. 96.

“Szymak, p. 294.

82

while spending millions on columns, arches, balconies and "wedding cake"
structures. He decries poaching, which leaves the country impoverished,
and attacks injustice in the courts.

One of the problems in the Me§5era is the conflict that frequently
occurs between the intellectuals from Moscow and the local peasant p0p-
ulation. In Pbgonja, the head of the hunting base shows disinterest
and mistrust to the native hunter who has come to offer his services.
In Razgovor, the writer from Moscow cannot be bothered with what the
forest guard has come to say.

Nagibin believes that the visiting intellectual is not obliged to
be the peasant's psychologist, who would be hard put to understand the

52 He speaks of the difficulty in which the in-

peasant's confessions.
tellectual finds himself in this type of situation. Could this be the
typical Russian intellectual complex with feelings of guilt toward the
peasant? The answer is found in stories beginning with Kazarskij orna—
ment, where the author enriches the social background and shows that the
_ small quarrels between intellectuals and peasants are not accidental
and often grow out of all proportion to become difficult social problems
that reflect deep-seated antagonism.

The following dialog in Kogda utki v pore reveals that these quar-
rels are not limited to the sphere of morals alone:

--Kaxx0TuTe, - POBOpun OH LOXOTBux us MOCKBH] CHTHM
ronocom, - a He BepuTcn mne, qTo Bama mesa Tax mano

sapaOOTana!
--noqemy mano? Oua eme BHPOBOp sapaOOTana, QTOG He
nenunacs...
--Kax me Bu npoxunu sumy?..
--Tax BOT u npomunu! OTpesan AuaTonuu HBauOBuq.
--He60Cb pHOKOu npoOaBnnnuCB? Bucxasan npennonoxeaue

 

5ZSzymak, p. 296.

83

BonOTOB.

--He ocooo, cxasan AuaTonuu HBaBOBuq. --Ha Osepxe
BOBce nOBnn Ouna sanpemeua.

-—Haxoueu BsnnuCB sa oxpauy meHux OoraTCTB! oOpa-
nOBancn.cenOBnacau.

--Bsnnuc5, na He c TOPO KOHna, cnoxonao cxasan AHaTo-
nuu usangguq. HeBosmomuo cxoano pupa nono anom sa-
noxnocs.

In 1956 Lake Ozerko was made a reserve. Government_reasoning be-
hind this decision was the fact that year after year there were fewer
fish in the lake. Before the decision was enacted, however, no one
checked the unique peculiarity of this lake: every winter it froze al-
most to the very bottom causing the fish to die from lack of oxygen.

The Mesdera peasants had learned from their forefathers how to
keep the fish alive. While fishing in the winter, they would cut holes
in the ice so the fish could breathe. When Ozerko was declared a re-
serve, Nagibin describes the damage done by the decree in the following
passage from Kogda utki v pore:

Mu nonnntanu Bce Onume K saTonneHHomy Oepesanxy, u sonOTo
CTaHOBunOCB Oonbme u Oonbme, 0H0 npOCTupanOCB B rnyOB
neca, rpomosnncs xyuamu y CTBonOB. Tnxenou, neCTepnumou
BOBBm HOTnHynO OT Oepesnnxa. M BOT OynTO»OBanBH0e sono-
Toe Onmno saxaqanOCB y camoro OOpTa qenuoxa...xpynuun

, noxnun oxynB, coxpauuBmuucu no nocnenaeu qemyuxu, c
XBOCTOM u nnaBBuxamu, c xapaKTepHO npuOTxmeum rnynnm
pTom.

Bureaucratic mismanagement was the direct cause, in this instance,
of tons of dead fish. Wasting of the country's natural resources was not
the only social ill evident in the Mesdera. The low standard of living
generally attributed to the backwardiness and ignorance of the peasant
was in part also caused by mismanagement and neglect. The regional sec-

retary in xazarskij ornament, who comes to inspect the region assigned to

 

53Nagibin, Izbrannye..., p. 253-54.

54Nagibin, no tixom..., p. 188.

84

him, tries to get to the bottom of peasant's apathy, and Ssachno comments
in the following way:
Er, der selbstlose Kommunist, der sich keineswegs nach seinem
Schreibtisch zurucksehnt, ist dennoch der Unterlegene, denn in
diesem archaischen Land ohne Sbnde und ohne Erldsung, wo das Ubel
nicht moralisches, sondern nur irdisches Leid, das heisst Hunger 55
und Armut, Krankheit und Unwissenheit ist, verhallt jede Botschaft.

Indeed, in a comparison of living conditions in the Mesdera and
the village of Zaredje, just across the river Pra, the Me§derans come
out second best; in fact, it seems that a whole century separates the
Me§5era from this neighboring village. The Zaredje peasants enjoy elec-
tricity, radio, a ten-year school, a club, a cinema, and performing
artists from Moscow while the Mesdera still depends on the wick-lamp and
only one resident in three villages owns a radio which he uses exclusive-
ly to hear the latest news, so as to save on batteries.

In answer to the question why this is so in the Me§dera, the peasant
replies that the government has forgotten them. To the inhabitants of
this region, the concept "government" is the symbol of inaccessible au-
thority residing in Moscow which appears in the village exclusively for
the purpose of seeing an ordinance carried out. In the great majority
of cases, this ordinance turns out to be in conflict with the natural
characteristics of the given region and with the natural laws that govern
life in this land of forests and lakes.56

The government's gross negligence of existing conditions is further
brought to light in Kazarskij ornament. The old peasant who has welcomed
the disguised secretary and two other hunters is asked if the regional

secretary has ever come here "us ropona," as the government seat is re-

ferred to in the Me§5era. His answer reveals that for six years the

 

55Ssachno, p. 170.

85

regional secretary was a woman who found it difficult to visit remote
places. She, in turn, was replaced by a man who made it a rule never to
leave town, but the man who replaced him actually visited the Mesdera
once in March when flood conditions were as bad as the ones at the pre-
sent time. This official decided to come to the Mescera by boat straight
across Lake Velikij, which is very stormy during the spring floods. Ar-
riving in a terrible mood, he demanded some vodka, used it as a rub-down
and immediately left for home. And the peasant narrates:

Hapon, xoneqno OOpanOBancn: 3a non nquom, u3BeCTHO,

camuu nymeBHau paerBop uneT. Hananunu napyc u maxuynu

B OaneeBxy sa nBeHannaTB xunomeTpOB. HyTB He yTonnu, H0

nonymequ pasnoOunu. A cexpeTapb sTy Bonxy B Hapyxuee

nyCTun, 06TepCH em c ronosu no HHT, cnpocun nomaneu na

u nynyn BOCBOHCH. FOBOpHT, ero ceuqac ousnu, Tax cxasaTB,

1'10 COBOKYI‘II-IOCTPI 118111..BOT KaK _0 860 Haan'IbCTBO neueTcn.

Moreover, Moscow's local representatives are not an improvement over
the city bureaucrats. Burenkov, head of the newly—established hunting
base, refuses to hire local hunters to escort visitors from the capital,
preferring loafers who are lured by good tips and leisure hours. He also
turns down the local flat-bottomed dug-outs and orders brightly-colored
row boats with a keel which, though roomier and more colorful, are un-
suitable in local conditions. The keel scrapes the silty bottom of the
lakes and the oars get caught in the duckweed.

.Another example of incompetent local government representatives is
the new chairman of the kolkhoz, Dun'ka, a former war sanatorium cleaning
woman. The incompetency of’ such officials nurtures the peasants' dis-

respect for the law as the gulf between the local population and the

government in Moscow widens.

 

56Szymak, p. 297.

57Nagibin, no tixom..., p. 49.

86

Of course, such critical views of the activity of the Communist
party and the central government's emissaries also provoked the discon-
tent of the official critics, as for example, Ozerov, who levels some
strong criticism at Nagibin for his choice of character to fill the chair-
manship of the collective farm and gives him a dressing down:

ABTOp cnonno a He noanmaer, Kaxaa Gonbmaa npoonema,
Kacaiomaaca )KPIBHPI MHJ‘IJ'IHOHOB 310,118?“ MHMOJIeTI-IO aarpoay'ra
HM C ynHBHTeanbTM nerxomcnnem. UPI/I CeprSHOfi ee I'IOC'
TaHOBKe ona moxer nocnymnTb npenmerom rnyooxoro oocyx-
neuua. HO BaHHMaTbCH uponnsnpoaanuem BOKpYI‘ TaKHX
CJIOXCHbIX BOI‘IpOCOB npocro HenOCTOHHO, a MHMOXOIIOM CTaBKTb
nx, anero He pacxpuBaH no cymeCTBy, ocxopenrenbno nna
)KPISHH, .HJIH Haumx 1110118171.

Another example of incompetent local representatives is the forest
or lake guard. It is the duty of the lake guard to preserve wild life by
apprehending those who hunt illegally before the official opening of the
hunting season or in the areas designated as wild-life reserves.

For a long time after the war there was no guard appointed in the
Mescera at all; however, the same Year that the river Pra was declared a
reserve, a lake guard arrived. Sadly enough, the supposed lake guard
turned out to be no guard at all. He would pick mushrooms and berries, as
well as do some fishing now and then, but when he heard shots fired in the
wild-life reserves he would look the other way. Unfortunately, this type
of guard usually stays on for the longest period of time, except in the
Mescera. The people, who had never filed a protest before, sent a letter
to town asking that the guard be removed. Consequently, he was called
away, and a new guard was sent to replace him. His name was Pavlusa Star-
59

v.
SanV.

Pavlusa, a young man of about nineteen or twenty was different in

58V. Ozerov, Na putjax socialistigeskogo realizma (Moscow: "Sovet-
skij pisatel'," l958), pp. 360-36l.

59

 

Nagibin, Na tixom..., pp. 24-28.

87

every way from the previous guard. The day he arrived he announced a
meeting for all interested hunters. That evening he read from a book
called Oxotniki about a region rich in wildlife that became impoverished
by thoughtless hunting and poaching. It made many of the hunters think
for the first time what would become of their own Mesdera. Others
started to watch Pavlusa carefully. Perhaps this was the man the Mesd-
era needed?60
It was not long before the new lake guard started to gather a large
group of Mescera children called Pioneers for "talks." What these talks
were about became evident when the first ducks flew over Lake Velikij.
The hunters who went out before the start of the hunting season could
not shoot a single bird. Some discovered that their gunpowder was damp;
others said that their cartridges were blank. They soon realized, how-
ever, that Pavlusa had formed a humane society which all of their child-
ren had joined. Of course, they dealt with the young defenders of flora
and fauna and went to talk to Pavlusa. But he was able to prove that he
did not incite the children: they had thought of it themselves. After
this incident the children would inform Pavlusa who was poaching where,
so he could immediately set out in his boat and fine the wrongdoer.61
In short, Pavlu§a acted with confidence and cunning. But it must
be said to his credit that he almost succeeded in eradicating the illegi-
timate hunting that went on in the Mescera. Nevertheless, an incident
occurred which turned the quiet Mescera people against him. It involved

the farmworker, Njurka, a girl of sixteen, and a calf that was born at

the collective cattlefarm. The calf was the sickliest at birth, so

 

6OIbid., pp. 28-29.

61Nagibin, Na tixom..., p. 29.

88

Njurka started to take care of him, feeding him from a bottle. When he
fell ill she watched over him day and night. Five times she went by boat
for the veterinarian and walked twenty kilometers to town for his medi-
cine. The calf survived and grew to be big and strong. All the calves
at the farm were called Vas'ka, but she named her calf Milenok, or "dar-
ling," and he would answer to no other name.62

Soon it came time for the cattlefarm to deliver its meat quota to
Moscow, but when they came for the calves all the Vas'kas were on hand
but Milenok was nowhere to be found. 0n the fourth day someone spotted
him grazing in a clearing of the KuEkin woods. Njurka was guarding him

with a rifle. "I'll kill anyone who comes near him," she said, trembling
like an aspen leaf. The head of the cattlefarm and the brigade leader
would have left without the calf, but at that very moment Pavlusa hap-
pened by. "What's going on?" he asked. The two men told him. "So
that's how you carry out your duties," he said to Njurka, "because of
your attachment to the calf the kolkhozvfill fall short of the needed
meat quota!" Then he levelled his rifle and shot the calf in the head,
and Nagibin says through his narrator:

Hpaennbuun Bpone nocrynox, a BceM KaK-TO Hexopomo crano.

UpaBHanOCTb Tome paanan 6HBaeT. Haaa npaBHanOCTb MHMO

qenoeexa rnannr.

Before the incident, no one took Pavlusa's harsh measures to heart.

On the contrary, they were even proud of his strictness. "Our guard isa
beast!" they would say,which made other hunters almost envious of the Mesa?-

erans' good fortune. However, the severity he now displayed, which was

devoid of all humaneness, alienated everyone. The people were hurt and

 

621bid.. pp. 30—31.

63Ibid., p. 32.

89

angry.64

Nagibin concludes that the people will understand everything and
pardon everything as long as they see the sense in it, but if it makes
no sense to them, then there can be no justification.65

Yet another problem the Mesderan's faced was the government's
failure to repair roads in the countryside or build new ones. The nar-
rator in xazarskij ornament first voices this problem as he and his com-
panions plod through the flooded area of the Mescera during the spring
thaw:

Ma nBHHynHCb rbeKOM Hepes Kycrapanx n BCKOpe Bumnn
Ha mnpoxyw, nooneoxnaammym MHomeCTBOM nym, yxonnmym Bnanb,
BO TbMy, nonocy aemnn. Ho nnTn no sTon nOpore onasanOCB
HeMHoro nerqe, qu no oonory. Bnnnmo, Korna-To ona ouna
momeaa 6ynmmnnxom, HO ee naBHo paabeannnn, paaonma6 u
synumanx coxpaunncn name Ha saxpauaax rnyooxux HM.

As the three men enter a village hut to spend the night, the nar-
rator is joined in his complaint about the road conditions by the dis:
guised secretary who, examining the road map in the dim light of a wick

lamp, becomes enraged that the road is designated as paved:

--Ho 3T0 me qepT auaer qro TaKoe, a He nopora! Baop-
Bancn qenoaex. H He CTeCHHmTCH Ha KapTe nomeqarb! Benb
no Bcemy panony TaKHe, c noseonenun cnasaTb nOporn. na
qro no pafioay, no oonacrnl..noporn - 3T0 nnuo CTpaHH.

A paane y Hac noporn? Cxonbxo nnmanx myx Tepnnr pyccxnn
qenoaex ns-aa npoxnaroro 6e3nopombnl

In handling the theme of poor roads, Nagibin presents it much like
a gradually generalized complaint expressed first by one individual, then

repeated by another, sometimes in a different mood. Finally a whole

 

641bid.

GSIbid.

66Ibid., p. 38.

67Ibid., p. 39.

90

chorus of people joins in. Thus, in xazarskij ornament, the narrator
first brings the poor condition of the roads to the reader's attention,
then the disguised secretary, map in hand, voices his complaint. Final-
ly, in a third rendition of the theme the narrator and his companion
hunter, Leontij SergeeviE, become as indignant as the secretary. They
are in full agreement as he reiterates:

Tenepb 3T0 Bnnno Kan nnxorna! H Hapony qymno Bce, qTo

nneT or rnynocrn, or mecroxocrn, or nponaaonaé Bce

noxaanoe, napannoe, BCHKaH _nyc'raa BHJIHMOCTID.

Nagibin offers no solution to this problem in his stories but he
states the problem forcefully and underscores it until there is no doubt
in the reader's mind where he stands on the issue.

Relative to the same problem, the American critics McLean and Vick-
ery make the following observation:

...Nagibin makes in passing some...notable thrusts, e.g., at the
failure of the regime to build roads in outlying areas while spend-
ing vast sums on the ornate "Socialist Gothic" skyscrapers which
now disfigure the Moscow horizon.69
It must be said, however, that although we find in the story some anger
expressed by the main characters over the fact that the government spends
its efforts elsewhere before improving the bad roads in the Mescera, no
reference is made to any particular constructions or buildings as McLean
and Vickery seem to suggest.

In addition to his concern over the government's failure to build

roads in the Mescera, Nagibin exposes the illegal hunting that goes on

in the country's lakes and forests which impoverishes the land of its

wildlife as Richards rightly quotes Nagibin:

 

' 681bid., p. 49.

. 69Hugh McLean and Walter Vickery, eds. The Year of Protest, 1956
(New York: Vintage Books, 1961), p. 224.

9l

On [opaxonbep] CTpenneT yTox-camox Becnon, 556T marox Ha
TeTePEBHHHX n rnyxapnnax Toxax, pasopner raesna Bononna-
Bawmnx nTnu, ncrpeanner nTnu B nepnon HKHbKH. Bpaxonbep-
CTBO - 3T0 xynmnn Bun napaanrnama.

Nagibin has made his feelings on the subject known in an article in
which he expresses his conviction that poaching, i.e., not only blood-
thirsty killing but also any thoughtless and wrong behavior in the country-
side, towards the animal kingdom, inevitably debases man.7'

But unfortunately, poaching goes on in the country. It is practiced
not only by the occasional visitor to the Mescera, but by most of the in-
habitants themselves, for whom illegal hunting has become a way of life.
Poaching was only partially alleviated with the government appointed lake
guards. But even then it continued and the guard, if he did his job well,
soon found that his life was in danger.

One such incident is told in.Me§32rskie storage where the feared
brothers Ermol'ev, Slavka and Glupoj, the latter being one of the worst
offenders when it comes to poaching, have an encounter with a lake guard
and threaten his life.

The results of poaching are seen from a dialog in which the regional
secretary turned hunter asks the old peasant about the beaver, elk, and
otter which have become endangered species in the Mescera. When he in-
quires about certain game birds, the old man has to admit that although he
is nearing seventy, he has never heard of these birds. The secretary then
reads from a clipping of a hunting journal published 75 years ago that

these game birds used to abound in this region:

-—Bon Kan! cxaaan qenosex n nonea B Harpynnufi Kapman
rnMHaCTepxu. OH Banyn OTTyna nanny nn0THo cmnemnxcn or

70

71Nagibin, "0xota iz-za ugla. zametki pisatel'a:" Literaturnaja gaze-
ta (May 15, l956).

 

Richards, p. xvii.

92

nonroro nemannn 6ymaxen...Bor nocnyman, qTo nncann B
"Oxornnqbem mypnane" ceMbnech HHTb neT Hasan:
"...Mananna cnaennnce CBOHMH rnyxapnnumn n TGTEDEBHHHHMH
TOKaMH necncrme oepera Hpu. K comanennm, Hecoonmnenne
npaenn n cpoxa oxoru, ynnqromenne camox Ha Toxax npnBeno
x Tomy, qro Rune 3TH uennue nrnum ncqesamr..." QTo, nen?
Her araK uepea nnTbnech CTaHyT roaopnrb: "era? Ha y
Hac B Memepe cpony YTKa He BonnnaCLl.."

The story ends on a positive note: the old peasant, impressed with
what the disguised secretary is saying, calls his fellow villagers. To-
gether they agree that poaching must not be allowed to continue. Thus,
potential progress does come to the Mescera. In the course of the story
Neéébrskie storage, however, a better solution to the problem is worked
out. The hunters come to the realization that no outsider can have more
concern for the preservation of their wildlife than they. The guarding
of their lakes and forests must of necessity be a community project.

The solution promises to be a workable one, and although poaching is not
eradicated, the initial steps toward wildlife preservation are taken by
the people themselves.

Another story about poaching, Pbgonja, has a surprise ending. It
is psychologically well-motivated and justifies the seemingly impossible.
Pbgonja portrays the one-legged Anatolij Ivanovié who, on crutches, pur-
sues a poacher for eighteen kilometers over treacherous swampy forest
terrain. After a brief scuffle, he catches him and delivers him to his
superior, Burenkov, who lets the poacher go and orders Anatolij Ivanovic
off the premises. Nagibin does not give any explanation as to why Buren-
kov lets the poacher go, but Burenkov's action is implicit in the general
structure of the story. It is also explicated in some letters to a

newspaper where similar problems were publicly debated. For example, in

one such letter, A. Kogan, a critic, states that the administrator and

 

72Nagibin, Na tixom..., pp. 50-51.

93

the poacher are eager to profit from societal efforts without making any
contributions:

Tom a npyrofi POTOBH PpeTbCH y oomeCTBeHBoro Kocrpa, He
nenan B Hero HnKaKoro CBoero BKnana. BOT, qro nx oobenn-
HHeT, n BOT noqemy nM 060nm HHCTHHKTKBHO HerHHTeH Ana-
Tonnn HBaBOBnq c ero oooCTpeHHon GeCKOpflCTHOCTbm n COBeCT—
HHBOCTbm.73

Thus, Burenkov can be viewed as much a poacher as Sa§ka, although
Burenkov is a masked poacher who is protected by a government job. He
exists for show. "If the generals had not left, how beautifully the sto-
ry would have turned out," we knowifltmihis inner monolog. But without
the audience he sees no profit in detaining the poacher.

Kogan agrees with this evaluation of Burenkov, and he continues on
about the moral illegality of such a parasitical existence:

H nonnman Pne-To BHyTpn ch HeHymHOCTb oomecheHHyw
n BpaBCTBeBBym ResaKOHHOCTb Taxoro CBoero CymeCTBOBaHHH,
on nyme Bcero oonrcn, HTo-ou KTo-Hnoynb ero He paaoonaqnn,
qToom nmnn He annenn: KOponb-To ronwn, "6ynTo nonKOBo-
nen," a He nonKOBonen B caMOM nene.

One can assume that the very fact of Anatolij Ivanovic's existence
is a threat to Burenkov's way of life and were one to project oneself in-
to Burenkov's thoughts as a continuation of his monolog in the story they
might go something like this: if Anatolij Ivanovit is really all that
fearless and a champion of truth, then today he has caught the poacher
and tomorrow he may be after me.

The way in which Nagibin ends the story is also significant. Sas-

ka's surprised little laugh as he says, "He's a strong goosel", the

silence with which Anatolij IvanoviE returns to his boat and the three

 

73A. Kogan, "Odin rasskaz," Sibirskie ogni, No. 9 (1964), p. 184.

74Ibid.

94

dots in punctuation at the end all attest to the fact that the battle
has not ended. It will continue in real life, its outcome depending on
the stand the reader takes. The end of the story meets the requirements
Nagibin had set for himself: to set readers thinking about the evil of
hidden poachers and to help people in their battle against them.

Another problem the Mescera inhabitants faced was the unjust pun-
ishment for a given crime. It is evident from some stories that the man
who goes in pursuit of a poacher is helpless although he is acting in
the name of the law, and in Pbgonja, for example, Nagibin comments:

...naxe Cpenn HECTHle OKaJKYTCH Tanne, ‘ITO oxo'rnee
nomoryT npecnenyemomy, qu npecneBOBaTenm. H3 Koporxon
manocru, n3 HeyBepeHHOCTH B TOM, qro xapa oyner paBHa
HOBHHHOCTPI, a He nepexnec'rne'r ee BO MHOI‘O p33.

This problem corrupts society and arises as a result of the in-
stability of the law and evident injustice. It is brought to light in
Brakon'er which, although not part of the Mescera cycle, was written in
the same year as Pbgonja, i.e., in 1964, and in its views is close to
the latter story. Based on court records, the story ends in a public
trial in which the accused poacher, Petrisdev, is sentenced to a three-
year prison term. We begin to doubt the justice of the commuted sen-
tence when we find out that one of the jurors, Kmet', is a big man about
town, director of a local film factory which daily pours waste materials
into the river destroying every living thing for miles around. Although
only the very delicate fish had perished in the outlying Kosceev Lake
where the poacher was apprehended, all other lakes and streams in the
area had no fish in them at all. The fact that Kmet' does this does not

disqualify him as juror, but Nagibin has drawn a picture of another

poacher in disguise, similar to Burenkov in Pogonja, whose activity of

 

75Nagibin, no tixom..., p. 159.

95

poisoning the country's rivers and streams is contrasted to that of
Petriscev's catching a few fish illegally.

To show us how Petrisdev's sentence was agreed upon, Nagibin takes
us into the chamber where the judge and two jurors are deliberating. One
of the jurors, a retired major who believes the sentence is too severe,
is immediately reminded by the judge that it was decided in Petriscev's
case to stage a show-trial which should serve to remind all poachers of
the stiffer penalties:

--Tpn rona!..OTCTaBnon manop noxpyrnn POHOBOH. 3T0
qTo me - HOKOBaTeanHfi npouecc?..

--Ecnn xornre - na! Cynbnxa Baxypnna HOBym cnrapeTy.
Ba paBBe He Bnnenn - B Bane nonBo KoppecnonneHTOB n3
oonacrn. neny HeTpnmeBa pemnnn Barb mnpoxym ornacxy, 76
qToo 6paKOHbepH nonnnn: nx oesnaxaBHOCTn npnmen Konen.

Although Kmet' does not like Petrisdev, he is willing to let the
punishment fit the crime; three years for a few fish seems to him too
harsh. However, he feels a greater antipathy toward the judge than
toward Petriscev, and when he finds out that she is moved with pity for
the accused and wants to mitigate the sentence, he decides to side with
the majority for the three-year term.

Kmet' experiences the call of duty welling up inside and decides
he must help this woman in spite of herself, and protect his native land
from poachers, such as Petriscev:

HyBcho nonra, mnBoe rpaxnancheHnoe quCTBo Boccrano
B Kmere HPOTHB Beaaxonnmx noonamex... OH nomomer Bron
prnnon mononon xenmnne npOTuB Bee camon. OH nomomeT
Kpam, KOTOpHfi naBBo yxe canan CBonM, ponHaM, npornB

neTpnmeBux Bcex BHBOB n macren.

The comparison of the degree of guilt of Kmet' and Petrisdev before

 

76Nagibin, Izbrannye..., p. 397.

77Ibid., p. 398.

96

nature and society protests strikingly against the sentence commuted by
the court. Furthermore, Kmet' and Petriscev are compared not only on
the social but also on the moral plane. Petrisdev sincerely loves his
wife. Kmet', on the other hand, is on his way to meet his paramour af-
ter the trial. She is the wife of an ambitious young lab assistant who
is completely dependent upon Kmet'.

At the end of the story, Nagibin, asserting lawfulness, comes out
against cruelty and in favor of just and humane treatment even for those

'78 He believes that all must

who do not keep in step "c Bammvi ourom."
be equal before the law, and, furthermore, that the offender should be
answerable only for his offense rather than carry the burden of decisive
campaigns or be the scapegoat for show-trials. And Szymak correctly
observes:

Harmona He fiBnHeTCH xynoxnnxom Haponnmx CBHTHX n no-
Tepnnnon HpOCTOTH nHTennnreHunn. PeQB finer o npOTnBo-
peqnn n pasnnuu memny counanbnumn cnonmn. Tonbxo no-
BerHOCTHOMy Haonmnarenm momeT UOKaBaTbCfi Memepa peaepBa-
TOM GCTeCTBeHHHX qenOBeqecxnx nocronach.

Indeed, the author of Pbgonja is not alone in his search for an
ethical model based on constant values and thus resorts to "folk wis-

dom" and its morality.

Conclusion

In themes and descriptions of nature, Nagibin's MeEEera stories
exhibit a certain similarity with Turgenev's Zapiski exotnika and Paustov-
skij's megabrskaja storona. Nagibin's Mesdera stories, however, are not
an imitation of identical settings and themes in the Mescera and hunting

stories of his predecessors. Nagibin's Mescera cycle is an original

 

781bid.

79$zymak, p. 298.

97

collection of stories. Its novelty is displayed in the composition,
manner of exposition, the role of a narrator, variety of theme and plots,
and, above all, in Nagibin's remarkable portrayal of the Mesdera land-
scape.

As we have seen, nature in Nagibin's Me§5era stories appear in
different ways: 1) it may form the background against which the action
takes place; 2) it may interact with the inner world of man; 3) it may
enter the story as a device of characterization (the degree of man's
sympathy with nature determines his whole moral worth); 4) it may be
left to the reader's perception as to whether nature is tolbe viewed inde-
pendently, or is to be psychologically linked with the action of the
story; and 5) nature may become a decisive force in the story. Nagibin's
heroes are not only aware of nature in different ways, some sympathetic
to her, others indifferent, but they all enter into interactions with
her as though she were a living, thinking center of consciousness, capable
of emotions and actions. But most significantly, Nagibin's Mescera sto-
ries show, as Mixail Zotov aptly noted, "oqenb MHOI‘O npeBocxonHon
nnpnxn, oqenb MHOPO noaann, [B Bax) ynanTeano TOHKO Bann-

80
canu nenaaxn."

 

80Mixail Zotov, "Obyknovennye geroi," Izvestija (March 18, 1974),

p. 4.

CHAPTER THREE

The Children's Theme
Part One - Non-Autobiographical Children's Stories

Introduction
l. War Stories About Children
a) Igra
b) Rannej vesnoj
2. Nature Stories About Children
a) Zimnij dub
b) Komarov
3. The Role of an Adult in a Child's Upbringing
a) Deti Zepjat iz snega
b) getvertyj papa
4. Coming of Age
a) Pered prazdnikom

b) "flak skagegg Aurelio..."

Part Two - Autobiographical Children's Stories

Introduction
l. The aistye prudy Collection
a) Na vsju éizn'

b) ékflyjpmbmm

c) Baboekt
d) 8x0

V
e) Zenja Rumjanceva

98

98

99

99
100
l03
l03
107
lll
lll
ll2
ll4
ll4
ll6

ll8

ll8
lZl
122
l24
l27
l28
130

2. The Leta moego detstva Collection
a) Priezd
) Pbbeditel'
C) Zabroéennaja doroga
) éerdak
e) ébrik
f) Ataman
g) Krasnyj kar'er
h) Ja zarabatyvaju na iizn'

Conclusion

l32
l32
l34
l35
l36
136
138
138
139
140

CHAPTER THREE

The Children's Theme

PART ONE - Non-Autobiographical Children's Stories
Introduction

Many critics have emphasized Nagibin's penchant for children's
stories. Lap§in, for example, contends that Nagibin perceives in his

young heroes a combination of the funny and deeply serious:

B "nercxnx" nponsBeneBnnx nncarenb xax ou BaHOBO
nepemnBaeT CBom mnocrb. B an c ocooon canon npoan-
HOCb Bce noopoe, 0T3annBoe, BnumaTeanoe K ofinnxy u
BHyTpennemy Mpr "qynecnoro n aaranoqnoro rpamnannna
6ynymero", KOTOpoe npaneKaeT Hac a B BOGHHHX paccxaaax
nncaTenn.l

Indeed, a great portion of Nagibin's work is devoted to the theme of
children. He has written 73 stories about children; 22 of them deal with
children in general while the remaining 5l relate to his own childhood.
This Chapter, for that reason, is divided into two sections: (l) non-
autobiographical children's stories; and (2) autobiographical children's
stories. The first section, discussing the children's stories in a
chronological order, analyzes eight stories which critics and this

author have singled out as the most significant models of Nagibin's non-
autobiographical children's stories. These eight stories will center on

four major themes: (1) war stories about children; (2) nature stories

 

1M. Lapsin, "S ljubov'ju k Eeloveku," Moskovskij komsomolec (April
4, l970), p. 3.

98

99

about children; (3) the role of an adult in a child's upbringing and the

child's awakening; and (4) coming of age.

war Stories About Children

A child's creative idealism regardless of difficult circumstances
is the theme of a war story about children called Igra (The Game). It
unfolds against the backdrop of the Leningrad blockade when daily artil-
lery attacks on the city were regularly carried out by the enemy.

All the action of the story takes place in a room adjoining the
narrator's apartment where two small boys - eight-year-old Kotja and
six-year-old Mik - are playing. Pretending to be a rescue squad, they
are saving an old professor whom they have just pulled from a bombed.
building. The younger boy, Mik, is doubting their efforts in reviving
the old man. Kotja, on the other hand, works with great determination;
his faith that the man will live knows no bounds. While Kotja is giving
him mouth to mouth resuscitation, Mik gloomily reports that the man is
still not showing any signs of life. Kotja, however, does not give up.
After much arduous breathing - the narrator comments on how difficult

this is for the emaciated child - the man regains consciousness:

--Bce-Taxn npooeccop Be numnr, - cypOBo xoacrarnpyer
Max. Ho Kora HGYTOMHMO npononmaer CBom paooTy: paB-nBa,
pas-BBB. Cnumno ero npepancroe nuxanne, quCTByeTcn,
xax Taxeno naercn Bra paoora ncromennomy peoenxy. Ho
on nooemnaew: npooeccop oxnn, oxnn Bonpexn Bcemy,
Bonpexn BeBepnw Mnxa, Bonpexn Tomy, qro Gun... numb
nnBaHHon nonymxon.

--TH cnumnmb, Mun?

--qro?

--OH Banoxnyn. Hocnyman, on Bsnoxnyn. BanepmnBan nu-
xanne, Max npncnymnBaeTcn.

--na-a, - r0BopnT on neyBepeHHo. KOTB, Bano nocnymarb

lOO

nynbcy. Tu anaemB rne nynbca?

--33am. Tu nocnyman nynbcy. A n eme nemnomxo‘nonmmy
eMy... - Hy BOT, Tenepb on COBceM numnr. Mu cnacnn
ero, MHK. '

Although the action takes place in a room adjoining the narrator's
apartment, we plainly see these children: their pale thin faces,

Kotja's set lips and the surprise in Mik's eyes. We not only see the
children but all of Leningrad with its suffering but unbroken people.
Very ordinary facts are depicted in the story and yet we see more than
what is described in the game of Kotja and Mik: the time, the struggle,
the characters.

In another war story, Rannej vesnoj (In Early Spring), Nagibin ex-
plores the theme of an adopted war orphan. In the car of a slow train
among a motley crew of passengers most of whom are women evacuating from
Stalingrad, is the narrator of the story, a male newspaper correspondent,
and a man who has just adopted a little war orphan.

The foster father, a one-eyed man, picked up the little ten year-old
girl at Beketovka station just before the train left. "Mother has no idea
that I am bringing her a grandchild,” he told the other passengers with
a kind smile. But he would say nothing of what happened to the orphan
during the war and watched over her carefully to see that no one would
ask her any questions. The passengers knew only that the little girl had
formerly lived with her aunt at Beketovka. In January the aunt had died
leaving her an orphan. Whatever it was that the child had experienced in

the war left an imprint upon her appearance as well as her character:

 

2Ju. Nagibin, Zerno Etzni (Moscow, l948), pp. 52-55.

lOl

neBqua ouna KaxaB-To CTpaHBan, ona cnOBBo sanyma-
naCB pas Ha Bcerna n He morna BupBaTBcn n3 nneHa Bron
nymu. Bonbmernaaan, c yanMHM nooM n Tecno cmaTuMM ry-
6aMK, c xnnuM, HepaanTmM TenbneM, ona sameqana Tonbxo
‘CBoero‘npneMHoro orua. Ho n 0 Hum noqrn Be paBPOBapnBana,
orpannanaBCB KpaTKHM "na", "Ber", Huxorna K Remy Be nac-
KanBCB, n Bce-TaKn MH BeBonBBo quchOBann, qTo B ee ma-
neHonn cocpenoroqennon gyme K Hemy TanTcn rnyooxan, Ba-
npnxennan npansaHHocrb.

Late one night when all the other passengers were asleep, the nar-
rator overhears part of a conversation between the little girl and the
dark-haired lady tram conductor whom the little girl tells how one by
one her father, mother and sister had died before she ventured out to

find her aunt at Beketovka:

--npnM0 He Bepurcn - POBOpHna qepnenbxaa xonnyxropma -
Taxan maxonbxan, n cama n3 nennnrpana BxynpOBanaCB!.. -
Kan Tonbxo Teon maTB nyCTnna?

--MaMH yxe He ouno... - nocnmmancn pOBBun, mennennun,
qyrb cxpnnyqnn ronoc.

—-Hy Kan nanxa! ~

--Hanm yxe Be ouno. H @ennqxn ne oano. anoro He omno...
--Pocnonn - Bonnecnyna pyxamn qepnenbxan.

--Tnme! - peaxo, no B3pocnomy, XOTb n Bnonmenora, cxa-
sana neBoqna. - Hana Konn npocneTCB. OH He Bennr MHe
npo 3T0 POBOpHTb. H n Be rOBopm BnKorna. H nymam...

Incidentally, in this story and in Soloxov's sud'ba éeZoveka (Fate
of Man), the theme is analogous. However, that is where the similarities
of the two stories end. The war did not seem to affect Soloxov's Vanja
perhaps because he was still too young to fully comprehend the tragedy
of his fate. Quite the reverse is true of Nagibin's young heroine.

The author stresses how much love and warmth was required to erase
from his heroine's memory the terror she had witnessed and assist her to

return to a normal way of life. He shows how the slightest display of

 

3Ju. Nagibin, Izbrannye proizvedenija (Moscow: "Xudoiestvennaja
literatura," 1973), I, l58.

“ma, p. 159.

102

cruelty or injustice to anyone around her revived the past in her memory
and caused her to grieve anew.5
Nagibin tells of the incident when an old man carrying two heavy
sacks of food joined the passengers in the car of the train in which the
one-eyed man and his adopted daughter were riding. From the very first
day the old man kept to himself and refused to join the passengers who
at mealtime would share what little food they had brought with them.
Sitting astride his sacks of food, he kept eating constantly. Nagibin
stresses the manner in which the old man ate which serves to underscore
the condition of the passengers. Hunger had exhausted them; the long
journey depleted their meager food supply. The appearance of the man
with the food is an important event in the story insofar as the reaction
of the little orphan girl is concerned:
3TOT crapnx He TOHbKO cnenan RHH HaC PORCH prnHO
HepeHOCHMHM, OH Barpnsnnn Tennym, npyxecxym armocoepy
Hamero nyTeBoro TOBapHmeCTBa. Hmnn, exaane B Barone,
Be ounn Hn cronxamn, an PepOHMH. CBeneHBHe cnyqaeM,
HaCTpanaanecn, OHH HGBOHbHO, B cnny MHOPOflGTHeH npu-
BHHKK H BOCHHTaHHH, COGHKHHHHCB B KOHHeKTHB nepen HHHOM
nOpOKHOfl 6enu. Hoxa He HOHBHHCH STOT crapnx, HHKTO He
npencraBnnn C868, HTO MOKHO cymeCTBOBaTb B STOM Barone
He neHHCb CBOHM H He nonyqan HOMOMH OT cocena. Crapnx
noxasan HaM 3Ty BOBMOXHOCTB: OH nyman TOHbKO O geoe; H
PpOM Ban HEM He rpnnyn, H BeMflH He paSBGPBHaCb.
Some of the passengers started to doubt whether they should share
their food while others came to the firm conviction that the old man
should be put off the train. Finally, on one of the stops they did get

rid of the man and his sacks of food. The conflict of the story reaches

 

5See also: Miriam Elberg, "Children as Portrayed by Soviet Prose
Writers during the Period of the 'Thaw,'" an unpublished Ph.D. disser-
tation, New York University, 197l, p. l38.

6Nagibin, Izbrannye. . ., I, 167.

103

its apex at the very moment when the sight of the old man eating calls
forth tears of horror in the little girl:

OHa Bnpyr TOHeHbKO n ooneaneno Bacxynnna, BaonnaCB
B yron Barona, n TOHbKO rnasa ee, anKOBaHHHe K CTaany,
CBepKann CTanOM n BeBaBBCTBw... Onnornasmfi napeBB
.IIOJ'II‘O He MOI‘ YCI'IOKOPITI: neBoqu. OH npnxoaman K C868 ee
I‘OJ'IOBKy, 13.118.an TOHKHe, HCI‘IYI‘aI-IHO cuennennue I'IaJ'Ibuhl PI
I‘OBOpPIJI, I‘OBOpPIJ'I...

Nagibin uses this artistic device to reveal the meaning of the event
through the reaction of a child. In reality all felt that the man's be-
havior was intolerable. The decision to get rid of him, however, was
reached only after the'protest was voiced by the little girl. Thus, the

awakening of a carload of people is triggered by a child.

Nature Stories About Children

According to Nagibin, children are better able to understand nature.
A case in point is the story Zimnij dub (The Winter Oak). The boy Savuskin
is invariably late for school which makes his young country schoolteacher
very sad. Confident of herself and her subject - native speech - Anna
Vasil'evna purposely chose the beginner's class because she was certain
that Savuskin would not be late to her classes. However, he continues to
be tardy and is not very attentive. When the class is required to give
examples of a common noun, Savuskin shouts joyfully: "Winter oak! Winter
oak!" Anna Vasil'evna asks Savuskin to see her after class, but her talk
with him gives her no clue to his daily tardiness. Savuskin himself can-
not understand why he is late to school. He leaves home early and takes
a short cut through the forest. Then the teacher decides to have a talk

with his mother, a nurses' aide in a sanatorium.

 

71mg. , p. 170.

104

Anna Vasil'evna and her pupil set out for the sanatorium through
the forest. And here the teacher is caught in the same circumstances
that make the boy late for schoOl. Bewitched by the beauty of the win-
ter forest, by the whiteness of the gigantic story-like winter oak, she
is late for the appointment with the boy's mother who has already left
for home. Now Anna Vasil'evna understands that it is not Savuskin's
fault but her own. If she were able to make her classes as interesting
to him as nature and the winter forest he would never be late to class.
This realization lets Anna Vasil'evna understand her pupil. Now he is
no longer a careless youngster, but "a wonderful and mysterious citizen
of the future!"

The story is written with great warmth toward little Savuskin who
was able to find the key to his teacher's heart through his spontaneous
love for nature. Nagibin tells us that the greatest insight the teacher
gained in the forest was not the life surrounding the oak tree at all,

but rather her new appreciation for Savuskin:

OTonnn Benanexo, AHHa BacnnBeBBa B nocnennnn pas
ornanynaCB Ba nyo, Geno-pOBOBun B Baxarnax nyqax, n
annena y ero nonHoan Beoonbmym TeMByw onrypxy: CaBym-
KHH Be ymen, on Banana oxpannn CBow yanenbnnuy. M
Anna BacnnbeBHa Bnpyr nonnna, VTO caMHM ynanTenBHmM B
3TOM necy own He snmnnn nyo, a manenbxnn nenOBex B pas-
Homennux BaneHKax, aneBon, Beooraron onemne, can norno-
mero 3a ponnny connara n "nymeBon Baneqxn", qynecnun
n Baranoqnun rpaxnannn 6ynymero.

A. El'jaseviE, among many other critics, comments on the external
physical action of the story which serves largely as framework for the
unfolding of the internal drama, the growth of a human soul:

B paccxase "BHMHnn nyo", xax B oonbmnBCTBe npona-
Benennn m. Harmonna, Bnemnee nenchne CBeneBo no MHHH-
myma, coournn noqrn Ber, n oan cnenymT nDYP 3a nPYPOM

 

81pm. . p. 43.

lOS
mepno, BeToponnnBo. Cmmer cxnantaeTcn us onncannn
oopbou, xoropan npornxaer B cosnannn repon, ns cmenu
pasnnqnux omymennn n nepexHBaHnn. oouqnan nnn Harnonaa
CHOCOGHOCTb K ncnxonornuecxomy nepeBonnomennm n ymenne
cosnaBaTB xapaxTep, oesynpeqnan B CBoen smounonanbnon
npaBnnBocrn, n Ba 3TOT pas npnBonnr K BoanKBOBeBnm
cmxera, rne Her an onnoro manbmnBoro n HeMOTHBHpaHHOFO
xona.

In Zimnij dub, as D. J. Richards observes, the forest stands in
"strong contrast with the time-ridden, rationally-ordered world of civ-

10 Nagibin stresses this contrast

ilization, represented by the school."
in many spots, notably in the following passage:

EnBa onn BCTynnnn B nec n Tnmxo rpyxeBHHe CHePOM
GJIOBbIe name] COMKHYJDICB sa PIX CHHHOH, KaK cpasy nepe-
HECHHCb B neon, saqapOBanHmn MKp noxoa n oessBquH.11

Furthermore, "childish spontaneity" is opposed to "adult reflection .
in the contrast between little Savuskin's immediate and living knowledge
of the life of the forest and the school mistress's rational division of
experience into grammatical categories.”2
In his article, "Esli ty pises rasskazy . . . " (If You Write Short
Stories), Nagibin tells how he came to write Zimnij dub. This article is
of interest not only because the story is acclaimed by criticism to be
one of Nagibin's finest stories about nature and children, but also be-
cause the writer explains in detail the difficult process of its origin.
On a correspondence assignment after the war, on his way from one
Smolensk village to another, Nagibin took a short cut through the forest

and saw in a clearing "an oak tree towering gigantic and magnificent as

a cathedral." He left this simile of his first impression in the story

 

9A. El'jaseviz, "Xaraktery i sjuEety," Znamja, No. To (l957), 20l.

10D. J. Richards, Introduction to Yurii Nagibin: Selected Short
Stories (New York, l963), p. xx.
11

12

Nagibin, Izbrannye . . . , I, 39.
Richards, p. xx.

106

because his native Russian countryside always evokes a prayerful atti-
tude. When he arrived at his destination, he recorded his rendezvous
with the forest for a projected story with the theme: nature as seen

for the first time after the war. Unable to write stories about nature
without "figures that enliven the landscape," however, Nagibin's descrip—
tions of the winter forest with its bubbling hot springs under the frozen
ground, the majestically towering oak tree, the tiny creatures sleeping

in grottos under the roots of the tree and in its bark - all this remained
an entry in his notebook.

A few years later, while writing his story Trubka (The Pipe) at the
Dom Tvordestva in Maleevka, Nagibin met Nikolaj Atarov, a well-known
Soviet novelist, who was working on a story with a school theme. Atarov
shared with Nagibin his ideas about schools, school teachers and their
attitudes to their pupils. He stressed the importance of making the
teaching in schools subject oriented so that a word in the child's mind
would not become disassociated from its meaning. The child should always
feel the connection of language with life. When the teacher says "tree"
to the children he should take them into the forest or a grove and show
them a splendid tree whose beauty remains even when it has lost its
leaves. ‘

Nagibin thought, he continues, about their conversation for a long
time. In his mind he conjugated, combined and took apart words, trees,
children and teachers; thought about the miracle of language and the im-
portance of words. All his walks that winter took him by a school where
he had spent a summer with a Young Pioneer detachment. As he observed
the children converging toward the school every morning, he could not
help thinking what an important period in a person's life his school years

are.

107

Once, as he returned to the Dom TvorEestva from one of his walks,
he overheard the diswasher say to her son: "You are going to be late to
school again!" This was like an electrical discharge to Nagibin. It
instantaneously unified the separate elements of his observations and re-
flections: the winter forest, the school, the boy who is constantly
tardy, and his teacher. Nagibin sat down at his desk and in two
or three days, which never happened to him before, he wrote the story
with great ease and joy.13

"It is evident," writes Atarov, "that Nagibin felt his own pre-
sence in the twilight of the forest. This is the secret of his success.
Cexov advised: "Bonn Bbl xo'rn're, q'roobl )anonHCB nana KaKOfi-TO
nefisam, TO BE nonmnu ceon npencraBnTB B srom nefisame."'flfis
is exactly what Nagibin does. He sees himself, i.e. man, his hero, in
constant contact with nature."14

Another boy's discovery of nature is the theme of Komarov (Koma-
rov). Standing on a sunny beach is a four-year-old who is stark naked
except for a white cotton hat pulled over one ear. He is constantly
being corrected by his kindergarten teacher whose other twenty-five
charges are obediently sun-bathing. The narrator turns around to see
this disobedient youngster and finds himself looking straight at a navel
that looks like "the imprint of a ten-cent-piece in the sand." Now the
reader follows Komarov, the boy who sees the world around him with the

eyes of an explorer. He wants to investigate everything: to touch it

or feel it with his bare feet.

 

13Ju. Nagibin, "Esli ty pi§e§' rasskazy . . .," Molodaja gvardija,
No. 7 (l964), pp. 296-308.

14Nikolaj Atarov, "Celovek iz glubiny pejzaia," Nag'sovremennik,
No. l2 (1972), p. lO4.

108

He talks to the green pine cones and frogs; he declares war on the
stinging nettle. His plans to be a real explorer are thwarted by the
kindergarten teacher in the confines of a little yard surrounded by a
wooden fence. So Komarov pries one of the boards loose and makes his
escape. He is now free to investigate the world of nature around him
which he is hardly able to comprehend. He sees a calf grazing in a
clearing which to him is a "big dog." Nagibin writes of their confron-
tation:

...BCTpeTHnHCb nBoe peonr: can qen0Beqecxnn u puxnn
mnaneneu-ouqox...

The boy wins one of the most wonderful battles in all of Nagibin's
stories. He merely stretches out his hand to pet the animal, but the
calf lowers its head, ready to charge. So Komarov stretches out his
neck and with his eyes closed charges at the calf. But the calf refuses
to fight, he runs away. Komarov runs after him to stroke his side.
Atarov sees the boy's bravery and kindness which, incidentally, are

present in many of Nagibin's male characters:

KOMapOB, noxanyn, caMHn Knaccnan mqunna B xoropre
HaPH6HHCKHX mqunn. OTBamnun, no noopun. Becnomannun
n noopun - Taxne cnomnue xapaxrepncrnxn qacro BCTpeuamTcn
B paccxasax Harnénna. Hpoexnna KomapOBa Ha Bspocnun MHp
6eCCTpamBux aCOB, connaT, CHOpTCMeHOB, OXOTHHKOB n pmoa-
KOB npencraBnneTcn MHe rnaBHon nnnnen ero TBopquTBa.

In his book Razmyglenija o rasskaze (Reflections on the Story),
Nagibin recalls how he wrote the story Komarov. It concerns a very small
boy who for the first time discovers the complexity and beauty of an

enormous world, and for the first time feels like a person in it.

 

15Nagibin, Izbrannye. . ., I, 48.

16 "V II
Atarov, Celovek. . ., p. 106

109

At that time Nagibin lived on the Karelian isthmus where he liked
to lie on the beach with a book. On one such occasion he heard a rasping
female voice calling a person by the name of Komarov to order: "Komarov
stop it! Komarov behave yourself! Komarov do not bother people!" Una-
ware that children in kindergartens were called by their last names and
astonished by this bureaucratic dryness, Nagibin resolved to write a
story about the four-year-old Komarovs, Spiridonovs and Bogatyrevs. The
characters were already there: Komarov, his playmates and their kinder-
garten teacher. The landscape was made to order: a flat sea and rocky
beach under a bright sun. Within walking distance was a pine grove, the
turpentine smell of pine needles and thickets of meadowsweet.

On his way to the beach Nagibin hears a familiar rasping voice behind
a wooden fence. He barely had time to realize that it belonged to the
kindergarten teacher when one of the boards of the fence moved and a
scraped foot in a sandal appeared. Then half of a little person in satin
trunks with "Komarov" stitched in red tried to squeeze through the crack.
Nagibin wondered if he should help his story along by letting the boy
escape. What will freedom be like for him, how will he behave once he is
free: he mused. Of course he was sorry for the kindergarten teacher who
would be worried until Komarov is found. But the metallic voice "Ilenafi
p-Tflaal.”prevented his further deliberations. His act of freeing the boy
would benefit the teacher. What if she realizes that you cannot turn a
kindergarten into a prison? Nagibin made a hole in the fence big enough
for Komarov's escape.

This is how one of Nagibin's most fascinating trips began even
though it was a very short one: from the kindergarten to the top of the

hill from which the view of the sea opens. On the way the boy and the

llO

writer met not only stinging nettle but also large rocks, pine cones, a
frog and a calf. When Komarov was finally found, Nagibin already had his
story.17

E. Nikolin has taken note of Komarov's indifferent, callous kinder-
garten teacher with whom the boy carries on a conversation at the beach
and from whom he later makes good his escape. The teacher, Nina Pavlovna
in the KOmarov story is contrasted to the sensitive and sensible Anna
Vasil'evna in Zimnij dub and with little Komarov himself whose conversa-
tion with the pine cones, the frog and the calf as well as with the kin-
dergarten teacher show his outgoing nature, his kindness and inquisitive-
ness:

Harnonn cn0BBo sanaercn Bonpocom: moxno nu qenOBexy,
Koropomy n0Bepnnn Bocnnranne neTen, Tax yooro, Tax sacy—
meBHo Bocnpnnnmarb nx? Ha, BocnpnnnmaTB. Benb oqunnHo,

Bro BasonnnBo nOBTomemnncn B paccxase Bosrnac "KomapOB!"
He Tonbxo n He cronbxo oOpma oopamennn, cxonbxo ¢0pma
MHpoomymeHnn, Mepa noopora n nonnMaHnn, c KOTOpHMH Boc-
npnnnmamrcn oxpyxammnn map a nwnn. OTBeT - B oopase Koma-
pOBa, B nmooBHOM, nponanyTOM noopon Harmonncxon nyxaBnB-
non onncannn nooera manuma c TeppHTopnn naun. B snnsonax
Bcrpeqn c COCHOBOH mnmxon, c TeneHKOM Ba nyxanxe, c na-
rymxon nepen anaTeneM npencraer mnpoxaa, menpaa Barypa,

noxa eme Tonbxo HHCTBBKTHBHO, noncnynno, no yme nmonman
MHp n CTpeMHmaHCH nocrnqb ero.

Whether or not Nagibin had intended for his story to be an illustra-
tion of bureaucracy in the daily give and take of life, he has achieved
it in the attitude of the unimaginative, narrow-minded Nina Pavlovna

toward little Komarov.

 

17Ju. Nagibin, Razmyglenija o rasskaze (Moscow: "Sovetskaja Rossija,"
l964), pp. 53-59.

18Evgenij Nikolin, "Polnoj dusoj," Neva, No. 7 (l963), pp. 171-72.

The Role of'an Adult in a Child's Upbringing

Similar to Zimnij dub in theme is the story Deti lepjat iz snega
(Children Making Snowmen) in which a child's creative awareness evokes
the same awareness in others. Yet another resemblance of the two
stories is evident when we compare the teachers in each. Sensitive to
the needs of their young pupils, each one is portrayed as open, under-
standing as well as willing to guide their charges.

The story has a simple plot: a young teacher takes orphan children
for a walk on a snowy winter day and when they come to a vacant lot she
suggests they divide up in pairs to build snowmen. All the children
except one follow the teacher's directions. Only Minaev starts making a
statue very unlike a snowman. He works at it with complete abandon and
while at work, his attitude toward the other children changes. Usually
quiet and obliging, he is rude to his working partner Gusakova; he yells
at his good friend Berezkin and speaks harshly to the teacher.

Their dialog is significant. To the teacher's question where are
the legs of the figure he is making, Minaev points downward. He explains
that the man he is making is climbing out of a coal mine. When the
teacher suggests that he may have forgotten that an elevator brings
miners out of the mine, he looks at her angrily. How could he forget?
His father was a miner. To the question where his father is now, the boy

points downward again:

--TaM! - MnBaeB Txnyn nanbueM BHHB. - OH Bunesaer as
maxru.
-—maxwep0B nonnnmamr BaBepx B Knern. Tu, BaBepHoe saoan...
--3aoan? - stne rnasa PHeBHO rnnnnr Ba BocnnTaTenBBnuy. -
Mon oreu own maxrepom.

 

l9 . . V.
Nagibin, Ctstye. . ., p. 456.

111

112

--A rne TBon oreu?
-—TaM! - MnBaeB CBOBa noxasan BHHB. - OH TaM ocrancn.20

Minaev's speech is harsh: it mirrors his emotional state. Nagibin shows
how significant the role of a sensitive educator is in this type of situ-
ation. Instead of punishing the boy for his sharp words she is quick to
sense his bitterness and to praise him for his talent. Without uttering
another word she stands before the strange miracle of the boy and his man
of snow giving him the opportunity of full creative expression.

Elberg has likened Nagibin's theme to that of V. Panova, who similarly
pays a great deal of attention to the role of an adult in a child's educa-
tion:

Honoouo B. HaHOBon, Bcerna nonqepKnBammen ponb Bspoc-
noro B BocnnTannn neren, m. Harmonn Taxme noxasmBaeT, Kan
snaaneana ponb quKoro n ymenoro BocnnTaTenB. yanenb-
11141.13 88 Haxasana maannxa sa DGSKOCTB Id Henocnymanne.

Bunn, c KaKnM ynoenneM n camosaoBeBneM on paooTaeT, ona
nonnna, qTo nepen Ben TanaHT, n monqa "B KaKon-To ropbnon
n cqaCTnnBon nonnxnocrn nepen CTpaHHHM qynom sroro
maannxa n ero qenOBexa ns cnera", nana BosMomnocrb emy
HpOHBHTb ceon.
detvertyj papa (The Fourth Daddy) has as its theme the revelation of a
person's true nature through his attitude toward a child. Little Sasa's
constant quest for a daddy ends when Bajkov, a sailor friend comes to
spend the day with the boy's babysitter, Fenidka, who takes the place of
Sasa's working mother. Actually, the boy had a father, but had never
seen him. All he knows about his daddy is what he had overheard from
the neighbors, that "he left with the beautiful one." What this meant

Saga did not understand. For him the most beautiful person in the world

is his mother:

 

zoIbid., p. 458.

2'Eiherg, p. 73.

113

Camon xpaanon Ba CBeTe omna mama - oonbman, Toncran,
Tennan. Y Bee sameqarenbnan ponnnxa Ha mexe, c nBymn
uepuumn Bonocxamn, n npyran ponnnna B yronxe ryo, n

eme 0111-16 88 moqxe yxa, a ‘ITO MOJKGT 6bl'I‘b Kpaanee 3T0I‘O?22

Nagibin successfully evokes the emotional atmosphere of child-
hood and draws a true picture of the adults as they are seen from the
boy's point of view. Moreover, like nature, the child becomes the
touch-stone for the adults' moral worth. Bajkov's love and kindness
is revealed and FeniEka's insensitivity is exposed in their respective
attitudes toward Sasa. Bajkov becomes disillusioned with FeniEka
when she mistreats the boy. This is his awakening, for he discovers

her true nature:

--Cnyman - POBOpHn BanKOB, - a H Be nyman, 9T0 Tu Taxan...
-—KaKan eue Taxan?
--3nan, - qyrb nomonan, cxasan BanKOB.

--Bynemb snon - manoono OTOBBanaCB ¢ennqxa. -B non Benn
CBnneHHCB - B an mnnyroqxn noxon.
--Tan Benb HOHHMaTb Hano... OB mean nanon HasmBanl...
--na y Bero Bce nanu! Hy, qero TH? — ana KOpOTKaH Ta-
mnna, norom CHOBa ronoc BanKOBa:
--HeT, He mory 3 Tax... BynTo mena B cepnne... Hy Teon
x oory B pan, BeXOpoman T3!
The boy's admiration and love for his fourth daddy is brought
out in his stream of consciousness as he is lying in bed thinking
what he might give Bajkov to remember him by. He decides it must be
his teddy bear, Kuzja, because it is the toy he loves best and since
it makes him sad to part with Kuzja, that's what he should give Bajkov.

With this happy thought Sasa, holding his teddy bear, flings open the

 

22Ju. Nagibin, Pered pnazdnikom (Moscow: "Molodaja gvardija,“
l960), p. 32.

2%1nzt , p. 47.

114

door and chimes: "Daddy, take it!" only to be chased back to bed
by an angry Fenidka:

Cama ones 0 KpOBaTn, BmTamnn n3 Temnoro yrna manoo-
no saBopanmero Kysm n c pasmaxy pacnaxnyn nBepB.
--Hana! - Kpnxnyn on nnxymmnm ronocom H ocexcn. B Kom-
BaTe ouna onHa oennqxa, ona cnnena ooxom Ba n0pque
xpecna, quB CKHOHfiCb. Heymenn BanKOB yexan? Ho BOT
oennqxa ooepnynaCB, n Cama annen BafiKOBa. anero on He
yexan, on cnnen B xpecne, n oennqxa ero saroponnna.
--nana, Bosbmn!..

'“fla nponann Tu nponanom! - Baneryna oennqxa. - Hanoen
xyme ropBKon penbxn124

Coming of Age

Nagibin contended once that he does not indulge in imaginations
but only writes about things which have really occurred. If it were a
matter only of observation and experience, then how are we to account
for a story such as Pered prazdnikom (Before the Holiday) in which
the heroine experiences the change from girlhood to womanhood?

Orest PetroviE is the first to notice a certain change in Natasa
at play when he hears a note of complaint in her voice and vaguely
suspects it must have something to do with growth and maturity, which
she herself cannot begin to understand. He could tell Natasa wanted
to continue the game she was playing, but a sudden awkwardness disturbed
her movements and prevented her from playing. Slowly she goes toward
the house and once inside falls on the bed. She could sense her life

oozing out of her body and thought surely, she is dying:

 

24Ibid., pp. 45-47.

115

...y Bee saxpyxnnacb ronOBa, n OOTpan, rOpnqan Oonb
onannna anOT. OBa cornynacb, BunpnmnnaCB n HOTepHHHO
nOOpena K nomy. KonBKa nomen Omno sa Hen. --OTcTanb! -
pesxo xpnxnyna HaTama. OBa Bomna B nom, monua npomna
mnmo maTepu B KomnaTy n nOBannnacB Ha KpOBaTb. Cexynny-
npyrym OBa cnOBHO Hero-To xnana, n, xorna sTO npnmno, Ha-
Tama pemnna: sTO cmepTB. BOT OT qero Ouno en Tax TOCK-
nnBO nnem, BOT noqemy TomnnaCB n OTpanana OHa Beqepom.
Ona ymnpaeT, mnsnb CTpemnTenBBO BHTeKaeT as ee Tena.

--Mama! - Kpnxnyna ona OTqanBHO, xpnnno, BBOHKO. M Kor-
na maTB, cpasy noqyanan onacnOCTB, BOemana B KomnaTy,
cxasana:

——H ymnpam. - H sannaxana.
Mapba BaggnBeBBa nonaqany KaK-TO OTOponena, a nOTom
sacmennacb.

Besides Natasa, the other children in the story are Kolja, Natasa's
eleven-year-old brother with a world of his own which no one may enter;
little Vitja, her youngest brother, whom their mother considers the
smartest in the family and their neighbor Sonja, a gentle, trustful
and awkward young child. As in his Igra, Nagibin observes these child-
ren at play to determine their characters:

Konbxa prxenanx: Korna emy nano CUpHTaTbCH, on
CJIOMH I‘OJIOBy M‘IPI'I‘CFI K nanbnemy CTOI‘y H sapuBaeTcn B ceno
rnyOOKO n OCBOBaTenBBO, GynTO HamepeB OTcnmnBaTbcn Tam
ron. HaTama - BOB pncx n nepsOCTB: OBa He npnqucn name,
a npOCTo CTaHOBHTCH sa cnnaon Bonamen COHBKH nnn cannTca
Ba KOpTOqKn y ee HOP n ”BupyqaeTCB" cpasy, Kan Tonbxo
COHbKa OanBnBeT: "Bony!" A B COHbKe To KpOTxoe ynop-
CTBO, c KOTOpHM OHa nepeHOCHT Bce Beynaqn...

The main character in the story is, without doubt, Natasa. She
is the manifestation of the indomitable violence of life and its fine
prosaic simplicity, its contradiction and harmony. Pictured as a village
girl enjoying the twilight hours, the thundering of the herd as it re-

turns from pasture, the game with her brothers and especially the boat

 

25Nagibin, Izbrannye..., I, 195.

2518527. , p. 192.

116

rides on the river with her father, she is also a dreamer. When she
goes down to the river she sees a midget fishing and imagines him to
be her "prince":
CTOH Ba BHCOKOM Bocy nonxn, HaTama TOHKO n cmemBO
nOanrnBana OT BOCTOpra. OBa enBa Be saOuna O "npnnue"
n BCUOMHHna o HeM, KOPna nOKOCHBmancn, CTapaH oanbxa
OOTanacB nosann. HaTama OoepBynaCB, BO "npnnua" Tam Be
oano. CTpaHHO, OHa Tax meqTana ero anneTB, one u camoe
KaTaI-Ilde saTeana pama 86130, a CBH‘IaS, KOI‘IIa er'o He OKaBa-
nOOB, anxonbxo Be Ouna oropqena.2
The metaphor of the river as the life-giving, all-sustaining
natural resource of this fishing village is underscored by the many
fishermen, natives of the village as well as outsiders,who come here
to fish for fun and relaxation. The Hungarian critic, Kristd Nagy,
ll
observes that this short story is a masterful, psychologically valid
and artistically tasteful presentation of this sensitive subject
which is unique in the whole of modern world literature".28
Another awakening into womanhood of a teenager is shown in "Kak
ska5e5, Aurelio..." (Whatever You Say, Aurelio); in this story, at
sixteen Ljuda sees her first movie picture and is captivated by its
hero. The words the movie heroine says to her beloved, "Whatever you
say, Aurelio...," become indelibly imprinted upon her heart and she
begins to expect to find her own Aurelio to whom she can say these
words.

Here too, as in Pered prazdnikom, we have the metaphor of the

"water of life", this time the life-giving water of a lake:

 

271‘bid. , pp. lB7-l88.

28Istva’n Kristd Nagy, "Nagibin," in A3 A5 szovjet irodalom,
ed. by Janos Elbert and Lészlo Kardos (Budapest, n.d.), p. 264.

117

Cmna ynapnnn mancxnmn rposamn cnennmne monnnn, nmnbcxne
nonnme panyrn onycxann cemnuBeTne CBOKX onop, 6es cqua
ocananHCB sBesnm aBrycTOBCKnmn Boqamn. A pasBe confine B
exeBeqepHem norpymennn Be OOTaBanO osepy Hemnoro posOBoro
CBeTa, pasBe ncqesano Oeccnenno Bce nsnnBammeecn B Hero
nynnoe n sBesnnoe cnnnne? OsepO nanBnO B ceOB CTonBKO
panyxnoro, sBesnnorO, nynnoro n conneqnoro BemeCTBa, qTO
Bona ero OOpena ueneOBym cnny.

Nagibin tells subtly and lyrically about the inner change of the

young girl through a sudden unexpected change in nature:

Cenqac B npnpone uapnna paCTepnnnoch. HeTnnn xapa
nocne xononOB, Ounsnnx x samoposxam, c6nna c Tonxy Bce
pacTymee H3 semnn. Ha 6ecnnonnux Bnmnnx pacnycTnnncB
fienme, c qub npnmeTBOn posOBaTOCTbm nBeTOqKn, sane-
BGCTHHKCB n nnxne nOnoan fienum uBeTom, a Ha nerBnne
neBOPO Oepera BHOBb pacuBenn HYHHOBHe maxn... BOT nnu-
BeT cepeOpnBan nayTnBa, saCTpanaB memny neOom n semnen
c 6a6bero neTa, BanyawT nouxn Ba Bep6ax, xenTeeT Oepe-
sOan nncT, ocnna c6pacuBaeT Oarpeu, HO nBeTyT ¢DYKTOBHe
nepeBbB, pacxpuBamTcn qameqxn fienmx Bonnnmx Hanan; THHYT
Ba mr yTKn n rycn, a TeTepeBa, noxome, C06panHCb He OT-
KnantaTb Ha Becny Opaqnux TypnnpOB n CBaneo...

H Taxan me Beceannn nyTaBnua TBOpnnaCB B nmne.30

Nature stands as one with Ljuda. It also awakens suddenly to the
great secret of life. Several details, for example the way the girl
walks "nerxo n Bxpantho" and old Matveid's remark that "neBxa
BaHeBeCTPIJ'IaCb" underscore her new awakening.

This somewhat ironic story with its imagery takes us into a
world which for the writer has become a place apart: the world of

his own childhood.

 

29Nagihin, Izbrannye..., 1, 352-53.

3OIbid., p. 357.

118

PART TWO - Autobiographical Children's Stories

INTRODUCTION
In Nagibin's autobiographical stories there are five separate collec-
tions. Chronologically first is a collection of twelve stories about
Nagibin's childhood, entitled atstye prudy. Since then Nagibin has
returned to his childhood theme four times: in l965 he published his
Mblen'kie rasskazy (which appeared in his book Dalekoe i blizkoe);
in 1969 a collection of stories, Leto moego detstva, came out as a
part of his book passe serdce, in l97l another collection appeared,
Pereulki moego detstva; and in 1974 he published his latest collection
of four stories, Kniga detstva, included in his book, Ty budeé fitt'.
Nagibin's frequent return to his own childhood theme has prompted
several critics to express their views of Nagibin's lively interest
in the past. Atarov, for instance, comments that Nagibin is comparing
his childhood with the weltanschauung he has today: a world filled
with beauty of which he had become aware even as a child:

B OCHOBe BpKO Bcnuxnmeero nnTepeca K npomnomy, KameT-
on mne, nean Kan Om ynaneHne HarnOnHa nepen TOKneCTBOM
BfleanfleHI/II’I neTCKHX neT K BOCHPHHTKH HM mpa CEI‘OIIHHIIIHQI‘O,
"Bspocnoro". UncaTenB rnyOOKO yOemneH B Tom, qTO KpaCOTa
B xnsnn cymecTByeT n npnnannexnr paBHO Bcem, HO ee Hanco-
no ymeTB anneTB n YCHHmaTb; n BOT OH nposgpner cenqac,
Bnnen nn on cam B neTcTBe ch sTy KpaCOTy?

While V. Provoljaev sees a return to the past as a purification
as well as self-verification:

BosBpamenne x npomnomy - sTo oqnmenne, HPOBepKa

camoro ceOn, sTO CBeTnan nyma O camom xogomem u camom
noOpom, qTO xorna-TO "nmeno meCTO OHTB". 2

 

3lAtarov, p. lll.

32V. Povoljaev, "Nadinaja s pereulkov detstva," Literaturnaja
gazeta (Sept. 26, 1972), p. 5.

119

F. S. Rjabikina, on the other hand, believes that Nagibin's return to
the childhood theme is influenced by that creative principle which
Nagibin calls "the memory of the heart," a creative principle which
refines and polishes life's occurrences before letting them become
part of him.33

And Nagibin himself, commenting about his interest in the past,
states, in one of his stories, samyj ééastlivyj den' (The Happiest Day),
that the past, present, and future are intricately interwoven into a
whole, that nothing fades without a trace and that man's memory is a
sanctuary where images of the past live forever:

...npoanoe - sTO He pasOer nnn BsneTa B Kaxym-TO
6ynymym HaCTonmyw mnsnb... BTO yxe mnsnb, B KOTOpOn Bce
CBfisaI-IO: nanexoe npomnoe C HaCTOHILIHM, a ecnu mne CW-
neno 6ynymee, To B 0H0 oxameTcn BepacTopxnmo Oanannum
c nepemnTmm; anTo Be npoxonnT 6eccnenBO, He sapaCTaeT
TpaBOn saOBeBnn, n qenOBeuecKan nyma Be Knan6nme, a OBn-
Tnnnme, napywmee Bquym mnsnb OOpasam Omnoro.

These "OOpasbl owioro" are reflected in all of Nagibin's auto-
biographical stories. Nagibin's Naé'bylo detvero (There Were Four of
Us), for example, is undoubtedly one of the very first stories with
the theme of Nagibin's own childhood, even though the writer has not
included it in his collection of autobiographical childhood stories,
the dkstye prudy.

In the Cistye prudy neighborhood of Moscow live four youngsters

who are now all in school together. But even before they went to

school, they were drawn to one another by the need to know everything,

 

33S. Rjabikina, "Pamjat' serdca," Naé'sovremennik, No. 7 (l972),
p. l23.

34Nagibin, Izbrannye..., II, 335.

120

by that childhood wisdom which is born in the fast pace of life and
which produces men and women who take in all the good in life and are
able to give of it freely to others. Many of the themes of later
childhood stories are already present in this early story about which
Richards makes the following comment:

...the highly-charged atmosphere of the boys' world is
strikingly recalled: the make-believe heroism and the
actual clashes with rival gangs, the activities of
youth organizations, visits to the magical world of
the cinema, fishing trips and the rest, and overall
the friendships that endure through the other rapidly
changing enthusiasms and loyalties of the boy evolving
into the adult world.35

Nagibin esteems mutual understanding very highly. In the emo-
tional climax of this story the author, who has returned to Moscow
after an absence of several years, is climbing the stairs to the apart—
ment of one of his boyhood friends when he hears Kol'ka's shout of
"Nb passaran!" revealing that their boyhood feelings are not forgotten,

that they are still true friends:

C cnnbno obmmnmcn cepnnem BanpaBnncn n x Konbxe.
H BHOpan Konbxy, nOTomy qTO OH Gun camum nerxnm n OT-
squanm, HacTonmnn OapomeTp npyxecxnx OTnomeBnn. Ha
necTBnue snaxomo sanaxno xomxamn, n Hemnoro npnoOonpnn-
on.
--HO naccapan! - Taxnm Bocxnnuannem BOTpeTnn mean Konbxa.
H XOTn omnnan nnmx CflOB BOTpeqn, n OOpanOBancn. H nonnn,
qem cenqac mnByT mon HPYSBn. CBoum Bocxnnnannem Konn xax
OH OTKpflBan mne nBepn B CBOn BOBun mnp n BmeCTe c Tem
npOBepnn menn: nonpemnemy nn n c Hnmn.

S. Dmitriev also observes that the main themes of Nagibin's

dtstye prudy had already appeared in Maé'bylo éetvero. Furthermore,

 

35Richards, p. xix.

36Ju. Nagibin, Zimnij dub (Moscow: "Molodaja gvardija," 1955),
p. 94.

121

the critic contends that it is characteristic of Nagibin to return
to his favorite topics and themes:

MaCTechBO HarnOnBa B umxne "QHCTHe npynH" OernnO,
OOOraTunocB HOBHM, rnyOOKO rymaBHCanHum conepmannem.
qTO sTO Tax, monno nerxo anneTB, cpaBHnB "gncTae npynu"
c pannum ero paccxasom "Hac Ouno quBepO". CoocTBenno,
Bce OCHOBHHe MOTHBH "UncTux npynOB" sanomena B sTom
paccxase.

The distye prudy Cbllection

Nagibin's dtstye prudy is twelve stories about the author's home
in Moscow; this collection portrays the young boy Sereia Rakitin's
formative years. Among the stories are those which tell of his comrades
who lived in the same neighborhood, others which introduce members of
his family who are mentioned in the stories for the first time, still
others describe trips the young boy made to see his father who was
far more often away from home than living with the family in their
modest apartment. Focusing more upon the child's personal life are
stories about his yearning for a bicycle, his collection of butterflies,
his teachers at school and about some of his favorite school friends.

From these stories we are able to see how the boy grew up.

It is significant that his father, a construction engineer, was rarely

with the family while the boy was growing up. This void in Sereia's

life was filled by his grandfather:

OTna n Bnnen penxo, npoOeccnn OTponTenn n Bpomnennan
ana x nepemene mecT Knnana ero c onnon OTponKn Ba an'
ryio, c nnsOBon Bonm B camyio rnyOB CnOnpn, ns HDnMOCKOBbfi
sa nonnpnan xpyr... 3aTO npu cnOBe "nen" n cpasy Bnmy ceOn
B OTapon KOMHaTe, rne OH yuan menn nonannBaTBcn Ba Konbuax
n paOOTaTB C raBTennmn, nnn Ba gncTax npynax, rne n35 ero
pyxaBoncTBom n OOBanBan nepBue B moen mnsnn KOHBKH.

 

37S. Dmitriev, "Nagibin, Ju. M.," in Jurij Nagibin's dtstye prudy
(Moscow: "Moskovskij rabodij," l962), p. 555.

122

no vsju étzn' (For a Lifetime) is devoted to Serela's formative
years at Cistye prudy. The story is nostalgic in that the child's
many "firsts" are remembered, for example, the first time Sereia
went ice skating, his first family portrait, his first recollections

of the beauty of the changing seasons, and his first love:

qHCTBe npynu - 3T0 qyno nepBOPO cxoanennn Ba KOHb-
Kax, Korna OTpemnmnecn nqu nnammn "cneryponxn" CTaBOB-
nTcn Bnpyr noncymnumn, npnmo, OTponBO pemyT mnpoxnm
neanem cner n Tu OynTO oOpeTaemB xpunbn. qHCTue npynn
- BTO nepBan ropymxa, KOTOpyw TH ononen Ba nuxax, n n
He snam, eCTB nn cpenn BHCOT, qTo npnxonHTcn HaM 6paTb
B nnsnn, Oonee Bannan na n Oonee prnnan, qem sTa nep-
Ban BHCOTa. Huche npynu - sTO nepBan cnemnan OaOa,
nepBHfl nom ns rnnnu, Bunennennue TBonmn pyxamn, n nyCTB
Tm Be OTan Hn BanTenem, an sonqnm, TH OTKPHH B ceOe
TBOpua, CTpOHTenH, ysnan, qTo TBon pyxn moryT He Tonbxo
xBaTaTB, KOMKaTb, pBaTb, pymHTb, no u cosnaBaTB To, nero
eme He Omno...
Nagibin tells of the unhappy love of his boyhood and youth.
The pretty and popular Nina Baryseva lived in the same lane as the
young Nagibin close to Cistye prudy. In the elementary grades Nagibin
would follow her to and from school at a safe, respectful distance.
In the fifth and sixth grades they would walk side by side talking
all the way, still later they walked hand in hand and in the upper
grades arm in arm. But in no way did this bring the growing youth
closer to the object of his affection. They always parted at the
large brick house with the awesome Mensikov tower rising directly behind
it, Nagibin's heart sinking as the girl walked out of his sight.
How much the author was to suffer because of this girl! It was
a rare day that he was not beaten up. Kalabuxov, a boy who also lived

in the Cistye prudy district, never allowed Sereia nor Nina to pass.

 

39Nagihin, atetge..., p. 7.

123

Sereza was strong: for this reason Kalabuxov never attacked alone.
The young Nagibin would be beaten when they were leaving school,
along the boulevard, at the skating rink. The attacks came whenever
he was seen with Nina: when he was by himself, he was safe.

It made Nina very sad that she was the cause of Sereia's dilemma,
but understanding his devotion to her, she could not suggest that they
no longer walk together.

When they became older the fighting stopped. SereZa and Nina
were no longer harassed even when they sat together on a park bench
near Cistye prudy and Sereia would try to ascertain for the thousandth
time why it was that Nina did not like him as much as their former
Young Pioneer leader Sapavalov or Lemesev, or, for that matter, as
much as the famous flier Gromov or her film idol Conrad Veidt. The
eminence and remoteness of these rivals freed Sereia from a feeling
of envy but not from anguish. Unfortunately, Nina had other admirers,
such as the handsome, dandyfied editor of their school paper, Lazutin,
and an older student who often brought her to school on his motorcycle.

But the most trying time began for Sereia when they were in the
ninth grade. The whole school had "discovered" Nina. Something
Sereia had known for years and kept in secret finally became evident
to all the boys on the school campus: that in school No. 3ll there
is a walking miracle who is Nina Baryseva. Nagibin comments on the mass

infatuation with Nina that swept their school:

OOmee noxnoaenne, Kan n Bcnxnn Kyan, Benpemenno
nonmno Ouno oOpecTn ennnym ¢Opmy. 3Ton OOpmon OTana
nossnn. mxonon OBnanenO CTHXOTBOpfioe nomemaTenBcTBO.
He Ouno nan, HTO6H onepennon nosT Be Ben Hnny Ba Unc-
THe npynu, K 6ecenxe, HTOfiu npoqech en CTHXH OBoerO
cepnna. CTnxn Omnn nnoxne, c OnBOOOpasnmmn oxonnqnoc-
Tnmn, nonTn B Kamnom ynomnnanncb poma n osepo, nnTan:
OynBBap n npyn.

l24

Nagibin relates how he sat up all night trying to compose verses
for his beloved only to find by morning that all his efforts were
in vain. His inability to write poetry comes as a great disappoint-
ment for him. Finally, just before class, he takes a clean sheet of
paper and pens with bold letters: "Th1 caman Kpaanan, n onenb
Teen moonio." Nina's face, when she reads this brief declaration,
registers annoyance. She reads it over again and after a long,
thoughtful smile, says: "Ilnnm nposy - y Teéa nonyqae'rca."

In deedryj podarok (The Generous Gift), Nagibin continues the
theme of his bygone childhood. He relives a never-to-be-forgotten
trip from Moscow to Irkutsk where the nine-year-old Sereia and his
mother spend a memorable summer at the invitation of his father:

oTeu He napnn mne HonapKOB; nnnenep-CTpOBTenB, on
nocTonnnO Baxonnncn B pasbesnax, nponanan nnon pas Ha
ron, a To B Oonbme... Korna me mne ncnonnnnOCB neBnTB
neT, OTeu pasmenpnncn n nonapnn mne nenun ropon - na
Kaxon - c nOporon nepes ch OTpaBy! OB BHSBaH Bac Ha
neTO B prchx, rne B Ty nopy paOOTan.

Before setting out on the journey Serefa had imagined that he
lived in an unbounded world: a large communal apartment that opened
out on two courtyards with access to three lanes, the Armjanskij,
Potapovskij and Telegrafnyj. Then there was the immense spacious-
ness of Cistye prudy and the summer house at Puskino Station by Akulova
mountain where he spent the summers with his grandfather.

The trip showed him that all this was but a minute particle of

the country in which he lived. As day turned to night and night into

day he could see the ever-changing landscape from the train window.

 

4ONagibin, dtstye..., p. lO.

411bid., p. l2.

125

From the Moscow summer they entered a Ural mountain snowfall. Next

morning there were fields covered with a thick blanket of snow. Then
came another drastic change in the landscape. Bypassing spring,
the scenery was dressed in summer greens again.

For Serefa, Irkutsk presented a series of miracles. The icy
Angara river, transparent to great depths, revealed a beautiful under-
water kingdom. The River Usakovka carried its warm waters so swiftly
toward the Angara that fish swimming upstream seemed at times to be
standing still in the water. At such times they could be caught with
bare hands or a spear. Swimming in the Usakovka was like flying in
one's dream. Sereia waved his arms barely touching the water which
slipped away instantaneously carrying him along with breathtaking
speed to the wide mouth of the river where its waters mixed with those
of the Angara producing a smooth braking effect.

Another miracle for Sereia were the wild flowers covering the
hillsides on the outskirts of town:

Bunn uBeTH, noxomne Ba canOBHe 6eccmeannKn, no He cyxne,
a TpeneTBo-mnrxne, nonnue B Kannom neneCTKe Bennon, Be-
npoqnon mnsnn, c xenTumn Bennnxamn n cnnen KOpOBnOn;
Bane, Kan canoeue nnnnn, uenme nyra naneBmx, HaBomeHHHX
nnnnn, Ha nnnnnux, CTpOnBux OTeOnnx c ca6neoOpasHumn
HHCTbHMH; Ounn,gxax maxpOBan rBosnnKa, HO numBee n Bcex
pacuBeTox - OT ¢H0neTOBOPO no OOpnOBoro; Ounn n Tanne,
‘I'I‘O He CpaBHHLLIb H 36 01114111611113, CJ'IOBHO (baBTacanecxne
rnOpnnB Bacnana c reOprunom, pomamxn c nacTypnnen,

npnnynnnBue, cxasonnue uBeTu c nnnnnmmnmn Tunnnnamna Top-
qamnmn, OynTO mynanbua, as rnyOOKon cnOKCTOn qamxn.

In Irkutsk in an unprecedented closeness to the mountains and
rivers, to wide open spaces, to the trees and flowers, the boy was

becoming saturated with the beauty of the outside world.

 

4217)id., p. 13.

126

But apart from the unexpected beauty of his natural surroundings.)
Serega saw some people who were different from Moscovites in appear-
ance, dress and customs but for whom he felt an immediate, unexplained
closeness.

From the roof of the long, narrow barn adjoining the house in
which they lived, he was able to observe what went on in the courtyard
of the inn next door. There were always many carts in the courtyard.
The horses that pulled them looked more like ponies with thin necks
and distended bellies laced with thick protruding veins. The horses
were constantly feeding. Short, stocky dark-complexioned pe0ple with
firm, round cheek-bones resembling fists and narrow, slitted eyes
walked to and fro between the carts. They were Burjats who drove
into town in great numbers. They wore fur caps and their shirts over
their trousers. Sometimes they were accompanied by their moon—faced
. wives wearing colorful beads and long earrings as well as very lively,
black-headed youngsters. Their days were spent at the market but
towards evening they would gather at the inn, unharness their little
horses, feed them and sit under a shed drinking tea from a fat-bellied
copper tea-pot. They would frequently sing sad songs in high-pitched,

heart-rending voices:

CTpaaamm n Bonaymmnm ponCTBom Benno aa mean OT anx.
nOpOn mae xasanocB, QTO n noaamam ax necan a name mory
nonneBaTB, cnOBao oaa sBynana mae no snemaero moero cy-
mecTBOBaaan. B ax cmyrnux nnnax Oano ponaoe cxonCTBo a
co cxynacTam nanom moero OTna, a c TOHKHM nanom maTepa, n
moam OOOCTBeaaHm neTcxan nnnom. Mu Ounn onaoro Kopan.43

When this most remarkable summer came to an end and they were

getting on the train for the return trip to Moscow, Sereza's father

 

43mm. p. 14.

l27

hurriedly handed his son some presents: white fur-lined mittens,
a malachite teddy-bear and a tin pistol. At the time it did not
occur to SereZa that he was carrying his father's most generous
gift home in his heart.44

The theme of Babodki (Butterflies) reveals that a child's
spontaneous enthusiasm is superior to adult reflection. A similar
contrast to that in zimnij dub is evident in this story. A boy is

instinctively drawn towards the world of butterflies after seeing
the collection of an older friend. He is magically attracted to their

extraordinary names, such as mourning—cloak, death's head, etc. And
although he misidentifies almost every butterfly in his collection,
his naive enthusiasm is for the author superior to the systematically
accurate classification of the adult expert. I
Remembering the errors that were pointed out to him by Fedor
Sergeevid, the boy recalls that it brought him a bitter sense of loss,

as though a whole world had been taken from him:

Y mean OTanna nenun map, n qucTBOBan ceOn oOmaayTum,
oOoOpaaaum, aamnm! qTo c Toro, qTO Tenepb n saaw npa-
Banbaue aasBaann OaOOqu! 3TH aasBaaan aaqero ae rOBo-
pnnn moemy cepnny, oan Oana MepTBH nnn mean.4

Nagibin established a relationship between nature and goodness
which is most beautifully brought out in another story of the col-
lection, imp (Echoes). Its heroine, Vit'ka, is the personification
of natural innocence and spontaneity. The boy, Serefa, first meets her
on the beach while he is looking for pebbles. Bathing naked, Vit'ka

confides in him, telling him about her collection of mountain echoes:

 

4412x521. , p. 14

45Nagibin, Pered prazdnikom, p. 150.

128

--H TeOe cxany no cexpeTy, n Tome coOnpam...

--qTO?

--3xo... Y mean yme maoro coOpaaO. ECTb sxo 3BOHK06,
xax OTeKnO, ecTB Kan menaan prOa, ecTB Tpexronocaoe,
a ecTB rOpoxom CHHHGTCH...

As Vit'ka shows Serefa the various secret places where the mountain
echoes are heard, she becomes almost a magical figure in his eyes.
Nagibin also points out the serious conflicts of childhood
represented in Sereia's predicament: he is trapped between his
feelings of allegiance to Vit'ka and concern for his own standing in
the eyes of Igor's gang. He chooses to betray Vit'ka's trust, for
which nature punishes him: when with Igor's gang, he is unable to
get any response from the mountains.
Richards, who discusses tap in the introduction to his book,
comments on the lyrical tone of the story:
...“Exo” is sustained throughout by that delicate lyrical
buoyancy which distinguishes Nagibin's best stories. Here,
as in some of his hunting tales, the realistic and psycho-
logically convincing action is suffused with the atmosphere
of a lost Golden Age. The subject is a wistful memory from
the author's own childhood of thirty years ago; the action

is set in a holiday resort with the evocative name of Sine-
gorija and closes on a muted note of missed opportunity.47

In Razmydlenija o rasskaze, Nagibin tells how he wrote this
story; it is significant to note that Nagibin refers to Ema as one of

his most original stories. The idea for the theme came to him when
he had written a scenario about echo collecting called Devoéka i exo.

A well-known producer, F. M. Ermler, told Nagibin that the best part

 

46Nagibin, Pered prazdnikom, p. 150.
47o. J. Richards, P. xix.

l29
of the scenario was the invention of echo collecting. This gave
Nagibin the idea of writing a story with the same theme. He remembered
Koktebel' where he spent his summers. There were hikes to Karadag
and Devil's Finger where a strange multi-echo was heard. He remembered
the precipice near Serdolikov Bay where the echo was long and melan-
choly, scattering at the bottom by the black rocks as though it had
been an avalanche. Koktebel' suggested the theme and landscape for
the story. The plot is concerned with the meeting of two very different
characters, a romantic and a rationalistic one; it received its momentum
from the echo hunting. Next, was the decision about who would star
in this plot.

Nagibin sees himself as very complex, and therefore, well-suited
to juxtapose the already dynamic Vit'ka. He remembers that in his
character as a child there was a mixture of an intelligent, realistic
approach to reality as well as the readiness to believe in miracles.

It was more difficult to characterize the little girl. In his child-
hood Nagibin never had a friend who collected echoes. Although
several of his childhood boyfriends leaned towards the fantastic and
miraculous, the girls were all uncommonly sober-minded. Nagibin
decided to build his little heroine by the mosaic method, or even
imagine her entirely. But even this time Nagibin was able to begin
the character sketch with a real person. He remembered Galja, a girl
from the Akulov summer home where Nagibin lived in the late twenties.
This girl seemed to him the ugliest little urchin he had ever met.

He pitied her and gave her chocolates that he would steal from his
grandfather. But at the end of the summer he found out that the adults

of Akulovka considered Galja a paragon of beauty. Nagibin's associa-

130

tion with the real Galja gave him an additional dimension to the plot.

An ugly duckling little girl who also claims to be an echo-collector
turns out to be in the eyes of the enlightened narrator the most beauti-
ful person in Sinegorie. This additional development was perfectly
interwoven with the main line of the story. Everything else about
the girl Vit'ka was the product of Nagibin's imagination, the details
of her behavior, her favorite words, and her interpretation of the
miraculous mountain echoes. But even in this invented story, Nagibin
has included much from real life. 48
Nagy has noticed a deep social moral in Exp. His comparison of

Vit'ka's echo-collection to the silence-collection of Heinrich
Bdll's hero Doctor Murke is noteworthy:

The story's excellent focal point is echo-collecting.

This echo collection is the antipode of the silence

collection of Doctor Murke, the hero of Heinrich Bdll.

Let us compare the motivation of the child, percep-

tive to nature, with the task of the alienated West-

German office-worker. Bdll's radio operator hero

collects and tapes together to one huge silence the

pauses, lengthy silences, sighs, etc. which he cuts

from the tapes of different radio presentations.

This is a good satirical sketch of the disgust with

word-noise. The little heroine of the Soviet short

story, on the other hand, is waiting for her own

voice sent to unknown depths and she does not want

to keep it all to herself.49

The poetically written story ienja Rumjanceva (Eugenia Rum-

janceva) is full of recollections of graduation from high school.
On the last day of school the whole graduating class finds itself

lingering in the hallways and classrooms, as though there was some-

 

48Nagipin, Razmyé'lenija..., pp. 65-69.
49Nagy, pp. 263-64.

131

thing left unsaid after ten years they had spent together: it was
as though they were afraid to leave the school for the outside
world which suddenly looms infinite before them:

Bce mu paCTporaaaue, BsBonaOBaaaHe, panOCTaue
M O qu-TO manemmne, paCTepnaaue H cmymeaaae CBOHM
MPHOBeHHflM npeBpameaaem HS mxonnpOB BO Bspocnmx nwnea,
KOTOpflM name MOXHO meaaTBca, CflOHfinHCb U0 Knaccam H
KOpHnOpy, CHOBHO CTpamaCb BHBTH H3 mxonbamx CTEH B
map, CTaann 6ecxoaeqaum. H Ouno Taxoe quCTBO, OynTO

HTo-TO ae nOPOBOpeHO, ae HOKHTO, ae ncnepnaao sa n O“
menmae nechB HGT, 5ynTO neab BaCTafl aac Bpacnnox.

The heroine, lenja, is described as an unusual girl. She was
always too busy to join the rest of the class in its outings, but
no one held that against her. Everyone knew that she had to make
time for her work in the astronomical society and the planetarium.
On the last day of school she surprises the hero of the story

Sereia by asking him to meet her in ten years:

--qepes nechB neT, nBannaTB neBnTorO man, B BoceMB
nacOB Benepa, B cpenaem nponeTe memny Konoaa BoanorO
Teana.

lenja predicted that she would be a famous astronomer by then.
Sereia hesitated; he had not even decided on his major yet, but
said he would also be famous, and would come in his own car.

Ten years went by; In l94l Sereia found out lenja left the
institute to enter a flying school. In l944, while in a hospital,
Sereia heard on the radio that major Rumjanceva was awarded the title

of "Hero of the Soviet Union." When he returned from the war,

 

50Nagibin, fitstge..., p. 140.
511bid.. pp. 145-46.

132

Serefa found out that the award had been made'posthumously.

When the day of the rendezvous at the Bol§oj Theater arrives,
Sereia decides to be there as he had promised. Had he met lenja,
he would have told her that he had not become famous, but did pub-

lish a book of stories and would continue writing.

The Leto moego detstva Cbllection

Nagibin values naturalness and spontaneity very highly. It
is not surprising, therefore, that children play an important part
in his world as central characters in some of his best stories. He
often juxtaposes childish naiveté to adult calculation (zimnij dub,
Baboéki), recognizes the very real conflicts of childhood (inc),
and shows a child's relations with the adult world - a mixture of
bewilderment, admiration, misunderstanding and frustration (detvertyj
papa). Like modern child psychologists he watches children at play
(Igna, Pered‘prazdnikom), and provides for sensitive teachers to
guide them (Deti lepjat iz snega).

The little man in Priezd (The Arrival) remembers the first
great injustice with which he had to deal: his grandfather had but
a few months to live. Eight-year-old Serefa protests, and his
protest takes on the form of rudeness, a necessity to hurt his grandad

for the big hurt he will suffer when grandfather is gone:

TO Gun nocnenann ron xnsaa nena. OnuTaun Bpaq,
ymaan a myxeCTBeaaan nenOBex, ymemman maTB fies camo-
06maaa, on saan, HTO emy OOTancn aenonrnn CpOK, n,
ann, nanen Bcex aac, OTapancn GHTB aensmeaao Bece-
nam, Oonpum no KaKOn-TO name naxocTn. 0a cnOBaO
XOTen nepenaTB aam OBow cnny n OBoe rnyOOqanmee y6ex-
neane, qTO mnsab npeBocxonaa n cmepTB Beccanbaa ee
yansnTB a name npocTo OmpaanB aeasOemaocTBm npaxona.52

 

52Nagibin, Izbrannye..., II, 270.

133

In this story, a melody of confession appears which was not
known in Nagibin's earlier works, when the child narrator tells
how his beloved nurse Veronja came to be with their family.

A young newly-wed couple arrived by train in Moscow from Ryazan.

The young man told his seventeen-year-old bride, "Wait here, I'll

be quick!" She waited, but he did not return. When she finally
went to look for him, she found him lying on the cobble-stone street
with his throat slit and a razor in his hand. No one ever found

out why Veronja's husband committed suicide. Did she know? She
probably did, but her pride prevented her from ever speaking about
it. It seems they were forced to marry. However, Veronja did not
love her husband, and he was in love with another girl.

For some reason Veronja did not choose to return home after
the incident, though she was given the money her dead husband had
in his pockets. Instead, she wandered aimlessly around Moscow
all day until an elderly woman, wearing a large hat noticed her and
took her to the home of her widowed brother, a young physician, who
was looking for a governess for his young sons.

Thus, Veronja entered Sereia's grandfather's household and found
the one and only love of her life. She became everything to him:
his beloved, a helpmate in his work, a mother-governess for his
children. Her mighty physical and inner strength sufficed for all.
When World War I broke out she followed him to the front. She was
with him throughout the Civil War. But, because of a strange peasant
pride she refused to become his wife and even be considered as such
in the eyes of his patients and friends. When Sereia's grandfather

became very old and needed only her care and moral support, she

134

transferred her inexhaustible supply of tenderness to the boy Serefa.
She died many years ago, and now Sereia who is himself old and grey
weeps whenever he thinks of her.53

There is no melodrama here. That would be unthinkable for
Nagibin for whom sincerity is of utmost importance and good taste,

a matter of proportion.

In Pobeditel' (The Winner), Sereza's father, returning home
unexpedtedly after one of his long absences at a remote construction
job, finds a handsome lawyer-guest in their summer home serenading
his wife. The boy, who idolizes his father, tells of his rapid
change of emotions from admiration and pride to sheer disgust and
hatred for this Don Juan:

npncchTBne sToro nenOBexa aanonanno mean rop-
nocTBm. Mae HpaBHnHCb ero anoanan nepaan OneOTnman
ronOBa, pasneneaaan OTpenon npOOOpa, a cenHe mucu Bac-
KOB, Id maneabxne, TODKe C UpOCeanO, YCPIKPI Ban 6011me

npxam pTom, a ero nnaaaue mysaxanbaae nanbnu, n KOCT-
nnBae Koneaa xynax, OTpOaaax nor, a ero pomaacm...54

When someone suggests a contest in athletics, Sereia watches
with amazement, mixed with hope and fear that his father also decides
to take part in the competition and, furthermore, realizes that his

dad wants to compete only with the lawyer:

...M TyT n noann, qTO OTen OOOTnsaeTcn TOHBKO c
anBOKaTom, a no OCTanHHX emy aeT aaxaxoro nena.
Tenepb n OCTpO aeaaBanen anBOKaTa c ero maneanOn
n3nMaOn ronOBOn, npoOopom, nnnaaamn aoramn, ¢aTOBa-
THM KaTenem, raTapOn a pomaacama.55

 

53Ibid., p. 277.
54Ibid., P. 296.
55Ibid., p. 298.

135

Told as a parable, the story Zabroéennaja dbroga (The Abandoned
Road) differs from the remainder of the collection first of all, by
its dynamic plot. The boy-narrator meets another boy his age who is
pulling weeds on an old untravelled road. When asked why he is bother-
ing to do that, he replies that every road leads somewhere, and perhaps
someone on the other end is also trying to clear the road. Many
years later Nagibin returns to the place where the old road had been,
but does not find it, and a whole chain of associations linked with
the abandoned road come to him.

He thought of the many roads that led from his heart to dif-
ferent people. Some about whom he could never forget and others who
were almost forgotten. If he was successful in keeping those paths
in good repair, it was only because there was always a similar interest
in keeping the way open from the opposite direction. Only one path,
one of most import, he was unable to save, perhaps because there was
no one coming to meet him from the other side.56

The children that surround the hero at the village of Akulovka
that memorable summer influence his formative years, albeit to a
lesser degree than the members of his family. The gang of which he
becomes a part consists of Ronja, Vovka, Katja, Galja and Vera. In
addition, three other children who enter Sereia's life that summer
stand out in his memory.

The first was the teenager Kol'ka Glusaev, a strange, lonely
boy who was a stranger in his own home. Kol'ka's stepmother hated
him and his weak father was unable to love him. He became Sereia's

first teacher.

 

56Ibid., p. 325.

l36
Kol'ka taught Sereia how to swim by throwing him into the river;
to fight by beating him up. Evidently he thought this method of
teaching was beneficial for Sereia because of SereZa's developed
tenacity and resistance. In addition, he taught him the sports and
games that were popular at the summer house, the eminent swear words
and all the most important ratings so necessary in one's childhood
years. From Kol'ka Sereia found out, for example, who the world's
best chess player was, the best stage actor, writer, football player,
singer, flyer, boxer, wrestler and ballerina. He also taught Sereia
how to do things with enthusiasm and abandon.57

In derdak (The Attic), Kol'ka takes Sereia into the attic of
the old summer house and introduces him to his first book. A new
world opens to SereEa--no less complex and, at the same time, no less
wonderful than the world of reality.

The second youngster was five-year-old Alex in the story darik
(Little Alex). This boy, looking more like a girl with his golden
curls, large blue eyes and thick, long lashes, was despised by the gang.
The pampering and attention Alex received from his parents and other
adults, turned the children against him even more. When the grown-ups
set the boy up an as example for the rest of the children, the gang
sought for ways to get back at the helpless creature who was afraid
of frogs and didn't know how to climb trees.

Opportunities to tease and torment little Alex were not hard
to find. For example, when out hunting mushrooms in the near-by
forest, the gang would take Alex into the densest part of the woods

while they hid close by so they could watch his every move. First,

 

57Ibid., p. 273.

137

Alex called, his voice becoming more desperate and high-pitched,
then he would burst out crying. Looking very innocent, the child-
ren would come out of hiding and scold the boy for purposely running
away from his friends and award him with slaps.

When they went swimming, their favorite pastime would be to
drag Alex into deep water and watch how helplessly he floundered,
gulping the salty river water and blowing bubbles:

mypax Bce nepeaocnn c saBnnaoa xpOTocTBm a anxorna
He )KaJ'IOBaJICH BSPOCJ'IbIM. 3T0 ae memano aam npasanTb 61"0
n6enon a noxonaanaTB sa maamue noaoca. Ero 6essamnT-

aOOTb, TepnennBocTB a 6essn06ae numb pasxnrann OBapean
nan roaaTenen.53

Soon, however, SereZa starts feeling sorry for the youngster.
Alex greets the children with a trusting smile every morning hoping
that anything unpleasant in the past is now forgotten and he will
be allowed to become their friend. Sereia remembers how Alex plods
after them on their way to the forest keeping a safe distance not
out of fear, but because he does not want to annoy the others.
Otherwise, they would probably chase him away. Sereia also realizes
that Alex is quite indifferent to the kindness and fawning of the
adults and attracted only to the children.

Sereia becomes trapped between his awakening kindness and
concern for Alex and his allegiance to the gang whose unwritten law
he continues to obey. The gang remains unmerciful to Alex.59
Alex existed as quietly and unnoticeably as a mouse. The children

rarely saw him. However Sereia determined that Alex would be their

 

58Ibid., p. 279.

59zbtd., p. 280.

138

playmate not this year perhaps, but surely next summer.

The end of the story is reminiscent of the ending of Turgenev's
Begin lug in which little Pavlusa dies unexpectedly after he hears
a drowned boy's voice calling him. Before Pavlusa's fatal accident
on horseback, he had told his friends that he believed no one could
escape his fate. In Nagibin's story it is the old women of Akulovka
who, watching Alex from a distance would say: "What an angel!" but
then add: "He's not long for this world!"

Nagibin ends the story by reminding the reader that people
are believing in old folks' superstitions again which by the mere
power of hypnotic suggestion sometimes do come true. This reminds
one again of Begin lug which is, as we all know, structured on several
superstitions. Little Alex died that autumn from membraneous pneumonia.

In Ataman, Len'ka teaches Sereia to steal flowers from a
well-to-do home in the neighborhood. When caught, Len'ka simply
"throws himself upon the proprietors like a bone." SereZa, on the
other hand, becomes terrified. He pleads with his captors to let him
go assuring them that he is a good, honest boy who has never stolen
before.

As soon as he is freed, Sereia hates himself for his cowardliness
and admires Len'ka's bravery.

In another story, Krasnyj kar’er (The Red Sand Pit), the boy
admires two other children who rebuild a room setting that has been
destroyed by the mischievous narrator. In a ravaging mood Sereia
levels this room but each time finds it rebuilt. Finally he sees the
children who come to refashion their room and realizes that they are

blind:

139

...qTO TBOpnnocB B sTom OTpamaom mnpe, Tax non-
PO npaTBOpanemcn KpOTKam a noOpum? 3a nTo Tax 6ec-
nomanao aaxasaam sTn npenecTaue neTa?...50

Filled with wonder at the beautiful blind children, SereZa
tries to come to grips with a world of injustice which before had
seemed to him gentle and kind.

In Ja zarabatyvaju na éizn (1 Earn a Living), the boy-narrator
becomes a ferryman on the river Uéa. Shaken awake to thought and
action by Kol'ka Glu§aev and the inevitable loss of his grandfather,
he decides at eight to prove to his family that he is old enough to
earn a living:

n noranaBancn o noncnynaom cmucne sTnx npOHOBenen: neny
OOTaBanocB aenonro nnTB... a ceMBn BeccosaaTenBao naTa-

flaCb PIBBJ'lel-Ib JIJ'IFI mean maxcnmym Basanannn P13 Onaronapaoro
oOpasa nena. Ho n ae xoren paCCTaBaTbCH c nenom, ae xo-
Ten, nToou anamorO, rposaoro n nacKOBorO nenOBeKa npeB-

pamann B nponacB. H pemnn noxasaTB, qTo mory a cam
sapaOaTuBaTB aa xnsaB.6

Sereza turned ferryman meets a man called Volodja who asks to
be rowed along shore until the raft and its passengers are hidden
from view by the weeping willows growing on the bank. The people
who come to the river looking for Volodja leave without him; Volodja does
not answer their calls.

Years later listening to Jaxontov reading Majakovskij's poems
Nagibin recalls his meeting the poet whom he remembered not from.

a portrait or photograph but as a real man, Volodja, from his childhood

 

5°Ibtd.. pp. 330-31.

6lJu. Nagibin, étsae serdee (Moscow: "Molodaja gvardija,"
1969), pp. l5-l6.

140

at Akulovka when Nagibin had helped Majakovskij escape from his
friends or enemies or perhaps even from himself.
What Nikolin notes about Nagibin's stories in general applies

especially to Nagibin's children's stories:

Hpennocunxon noaTa xaxnoro paccxasa HarnOnaa ann-
eTcn mucnb 0 Tom, qTO BocnaTaane nenOBexa Oynymero
aneT yxe ceronan. Mmeaao oaa, sTa mucnb, npnnaeT
nponsBeneannm nacaTenn Tanym "aacymaocTB", aanopnc-
TocTB.62

Cbnclusion

Nagibin fills the traditional theme in Russian literature:
childhood, boyhood, and youth with new content and uses it as a backdrop
for the deeper theme being enacted center stage: the awakening and
growth of the inner man in the hearts of the children.

In the two autobiographical collections under study we observe
how Sereia gains maturity. He learns to understand that he is a
complex human being (Knasnyj kar'er, dartk); and that he lives in a
world that can be very hostile (Krasnyj kar'er, Ja zarabatyvaju na
Bizn'). But it is also a world in which there is great love, especi-
ally the love of one's family (Priezd) and that this love can be
communicated to others (Zabroéennaja dbroga).

We see how Sereia's physical world has expanded from his
small apartment at Cistye prudy to encompass his summer experience
at Akulovka to his trip to Irkutsk which has opened new vistas of
beauty of the great outdoors.

We see, at the same time, and most importantly for Nagibin,

that Sereia's inner world has grown. He is learning to accept

 

52Nikolin, p. 174.

l4l
himself as a complex individual. And he has learned to accept others
and to keep the channels of communication to others open at all times.
He has learned to love people, but not only those who love him, he has
learned an empathy and closeness even for those who are unloveable

and for strangers.

Introduction

CHAPTER FOUR

Nagibin in Literary Criticism

l. Nagibin About Himself, His Writing, and on Other Writers

2. Criticism

3. Criticism

of Nagibin's Links with Other Writers

of Nagibin's Poetics:

Original Features of Nagibin's Short Stories;

Criticism
Criticism
Criticism
Criticism
Criticism
Criticism

Criticism

of Liridnost';

of Humaneness;

of Figurativeness:

of Autobiographical Traits;

of Cyclicity in Nagibin's Stories;

of the Role of Nature in Nagibin's Short Stories;

of Nagibin's Use of the Language.

142
144
159
166
166
170
172
174
176
182
183
187

CHAPTER FOUR

Nagibin in Literary Criticism

Introduction

As we have seen earlier, the reception of Nagibin in literary
criticism has been varied. His stories with psychological aspects
are reputed to have the most perfect? form, while his maororemse,
as some critics had dubbed Nagibin's penchant for a constant seeking
out of new themes and topics, has been looked upon as unworthy of a
"serious" writer, such as Nagibin.

As varied as his stories are, however, their main attraction, I
think, is not so much in their variety, as in the interesting inner
world of his characters, in his characters' feelings, and in their
thoughts. Scrupulous exactingness in questions of duty, honor and
conscience, for instance, is a hallmark of some of Nagibin's heroes
who exhibit strict moral judgements towards themselves and others as
well.

The great variety of his heroes' experiences, moreover, has
prompted Nagibin's special method of characterization which exposes
an individual's true feelings. It is as though Nagibin removes one
mask after another, until only the bones of a character remain, a
character's very essence, displaying his attitude towards life and

his fellow man.

142

l43

As to this method, critics observe that Nagibin starts from a
living person he has encountered before, and then he changes and
enriches the personality, adding the traits necessary to the artistic
task set for himself. This method shows, among other things, that
Nagibin endeavors to preserve the true-to-life features in his heroes,
be they part of his stories describing the life at the front, the back-
woods of the Mesdera, or a memory of Nagibin's own childhood.

Nagibin likes to structure his stories, as many critics have
rightfully noted, around a lyric detail in such a manner that this
lyrical undercurrent becomes a most important device in many of his
best stories, such as delovek s fronta, and Zerno étzni. Critics
have also stressed other aspects of Nagibin's poetics, i.e., the
gradual evolution of Nagibin's style from a military novella to a
psychological story (Nbéhoj gost', for example), and the development
of a psychological story to a so-called HpofineMHblfi paCCKaB
such as Pogonja.

As we have observed in the Mesdera stories, Nagibin frequently
juxtaposes a true countryman, himself "close to nature and almost
at one with the creatures he pursues," to the visiting townsman, not
in harmony with nature, who comes "for the pleasure of indiscriminate
killing" (to use a critic's response to Nagibin)1 and is found to be
spiritually inferior to the local inhabitants.' And no Nagibin's
children's stories, his propensity for contrasts of the world of
children to that of the adults has been likewise discussed in literary

criticism on Nagibin. He does, as displayed in Chapter Three, contrast

 

10. J. Richards, ed., Yurij Nagibin: Selected Short Stories
(New York: The MacMillan Company, l963), p. xvii.

144

childhood's naive enthusiasm to the adult expert's methodically correct
classifications (for example, in Baboéki).

Apart from these major critical responses to Nagibin, this chapter
consists of Nagibin's own views about his work and about other writers
who have influenced him; in fact, the themes of this chapter are as
follows:

PART ONE: Nagibin About Himself, His Writing, and on Other Writers;

PART TWO: Criticism of Nagibin's Links with Other Writers; and

PART THREE: Criticism of Nagibin's Poetics:

Original Features of Nagibin's Short Stories;
Criticism of Liridnost';

Criticism of Humaneness;

Criticism of Figurativeness:

Criticism of Autobiographical Traits;
Criticism of Cyclicity in Nagibin's Stories;

Criticism of the Role of Nature in Nagibin's Short
Stories;

Criticism of Nagibin's Use of the Language.

PART ONE: Nagibin About Himself; Eds writing, and on Other writers

As has been displayed, Nagibin has a great variety of themes which
have been discussed in the Nagibin literary criticism. Indeed, Nagibin's
MHOI‘OTeMbe is part and parcel of his writing. Nagibin seems to have been
unrelenting to those critics who had upbraided him for that trait. In

turn, he invites the critics to look at the greats of Russian literature:

HeKOTOpue as moax an3en-KpnTaKOB canawT, qTO
cepbesaua nncaTenB nonmea nonemy-TO asoeraTB

maorOTeMBe. Mean me cnOBaO B naKy ax cymneaam
npecneHYeT sTO camoe maorOTeMBe: Bonaa, mxona,

145
OXOTa, ceno, xnsab nmnen nOKyOCTBa... Hoqemy n
Tax pasOpacuBach? BHTb momeT, TyT cxasuBaeTcn
OTcchTBne ennaoro CTpaCTaorO naTepeca? He

nymaw. naBanTe oOpaTnmcn sa npamepom K aamnm
anaccnxam.

More specifically, Nagibin turns to Cexov as an example. Indeed,
notes Nagibin, there is little that Cexov has not written about.3
There are no passions or human concerns he does not comment on in his
works. Cexov had great thematic diversity, yet critics never re-
proached him for it.

There are themes, continues Nagibin, which he has not used. He
has never written about science or production, for example, because
he had had very little contact with these spheres of life. His
scenario Direktor (The Chairman) he considers an exception. In it
he writes about his close friend Ivan Alekseevid Lixadev, the Henry
Ford of the Soviet automobile industry. And here, incidentally,
Nagibin discovers a "law" concerning the people who become prototypes
of his heroes: he writes about the man/woman, regardless of their
profession:

...Kona TH Bannnechn B nenOBexa, Bepnt

B aerO, Kan B camoro ceOn, quCTByemB ero,
Kan camoro ceOn, a xonemb O aem aanacaTB,
nnmemB ae O erO npo¢eccna, ae 0 Tom, xem

oa paOOTaeT - napexTOpom nnn naxapem,
aaxeaepom nnn erepem, connaTom nnn 6a6nno-
Texapem, arpoaomom nnn cnecapem. Tu nnmemB

O QenOBeKe, KOTOpHn Te6n noxopnn, onapOBan...
A ero neno nepes aero BuanneTcn.

Nagibin asserts that a writer working in the short genre, notably

a short story, should all the more write about the most diverse subjects:

 

2Ju. Nagibin, "Vybor geroja," Literaturnoe obozrenie, No. 8 (1973),
pp. 89-9l.

3129M
4Nagibin, "Vybor geroja," p. 89.

T46
about the factory, hunting, the school, the hospital, the road, about

love, death, pride, courage, searching, honor, happiness, sorrow,
faithfulness, betrayal, about dozens of other things and at the same
time-- about life, about man. For the essence of the matter is not
in the material the writer chooses but his attitude toward it. A
writer's merit is not determined by his attachment to one theme,

but by the truth and integrity of his weltanschauung. Furthermore,
Nagibin contends, the writer should make it his business to write
about everything in life that interests him and more, about all life

interjects:

QHTaeMB...pachas sa paccxasom - a nepen TOOOn
npoxonaT nepena nmncKax xapaKTepOB a cyneo. 3a
ax maoxeCTBeaaOCTBm a pasaOCTBw BCTaeT cama mnsab
c ee Bsanmocannmn, c nepenncneannmn npomnoro,
aaCTonmerO, Oynymero... H neno TyT OTamnB He

B mngOTe npenOTaBneaaux B pachasax npo¢ec-

can.

From the thematic variety generated by this dispersedness, writes

O. Smirnov, Nagibin paints a composite portrait of contemporary life:

Bce mu npanacaaa K BenaKomy BenochBy naTepa-
Typu a K eme Oonee BenaKomy BenochBy masaa.
no-moemy nacaTenB nonmea naOaTB ae aa KaKym-To
Temy, a O Tom, qTo ero BonayeT, uTo OTyauTcn B
ero cepnue. Pepon ero moryT OBTB nmnbmn cgmux
pasaux cnennanbaocTea. Bcnomaam Banbsaxa!

Out of the diversity of characters Nagibin creates, he contends,
the most important for him remains the inner value of man independent
of circumstances, the essence of man's spiritual worth which concomitant-

ly, Nagibin insists, is his contribution to society.

 

5Jurij Nagibin, "A cel' vse ta-Ze," Sovetskaja kul'tura (June 6,
l970), p. 4.

6Oleg Smirov, "Vernost' ianru," Novyj mir, No. ll, (November,
l973), p. 266.

l47
In "Detal' v rasskaze" (Detail in the Short Story), Nagibin ad-

dresses the question of description, stressing, in arguing against
hackneyed images, that it is the task of art to renew all our senses
so that our awareness for life is renewed:

...BenB acxyccho npasBaao Beqao oOHOBnnTB

aame speaae, cnyx, Bce aama nyBCTBa, pacmn-

pnTB a yrnyOnnTB name BocnpanTae mnpa,

nmnen, camnx ce6n, HTOOH mu ae npaTepnenncB

a masaa, HT96H omymann ee Bcerna KaK 6H B

nepBan pas.
In addition, he affirms that “the writer is an educator whose calling

8 Evidently, therefore, observes Richards,

voice is heard by millions.
Nagibin anticipates the new man, "the superior psychological type of
the future" in himself.9

Nagibin's comments on the short story genre are likewise note-
worthy:

3anana paccxasnaxa - ynoanB OKonneaaan, ocmuc-
neaaun, nponyBcTBOBaaaun am maTepaan B npenenb-
BO cmaTyw Oopmy - OTamnB ae nerqe, nem y po-
maancTa.

Nagibin concludes that the short story is a rigorously distinguished
literary type because in a short storv, as in a iiving organism,
everything required and nothing superflous should prevail.H
Although the short story has a compact form, Nagibin fore-.

sees no limit to its content, nor to its ultimate importance:

 

7Ju. Nagibin, "Detal' v rasskaze," .Diteraturnaja gazeta, No. lO7
(August 29, 1959), p. 3.

81bid.

9Richards, p. xxiii.

10Ju. Nagibin, "O rasskaze," Literaturnaja gazeta, No. 2l
(February l6, 1957), p. 3.

1]Ju. Nagibin, "GlubZe o sovremennostil", Literaturnaja gazeta,
(March 25, l958), p. 3.

-

148

...aa ero KpOXOTaom none aano pasmecTaTB Becb
OeOKpanaun map, B KOTOpOM anemB: a 6esnoa-
aoe ano, a npocTOpH semnn, n BayTpeaamm
"6ecxoaenaOCTB" nenOBeKa, a camym nymy

aamero Bpemean a aamen CTpaau. Benb n

pachas OTpamaeT mnpOBocnpnnTae nacaTenn.

BOT nonemy pachas npexne Bcero - oOO Bcem,

a yx saTem - O nem-TO. Toqaee CKasaTB:

nepes qTo-TO nncaTenB nonxea nOKasaTB Bce.12

In a dialog of his story Stjuardessa (The Stewardess), Nagibin
endorses the "ideal of universal sympathy" which he now cherishes as
a pattern for all men because, continues Nagibin, one cannot be a
writer without feeling sympathy with all life. In a word, Nagibin
argues, one cannot be a writer without being a human being.

Speaking through characters in his stories, Nagibin concedes that
the writer's creative urge depends, likewise, on a desire for personal
renown or immortality; and here he comes close to broaching upon
religious questions. For example, in Nbvyj dbm (The New House),
Anatolij Ivanovid meditates that possibly old Dedok, who had built him-
self a fine new house in a race with death, was erecting a memorial
to himself. This would explain the well-built house with the brightly
colored artistic carvings of fish and wild fowl he fashioned for the
eaves. But why should a man want others to remember him after his
death, queries Anatolij Ivanovid. And what was there to remember?

That he had hobbled about on one leg, fished, shot teal and mallard--
there was not much to boast of there. But if he had really written
those poems, would he want people to know and remember them when he was

no more, muses Nagibin's Anatolij Ivanovid. His affirmative answer

 

12Nagibin, "Detal'...," p. 3.

149

comes as a surprise to himself. So there is something in each of us that
we want to preserve after our death.13
Nagibin stated recently that in different periods of his creative
writing he reacted to topical stories differently. At one time he pre-
ferred tense stories with a plot and a surprise ending._ From these

14

stories almost nothing has survived except Trubka which is imbued with

stark realism about the vicissitudes in the life of a gypsy boy making it

15 has bylo detvero

more true-to-life than, as N. Atarov correctly noted,
about Nagibin's own childhood.

In his book Razmyglenie o rasskaze, Nagibin gives some interesting
insights of how he writes short stories and of the writers who have in one
way or another influenced his writing. Among those writers Nagibin men-
tions, he devotes more pages to Cexov than all other writers combined.

In fact, one of the essays in the book is entitled "O Cexove" (About

v V
Cexov). And in the foreword to the book Nagibin acknowledges Cekov's con-

tribution to the genre of the short story:

Mae KaxeTcn, aenbsn nncaTb O paCCKase, OT-
CTaaBaTB nOCToaacTBO BTOPO maapa a ae cKasaTB
cnOBa O QeXOBe, KOTOpan nemem BosBen KOpOT-
Kan pachas B paar Bacoxon naTepaTypa.16

Of all the great Russian prose writers of the past, Cexov is the
V
closest to Soviet contemporary writers in terms of time. Cexov is closer

to writers such as Nagibin for yet another reason. Until quite

 

13Ju. Nagibin, Na tixom ozere (Moscow: "Sovetskaja Rossija,"
1966). p. l25.

14Ju. Nagibin, "Pisatel' tvorit ne iz zolotyx kirpicej...,"
Liternaturnaja Rossija, (April 26, 1974), p. 7.

15N. Atarov, "Navstrecu sobstvennomu darovaniju," Literaturnaja
gazeta, No. l22 (October l3, 1960), p. 3.

16Nagibin, Razmyslenie o rasskaze (Moscow: "Sovetskaja RoSsija,"
1964), p. 4.

150

recently Cexov's wife and sister, friends of his beloved Art Theater,
were still alive and formed a living bridge between Cexov and the
writers of today. For Nagibin, Cexov seemed almost an ascetic, a man
with a single absorbing passion for literature. It was, therefore,
difficult for Nagibin to reconcile such Cexov exploits as his trip

to the island of Saxalin where Cexov undertook single-handedly the
Herculean task of recording the general census of the population to
determine how many innocent people were serving sentences at the Saxa-
lin penal colony. Another example of Cexov's inner fortitude that
Nagibin cites is that of preventing a cholera epidemic from spreading.
Cexov, who held the office of sanitary inspector at the time, was
instrumental in containing the disease in twenty-five villages, four
factories, and a monastery. In a letter to Suvorin during that period
he wrote with characteristic modesty that he was genuinely happy.
Nagibin deems it strange that these facts of Cexov's biography did little
to erode the myth of the writer as an undersized and narrow-shouldered
"intelligent". This myth about Cexov, originating during his lifetime,
continues Nagibin, colored not only his personality, but most of his
creative work as well. The traditionally cheerless definitions of
Cexov's writing, such as "neBen poccnncxnx Oynaen" had apparently
acquired such a lasting hold that they have come down to us in Soviet
literary criticism. The meaning behind even the most brilliant de-
finitions, states Nagibin, remains the same: that Cexov focused upon
the tedious, the sad and dismal. Although these descriptions, persists
Nagibin, avail nothing, they, nevertheless, find corroboration in a
large number of Cexov's stories about dull-witted officials, actors

who become inveterate drunkards, young women languishing in remote

151

provincial corners and about the idiocy of village life. This is not
to say, continues Nagibin, that Cexov wrote gloomy stories exclusively.
He wrote quite a few stories that contrast boldly to these, for example,
Nagibin's favorite vary (The Thieves) in which an honest country
doctor in one mad and intoxicating night, suddenly loses his respect-
ability. Cexov welcomes this unrestricted rebelliousness in Ergunov,
notes Nagibin; for him any riot is better than the deadly complacency
of a Philistine existence. That, which for other writers would have
signified Ergunov's downfall, is for Cexov his awakening, concludes
Nagibin.

Although Nagibin denies having studied Cexov, he has always
read his much admired champion of the short story, reads him now,
and will continue reading him.l7 Moreover, Nagibin has always regarded
Cexov's advice as something young writers should evaluate very care-
fully. For example, Cexov's contention that a writer should throw out
the beginning and ending of his story for that is where he fabricates
the most, has become an important trait of Nagibin's poetics. For
Nagibin this exhortation has evolved into a method which he follows
faithfully for each story he writes: before beginning the story, even
before the characters have become concrete in his mind, he writes the
ending. This may consist of a single sentence, a paragraph, a page or
more depending upon the form the ending of that particular story requires.
Having done this, he then writes the story to fit the ending. Further-
more, Nagibin considers Cexov's advice about ending a story most important.
Cexov held, as is well-known, that the writer must have the courage

to end the story on time without masticating for the reader or putting

 

37Nagibin, Razmyglenie..., pp. 95-104.

152

on airs that he alone is able to fathom the depth and complexity of
what he has written. The writer should beware, Nagibin argues, of being-
like the indecisive, garrulous visitor, who, hat and coat in hand,
torments his hosts as though he dare not close the door behind him.18

When he had firmly chosen literature as his life's work, continues
Nagibin, the absence of an imagination frequently plagued him until
one day he came across N. Leskov's complaint of not having a "poetic
fantasy."19 Nagibin cites that the unusual details in the behavior of
Pugalo, the Immortal Golovan and the other Charmed Golovan, of Ovcebyk
and Seramura are all taken from real life, for the most part from his
childhood memories. All these characters, concludes Nagibin, had their
prototypes in reality.20 The realization that Leskov had created
these miracles lacking an imagination filled Nagibin with the deter-
mination of continuing his own career without imagination.

Nagibin admits that his stories are not rich in humor, neither
is he able to write stories consisting solely of landscape, although
he greatly admires such stories by Prigvin, and the young contemporary
novelist Kuranov.21

The problem of choosing the main character, writes Nagibin,
requires serious deliberation. At first glance, it seems as though

such a problem does not exist: the main character is the one about

whom the story is written. That, however, is not always the case.

 

l8Nagibin, Razmydlenie..., p. 36.
”ma, p. 42.
20175th p. 43.
2117mm” p. 49.

l53

It frequently happens that in the center of the author's attention is
a person or group of people but toward the end it turns out that the
true hero of the story is another character who, up to that time,
had concealed himself in the shadow. And the others, to whom the author
had generously granted space on the pages of his story, were needed
only to show what the "hidden" hero is like. Recalling the stories of
Cexov and Guy de Maupassant, everyone will find examples of this type
of hero.22

It happens, infrequently, states Nagibin, that the writer himself
is unaware of his main character until he reaches a certain point in
his story. An example of such a story is Sovremennik Seepkina.23
Having witnessed the pathetic incident with the old man, Nagibin knew
he would write a story about him. Everything seemed made to order: a
ready plot, the characters and a main idea that was significant.
Nagibin confides, however, that he was unable to write the story in
the days and months that followed, but only years later: he lacked a
main hero. For although it would seem that the hero is the old man,
this passive character does not dominate the plot. There was also
another drawback: Nagibin was not interested in writing a story that
dealt wholly with the past. He is not an historical writer. He wants
his stories to mirror the present; he does not want to draw analogies
and parallels that are far removed from the contemporary scene.24
The choice of the kolkhoz chairman for main character, therefore,

provided the necessary solution.

 

22Ibid., p. 71.
23Ibid., p. 79.
24Ibid.

154

Having acquainted ourselves with several aspects of his creative
method of characterization, we can surmise the importance Nagibin
attaches to meeting people whom he can use as prototypes for future
heroes. In this respect Nagibin considers his chance meetings with
Tat'jana D'jadenko and Anatolij Ivanovid Makarov, heroes of Mat'
kolxoza and Podeadnaja utka, to have been important turning points in
his literary career.25 He calls them reformers, builders of the new,
discoverers, romantics, charmed souls. He asserts that he is always
carried away with the task of creating a strong character. He is,
therefore, attracted to talented people who are capable of taking full
responsibility for their own actions.26

Another example of successful characterization is the hero of
Straniey giant Trubnikova, Egor, whom Nagibin endowed with character
traits of Tat'jana D'jadenko. Trubnikov turned out to be more than
just a "completed character." Nagibin draws him as possessing many
negative as well as positive traits. The effect was so real that cri-

tics began asking themselves whether, in fact, Trubnikov could within

the tenets of Socialist Realism still be considered a positive hero.

Erop pr6HHKOB,- Tema, ecnu XOTnTe, nnn
Bucoxon Tparenaa nnn... nnn caTapaqecxoro
"punapcxoro pomaaa," ao yxe aaKaK ae
KaannnaT aa nonxaocTB nononnTenbaoro repon
B nnTepaType conaanncTaqecxoro peannsma.

Some of Nagibin's best stories are constructed around a remarkable,

strong character. His hero may be a positive, creative character, such

 

25Nagibin, "Vybor geroja," pp. 89-91.
26Nagibin, "A cel'...", p. 4.

27Aleksandr Janov, "Poloiitel'nyj geroj ili Don Koxot?," prrosy
Ziteratury, No. 8 (August 1966), p. 13.

155

as the schoolteacher in Zimnij dub, or a negative character as Andreev
in Podsadnaja utka. When Nagibin's main character is not sufficiently
well-developed, the story turns out mediocre or weak. Such an in-
sufficient character develOpment affects the whole artistic balance

of the story rendering it incomplete.

Also important for Nagibin is the decision of how to conduct
the narrative: from the viewpoint of the first person (the authorial
"1") or from an omnipresent, "objective" standpoint. In this con- .
nection, explains Nagibin, the writer must keep in mind that even
in the event of the absence of the first person narration in the story,
the writer may "implant himself" in one of the characters making him
his mouthpiece.28 This device, writes Nagibin, was used by Oscar
Wilde in The Portrait of Dorian Grey where Lord Henry is the writer's
mouthpiece. ‘

Yet another method, argues Nagibin, is possible: without identi-
fying himself with any character, the author may choose to see every-
thing from the point of view of one of the characters in the story.

In this respect, and this respect alone, Zimnij dub is written from
the point of view of the teacher Anna Vasil'evna, though in form the
story is narrated from an author's omnipresent standpoint. Another
possibility, continues Nagibin, is to narrate a story in the first
person, but behind the author's first-person narrative voice is not

the author, but another character.29

 

28Nagibin, Razmgstente..., p. 81.
29Ibid., p. 82.

156

In the case of the short story, Nagibin believes that if the story
is one of gradual exposition of a character or of complex, dramatic
circumstances it will be to the author's advantage to use first
person narrative whether that first person is the writer himself or an
invented character. This device heightens the reader's awareness by
allowing him to participate in the observations, to share the delu-
sions, the narrator's temporary blindness, to rejoice with him in
his discoveries, to lose and retrieve the tracks and as a result to
experience greater enjoyment from reading the story. Without the
opportunity of merging into the narrator's voice and figure, the
reader may feel that he is at the mercy of the writer’s arbitrariness.3O
In a short story with its smaller scope of time and space, its com-
paratively fewer characters and the unified plot, the author's first
person narrative, argues Nagibin, is fully capable of expressing all
that is needed for the exposition of the theme. That is why the short
story genre has greater possibilities of first person narration.

The writer, however, should not arbitrarily strive for the first
person narrative, warns Nagibin. The reader is not interested in the
writer per se. He resigns himself to the writer's presence in the
narrative only in the event that the writer "works" for the reader.31
But if the author becomes entangled among the characters for no
apparent reason, the reader will hardly think kindly of him. In other
words, states Nagibin, there is no one perfectly good method; one

of several methods would be suitable for a given case.32

 

3OIbid., p. 83.
31mm, p. 85.
321bid.

l57

Beginning writers are frequently interested in the problem of
conciseness. Nagibin uses the term in reference to stylistics, as
for example, the conciseness of Hemingway's writing, whose fascinat-
ing style is simple and at the same time refined, resolute and secretly
mournful, based for the most part on implication. But as fine as
Hemingway's style may be, it seems to Nagibin that all imitation is a
sin against art.33

The question of conciseness, continues Nagibin, is not a simple
one. Conciseness in its essence is the absence of void, dead, unpro-
ductive verbal substance, contends Nagibin. Thus, the impetuous
Dostoevskij who is unconcerned about brevity, but seeks only to ex-
press himself more fully is concise. The loquacious Proust, strange
as it may Seem, is concise. The epically verbose 50loxov, continues
Nagibin, and Bunin, who is infinitely more lavish with epithets, the
cumbersome Tolstoj, the unseemly garrulous Hemingway who builds his
story with twenty superfluous words are all concise. Every writer
possessing a true mastery of his trade is concise, for each revision
down to the final draft of a work is, first of all, an elimination of
the superfluous. Lev Tolstoj used to say, recalls Nagibin, that the
best editing is shortening. Thus, each writer is concise in his own
way. It is a question of individuality, nationality, one's literary
school, education, temperament, taste and even of habit?4

Young writers, says Nagibin, should strive to describe the object
they are depicting and all that is necessary in such a way that this

"all" would be expressed in the necessary amount of words. Repetition,

 

33Ibid., p. 86.
3416721.. pp. 88-89.

l58
flaunting with words, inaccuracy, beautification, inarticulation,
continues Nagibin, demand the use of the scalpel; this is the battle for
conciseness.35 And in this battle Nagibin has become a thunderbolt
of verbal economy.

Closely related to the problem of conciseness, writes Nagibin,
is the problem of the role and place of nature description in the short
story. Some young writers, in their quest for conciseness, avoid
nature description altogether, or reduce it to a minimum. Others Use
nature painting to an excess. As one reads one of their stories,
confides Nagibin, the first nature description is fine—-even poetic,
you read another--again it is fitting, but seems an unnecessary impedi-
ment to the action; on the third nature painting you start feeling
sick at the stomach and with a presentiment of a fourth you lay the
book aside. The heroes of some writers cannot take a step without
finding themselves amidst some natural beauty worthy of description.

It is true that it is sometimes possible to improve a weak story

with the help of nature description. But toying with a landscape in
order to redeem a story should be avoided; and this avoidance has been
a keystone in Nagibin's poetics.

Nagibin's struggle for brevity, incidentally, may be the reason
why some budding Soviet writers have opted to attend his seminars,
writers' workshops organized by the Soviet Writers' Union. A SOviet
writer and literary critic Vladimir Amlinskij, who in l960 participated
in the first Moscow conference for young writers, gives his reasons
for attending Nagibin's seminar at that conference. For him, reports

Amlinskij, Nagibin was not just a good writer but "his own kind of

 

35172201., p. 90.

159

writer." At that time, he explains, there were not many contemporary
writers who expressed the same thoughts that Amlinskij would like to
have written. From that conference, records Amlinskij, emerged several
young people who had already written something, but they were dis-
covered precisely by Nagibin. It was he who read their first stories,
watched their progress, advised and helped them to publish. In a very
real sense, they were his literary disciples?6

Very frequently, the participants of such workshops would ask
Nagibin where he got the idea of writing a certain story. The answer
never varies: from life. Indeed, Nagibin's stories are often taken
from life in their entirety: with a ready theme, complete with
characters and conditions. Sometimes Nagibin was an eyewitness, some-
times a participant and at other times a character in the story.
This is how most of his war stories, all of his children's stories (with
the exception of stories of contemporary children) and stories of hunt-
ing, fishing, and life abroad were written. Actually, two-thirds of
Nagibin's stories were generated from his experience without the
author's imagination. Nagibin appears to be at a loss when writing

from imagination.

Criticism of Nagibin's Links with Other Writers
Critics generally concur that Nagibin's stories have earned him
the reputation of "the master of a well-composed short story."37 They

are quick to note, however, that as an artist Nagibin emerged from the

 

36V. Amlinskij, "Jurij Nagibin, " Literaturnaja gazeta, No. 3.
(January l4, l970), p. 6.

37"Paccxasbl IO. Haranfiaaa," as Evgenij Vorob'ev notes, onpoum
nomamo Bcero nponero, a Tem, qTo OTporO nonnnaeau cmxeTy, a
(bOpma ax Bunyxna a Tonaa"(1Vovyj mir, No. 11 [1955], p. 249.)

160

same "sketch-technique" as many of his peers.38 It could hardly go
unnoticed that some of Nagibin's early stories (prior to l953), des-
pite all of their outward qualifications, were still too illustrative
and sketchy -- lacking the necessary elements of generalization and
artistic completeness Nagibin achieved later on. One of the reasons
for that "sketch-technique" stems from the fact, I think, that Nagibin's
early stories evolved from the many sketches he had published in news-
papers and journals during the war. This sketch-like quality, not-
withstanding, Nagibin's early stories displayed many artistic features,
such as precise detail, well written nature descriptions etc.,--all

of which revealed in him, even at this early stage, a talented, and

an original writer.

Apparently, to eschew some of the shortcomings above, Nagibin
began to seek captivating subject-matter, unusual occurrences and
meetings, amusing happenings, unexpected and unavoidable turns that
took place in the lives of his heroes. For a time he became a dis-
ciple of Jack London and 0. Henry.39 And yet, some of Nagibin's
stories, especially those devoted to sports (Pobeditel'[The Winner])
for example, brought him neither popularity nor satisfaction; these
stories were no more than a probe of the pen.

His search for entertaining subject matter and exciting plot—
oriented stories with surprise endings did not bring him much success40

for, as Nagibin recalled , he wanted:

 

38V. A. Kovalev (ed.), Russkij sovetskij rasskaz (Leningrad:
"Nauka," l970), p. 590.

391bid., p. 59l.
40M. Iof'ev, "Pisatel' v puti," Novyj mir, No. 3 (1959), p. 236.

l6l
...nncaTB aOBennu - aanpnmeaaue ¢a6ynbaae
paCCKasu c aeonnnaaaon KoanOBKon. Ms sTax
nhon annero, npome "prOKa" ae coxpaannoce.
Booome me mean panyeT Korna n mory paccxa-
3aTb anaTenm xaxym-To nOTopam... Bce me ae

' anm mae B ceronanmaen naTepaType TaK aasu—

Baemae "paCCKaBH aachoeann." OOHnaO B aax
MHOI‘O 1183383118 PI I-Ithbfi PI HGT BK 3Ha‘IPITeJIbI-IOI‘O
nenOBeneCKOPO xapaKTepa, an prna cepbesaoro
pasmrammeann.

In time only deep psychological perspicacity and sensitiveness
allowed Nagibin to contrast these sketches with the distinctive aspect
of some of his better short stories such as Boj za vysotu and Pavlik.
Both of these stories are examples of Nagibin's ability to surmount
his previous attachment to separate events and achieve a successful
generalization of his life at the front. Judging from Nagibin's
mature works, his gift as an artist may be viewed not so much in the
reconstruction of an outer tissue of events as in the search for

. . V .
hidden personal resources. In stories, such as Celovek t doroga
and §hola dlja vzroslyx, as in the extensive collection of children's
stories beginning with Zimnij dub and Komarov, as Kovalev observes,
everything in these works is concentrated on the exposure of man's
secret inner world.42

In the majority of Nagibin's stories, it is not the development
of the action that performs the organizational role, but the composi-
tion of characters, nature descriptions and mood.43 Inna Borisova,

on the other hand, correctly contends that Nagibin's stories do not

abound in outward signs of the times; she discovers the signs of

 

41Ju. Nagibin, "Pisatel' tvorit ne iz zolotyx kirpidej," p. 7.
42Kovalev, p. 59l.
43M. Vasil'eva, "Ju. Nagibin," Oktjabr', No, 12 (l958), p. 215.

l62
the times in the make-up of his heroes' characters, in their think-
ing and mutual relations, although, as a rule, these interrelations
are extremely short, almost fleeting.44
Kovalev insists that Nagibin's latest stories are characterized
by a marked weakening of the plot; the focus of his attention has
shifted to the lyrically-colored nuances of man's emotional experiences,45
and N. P. Sedova observes that the scrutiny and patient study of life
evident in Nagibin's stories are to be attributed to Nagibin's care-
ful reading of Bunin, whom Nagibin, writes Sedova, was supposed to
have followed.46 In the regard to classical traditions, which become
ever more evident in Nagibin's contemporary stories, many critics have
suggested that Nagibin writes in the tradition of Cexov, Bunin, and
Platonov, rather than that of Jack London and 0. Henry. And recently
the possible influence of Kuprin has also been suggested.47
The critic A. Gordienko points to the influence of Bunin and
N. Leskov in Nagibin's early stories48, whereas T. P. Zamorij sees
Cexov's influence in Nagibin's choice of heroes who are "pure in heart

and beautiful" like Cexov's ideal, positive heroes.49

 

44Inna Borisova, "Put' na perednij kraj," Drugba narodov, No. 4,
(1959). p. 234.

45Kovalev, p. 59l.

46N. P. Sedova, "Iz otzyvov sovetskix pisatelej o Bunine,"
Literaturnoe nasledstvo, Kn. 84 (1973), pp. 365~66.

47A. Pistunova, "Dorogi k ljudjam," Literaturnaja Rossija,
(August 17, 1973), p, 16.

48T. P. Zamorij, Sovremennyj russkij rasskaz (Kiev: Naukova
dumka, 1968), p. 91,

491bid., p. 93.

l63
More specifically, Zamorij traces Nagibin's peculiar solution to the
theme of beauty to Cexov where "the beauty of the surrounding world
is placed in close contact with man's creativity.50 Zamorij continues
that under the guise of an outer benevolence toward pe0ple (in Pbgonja
and Nodnoj gost', for example), Nagibin finds bright satirical colors
in exposing triteness, rapaciousness, narrow-mindedness and cowardli-
ness which often appear in his characters. Here again, writes Zamorij,
we discern Cexov's influence. This is no repetition, but rather a
common parallel with a favorite writer which helps to expose the new

51

in life and in man's psychology. Zamorij attributes Nagibin's

interest in man's inner world to Cexov's heritage where much atten-
tion is given to the hidden inner world of ordinary people.52
Smirnov likewise compares Nagibin to Cexov, i.e., Nagibin's
ability to create from numerous characters a composite portrait of
society:
3neCB n ynnTenb a yqeanK cxoxa... mpaa
HaraOaa ynancn y HeXOBa, sTO Banao no Bcemy.
Ho Banao a npyroe: yqeaaK ae KonapyeT ynaTenn,
a aneT CBonm nyTem, noncxasaaaam OOBpemeaaon
emy neHCTBnTenbaocTBm.53
Apart from Cexov's, Bunin's, Paustovskij's, and Platonov's in-
fluences surveyed above, the Polish critic J. Szymak, maintains that
in expressing the beauty of nature surrounding comtemporary man,

Nagibin resembles the younger prose writers Jurij Kazakov and

 

501bid., p. 95.

51Jeremija Aizenstok, "Frontovye povesti Jurija Nagibina," No. 6.,
l96l, p. 269, -

52Ibid., p. 89.
53Smirnov, p. 265.

l64

Gleb Gori§in.54 But in asserting publicistic views and in his acuity
of discovering clashes between ethics and politics, Nagibin is, I
think, closest to-Vladimir Tendrjakov.55

Several critics in the Soviet Union have compared Nagibin to
Hemingway. Thus, A. Atarov believes that Nagibin's reminiscences of
hunting and the hunt remind one of the moral convictions of Hemingway.56
Atarov observes that this can be seen in Nagibin's enjoyment of the
brotherhood of hunters with their thoughts of masculine self-fulfill-
ment, in the excitement with which Nagibin accompanies his characters
on their hunting adventures and in his belief that the most wonderful
feeling on earth is the right to enjoy hunting. Atarov emphasizes
that Nagibin admires the "cruel passion" of Hemingway's The Green
Hills of Africa.57

Nagibin's admiration for Hemingway's hunting stories may stem from
the fact that Nagibin himself is an enthusiastic hunter. As a rule,
Nagibin portrays his hunter protagonist as a person who is in full
harmony with nature. The forceful strong man contrasted with this
true nature-lover is the visiting hunting enthusiast who is out of
tune with nature and proves to be inferior to the true hunter. This

is a peculiarity of many Nagibin Me§dera stories: the local population

is better than the visiting hunters. This view is easily explained,

 

54J. Szymak, "Opowiadania mysliwskie Jurija Nagibina," Slavia
Orientalis, No. 16 ( 967) p. 294,

55For a detailed study of Tendrjakov, see Lydia Pacira's "Vladimir Ten—
drjakov: A Survey and Analysis of His Works," an unpublished PhtD. disser-
tation, Department of German and Russian, Michigan State Univer51ty, l975.

56N. Atarov, "Celovek iz glubiny pejzaia," Nas'sovremennik,
No. 12 (1972). p. 107.

”Md, p. 108..

l65
according to Atarov. In time, writes Atarov, the life of any closely-
knit society will take root in the hearts of the people. This "root

structure, claims the critic, exerts a firm hold on the weaker members
while, at the same time, strengthening the whole society with its
moral law. The newcomers, on the other hand, do not possess such
stabi1ity.58

Seeking a different kind of stability is another forceful strong-
man protagonist, Trubnikov (hero of Stranicy Aizni Trubnikova) who
prefers the k01kh02 chairmanship of his native village to a retirement
pension in Moscow. Kristo Nagy comments that this story, like Soloxov's
Sud' ba deloveka, proves that through the hardships of the war numerous
heroes rose from among the people to make their lives and fates typi-
cal of that age. Although one is tempted to attribute the story to
50loxov's influence, Kristo Nagy reminds us that Nagibin wrote his
Stranicy many years earlier, sharing with 5bloxov's later story a
typical Soviet positive hero.59

Another parallel to Sud'ba deloveka is made by Miriam Elberg
who found a close similarity between the little orphan heroine in
Nagibin's Rannej vesnoj, and goloxov's war-orphan Vanja.60 In
comparing these two stories, one would like to add to Elberg's findings
that the vicissitudes of war were less a threat to Vanja because he was
still too young to realize the tragedy of his situation. The opposite

is true of Nagibin's orphan who witnessed how one by one her whole

 

58 Atarov, "Clelovek...," p. llO,

59 I. Kristd Nagy, Az Lij szovjet irodalom, eds. Jdnos Elbert and
Lészl6 Kardos (Budapest: Gondolat, n.d.), p. 258.

60Miriam Elberg, "Children as Portrayed by Soviet Prose Writers
During the Period of the 'Thaw,'" an unpublished Ph.D. dissertation,
(l97l), pp. l37-38.

166

family perished. Both children, however, share the dawnings of a new life
with a loving, devoted father.
PART THREE: Criticism of Nagibin's Poetics
Original Features of Nagibin's Short Stories
Nagibin's stories exhibit several features that make them unmistak-
ably Nagibinesque, no matter what aspects of life they might depict.
Whether he is writing about the front, the Megcera village or school life,
about adults or children in general--Nagibin has his own way of writing,
his own themes, his own favorite heroes, and his own manner of character
portraiture and nature description.
These typical Nagibin traits have been stressed by many critics, S.

V. Dorofeev’6] and Marc Slonim, among others. Thus, Slonim contends that
Nagibin, along with Kazakov and Kazakevid, belongs to a:

...group of writers who have brought genuine emotions,

careful psychological insight, humaneness and a careful

objective rendering of reality into contemporary Soviet

literature. They belong to a generation which had not

been corrupted in Staggn's school of fear and handicapped

by dogmatic bl1nders.
Dorofeev, on the other hand, singles out the interesting world of Nagibin's
heroes as an important trait of Nagibin's poetics: heroes who are high on
the list of what makes Nagibin's stories enjoyable. Some of Nagibin's
young heroes with strong moral judgment towards themselves and others,

writes Dorofeev, are the uncompromising Aleksej Rakitin in Boj za vysoty

and the faithful Egor in Ljubov':

...Oaa ynOpaO a CTonKO.QOpaTcn c nymamn a c05-
CTBeHHHMH aenOCTaTKamn a cnaOOCTnma, sa aacTo-
nmym, nocTOnBym nenOBeKa mnsaB - a B sTom

 

615. V. Dorofeev, "Rasskazy Nagibina," in Ju. Nagibin, Rannej vesnoj
(Moscow: GOSLITIZDAT, 1961), p. 457.

62Marc Slonim, SOviet Russian Literature, writers, and Problems
1917-1967 (New York: Oxford University Press, l964), p. 323.

167

myxeCTBeaaom Oopeaan sa OOBepmeacTBO, sa
nenOBeaecxoe cnaCTBe B Bacmem ero noaamaann
pacKpaBaeTcn ax nyxoBaan KpaCOTa, npoanneTcn
ax aKTHBHOCTb, OTOnKOOTB, ax Oonbmae TpeOOBaaan
K mapy n K ceOe.63

Another critic, S. Dmitriev,54notices that Nagibin's highest
form of beauty is a strong inner exactingness of the ordinary person.
Nagibin, according to Dmitriev, expresses this best in Zimnij dub
where the winter oak becomes a symbol of the perpetual newness of
life. The poetic world of the boy that captivated the teacher forces
her to see her pupil and herself in a new light. Dmitriev notes that
Nagibin has a particularly vigilant eye for the good in people and
their lives and is able to show the reader the special beauty he sees.
In his works Nagibin asserts the reality of the spiritual beauty of
man.65 And Nagibin expresses this beauty, argues D. Dydko,66 in his
own way: spiritual beauty is evidenced not only or even necessarily
in heroic deeds, but also in the simple daily give and take of life.
Thus, he shows the heroism in the selflessness of working people
without making them particularly notable personalities. On the con-
trary, continues Dytko, Nagibin underscores their ordinary behavior
representing it as the norm:

...Tanaa Ooanaan aanacaaaoro D. HaraOaaum
B Tom, Banao, a COCTOHT, uTO nncaTenb ymeeT,
6Y11TO peaTreaOchnma nyqamn BbICBeTPITb

odwdennwe nenenun, OTKpHBafi ax rnyOnaaym
cyTB.67 (Emphasis mine, EJC)

 

63Dorofeev, p. 457.

64s. Dmitriev, "Nagibin, Ju. M." Ju. Nagibin, étstge prudy,
(Moscow: "Moskovskij raboéij," l962), p. 553.

651bid.

66o. DyEko, "Tvoe orudie i oruéie," Znamja, No. 9 (1972), p. 238.

67Ibid.

168

I. Borisova also comments on Nagibin rarely placing his heroes
squarely in a position where they must decide "to be or not to be?"68
The plot of his stories concerns itself more often with side issues
rather than decisive situations. .As a rule, continues Borisova, the
hero's fate is seldom decided solely on whether he will or will not
perform a certain action. Borisova points out that Nagibin tries to
ascertain a person's character largely through simple actions. But
it frequently turns out that the author's voice, although soft-
spoken and unobtrusive, sounds exceptionally demanding. Nagibin de-
mands humaneness in his hero's every thought and action each waking
moment throughout the day, continues Borisova, and while expecting
humane behavior from his characters in everything they do, he does
not wait for the contingency in which his heroes may have to agree to
an exploit or crime, discerning the exploit or crime in their most
ordinary actions. Without setting them up on a pedestal or running
them down, he, nevertheless, measures their most modest merits and
most harmless offences. Yet the reader feels no disproportion bet-
ween the appraisal and the deed. Even insignificant actions are
judged in the light of such strong humane equity, concludes Borisova,
that the severity of condemnation and enthusiastic praise seem quite
reasonable.

Another critic, E. Nikolin,69 maintains that Nagibin sharpens
the reader's awareness of life by pointing out in seemingly insignifi-
cant and fleeting occurrences the important and viable issues of

life, such as serious social and moral problems.

 

68Borisova, "Put' na perednij kraj," pp. 233—34.
69Evgenij Nikolin, "Polnoj dusbj." Neva. No. 7 (1963), P- 171-

169

As to a negative hero in Nagibin's stories, Nagibin frequently
portrays a hero lacking an inner life. In his Podsadnaja utka, for
instance, Nagibin gives us an example of such a hero in Andreev.
Borisova, among others has dwelled at length on the facts leading
Nagibin to that negative portrayal. At first glance the offense of
Andreev, writes Borisova, seems so small as to be altogether insig-
nificant. But it only seems that way.In reality, however, it proves
to be a grave wrong. To be sure, comments Borisova, Andreev's fault
seemed minimal: he accidentally and unintentionally shot and killed
a decoy-duck at the hunt. He was embarrassed by the incident and felt
badly for the duck's owner, the forest warden Anatolij Ivanovid. But
there was nothing he could do about it; accidents of this kind do
happen in hunting. Yet, in the story, continues Borisova, the ordinary
hunting episode is replete with evidence that is difficult to disprove.
Nagibin's investigation is carried out with subtle perception and
rests on facts that would perhaps not stand in court. On the strength
of all the evidence, however, Andreev's behavior turns out to be a

most convincing sin of commission.

l7O
Criticism of’Nagibin's Liridnost'

Another aspect of Nagibin's poetics, his Liridnost' has been
emphasized in numerous critiques. Vasil'eva,7T'for instance, notes
that Nagibin needed primarily an emotional method of expression to
capture the illusive poetry of mundane things and events; in that way
the harmonious arrangement of his stories took shape; they became
lyrical in all aspects: in genre, composition and character creation.
This lyrical undercurrent, I think, appears in many of Nagibin's.
stories: a fusion of lyrics and drama with a light irony and the posing.
of critical psychological problems, a poetic Weltanschauung combined
with a realistic method of narration. In the collection Celovek s
fronta, Nagibin uses a unique literary device, writes P. Gromov,
called an "imagined lyrical psychologism" which often distinguishes his
stories from the war stories of the period. In conclusion, the critic
asserts that this lyric detail becomes the most important aspect of the
story.“ Critic N. Brjabina 72 rightfully observes that Nagibin sought
to expose the inner essence of man which explains his concentration
on the psychological state of man's inner world in the many inter—
relations of man and events. Characteristic for Nagibin, continues
Brjabina, is the choice of form for these stories: the lyrical-'
psychological rasskaz. For its thematic rather than generic distinc-

tion, for its "weakened story line," for a strengthened inner tensity

 

70 N. Vasil'eva, "Jurij Nagibin," Oktjabr“, No. 12 (1958), p. 214

71 P. Gromov, "Geroj i vremja (Leningrad: "Sovetskij pisatel',"
196]), p0 2.

721V. Brjabina, "Na tixom ozere i drugie rasskazy," Nag soure-
mennik, No. 9 (1967), p. 115.

171

of topic, and a strong lyrical overtone--this peculiar form was dubbed a
"hunting story."

These lyrical overtones become a major element in Nagibin's autobio-
graphical stories. Vasil'eva notes that beginning with the Leto moego
detstva collection, in his ZabroEennaja doroga and Friend,73 a different,
deeper lyricism appears in Nagibin's works for the first time. Indeed,
there appears what the critics will later call a "lyricism of confession:"

Ha sTom sTane ero TBOpquKOn OnorpaoHa

HpOPICXOIIHT HapBCTaaae HCHOB €113,111: HOI‘O

qucTBa, pacKOBaaaOCTa aBTOpcKorO POHOC3.74

This "confessional lyricism" resounds in the story Nemota (Muteness), pub-
lished in l972. L. Fomenko calls this "confessional lyricism,“ a lyricism

"75 Atarov, too, discusses Nagibin's attitude toward

of "maximal exposure.
this ispovedal'noe éupetva.76 Indeed, in his early works Nagibin did not
show "lyricism as confession," though he did have a "lyrical hero," and
extensive lyricism of nature. Now more clearly than before the lyricism
in the story Nemota appears as a different and deeper self-disclosure. In
l973 Nagibin wrote son 0 Tjutceve (A Dream about Tjutcev) in the same
lyric-confessional tone as his Nemota. Similar lyrical stories were writ-
ten earlier, such as ienja Rumjanceva, a story of a hardworking, studious
girl who was secretly in love with the author-narrator Sereza during their

school years and "Kak skageg', Aurelio"--about the change of a young girl

to womanhood.

 

73Vasil'eva, p. 2l5.

74 "V II
Atarov, ce] OVEko o o g p. 1]] o
75

Lidija Fomenko, "PobeEdaet xudozhik," Znamja, No. 9 (1973), p. 230.

76Atarov, "Navstredu...," p. 3.

l72
Vasil'eva, referring to Nagibin's penchant for stories with the
organizational role relegated to the composition of characters, nature
painting and mood rather than plot development, contends that this

77

feature makes Nagibin's stories akin to lyrical verse. And Dmit-

riev calls Pered prazdnikom:
...npeBocxonaaa Oopasen Ton, no nymKnacxomy
onpeneneaaw "Baron nposu," KOTOpan npoaaKaeT
B camue rny6naa anaTenBcKoro BocnpanTnn a

sacTaBnneT ero conepennBaTB nnTepaTypaam
reponm.78

While in Richards' view, Nagibin's best stories are "sustained

79 Richards adds that in

throughout by a delicate lyrical buoyancy."
éxo as well as in some of Nagibin's Me§dera stories, the realistic,
psychologically convincing action is infused with the atmosphere of

a lost Golden Age.

Criticism of'Humaneness
The theme of humaneness, to survey yet another aspect of Nagibin
criticism in contemporary Soviet literature, was taken up in a
discussion by the Writers' Union and the Institute of World Literature
of the Academy of Sciences in l962.80 As a result, Nagibin literary
criticism has put the problem of humaneness in the forefront. Critic

V. Pankov, for example, asserts that in discussing recent works with

 

77Vasi1'eva, p. 215.

78Dmitriev, p. 654.

79Richards, p. xix.

80V. Pankov, vremja i knigi (Moscow: "Prosve§denie," l964),
p. 251 as reported by M. V. Romenec, Problema gumanizma v sovremennom
russkom rasskaze, (Xar'kov, 1969), p. 11.

l73
Soviet writers, problems of humaneness, in particular, have been at-
tracting wide attention.511 At that conference the participants noted
that one of the most important aspects of the problem of humaneness
in literature is the problem of the hero who, as it were, becomes
"imbued with new content." This is mirrored in the subsequent artis-
tic realization of the new qualities of Soviet contemporary man.82

As to Nagibin, he holds to the view which seems to be regarded
by the more sephisticated Soviet writers, according to Richards ,83
that "Communism is not simply or even primarily a pattern of social
organization, but essentially a state of mind, an attitude towards
life and one's fellow men." One may concur with Richards, especially
if one recalls Nagibin's quiet gamekeeper Strii in Razgovor, who has
an unhappy encounter with a writer-hunter from Moscow.

Humaneness, moreover, appears in both Nagibin's early stories
and his mature stories. Thus, B. Dajrediiev finds Nagibin's postwar
story Deljagi significant for the humanity of its heroes, two war
veterans who, having set out to make a fortune at their trade, dis-
cover that they are unable to take money from their compatriots.
Although maimed, these ex-soldiers, who might have become embittered,
had remained humane and empathetic.

In contrast to the shallow approach of many Stalinist writers,

notes Gibian,84 Nagibin often stresses that life and human nature

 

8illbid.

857nm. . p. 12-
83Richards, p. xv.
84Gibian, "New Trends in the Novel," p. 52.

174

are highly complex, puzzling phenomena. Man's complexity has been
underscored by Nagibin time and time again: in was bylo éetvero,
for example, Gibian notes Nagibin's descriptions of how, when he
was still very young, he discovered himself "complicated and con-

tradictory."85

Criticism of’Figurativeness

Nagibin's use of figurativeness in character portrayal, has
been likewise mentioned in criticism. In some narratives, Rannej
vesnoj, for example, this figurativeness may appear in one poetic
detail, while other stories abound in it.

One such Nagibin story abounding in figurativeness is Svet v
okne, Two critics who noticed symbolism in Svet v okne were Kristd’
Nagy86 and Helen von Ssachno.87 The former underscores Nagibin's
frequently-used motif: the seemingly unimportant and unnoticeable
humanity, contrasted in this case to the cowardly and compromising
Vasilij PetroviE. Similarly, Kristo-Nagy stresses, a parallel basic
formula is sketched in Zimnij dub where the rich humanity symbolized
in Savu§kin, opposes the rigidity and rationally-ordered world of
the school.88The structure of Svet v okne, contends von Ssachno is
supported by two pillars, a realistic and a symbolistic one. The

sanatorium is a typical Soviet institution in which nothing works too

 

85Ibid.
86Krist6 Nagy, p. 260.

87Helen von Ssachno, Der Aufstand der Person (Berlin: Argon
Verlag, 1965), p. 165-166.

88Kristd Nagy, p. 260.

175

well. Torn between sympathy and duty, continues Ssachno, its manager
Vasilij Petrovit lodges his guests three and four to a room separat-
ing even newly-weds on their honeymoon, while year after year, the
stately suite under his supervision stands empty awaiting its
"potentate." Vasilij Petrovic, the public servant is, at the same
time, a paid guardian of the masses in the service of the certain
"someone." It is Nastja, symbol of the patiently-waiting, hard-
working, believing and always deceived people, concludes Ssachno,

who finally rebels against the certain "someone."

Most conspicuous imagery, unmentioned by critics, pervades two
other Nagibin stories, Pered prazdnikom and "Kak skaées, Aurelio...".
In the former the young heroine's maturation is symbolized through
pictures of nature; in the latter, a sudden change to unseasonably
warm weather hastens the coming of spring. In Pered prazdnikom, the
heroine, Natasa, discovers, as she goes for a walk early in the morn-
ing, that everything has turned green overnight. She ponders what
may have caused such a rapid awakening of nature to make the grass
grow almost before her eyes, and decides it must have been the
unusually long, warm thunderstorm the day before. Flowing water
symbolizes the awakening of new life in the young girl. Nata§a is
not afraid of the rainstorm because the sun's rays through a tiny
patch of blue betokens happiness:

HO name B camom pasryne rposu rne-TO B
ane OCTaBanaCb nHCTan npocaaB, maneaBKoe
oxomeQKO, Kyna sarnnnuBanO conane, a OTTorO

rposu ae nyrana; Bce Kasanocb, QTO sa aama
npnneT ‘ITo-TO panocTaoe. 89

 

89Nagibin, "Izbrannye...," 1, U6.

176

The image of flowing water, to be sure, also includes the river
which, at this time of year, is full of spawning fish. And the river
teeming with fish about to produce new life symbolizes the begin-
ning of a new life for Nata§a. It should be noted that Kristd
Nagy considers Nagibin's presentation of this sensitive subject as

"unique in the whole of modern world literature."90

Criticism of'Autobiographical Traits

The autobiographic features of Nagibin's stories, notably his
fictionalized "o sebe," have also been discussed by critics. Con-
temporary stories about childhood, as we all know, are not only a
tribute to the past, they are a seeking of the self, a desire to
comprehend the original characters and fates of people now living.
In almost all works of this kind, there is a tendency toward the
autobiographic. This trait is well noted in Nagibin's distye prudy.
The subject matter of these stories cannot be invented, nor need be.
These stories, as E. A. Subin observes,91 are the result of a self-
analysis to discover which seeds sown in childhood produced desirable
results, which came up as weeds, and which remained in the ground
without germinating.

The writer A. Sarov summed up Nagibin's autobiographic stories
as "the epochs of man."92 §arov notes that the secret of these

epochs, as, perhaps, also for the childhood of animals, stars and

 

90Kristo Nagy, p. 264.

91E. A. 5ubin, Sbvremennyj russkij rasskaz (Leningrad: "Nauka,"
l974), p. 90.

92A. 5arov, "Sud," Novyj mir, No. 12 (l967), p. 9.

177

plants, is that the living imprints of one's past remain inside
like "the yearly rings in the trunks of trees," like "a fossil of
prehistoric times” or a "colored stone in amber." Similarly,
childhood epochs lie dormant in unseen depths but the time will
come for them to come forth even as the buds of a very old tree.93
From the many heroes in Nagibin's stories over the years,
it is not easy to single out the traits of autobiographical likeness.
The sketches of characters are many and varied: poachers and chair-
men of collective farms, geologists from the Kara-Kum desert and
Buchenwald antifascist guides, boys from Nagibin's youth in the
Moscow Cistye prudy district and nomad Gypsies, the first cosmonaut
and forest wardens of the remote Megdera, an Arctic flyer and African
village elders. And yet, to one writer-critic, Atarov,94 it seems
that of all Nagibin's heroes the one who most resembles the writer
may be singled out. This remarkable person whom Nagibin endowed
with traits closely resembling his own, is Komarov, the ”restless
man," a four-year-old who is trusting and well-disposed towards
the world. He is the most gracious man in the host of Nagibin's
characters: courageous, relentless, and kind. Atarov concludes
that the projection of Komarov into the adult world of fearless
aces, soldiers and sportsmen, hunters, and fishermen seems to be
the main thrust of Nagibin's creative work.95 One agrees with

Atarov that somewhere in the traits of Nagibin's strong characters,

in a world of men's passions-~boxing, duck-hunting, and fishing,

 

93Ibid.

94Atarov, "Celovek...," p. 106.

gsIbid.

178

and on a different plane in the fight against Fascism, unrequited
love, and crippling effects of illness, the self-portrait of Nagibin--
the artist is revealed.

It is not surprising, then, that Nagibin should be found to
resemble one of his favorite child-characters. Two of his children's
stories, Komarov and Zimnij dub, were acclaimed by critics to be
two of his best. V. Amlinskij commented:

STa Ouna samenaTenbaan nposa, ecTecTBeaaan,
nenbaan, c npaBKycom neqana, TporaTenbaan
Oes quCTBaTenBaOCTn.

Amlinskij, incidentally, remarks that in Komarov the influence
of A. Platonov is evident. Platonov's mesmerism is so strong,
argues Amlinskij, that Komarov talks to the calf almost exactly
the way Platonov's Egor addresses the bug: "Ta KTO?" , Platonov's
Egor asks the worm, and Nagibin's Komarov asks the calf: "Taxicro 4
TaKOn?"97 Another similarity, continues Amlinskij, is that both

children experience almost identical feelings of freedom, brotherhood,

and equality with the world of nature and both are drawn to this

world. And yet, stresses Amlinskij, the near-quote from Platonov

does not spoil Nagibin's story, for every writer knows that sometimes

he unconsciously quotes his favorite writer, later becoming independent
of him, but the object of his affection remains within like a part

of him. In the case of Nagibin, concludes Amlinskij, the writer Platonov,
without a doubt, exercised the foremost formative influence upon him.98

Critics had noticed the autobiographical quality of Nagibin's

works even before he was to confirm himself that his povesti and

 

96Amlinskij, p. 6.

971bid.

981297.21.

T79

rasskazy are, indeed, his "real biography."99

HsBeCTaO, qTO naanCTB nncaTenn, ero Ono-

Ppa¢un, ero mnsaeaao-npaxrnqecxnn a nymeB-

Ban onaT Bcerna aaKnanuBamT aensrnannman

OTneanox aa ero nponsBeneaan. B TBOpnecTBe

HaraOaaa, cBoeooaqaoro nnpnxa B npose, sTO

OOOOeaaO canbao cxasaBaeTcn.
In Pavlik Cerdyncev, hero of Pavlik, we recognize Sergej Rakitin
(from Boj za vysotu) and other Nagibin characters who have grown
more versatile and morally stronger. Szymak101 notes that the
strength, and capaciousness of Nagibin's images are the realization
of the synomymous figure of the author with respect to the world,
to his sensitivity and social activity. The value of Nagibin's
prose lies in the personal tone of his narration and the resemblance
of the author to his "first person voice and figure."102 Nagibin,
continues Szymak, enjoys genres in which he is free to express him-
self, where his decisiveness is the objectification of the narrative.
He creates the image of a man, the prototype of a young writer whose
history of experiences is close to Nagibin's personal experiences of
his period. In this respect, I think, Pavlik's thoughts on litera-
ture are significant:

n noaaman Tenepb masaB TonBKo KaK nencTBne,

xaK aenocpencTBeaao TBOpamoe Onaro... Hano

nncaTB no xpaeB nepenonaaBmHCB nepemnTum,
a ae TnayTB KaK pesnay Kpomeqamn nymeBaun a

 

99 Nagibin, "A celI .., p. 4.
100 Dorofeev, p. 458.
101Szymak, p. 299.

lozlbid.

180

masaeaaufi OHHT... H nhon c ymacom nymam
0 Tom, qTO, ecna 6 ae Bonaa, n 5H Koanan
BBCTaTyT n - nero noOporo - nonncaBan Om
Bacocaaaae as nanbna pacOKasaKa.103

Nikolin rightfully observes that Nagibin does not soon part with

this "strong, agonizing and happy image"104

which colors all of his works]05

of his youth an image

Indeed, in his autobiographical collections distye prudy,
Leto moego detstva, Pereulki moego detstva, for instance, Nagibin
is true to his declaration, " H namy numb O Tom, ‘1'1'0 CleIO Ba
camom nene; these true remembrances Nagibin interprets in bright
and clear colors. They take on a form that is more compaCt
than any fiction. The dry facts become a fine, artistically stated
truth which agitates the mind to empathize with the author. But
the question arises, comments Nikolin, how to present the truth of
facts artistically, with what idea to prompt the reader, to influence
him in the desired way, because life itself with its many facts has
been long known to him. Nagibin was able to present them uniquely.
dtstye prudy successfully portrays what was in its incipiency per-
ceived in Nae bylo éetvero. These stories, concludes Nikolin, are
contrasted from the earlier narrative by simpler language, complete-
ness, and greater interest.‘06

Similarly, critics have discussed Nagibin's juxtaposing

 

‘03 Nagibin, Pavlik as quoted in E. Nikolin, "Polnoj du§oj,"
Neva, No. 7 (l963), p. 175-76.

‘04 lbid., p. 175.
‘05 lbid.
105 Jbid.

181

the world of children to that of adults. Richards, for instance,
notes that in Nagibin's children's stories:

...a degree of spontaneity, sensitivity towards

nature and fundamental goodness, rarely seen in

adults, is exhibited naturally by many of

Nagibin's child figures, most strikingly by

Savushkin.1O7
As we have seen, the schoolmistress in Zimnij dub becomes aware of her
own boring grammar lessons when confronted with Savu§kin's first-hand
knowledge and love of nature. Thus, "devdonka" Vit'ka, the heroine
of Bro, seems unconcerned about the adults' views when, bathing and

sunning at the beach naked, she offers to show Sereia the secret

places where she can elicit echoes from the mountains.

--OnenaCB 6a XOTB... - npOBOpnan n.
--3aqem? Tax sarOpaTB nynme, - OTBeTnna
neBqua.

--A TeOe ae CTHnHO?
--Mama rOBOpnT, y maneabxnx 3T0 He canaeTcn.
Oaa ae BenaT mae B prcaKax KynaTBcn, OT sTorO
npOCTynamTan08
Vit'ka's lack of modesty is coupled by a complete lack of vanity,
as a matter of fact, she considers herself ugly. But to others,
like Serefa's mother, she is a charming, delightful creature.’
Criticism of Nagibin's children's stories has registered another
important quality--his closeness to Cexov. Thus, Zamorij109 observes
that a following in Cexov's tradition is evident in Nagibin's child-
hood and children's stories, that Nagibin learned from Cexov the knack

of introducing the beauty of a child's spontaneity. Also, Zamorij

believes that a great similarity to Cexov lies in Nagibin's poetic

 

107Richards, p. xvi-
108Nagibin, Inbrannye..., 1, 198'99-

109Zamorij, p. 95.

182

descriptions of purity, the uniqueness of the child's inner world, and in
Nagibin's respect for the child's spiritual life. In contrasting Cexov
to Nagibin, Zamorij includes some political considerations as well.
Whereas Cexov juxtaposed the inner beauty and purity of children to the
false, inhuman world laws in which he lived, Nagibin depicts how the new
laws of personal interactions work together to encourage the development
of the lofty and beautiful in the child, the formation of an integrated
personality.HO
Criticism of Cyclicity in Nagibin's Stories

Critics have also addressed themselves to another trait of Nagibin's
poetics: Nagibin's love for a cyclic narrative. In Nagibin's collection
Leto moego detstva, fourteen short stories make up a long narrative, and
yet each of the stories has not only its own topic, but completed charac-
ters as well, and each story reads like an independent work. Yet taken
together, these stories compose a philosophically meaningful story about

MOSCOW boys. One critic. Brjabina,111

comments that cyclicity is evidence
of Nagibin's aspirations toward epic writing because in their totality,
these stories reveal different aspects Of life with epic breadth; the
characters in these stories are the same and the setting is in the same
locale.

Kristd Nagy adds that in the portraiture of his generation, Nagibin
employs the same "mosaic method" J. D. Salinger uses in his short stories.
Nagibin keeps to the frame of short-story writing better suited to his own
literary style, but by connecting his short stories, he makes his long

narrative more complete.”2

 

Home.
111

112

N. Brjabina, p. ll5.
Kristo’ Nagy, p. 264.

183

But the significance of many of Nagibin's cycles of stories, I think,
does not lie in the bright colors Nagibin uses to describe what is happen-
ing but in the search for social and philosophical problems. In this
light, one may be able to determine the new aspects Nagibin has contribu-
ted to the contemporary short story. The composition of these stories,
for example, is new. The stories are linked by a unity of place, the same
narrator and an interdependence and chronology of events. The plot of the
stories is based on Nagibin's personal experiences which he recounts
factually. Nagibin does not change the names of places and includesactual
occurrences. In addition, some characters have prototypes in real life.

The place where the action of the stories is carried out is often
seen anew; Nagibin notices different values in the Mesdera from descrip-
tions of other writers, Paustovskij, for example. Nagibin is fascinated
by the stern wisdom of its people and their life close to nature, their
system of values which differs from that of their visitors from the city.
This is evident from Nagibin's descriptions of their old world "byt" based
on strict requirements and just appraisal.

Criticism of’the Role of'Nature in Nagibin's Short Stories

As has been shown in Chapter Two, in discussions of Nagibin's Megdera
stories, the landscape descriptions play an important role in Nagibin's
stories. Indeed, we would be hard put to find a Nagibin story where the
pictures of the native countryside are not organically interwoven with the
composition of the work. As has been likewise displayed, Nagibin follows
the tradition of the great Russian landscape writers. For him, in fact,
"PyCCKan naTepaTypa KaK an Onaa B mnpe, cnnbaa nensaxaoa

anOBHCBw."113

 

H3Nagibin, Razmyslenie o rasskaze, P- 92-

184

The most reliable criticism of the role of nature in Nagibin's
works is given by Inna Borisova in her l959 study.”4 Borisova seems
to have relied on Nagibin's views that nature is a full-fledged and
active character in his stories. One may call Nagibin a landscape
painter, she argues, but even the most detailed analysis of his land-
scape and nature descriptions would not suffice if one failed to take
into consideration nature's special role in the plot. It is not the
role of the background that makes nature descriptions so important
for Nagibin, or the picturesque vignettes, it is not Nagibin's store of
metaphors or personifications, nor is it a means of elucidating or
ascertaining the inner implications of the characters. Nagibin's
nature, continues Borisova,enters into his stories as a strict judge
of persons. His heroes not only feel nature differently, and in so
doing express the breadth and poetry of life; they enter into mutual
relations with nature as though nature were a living thing capable of
thoughts, feelings, and actions. "IIOBeneane nenOBeKa aa npapone
BO maorom onpenenneT ero nOBeneaae a cpena nmnen."

This aphorism of Anatolij Ivanovid, (the hero of Podsadhaja utka,
Pogonja, Kogda utki v pore) contends Borisova, explains the composi-
tion and meaning of many Nagibin stories. The test of humaneness, and
the fullness of humanity to which Nagibin invariably subjects his heroes,
rightfully observes Borisova, not only spiritualized his nature des-
criptions but saturated the very interrelations of his heroes and nature
with a special effectively humane meaning. Those Nagibin heroes whose
attitude toward nature and people is effectively and actively humane,

concludes Borisova, seem to possess a greater vital capacity and fortitude.

 

114Borisova, "Put' na perednij kraj,“ pp. 233-37.

185

This elementary natural law, not invented by Nagibin but newly examined
and exalted by him, gives him the key to the understanding of the most
divergent aspects of man's being from the very personal to the widely
societal.”5

Some of Borisova's views, particularly the one that nature in
Nagibin's stories serves as a device for character delineations, can
be easily applied to Nagibin's.Me§derskie storoéa, for example. In
this work thoughts about a humane attitude toward nature are inextri-
cably interwoven with the thoughts of a humane attitude towards people.
It would seem that the story could have taken place in any region and
have concerned itself with any other problem not having to do with
nature protection. But Nagibin found it necessary to show this con-
flict precisely in nature and, notably in his beloved Meddera. The
inhumane power of one of the rangers, Pavlu§a Starginov, had the frighten-
ing consequence of dehumanizing the pe0ple which in the final analysis
adversely affected the increasing impoverishment of nature.

In another Me§dera story, Ispytanie, a hero, Anatolij Ivanovid,

seems to expound Nagibin's own sentiments about the man-nature conflict:

Map xaBOTaax, nTnn, pao a pacTeann CessamnTea
n nonoa ncxymeaan nnn nenOBeKa. anero ae
CTOHT nonyCTaTB ceOn, naTB Bonm aasKam a man-
aum qucTBam a nOTepnTb yOTOa B nyme{H6

Significant in Anatolij Ivanovic's confession is the mature reflection
of the forest rangers' coeval, a man possessing a broad analytical view
of things, deeply sensing his responsibility for the fate of his country.
Having learned to appraise all that helps or hinders the best interests

for his Megdera, he lets no opportunity slip by to defend a humane

 

“518%, p. 235.

H6Nagibin, Na tixom ozere, p. 55.

186

approach toward nature and people. Not always the main hero in these
stories, Anatolij Ivanovid, nevertheless, becomes one of the central
characters and one of the most fascinating protagonists in Nagibin's
stories. His fascination is attributed to his moral fiber as protector
of nature and to the "nakal" of moral exactingness. All these qualities
make Anatolij Ivanovid, as Borisova noted,--one of Nagibin's most

characteristic and favorite characters]17 In addition to Borisova's

118 views are noteworthy. Since the action of the

analysis, Atarov's
Megdera stories takes place in the open countryside, these stories more
than any others, observes Atarov, are rich in nature descriptions,

which are equal in importance to the depiction of man. Also important

in the landscape descriptions is, as von Ssachno notes, "a deeper

social coloring."n9 Von Ssachno adds that although Nagibin's admiration
of the natural beauty of this region finds expression in the many-

tonal nature descriptions, the hunter narrator, while pursuing his
favorite sport and interacting with the simple hunters and fishermen

is not blind to the social ills that plague the Megdera. As he becomes
better acquainted with the land and people, Nagibin's stories go deeper

into a social analysis until the social significance, notes von Ssachno,

equals that of the moral and ethical content, and on occasion surpasses
it.120

 

117 Borisova. Po 235-
118 Atarov, "Navstredu...," p. 3.

1'9 Von Ssachno, p. 323; see also A. Ognev, "Preblemnyj rasskaz,"
Sibirskie ogni, No. 2 (1967), pp. 170-76.

'20 Ibid., p. l72.

criticism of'Nagibin's UBe of’the Language
Critics seem to be unanimous when noting the excellence of

Nagibin's language, asCerkasskij illustrates:

Hem me npaBneKawT pachasu HaraOaaa? npemne
Bcero BenaKonenaum nsuxom. PKGKOCTB n eMKOCTB
cnOBa HaraOaaa nocTOnaH camon Bacoxon HOXBanH...
Onaa npamep: "Bowen CTaan, cnomneaaun B
noncaane." Be CTepmaecn "cyTynun" nnn
"crOpOneaaan," a "cnomneaaun." Kan Toqao,

OBemo a spnmo.

Perhaps it is this aspect of Nagibin's stories that first attracted
publishers in the West to seek translations of his works. "If a
London or New York publisher asked me to recommend living Soviet

writers, comments G. Gibian, "whose works, translated into English,
could pass scrutiny by literary criteria as severe as those we apply to
British or American writing, Kazakov and Nagibin would be those I should
name first."122

Nagibin's language is well-suited to his quiet, restrained stories.
He does not hesitate to use technical words and phrases, colloquialisms
or dialect speech, but he rarely indulges in bizarre images. He obtains
the desired effects by his thoughtful choice of words and selection

of precise details in description:

0a BnaneeT pqum OBOOOnaOn a pacKOBaaaon,
oa oqapOBaa sByKOM npenecTamx pyccxax cnOB,
OTonB aOBux a CBexax B ero KoaTeKcTax.

Nagibin's peculiar use of the language prompted another critic,

 

121
'M. Cerkasskij, "Detaili i mysl',"Neva No. 5 (1957), p. 178.

122Gibian, "New Trends...," pp. 49-50.

123A. Pistunova, "Dorogi...," p. 6.

187

l88

I. Kozlov,124 to better classify Nagibin's style, finding that the
dominant aspect in Nagibin's artistic prose is "aristocratism"

("apHCTOKpaTHBM cnora") where words are so selected, played up
and set in a sentence as to produce, as Kozlov put it, "blue-blooded,"
i.e., "noble," sentences. Kozlov duly concludes that the main charac-
teristic of Nagibin's language is, nevertheless, "artistism" for Nagibin
primarily strives to achieve an exact expression of content and a '
greater conformity to "that corner of life" which he happens to be
describing, as well as to produce a more perfect expression of reality,
rather than a "slovesnaja izyskannost'" implied by the word "aristo-

cratism."125

But beyond Nagibin's mastery of the language which contributes
to an unobtrusive, smooth-flowing narrative prose, lies Nagibin's skill
at selecting a detail to evoke the reader's amusement, grief or merely
a suspense. One of the most pronounced examples of Nagibin's eye for
detail is Vas'ka's helpless hand gesticulation when he is at a loss
forvnnds: "Baaxomum aenoymeBammam mecTom BacBKa pasBen

l

pyKamn" 26 (Molodoé’en) .

'27 "misleads

And Nagibin's "smooth narrative style," writes Iof'ev,
the reader or critic who overlooks the implication and metaphors. In
his review of Nagibin's collection Celovek i doroga, Iof'ev comments

that Nagibin's stories seem to lack the dramatic and amusing aspects.

 

12‘41. Kozlov, "Po raznym stranam," Znamja, No. 9 (l968), p. 244.
125nm.

12fl‘lagibin, Izbrannye..., I, p. 119.

27Iof'ev, p. 237.

189

Furthermore, he insists, Nagibin's stories do not portray a poetic
image, thereby merely serving the purpose of getting to know the charac-
ter.128

Although there is a grain of truth in Iof'ev's view, he fails to
notice the most important aspect: the unifying force of Nagibin's
capacious characters who represent the author's attitude toward the
world and Nagibin's sensitivity to social problems. For the merit of .
Nagibin's prose, contends Szymak,129 is his personal tone and Nagibin's
similarity to his literary "I". In such stories where Nagibin presents
an unbiased portrait of his contemporary Pavlik, for example, Nagibin
creates the image of a writer, using himself as prototype, to tell of a
young man's life at the front which is close to his own personal experi—
ences of that period. The material of such stories is a blend of liter-
ary fiction and personal experiences.

Apart from the positive reception surveyed above, Nagibin has had
his share of defeats. As noted in Chapter One, the majority of his
weak stories belong to the Kolkhoz village theme of the post-war years.
But in my view, there have been other stories in Nagibin's literary
output that seem rather trivial. One may argue, however, that even
these trivial stories have an important place in Nagibin's works, if
not for other reasons than for the extent of Nagibin's preoccupation
with thematic variety, and for his insatiable desire to create a story
from everything "the eyes can see and the ears hear;"130 Some of

Nagibin's shortcomings are summed up best by Vasil'eva:

 

1281bid.
129Szymak, p. 299.
lbfl)gerkasskij, "Detali i mysl'," Neva, No. 5 (1957). P- 180°

190

ECTb B TBOpqecTBe HaraOaaa n aenOCTaTxn,
KOTOpHe anancn KaK 6a npononmeanem erO
nOCTOHHCTB. TO, BTO TaK npnanaTenBao B
nynmax npoasBeneaanx: masaeyTBepmnammnn
naOOC, ymeane nonmeTnTB B nenOBeKe
XOpomne KaqecTBa a noOymneaan, - naorna
nepexonnT B OBom npOTnBononomaocTB -
npexpacaonymae a cnamaBym ymnneaaocTBJ31

Some of these imperfections notwithstanding, Nagibin's literary
reception, as displayed earlier, has been utterly positive. Moreover,
the Russian and foreign critics alike have stressed again and again those
refined literary qualities of Nagibin's inherent in the Russian classic

'32 who underlines Nagibin's pro-

literature. One concurs with Atarov,
fessionalism, his uninterrupted daily training. But, in addition to
that "svjatoe remeslo," one should underscore, as Fomenko did, Nagibin's

omnipresent talent:

Bynaoe napmeCTBO OOpasOB, KpacOK, KacKan
cnOB, anTO - cnOBOOOpasOBaann. TanaaT
saxneCTuBaeT nacaTenn n, OaBaeT, TecanT

ero npoOeccaoaanBaym aaneaapOBaaaoch.133

But his professionalism, apart from that natrenirovannost', notes Fomenko,
consists, too, of a certain curbing of colors and images, of an ability

to cope with the raging elements of his figurative style; and then, his
xnfettered imagery is controlled by an inspired aim: producing a

genuine "xudoXestvennoe proizvedenie."

 

13lVasil'eva, p. 216.
132Atarov, "Navstredu...," p. 3.

133Fomenko, "Pobeidaet...," p. 23-

CONCLUSION

Nagibin's thematic dispersedness, or maororemse, as displayed
in my study, is an integral part of his short stories. His themes em-
brace a broad spectrum of human life; some of them are typically Russian,
many others go beyond a Russian setting. Hunting, fishing, school, man's
awakening, love, illness, death, pride, courage, honor, sorrow, faith-
fulness, betrayal, and many other themes in Nagibin's short stories are
universal. Some of his "na zlobu dnja" themes, or the themes on societal
ills, and his beloved war theme are somewhat more contiguous to.a Russian
milieu.

Parallel to this variety of themes is a variety of characters. Nagi-
bin's types are men, women, and children who hail from all walks of life.
They include hunters, soldiers, teachers, high school students, writers,
poets, composers; explorers, astronauts, and kolkhoz chairmen.

Although Nagibin prefers to write about strong heroes who become
masters of a given situation, he has limited his strong characters to a
very few. Two of them, Egor Trubnikov and Nadeida Petrovna Kostenko,
have been presented in this study. Nagibin.has his favorite characters
among the many types he describes: in the Megdera stories, it is the
one-legged forest warden who sympathizes with nature and protects it
agains poachers. In the love theme stories, it is Egor (in Ljubov')
who loves in Nastja not his boyhood sweetheart whom he has lost, but the

strange new person she has become after a love-affair with another man.

191

192

In the "he zlobu dnja" theme, it is Nastja, the symbol of an invariably
deceived person, who invites the sanatorium guard and his children to
watch television with her in an empty suite reserved for a certain "some-
one."

Nagibin, too, has his favorite negative characters. In the stories
with the theme of man's awakening, it is Pal PalyE, the egoist and vacil-
lating charmer; one day he is genuinely interested in the members of Bab-
ka Jul'ja's family, but the very next day is ready to accuse one of them
of stealing his penknife. In the Megdera stories, it is Burenkov, the
power-hungry incompetent, who likes to assume a Napoleonic stance and
pretend to be master of a situation. In the children's stories, it is
Fenidka, whose insensitive treatment of little Saga prompts Bajkov to
leave her.

Nagibin frequently juxtaposes the world of children to that of
the adults. In regarding children as more spontaneous, enthusiastic,
and truthful, he concedes that "they will be better than we are." In
Rannej vesnoj, the importance of a child's reaction to injustice is
used as an artistic device to reveal the meaning of an event. In Deti
Zepjat iz snega, a child's creative awareness is used to evoke a simi-
lar creative awareness in the adult. Some teacher-heroines, who are
described as stern and callous with children, are used as a device for
illustrating unnecessary bureaucracy.

In all of Nagibin's stories, nature plays an important role. The
changes in nature are attuned to the physiological changes in his char-
acters. The change from girlhood to womanhood in Nata§a occurs against
a setting of nature description (Pered prazdnikom). According to Nagi-

bin, children understand nature better than adults, and for this reason

193

nature is frequently used as contrast to the rationally-ordered world
of civilization; for example, in Zimnij dub, the forest is contrasted to
the school.

Nagibin uses nature as a device to determine a character's moral
worth, or he may leave it up to the reader's perception whether or not
nature is to be viewed independently, or be psychologically linked with
the action of a story. Nagibin's nature may frequently become an active
element in the story. His heroes perceive nature in different ways, but
they enter into interactions with her as though she were a living center
of consciousness.

For Nagibin, descriptions of nature may take on a deep lyrical
coloration. But even when he is deeply lyrical, his poetic tension re-
mains on a realistic plane.

Nagibin's autobiographical cycles of children's stories open up a
wealth of information on his formative years and his youth. In focusing
upon his childhood, he contends that the past is not a runway for a
flight into a future reality. The past is already a reality, a life
to which everything is linked: the distant past is bonded to the pres-
ent, and the future will be intricately interwoven with the past;
nothing fades without a trace, and man's soul is a sanctuary where
images of the past live forever. Such passages imbued with philOSOphic
tension occur in Nagibin's autobiographical cycles more often than in
any other of his stories.

In his children's stories, Nagibin shows that the child's inner
world is much more complex than adults generally realize. He believes
that we must recognize the outstanding tendencies of our children early

and protect and nourish them constantly. For this reason, states

194

Nagibin, he has frequently written about children.

The high value he places on naturalness and spontaneity may explain
why his children's stories are better written than his other stories. As
a rule, Nagibin ruins an otherwise excellent story by preaching. When-
ever he writes about children or teenagers, however, every trace of di-
dacticism disappears. Nagibin fills a traditional theme in Russian lit-
erature--childhood, boyhood, youth--with a new content: he uses it as
the setting in which the awakening of the inner spiritual man occurs in
the hearts of children.

In stories with a psychological analysis, Nagibin develops a method
of hero characterization in which he strips the hero of every mask until
only the bare essence of the character remains. The core of the charac-
ter is then tested for humaneness. In some stories, this is done gradu-
ally. In others, the essence of the character is shown at the outset;
the subsequent events in the plot of the stories deepen and further sub-
stantiate the presence or‘lack of humane qualities.

The love for a cyclic narrative reveals Nagibin's desire to write
long epic narratives. But Nagibin confesses he cannot do this. His
talent is best suited for short story writing. Taken together, his
short stories comprise a long and philosophically meaningful story.

From 1945 through 1954, when he was making the transition from war
stories to a variety of themes, Nagibin had his share of shortcomings.
Artificiality, sketchiness, lack of artistic generalization, happy end-
ings contrary to logic, choice of insignificant detail, unconvincingness,
and an automatic optimism plagued his kolkhoz stories especially.

Nagibin's language is characterized by quiet, rhythmic narration;

it is well-suited to his restrained stories. He uses simple syntactic

195

structures, rich in color words, gerundive phrases, compound adjectives,
descriptive similes, and metaphors. He does not avoid technical words
and phrases, colloquialisms, and dialect speech, but he does refrain from
bizarre images. He achieves the desired effects by his thoughtful choice
of words and selection of a precise detail. Nagibin primarily strives to
achieve exact expression of content.

When contrasting Nagibin's work to Russian literary tradition, we
find that in different aspects of his writing he has followed in the
steps of Pu§kin, Lermontov, Tolstoj, Turgenev, Cexov, Pri§vin, Bunin,
and Paustovskij. I

The strongest parallels to Turgenev and Paustovskij occur in Na-
gibin's Me§Eera stories. The links to Turgenev's Zapiski oxotnika are
so obvious that one is prone to label Nagibin's Me§dera stories a Zapiski
oxotnika of the twentieth century. Both of these writers based the plots
of their stories on their own experiences; both of them were attracted
to the customs and mores of the peasant; both of them enjoyed the compa-
ny of talented native hunters and guides; both used the compositional
device of contrasting the peasants with the intellectuals while remain-
ing sympathetic to the former; both of them used real names of places;
and both of them exposed societal ills.

Parallels with Turgenev are likewise evident in the comparison of
Nagibin's dbrik to Turgenev's Begin lug, notably in the fate of their
heroes.

The parallel to Tolstoj is apparent in the first person narrative
and tone of Nagibin's Leto moego detstva, which is reminiscent of Tol-
stoj's Detstvo, Otroéestvo, and Junost'. Nagibin's interest in man's

inner world, especially the world of ordinary people, may be attributed

196

to Cexov's influence. In some stories, Nagibin has borrowed situations
close to those Cexov has used, for example, the great love drama in
Skola dlja vzroszyx, where Nagibin consciously evokes associations with
Cexov's Dama s sobadhoj.

Nagibin's landscape descriptions adhere to two of Cexov's literary
formulas: a writer should see himself in constant contact with nature
and should limit himself to one or two.significant details. The main
similarity between the two writers, however, is their ability to create
a composite portrait of society from numerous character-types.

As a contemporary writer, Nagibin has been one of the first to mi-
nimize the prescripts of Socialist Realism by avoiding dogmatism and
mellowing didacticism. In his writing, he has focused on self—expression
and a sincere attitude toward life and his fellow man. A prose writer'
with a lyrical undercurrent, Nagibin has combined, in his own way, a
realistic method of narration with drama and irony.

Nagibin's well-composed paCCKaB is a distinguished literary type.
In his struggle for conciseness in the short story, Nagibin has become a
thunderbolt of verbal economy. Due to this compact form of his short
story, its succinctness and lack of superfluousness, and the "aristocrat-
ism" of his style, Nagibin has been acclaimed one of the foremost short
story writers in the Soviet Union today.

Critics all over the world have warmly responded to Nagibin's lit-

erary output. Many of these critics, the writer of this dissertation

included, have repeatedly emphasized his professional dexterity and

incessant devotion to his calling.

 

 

L...

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Introductory Note:
The following bibliography is divided into two principal sections:
SECTION ONE - Primary Sources; and
SECTION TWO - Secondary Sources.
The first section is grouped according to the following subdivi-
sions:
(1) Bibliography of'Nagibin's Original Wbrks:
(a) Short Stories;
(b) Povesti;
(C) Travelogues;
(d) Cbllections and Collected WOrks;
(e) Oderki;
(f) scenarios;
(9) Cbmmuniquéb; and

(h) Critieism (Articles, Reviews, Introductions, Forewords, and
Books .

(2) Bibliography of'Nagibin's Translations

(3) Bibliography of’Nagibin's Wbrks written/Translated in Cbllabo-
ration with Others.

The second section includes a bibliography of criticism of Nagibin
and the bibliography of auxiliary works consulted in the process of
writing the dissertation.

All entries in the first section are arranged chronologically by

197

198

date and then alphabetically by title within any given year. The entries
in the second section are classified alphabetically only.

All items (short stories, povesti, or travelogues) contained in a
collection or collected works are listed individually under the collec-

tion/collected works they comprise.

SECTION ONE

(1) Bibliography of’Nagibin's Original WOrks

(a) Short Stories

Nagibin, Ju. M. "Dvojnaja o§ibka." Ogonek, No. 11 (1940), p. 3.
-------- . "aesstrasie." Krasnoflotec, No. 19 (1941), pp. 4-5.
-------- . "Knut." Mbskovskij al'manax, II (1941), 317-21.
-------- . "Pravdivoe gadanie." Nbskovskij al'manax, II (1941), 332-26.
-------- . "Soldatskaja'duga." Sovetskaja Kolyma, (1943).
-------- . "Tatarinov priexal." Znamja, No. 5 (1946), pp. 78-81.

-------- . "V storone ot ieleznoj dorogi." Znamja, No. 5 (1947), pp.

-------- . "Na odnoj ulice." Literaturnaja gazeta (June 3, 1950).
-------- . "Pokupka konja." Nbvyj mir, No. 9 (1950), p. 109.
-------- . "Srodnyj zakaz." vedernjaja Moskva (April 30, 1951).
-------- . "Nodnoj gost'." Ogonek, No. 4 (1955).

-------- . "Poslednij lov." Znamja, No. 5 (1955).

-------- . “Real'naja medta." Literaturnaja gazeta (February 1, 1955)-
-------- . "Syn." Ogonek, No. 2 (1955).

-------- . "Xazarskij ornament." Literaturnaja Mbskva, II (1956).
-------- . "Molodoien." Znamja, No. 10 (1956).

-------- . "Svet v okne." Literaturnaja Mbskva, II (1956), 396-403.
-------- . "Rannej vesnoj." Znamja, No. 9 (1957).

-------- . "Boj za vysotu." Znamja, No. 2 (1958), pp. 3-42.

199

pp. 3-

200
"Madam Dajan." Znamja, No. 11 (1958).
"Pered prazdnikom." Znamja, No. 11 (1959).
"Babodki." smena, No. 7 (1960), pp. 25-27.
"Exo." Ogonek, No. 37 (1960).
"Novyj dom." Ogonek, No. 15 (1960), pp. 10-13.
"Pri doroge." Ogonek, No. 18 (1960), pp. 15-16.
"Razgovor." Oktjabr', No. l (1960), pp. 86-91.
"Tuman." Nod sovremennik, No. 2 (1960), pp. 158-71.
"larkim ijul'skim dnem." Ogonek, No. 5 (1960), pp. 19-22.
“Cistye prudy." Znamja, N0. 1 (1961), pp. 7-38.
"Na§ tovari§d." Vedernjaja Mbskva (April 12, 1961).
“Zanovo pereiitaja junost'." Ogonek, No. 21 (1961), p. 25.
"Obormot." Ogonek, No. 40 (1962), pp. 14-15.
"Pogonja.“ Mbskva, No. 9 (1962), pp. 3-22.

"Rasskazy o Gruzii." Literaturnaja Gruzija, No. 12 (1962),
9.

Stranicy iizni Trubnikova. SMena, Nos. 1-3 (1962), pp. 13-18;

18-21; and 4-8.

"Kogda utki v pore." Moskva, No. 3 (1963), pp. 114-26.
"Na tixom ozere." Ogonek, Nos. 15-16 (1963), pp. 20-24 and

"Vstreda na zare." Literaturnaja gazeta (March 5, 1963).
"Na teterevov." Neva, No. 5 (1964), pp. 94-113.

"lenja Rumjanceva." KuZ'tura i Bizn', No. 2 (1964), pp. 18-

"Brakon'er." Mas sovremennik, No. 12 (1965), pp. 20-39.

"Dva rasskaza. Sestnadcat' procentov. OleEka ienilsja."

Nos sovremennik, No. 2 (1965), pp. 17-40.

"Bessrodnaja vaxta." Ogonek, No. 4 (1966), pp. 24-25.

201

--------. "Krasota zemli." Komsomol'skaja pravda (September 2, 1966).
-------- . “Neostyv§ij pepel." Novoe vremja, No. 31 (1966), pp. 24-26.

-------- . "Po sledam odnoj‘ekspedicii." Literaturnaja Hbssija (May 27,

-------- . "V strane Amundsena." Ogonek, No. 30 (1966), pp. 22-25.
-------- . "Ataman." smena, N0. 20 (1967), pp. 24-26. ‘
-------- . "Ja zarabatyvaju na iizn'." Uditel'skaja gazeta (December 19,
-------- . "Na kordone." Literaturnaja Bossija (September 15, 1967),

pp. 12-13.
-------- . "Rycar' i pastugka." Uditel'skaja gazeta (December 28, 1967).
........ , "Sed ye volosy." Pravda (December 31, 1967).
-------- . "Tainstvennyj dom." Ogonek, No. 3 (1967), pp. lO-12.
-------- . "Ulybka D20kondy." Ogonek, No. 47 (1967), pp. 25-27.

-- ------ . "ZabroEennaja doroga." Literaturnaja gazeta (October 11,

-------- . "Euéoe serdce." Znamja, No. 6 (1968), pp. 105-14.

-------- , "Danilyd; Kak byl spasen Mal'mgren." lOitel'skaja gazeta, No.
19 (December 26, 1968).

-------- . "Dva rasskaza. Surik. Sokolad." Had sovremennik, No. 6
(1968), pp. 52-61.

-------- . "Edinstvennyj postupok." Ogonek, No. 12 (1968), pp. 18-21.

-------- . "Srodno trebujutsja sedye delovedeskie volosy." Znamja, N0.
3 (1968), pp. 70-87.

-------- . "Delo kapitana Solov'eva." Nag sovremennik, No. l (1969),
pp. 70-82.

-------- . "Oni ljubili svoix detej." Literaturnaja Bbssija (October 17,
1969). pp. 12. 13. 19.

-------- . "Ivan." Ogonek, No. 30 (1970), pp. 18-21.
-------- . "I vsja posleduju§5aja iizn'." Znamja, No. 2 (1970), pp. 67-

-------- . "Nepobedimyj Arsenov." Ogonek, No. 37 (1970), pp. 9-12.

202

-------- . "Osennij sad." IBvestija (October 17, 1970).

-------- . "Pik udaéi." Znamja, No. 9 (1970).

-------- . "V beskrajnom nebe." Investija (December 31, 1970).

-------- . "Kak trudno byt' uditelem!" Junost', No. 11 (1971), pp. 53-

-------- . '“Maginistka 2ivet na §estom etaie." Has sovremennik, No. 8
(1971), pp. 74-102.

-------- . Pereulki moego detstva. Literaturnaja Rossija (January 29,
1971), pp. 12, 14, 23.

-------- . "Poezdka s drugom." Nag sovremennik, No. 4 (1971), pp. 3-23.

-------- . "Rasskazy xranitelja lukomor'ja." Nos sovremennik, No. 11
(1971), pp. 102-5.

-------- . "Xranitel' lukomor'ja." Sovetskaja Rossija (June 6, 1971).
-------- . "Celovek iz restorana." Mbskva, No. 7 (1972), pp. l97-204.

-------- . "Il'in den'." Literaturnaja gazeta (August 4, 1972), pp. 14-
15; 22-23.

-------- . "IZ knigi detstva." Nag sovremennik, No. 10 (1972), pp. 6-32.
-------- . "Kapel'noe serdce." Literaturnaja Rossija (Feburary 18, 1972).
-------- . "Nemota." Znamja, No. 1 (1972), pp. 52-71.

-------- . "Polet s prezidentom." Znamja, No. 5 (1972), pp. 140-46.
-------- . "Sredi noti." Znamja, No. 3 (1972), pp. 53-61.

-------- . "U Larinyx." Literaturnaja Rossija (November 3, 1972).
-------- . "Ulybka Gagarina." Ogonek, No. 45 (1972), pp. lO-15.

-------- . "Gde-to vozle konservatorii." Mas sovremennik, No. 6 (1973),
pp. 90-123.

-------- . "Moj pervyj drug, mor drug bescennyj." vospitanie Bkol'nikov,
No. 2 (1973). pp. 60-65.

-------- . "Nadgrob'e Kristofera Marlou." Literaturnaja Rossija (Sep-
tember 14, 1973), pp. 18-20.

-------- . "Sentimental'noe pute§estvie." Znamja, No. 2 (1973), pp. 112-

203

-------- . "Son 0 Tjutdeve." Literaturnaja Bassija (March 23, 1973), pp.
-------- . "Den' krutogo deloveka." Literaturnaja Bbssija (February 15,
1974), pp. 12-14. 22, 23.
(b) vaesti

Nagibin, Ju. M. Trudnoe zeasvve. vruéba narodbv, Nos. 3-4 (1956), pp.
10-53 and 52-92.

-------- . Trudnoe Eeaet'e. Moscow: "DETGIZ," 1956.
-------- . Pavlik. Moscow: "VOENIZDAT," 1960.

-------- . Stranicy zizni Trubnikova. SMena, NOS. 1-3 (1962), pp. 13-18;
18-21; and 4-8.

-------- . Daleko ot vojny. Na; Sbvremennik, No. 5 (1964), pp. 3-63.
-------- . Daleko ot vojny. Moscow: "Sovetskaja Rossija," 1964.

-------- . Bab'e carstvo. Literaturnaja Rossija (January 6, 1957), PP~

-------- . Na kordone. nae sovremennik, No. 3 (1968), pp. 4-50.
-------- . Perekur. mas sovremennik, N0. 4 (1969), pp. 16-65.

-------- . "Ne perestupiv poroga." Ugitel'skaja gazeta (Feburary 14,

-------- . Kak byl kuplen les. Znamja, No. 10 (1972), pp. 63-100.

-------- . KOgda pogas fejerverk. Drudba narcdbv, No. 3 (1974), pp. 106-

(c) Travelogues
Nagibin, Ju. M. "Iskateli." karug sveta, No. 5 (1951), pp. 52-57.
-------- . "Debrecen-Budapegt." Znamja, No. 5 (1961), pp. 36-55.

-------- .‘ "Iz cikla marokkanskix rasskazov." Smena, No. 15 (1961), pp.
-------- . "Marokkanskie novelly." Novoe vremja, No. 27 (1961), pp. 25-
-------- . "Ma zemle Marokko." Znamja, No. B (1961), pp. 9-46.

-------- . "Pod sen'ju Akropolja." Literaturnaja Gruzija, No. 10 (1963).
pp. l2-l4.

204

-------- . "Lukorskij izvoink; Aja Sofija." Literaturnaja Bbssija
(May, 1963), pp. 18-19.

-------- . "ondenija za detyre morja." Moskva, No. 2 (1964), pp. 130-

-------- "Na beregax Adriatiki. " Novoe vremja, Nos. 49-50 (1964), pp.
25- 27 and 32- 34.

-------- . "Moja Venecija." Literaturnaja BOssija (January 1, 1966).

-------- . "Videnie Azii." Literaturnaja Rbssija, No. 10 (March 17,

-------- . "Afrikanskie oEerki." Navee vremja, Nos. 8-9 (1968), pp. 26-
28 and 28-30.

-------- . "Ot bib1ii do naéix dnej; puteéestvie p0 Sibiri." Nevae
vremja, No. 32 (1968), pp. 23-25.

-------- . "Strana dobryx ljudej. Sudanskie ocerki.“ nos sovremennik,
N0. 12 (1968), pp. 88-105.

-------- . "Na den' v Dagomeju." Nag sovremennik, Nos 5 (1970), pp. 103-

........ , "Kogda cvetut flambujany." no; sovremennik, No. 5 (1972), pp.
106-16. '

-------- . Mbja Afrika. Moscow: "Nauka," 1973.

------- . "Tovarigd'Vargava. Iz pol'skogo dnevnika." Izvestija (July
18, 1974).

(d) Cbllections and collected WOrks

v

Nagibin, Ju. M. ceZovek s fronta. Rasskazy. Moscow: "Sovetskij pi-
satel'," 1943. Containing: Perevodcik; Svjazist Vasil' ev [was also
reprinted unde; the name "Lini "J; Domik u dorogi; Doroga; Preda-
tel'; V izbe; ena politruka; elovek s fronta.

-------- . Bol’BOe serdce. Basskazy. Moscow: "Sovetskij pisatel', "
1944. C ntaining: Soldatskaja dusa; Zercp zizni; Mat'; Stariki;
Perevodcik; Svjazist Vasil' ev; Ppslednij sturm Pexotinec; Bol'goe
serdce; Noc' pered boem; Vozvrascenie mastera; gkiper uxodit v pla-
vanie; Ce lovek s fronta.

-------- . Zerno gizni. Rasslgazy. Moscow: "Sovetskij pisatel'," 1948.
Containing: Perevodthk ofer; Svjazist Vasil' ev; V izbe; Igra;
Vaganov [was also reprinted under the n mev"Vsegda v stro ,Zer-
no Eizni; Drug- saper; Tri dnja Sergeja ersav1na; Vozvrac cenie; Nod'
pered boem; Na xortice; Radiosoldat; Puti dorogi; Karlavad; "Nas
bylo betvero. "

205

-------- . Gbsudarstvennoe delo. Rasskazy. Moscow: "Pravda," 1950.
Containing: Gosudarstvennoe delo; Deljagi.

-------- . Dve sily. Rasskazy. Moscow: "Molodaja gvardija," 1944.
gontaining: Dve sily; Drug-saper; Bol'goj urok; Tri dnja Sergeja
er§avina[:was also reprinted under the name "Troe sutok“]; Profes-
sija tvoego otca; Goluboe derevo; Partizany prixodjat na otdyx.

-------- . Gbspodstvujuédaja vysota. Rasskaz . Moscow: "Sovetskij pisa-
tel'," 1951. Containing: Gosposdstvujugcaja vysota; Puti-dorogi;
uEie berega; Svet v noéi; Naslednik; Novaja professija; Partijnoe
poruEenie; Pokupka konja; Na pokoe. .

-------- . Partijnoe poruéenie. Moscow: "VOENIZDAT,” 1951. Containing:
Partijnoe porucenie; Na xortice.

-------- . Rasskazy. Moscow: "Molodaja gvardija," 1953. Containing:
{aganov; Nod pered boem; Perevodcik; Radiosoldat; Svjazist Vasil'ev;
uZie berega; Puti-dorogi; Nas bylo éetvero ; Tonkaja rjabina; Par-
tijnoe porudenie; Pokupka konja; Na pokoe; Kombajnjery; Pozdnjaja
osen'; V Sinegorii; Junye gody; Pobeditel'; Licnoe pervenstvo; Trub-
ka. .

-------- . Trubka. Rasskazy. Moscow: "Pravda," 1953. Containing:
Pozdnjaja osen'; Zimnij dub.

-------- . vsegda v stroju. Moscow: "VOENIZDAT," 1953. Containing:
Svjazist Vasil'ev; Drug-saper; Nod'pered boem.

-------- . Basskazy o vojne. Moscow: "VOENIZDAT," 1954. Containing:
Celovek s fronta;,Sofer; Zerno 2izni; Drug-saper; Svjazist Vasil'ev;
Tri dnja Sergeja Sersavina; Not'pered boem; V izbe; Vtoroj é§elon;
Perevodtik; Radiosoldat; Vaganov; Na xortice; Vtoroe vozvrasdenie.

-------- . nal'éiki. Moscow: ”DETGIZ," 1955. Containing: Novyj drug;
Mal'tiki; V skolu; Staraja terepaxa; Zimnij dub; NovajatSvineja;
Nas byl o detvero.

-------- . Rasskazy. Moscow: "Sovetskij pisatel'," 1955. Containing:
Cempion mira; Vaganov; Na xortice; Nas b 10 detvero ; Trudnaja
goroga; Slezaj, priexali...; Sovremennik tepkina; Cetunov, s n

etunova; Nocnoj gost'; Poslednij lov; Syn: Vasilij Nikolaevic i
Vasja [has also reprinted under the name "livoj medvefonokf] ; Sny;

K0marov; Noinicy; Karavaj; Zimnij dub.

-------- . Skalistyj porog. Rasskazy. Moscow: "Pravda," 1955. Con-
taining: Komarov; Staraja cerepaxa; V §kolu; V noti; Skalistyj
porog; Slezaj, priexali... '

-------- . Zimnij dub. Rasskazy. "Molodaja gvardija," 1955. Contain-
ing: Trubka; Vaganov; Radiosoldat; Deljagi; Nas bylo detvero ;
Mat' kolxoza; Pokupka konja; Na pokoe; Pozdnjaja osen'; Slezaj,
priexali...; Pobeditel'; Pauk; Komarov; Staraja derepaxa; V skolu;

206

Mal'éiki; V noEi; Ljubov'; Skalistyj porog; Pustynja [to- uthored
witth. Tisov, this story in later reprints is known as " etunov,
syn Cetunovaf] ; Zimnij dub.

-------- . Mal'diki. Moscow: "DETGIZ," 1955. Containing: Novyj drug;
Mal'ciki; V skolu; Staraja éerepaxa; Zimnij dub; Novaja Gvineja;
Nas bylo Eetvero.

-------- . nal'éiki. Moscow: "DETGIZ," 1956. [Contents same as above]

------- -. Na ozerax. Basskazy. Moscow: "Pravda," 1957. Containing:
Nocnoj gost'; MolodoZen; Podsadnaja utka.

-------- . Rasskazy. Moscow: "GOSLITIZDAT," 1957. Containing: Koma-
rov; Molodoten; Vaganov; Trubka;Slezaj, priexali...; etunov, syn
Cetunova; Skalistyj porog; Noénoj gost'; Xazarskij ornament; Vejmar
i okresnosti; Zimnij dub.

-------- . Boj za vysotu. Moscow: "Sovetskaja Rossija," 1958.

-------- . CBlovek i doroga. Basskazy. Moscow: "Sovetskij pisatel',"
1958. Containing: ng za vysotu; Vtoroj é§elon' Put' na perednij
kraj; Rannej vesnoj; elovek i doroga; Kostyli; Skola dlja vzros-
tyx; Vejmar iokresnosti; Vecer v Xel'sinki; Na plotu; V aprel'skom

esu.

-------- . Na ozere velikom. Moscow: "DETGIZ," 1958. Containing:
Papa, mama, sobaka i ja; Pjaterki i edinicy; Sny; Knut; Igra; Na
ozere Velikom.

-------- . Skalistyj porog. Basskazy. Moscow: "V ENIZDAT," 1959. Con-
taining: Boj za vysotu; Va anov; Perevoddik; elovek s fronta; V
.izbe; Svjazist Vasil'ev; No pered boem; Poslednij sturm; Put' na
perednij kraj; Na xortice; Rubikon; Rannej vesnoj; V aprel'skom
lesu.

-------- . Pered prazdhikom. Basskazy i povest'. Moscow: "Molodaja
gvargija," 1960. Containing: Pesn' pesnej; Madam Dajan; Stjuardes-
sa; etvertyj papa; Pered prazdnikom; Razgovor; Novyj dom; Deti
lepjat iz snega; Tuman; Pri doroge; Babocki;Trudnoe scast'e: povestt

-------- . Druz'ja moi Zjudi. Rasskazy. Moscow: "Sovetskaja Rossija,"
1961. Containing: Vejmar i okresnosti; Madam Dajan; VeEer v Xel'-
sinki; Pesn' pesnej; Lukovyj sup; Debrecen-Budape§t; My govorim po-
vengerski; Sleva truba sprava truba; udo pod zemlej; Svad'ba;
Stalaktitovye pe§éery; Eeret; Ja edu v cirk; Pro§€anie s Buda e§tom;
Na zemle Morokko; Durnoj glaz;-Mimozy; Na doroge; Remeslo; Nis ij;
Pokupka velosipeda; O prostote; Voljubilis - mertvyj gorod; Sokro-
viéte korolevskogo dvorca; V berberskom sadu; Na verbljuiem toriiéde;
Dve vstreti; Sodom i Gomorra; Sofer Xuan; Plata za vxod; Soldat;
Kozy; Antuan; V pal'movoj ro§de; Kumu§ki.

-------- . Rannej vesnoj. Rasskazy. Moscow: "GOSLITIZDAT," 1961.

207

Containing: "Nas bylo Eetvero"; Svjazist Vasil'ev; Perevodtik;
VaganOV' Trubka; Komarov; Zimnij dub; Slezaj, priexali...; Notnoj
gost'; etunov, syn Cetunova; Poslednjaja oxota; Molodoien; Vejmar
i okresnosti; Veter v Xel'sinki; Boj za_vysotu; Put' na perednij
kraj; Rannej vesnoj; V aprel'skom lesu; Celovek i doroga; Tuman;
Exo.

-------- . Cistye prudy. Rasskazy raznym let. Povest'. Dor gi. vstre-
6i. ,Moscow: "Moskovskij rabotij," l962.\ Containing: istye pru-
dy; Stedryj podarok; Velosiped; Babodki; Exo; Kotjat topjat slepymi;

Ja izudaju jazyki; Tixon PetroviE; Torpednyj kater; amp njony;
enja Rumjanceva; Cerez dvad at' let; povest': Pavlik; kola dlja
vzroslyx; Pered prezdnikom; arkim ijul'skim dnem; Staraja Cerepa-
xa; Deti lepjat iz snega; Novyj dom; Posl dnij lov; My govorim po-
vengerski; Sleva truba, sprava truba...: Eudo pod zemlej; Svad'ba;

Stalaktitovye pesdery; Eribet; J3 edu v cirk; Prosdanie s Budapestom;
o

Plata za vxod; Sodom i Gomorra; fer Xuan.

-------- . Mitja. Molodaja gvardija, No. 3 (1963), pp. 42-63. Contain—

ing: Noéju; Zagadotnye kartinki; Pesni; Vzroslye umejut igrat';
Izba.

-------- . Pogonja. .Meséerskie byZi. Moscow: "Sovetskaja Rossija,"
1963. Containing: Podsadnaja utka; Molodoien; V rasputicu Lwas
also reprinted under the name "Xazarskij ornamentf) ; Ispytanie;
Petrak i Val'ka; Razgovor; Poslednjaja oxota; Novyj dom; Obormot;
Pogonja; Kogda utki v pore; Na tixom ozere. '

-------- . Selected Short Stories. With an Introduction and Notes by
D. J. Richards. New York: The MacMillan Company, 1963. Contain-
ing: "Nas bylo Eetvero"; Vaganov; Zimnij dub; Slezgj, priexali...;
Svet v okne; VeEer v Xel'sinki; Poslednjaja oxota; etvertyj papa;
Razgovor; Exo. .

-------- . Stranicy éizni Trubnikova. Moscow: "Sovetskaja Rossija,"
1963. Containing: Vozvrascenie; Knut i ialejka; Vybory; Veter i
not'; Cudotvorec; Uragan; Bor'kiny risunki; Perevybory.

-------- . Dalekoe i blizkoe. Povest' i rasskazy. Moscow: "Sovetskij
pisatel'," 1965. Containing: Povest': Stranicy zizni Trubnikova.
Malen'kie rasskazy: NoE'ju; Zag doénye kartinki; Vzroslye umejut
igrat' Pesni; Izba. Rasskazy: estnadcat' procentov; Gibel' pi-

lota; Kak skates, Aurelio...; Na teterevov; Oletka ienilsja; Neringa.
Putevye zarisovki: Xoidenija za cetyre morja; Roza v zubat; Videni-

e Varny; Aja Sofija; Pod senju Akropolja; Lukorskij izvozcik; Ax-
mad neisderpaemyj; Adriatika zelenaja, prost.

-------- . Zelenaja ptica s kragnoj golovoj. Moscow: "Moskovskij rabo-
Eij," 1966. Containing: istye prudy; Zelenaja ptica s krasnoj
golovoj.

-------- . Ne daj emu pogibnut'. Moscow: "Molodaja gvardija," 1968.
Containing: Ne daj emu pogibut'; Po sledam odnoj ekspedicii;
Bessrocnaja vaxta; U majora Ejnaral<ristelja; V strane Amundsena;

208

Arxiv Samojlovida; Glaza Selagina; Momental'nye fotografii; Made-
muazel'; Xudofnik; Sredi xistnikov; Cajki umirajut v gavani; I
vsjudu strasti rokovye; Aleksandr I; Neséastnyj slutaj; Istori-
teskaja tumba; Zadem mne takaja iena?;Deti ne doltny znat'; Ulybka
Diokondy; Lukovyj sup; Neostyvsyj pepel; Videnie Azii: Rangun;
Fudzi; Gonkong; Tainstvennyj dom.

-------- . Nocnog gost'. Fizkul'tura i sport, 1968. Containing: Cem-
pion mira; avoronok; Lidnoe pervenstvo; Junye gody; Pobeditel';
Noénoj gost'; Podlednyj lov; Kogda utki v pore.

-------- . Cuéoe serdce. Povesti i Rasskazy. Moscow: "Molodaja gvar-
dija,” 1969. Conta'ning: Leto moego detstva: Priezd; Ja zara-
batyvaju na iizn'; urik; Ataman; Pobeditel'; Pastuska i rycar';
Danilyé; Sokolad; Cerdak; Kak byl spasen Mal'mgren; Zabrosennaja
doroga; Krasnyj kar'er; Samyj sEastlivngden'; Spaga d'Artan'jana.
Bab'e carstvo; Na Kordone; Sroéno trebujutsja sedye deloveéeskie
volosy; Cuzoe serdce.

-------- . Perekur. Povest' i rasskazy. Moscow: "Sovetskaja Rossija,"
1970. Containigg: Perekur; Delo kapitana Solov'eva; Malen'kie
rasskazy o bol'soj sud'be; Edinstvennyj postupok.

-------- , Pereulki moego detstva. Povest' v rasskazax. M05C9W3 "So-
vremennik," 1971. Containing: Malen'kie rasskazy o bol'soj sud'-
be; Semejnyj spor; V skolu; Notju; Jurina vojna; Staraja vetla;
Snova za utebu; V beskrajnem nebe; Urok anatomii; Zvezdy; V surdo-
kamere; Forel'; Drug detstva; Fotografija; V te poslednije mgnove-
nija. Pereulki moego detstva: Dom No. 7; Pesni; Stra§noe; Milye
§utki Zizni; Ne v tu storonu; Pervoe pute§estvie; Ljubov' i znamja;
Ivan; Nepobedimyj Arsenov; Moj pervyj drug, moj drug bescennyj; Me-
lomany; Liven'; I vsja posledujusdaja iizn'; Pik udati; Oni ljubili
svoix detej; Fejruz; Muzykal'naja korobka; Strana roslyx ljudej; Ni-
gerijskaja tetrad'; Na den' v Dagomeju; Kennijskie zametki.

-------- . Izbrannye proizvedenija. 2 vols. Moscow: "Xudoyestvennaja
literatura," 1973. Vol. 1 contains: Vaganov; Zimnij dub; Komarov;
etunov, syn Cetunova; Notnoj gost'; Molodoien; Petr k i Val'ka;
Poslednjaja oxota; Rannej vesnoj; Pered prazdnikom; xo; Pogonja;
Kogda utki v pore; Na teterevov; Ole2ka ienilsja; Gibel' pilota;
Neringa; Kak skates, Aurelio...; Zelenaja ptica s krasnoj golovoj;
Brakon'er; Srotno trebujutsja sedye telovedeskie volosy; uioe
serdce; Delo kapitana Solov'eva. Vol. 2 contains: Trubka; Na tixom
ozere; Na kordone; I vsja posledujusdaja 2izn'...; Pik udati; Vejmar
i okresnosti; Vecer v Xel'sinki; Tainstvennyj dom; Priezd; urik;
Ataman; Pobeditel'; Pastu§ka i rycar'; Danilyt; Kak byl spasen
Mal'mgren; Zabro§ennaja doroga; Krasnyj kar'er; Samyj stastlivyj
den'; Dom No. 7; Drug doma; Strasnoe; Ne v tu storonu; Ljubov' i
znamja; Ivan; Nepobedimyj Arsenov; Melomany; Liven'.

-------- . 1y budes' éit'. Povesti i rasskazy. Moscow: "Sovremennik."
1974. Containing: Rasskazy o Gagarine: Bujanka; Vorota v nebo;
V gorodskom sadu; Tost; Gibel' Dergunova; O Eem dumal Geroj; Den'
5 Germanom Titovym, ili este raz ob ulybke Gagarina. Kniga detstva:

209

Jan'ka; Kak trudno byt' uciteleml; Podemu ja ne stal futpolistom;
Kapel'noe serdce; Rasskazy: Masinistka iivet na sestom etaie; Ty
bude§' Zit'; Nemota; Vystrel; Sentimental'noe pute§estvie; Polet s
prezidentom; Son 0 Tjutdeve. Povesti: Ode—to vozle konservatorii;
Kak byl kuplen les.
(e) Oderki
Nagibin, Ju. M. "Letciki." Krasnoflotec, N0. 20 (1941), pp. 16-18.
-------- . "Na klic Timura." Literaturnaja gazeta (June 29, 1941).
-------- . "Oxotniki spe§at domoj." vokrug sveta, No. 6 (1941), pp. 35-
-------- . "Posle velikoj bitvy"; "Vesna na traktornom"; "Vtoraja Eizn'
Ol'gi Kovalevoj." Trud (April 10, 1943).
-------- . "Semja Sviridovyx." Trud (November 24, 1943), p. 3.
-------- . Guardejcy na Dnepre. Moscow: "Molodaja gvardija," 1944.
-------- . Slava Nikolaja c'tsteva. Moscow: "Moskovskij bol's'evik," 1945.
-------- . "Novaja ulica." Smena, No. 19 (1947), pp. 2-3.

-------- . "devig Ul'jany Bykovoy." SOcialistideskoe zemledelie (August
15, 1948 .

-------- . "V predmajskuju nod'." Literaturnaja gazeta (May 1, 1948).

-------- . "Xranitel' stepi." vogrug sveta, No. 10 (1948), pp. 32-37.

-------- . "Aleksandra Mixajlovna Styrova." Krasnyj flot (February 28,

-------- . "Mirnyj den' na mirnoj zemle." Literaturnaja gazeta (August
8. 1950 .

-------- . "Navstredu maju." SOcialistideskoe zemledelie (April 30,

-------- . "Tri Eetverti kvadratnogo metra." Literaturnaja gazeta (April
8, 1950).

-------- . "Truienica mira." Sbcialistideskoe zemledelie (November 26,

-------- . "V kanun vsenarodnogo praznika." Socialistideskoe zemledelie
(December 5, 1950).

-------- . "onjain zemli." Sbcialistideskoe zemledelie (March 7, 1950).

-------- . "Nemerknusdij svet.“ Sooialistiéeskoe zemledelie (January 30,

210

-------- . “Novyj predsedatel'." Novyj mir, No. 8 (1955), pp. 3-14.

-------- . "Na drejfujusdej stancii." Literaturnaja gazeta (November
30, 1957).

-------- . "livye i u§ed§ie." Mbskovskij komsomolec (November 7, 1959).

-------- . "Momental'nye fotografii." Literaturnaja Bbssija (December
9, 1966 .

-------- . "Momental'nye fotografii." Nos sovremennik, No. 4 (1967), pp.

-------- . "v gorode Lenina." Nevae vremja, No. 45 (1968), pp. 8-10.

-------- . "Teper' Moskva. Olimpiada-76." Literaturnaja gazeta (March
25, 1970).

( f) Scenarios
-------- . ”Direktor." Iskusstvo kino, No. 9 (1965), pp. 125-168.
-------- . "Bab'e carstvo.“ Nae sovremennik, No. 3 (1967), pp. 26-27.
-------- . ”Trudnyj put'." Iskusstvo kino, No. 12 (1963), pp. 11-45.
-------- . "Trudnyj put'." IBkusstvo kino, No. 11 (1963), pp. 25-67.
-------- . "Oktjabr' - 44." ISkusstvo kino, N0. 5 (1973), pp. 157-191.
(g) Cbmmuniqués

........ , "Gorod, vstaju§dij iz pepla." Kbmsomol'skaja pravda (May 7:

-------- . "Il'icevcy." KOmsomol'skaja pravda (January 21, 1943).
-------- . "Osvoboidenie Kubani." Trud (October 10, 1943), p. 2.
-------- . "Pobeda." Trud (August 7, 1943), p. 2.

-------- . "Sergej Simonov — konstruktor protivotankovogo rui'ja."
Trud (July 31, 1943), p. 2.

-------- . "V portu." Trud (June 1, 1943), p. 2.
-------- . "szato v boju." Trud (June 22, 1943), p. 2.
-------- . "onjain sudna." Trud (June 4, 1943), p. 2.

-------- . "Zavodskie inienery na fronte." Trud (September 25. 1943).

-------- . "Skola surovogo truda." Trud (June 18, 1944), p. 2.

211

-------- . "Voin i stroitel'." Trud (May 15, 1945).

-------- . ”Bessemer." Trud (February 13, 1944), p. 3.

-------- . “Boj za Kaunas." Trud (August 2, 1944), p. 2.
-------- . Genoju éizni. Moscow: "Moskovskij bol'gevik," 1944.

-------- . "Dorogami nastuplenija; Vstredi; Tri goda v podvale; Surovye
budni.” Trud (August 10, 1944).

-------- . "Izobretatel'." Trud (June 30, 1944), p. 2.
-------- . "Komandir." Trud (April 6, 1944), p. 2.

-------- . "Zemlja litovskaja." Trud (August 1, 1944), p. 2.
-------- . "iivoj Stalingrad." Trud (July 7, 1944), p. 2.
........ , "Doroga v iizn'." Trud (March 8, 1945).

-------- . "General polkovnik Vasilij Aleksandrovid Ju§kevic." Krasnaja
zvezda (January 25, 1946).

-------- . "Novator." Gudok (January 22, 1947).
-------- . "Donbass - probeditel'." iteraturnaja gazeta (June 5, 1948).

-------- . "Im otdaem na§i 901056...." Socialistideskoe zemledelie
(December 17, 1950).

(h) Criticism (Articles, Reviews, Introductions, Forewords, and
Books)

........ , Review of G. Medynskij's Devjatyj, A., A. Donchenko's Skola nad
morem, and N. Dmitrieva's Druéba. Detskaja literatura, No. 9 (1940),
pp. 6-9.

-------- . “K1eveta.” Literaturnaja gazeta (October 26, 1950), p. 2.
-------- . "Snova Bulliti" Literaturnaja gazeta (September 28, 1954).
-------- . "Oxota iz-za ugla." Literaturnaja gazeta (May 15, 1956), p. 3.
-------- . "Poraienija i pobedy." Literaturnaja gazeta (September 29, 1956).

-------- . “Vysokaja zadada literatury." Znamja, No. 4 (1956),
pp. 174-75.

-------- . "0 rasskaze." Literaturnaja gazeta (February 16, 1957), p. 3.

-------- . "Glubie o sovremennosti!“ Literaturnaja gazeta (March 25,

212

-------- . "0 proze Georgija Berezko." Znamja, No. 6 (1958), pp. 217-19.

-------- . "Deta1' v rasskaze." Literaturnaja gazeta (August 29, 1959),

........ , "Masterstvo rasskainka." Literatura i zizn' (November
13, 1959). p. 3.

-------- . "o Eexove." Znamja, No. 12 (1959), pp. 191-195.
-------- . "Pervyj sbornik." Znamja, No. 10 (1959), pp. 213-214.

-------- . "Rep1ika, vvodja§5aja v zabiuidenie." Mbskva, No. 4
(1959), pp. 217-219. _

-------- . "Svoe i Euioe.“ Druéba narodov, No. 7 (1959), pp. 238-240.

-------- . "ianr ne us1ovnost'." Literaturnaja gazeta, No. 156
(December 22, 1959), p. 3.

-------- . "Etc sovremenno?" Literaturnaja gazeta (December 3, 1960).
-------- . "Na puti poiskov." Smena, No. 13 (1960), pp. 20-21.

----- v---. ”Novoe znakomstvo." Znamja, No. 6 (1960), pp. 217-218.
-------- . "Vmesto recenzii." Literatura i zizn' (May 18, 1960), p. 3.
-------- . "iizn' Ippo1ita Myskina." Znamja, No. 1 (1960), pp. 220-222.
-------- . "géast1ivogo puti!" Sovetskij sport (January 8, 1961).

-------- . Es1i ty pi§e§ rasskazy." szodaja gvardija, No. 7 (1964),
pp. 297-308.

-------- . "Otzyv mys1ej b1agodarnyx .... prrosy Ziteratury, No. 10

(1964), pp. 50-82.
-------- . Razmuélenie 0 rasskaze. Moscow: "Sovetskaja Rossija,"

-------- . '"Eeiovek dejstvujuééij. Iskusstvo kino, No. 2 (1965),
pp. 50-52.

-------- . "L. P. gejninu - 60 1et." Literaturnaja gazeta (March 26,
-------- . "Iz zapisok scenarista." Iskusstvo kino, No. 1 (1967), pp.

-------- . Introduction to Grigo1 Eikovani's Odyéskie rasskazy. Drugba
narodbv, No. 12 (1968), pp. 64-76.

-------- . Review of A113 Be1jakova's Krasnoe nebo. Nag sovremennik,
No. 11 (1968), pp. 112-13.

213

-------- . Review of Boris Jampo1'skij's VbZéebnyj fbnar'. Literaturna-
5a gazeta (January 31, 1968).

-------- . Review of Ivan Uxanov's "Mama, ne umiraj.... na§ sovremen-

nik, No. 12 (1968), pp. 2-12.

........ , "Vmesto predis1ovija."in his Ne daj emntpogibnut'. Moscow:
"Mo1odaja gvardija," 1968.

-------- . "Avtobiograficeskie zametki pisate1ja." Detskaja Ziteratura,
No. 12 (1969), p. 72.

-------- . "Fejruz." Nbvoe vremja, No. 33 (1969), pp. 29-32.
-------- . "Krugovert'...." Literaturnaja gazeta (September 17, 1969).

-------- . "Prazdnik B1oka." Literaturnaja Rossija (November 21, 1969),
pp. 8-9.

-------- . Review of Semen K1ebanov's Tujna moego goroda. Nag sovremen-
nik, No. 12 (1969), pp. 121-22.

-------- . Review of V. A. So1ouxin's Zimnij den'. Literaturnaja gazeta
(September 3, 1969).

-------- . "A ce1' vse ta ie...." Sovetskaja kuZ'tura (June 6, 1970).

-------- . "Pobednyj fake1 b1e§5et kak zarja!" Sovetskaja kul'tura
(May 9, 1970).

-------- . Review of D. Ngugu's P§eniénoe zerno. Inostrannaja literatu-
ra, N0. 10 (1970), pp. 255-57.

-------- . "va scenariev ne pisu." Literaturnaja gazeta (September 15,
1971), p. 8.

-------- . "Nezabyvaemoe." Junost', No. 1 (1972), p. 71.

-------- . Review of E1ken Xej1i's short stories. Druéba narodbv. No.
5 (1972), pp. 161-71.

-------- . Review of Va1erij Povo1jaev's My snimaemsja v kino. Pamir,
No. 2 (1972), pp. 36-45.

-------- . "V edinom raboEem stroju." Literaturnaja Ebssija (January 1,

-------- . "Vesennjaja pesnja." Ogonek, No. 15 (1972), pp. 8-9.

-------- . Review of Akira Kurosava's Dersu UzaZa. Literaturnaja
Rossija (May 11, 1973), p. 20.

-------- . Review of Pylajuééij kontinent. Sovetskaja kul'tura (March
6, 1973).

214

-------- . Review of V. Tub1in's Dbkazatel'stva. Literaturnaja Rbssija
(Ju1y 20, 1973), pp. 22-23.

........ . "Vybor geroja." Literaturnoe obozrenie, No. 8 (1973), pp.

-------- . "Vozvraszenie Akiry Kurosavy." Naé'sovremennik, No. 8 (19-
74), pp. 159-76.

(2) Bibliography of'Nagibin's franslations

V
-------- . "Midega," by Grigo1 Cikovani. Literaturnaja Grazija, No. 2
(1962), pp. 11-16.

-------- . "Midega," by Grigo1 Eikovani. Literaturnaja Armenija, No. 2
(1964), p. 68-73.

-------- . "Soni," by Grigo1 Eikovani. Literaturnaja Gruzija, No. 5
(1954), pp. 40-51.

V
-------- . "Tagu," by Grigo1 Cikovani. Literaturnaja Gruzija, No. 11
(1964), pp. 31-35.

V
-------- . "Ma1'sekko," by Grigo1 Cikovani. Literaturnaja Gruzija,
No. 4 (1965), pp. 23-29.

V
-------- . ”Zena oxotnika," by S. Ederne. Znamja, No. 11 (1972), pp.
158-178.
(3) Biniography of‘Nbgibin's Wbrks written/Translated
in CbZZaboration with Others

-------- and N. Me1'nikov. "K granicam VostoEnoj Prussii." Trud (Au-
gust 4, 1944), p. 2.

........ and N. Me1'nikov. "Iniener," Trud (January 9, 1945).

-------- and o. Rovinskij. "Bo1'§ie puti." vpéernjaja Mbskva (March 8,
1948).

-------- and L. Tisov. "gcast1ivyj god." Socialistigeskoe zemledélie,
(January 3, 1950).

-------- and L. Tisov. "Vstreca." SOvetskij vain, No. 10 (1953), pp.
18-19.

-------- and Ja. Rykaéev. velikoe posol'stvo. Moscow: "DETGIZ," 19-
59.

-------- and Others. "Kak my pisem." prrosy Ziteratury, Nos. 5, 7,
and 8 (1962), pp. 150-161, 162-172, and 162-177.

215
V
-------- and S. Serebrjakova, trans. "Gvanca," by Grigo1 Cikovani. Lit-
eraturnaja Gruzija, No. 6 (1967), pp. 42-57.

V
-------- and S. Serebrjakova, trans. "Doroga smerti," by Grigo1 Ciko-
vani. Literaturnaja Gruzija, No. 4 (1968), pp. 9-26.

-------- and Others. "G1avnaja zadaca.“ Iskusstvo kino, No. 12 (1968),
pp. 1-9.

-------- a d S. Serebrjakova, trans. From "0disskie rasskazy," by Gri-
go1 ikovani. DruEba narodbv, No. 12 (1968), pp. 64-76.

-------- and C. So1odar'. "Koe - Etc 0 Grenob1e." Literaturnaja gazeta
(February 14, 1968), p. 14.

-------- and C. So1odar'. "Pos1e 01impiady - pered 01impiadoj." Liter-
aturnaja gazeta (February 21, 1968), p. 12.

-------- and Others. "Moj trud v1ivaetsja v trud moej respub1iki." Lit-
eraturnaja gazeta (February 17, 1971), pp. 4-7.

-------- and Others. "Vesna pjati1etki." Literaturnaja gazeta (Apri1
28, 1971), p. 2.

-------- and Others. "12 otzyvov sovetskix pistae1ej o Bunine." Litera-
turnoe nasZedStvo, Kn. 84 (1973), pp. 365-74.

SECTION TWO
Abrams, M. H. A Glossary of’Literary Terms. New York: Ho1t, Reinhart
and Winston, Inc., 1958.

Aizenstok, Jeremija, "Frontovye povesti Jurija Nagibina." Zvezdo, No.
6 (1961), pp. 208-210.

A1exandrova, Vera. A History of'soviet Literature. Trans. by Mirra
Ginsburg. New York: Doub1eday and Company, 1963.

Am1inskij, V1adimir, "Jurij Nagibin. Literaturnyj portret." Literatur-
naja gazeta.(January 14, 1970), p. 6.

v
-------- . "Zizn' i smert) 'radioso1data.'" filoskovskij Kbmsomolec (De-
cember 17, 1959), p. 3. ,

Aronov, A. "la Saternikovym i cut' da1'se." fiioskovskij komsomolec
(September 15, 1974).

Atarov, Niko1aj. "Ee1ovek iz g1ubiny pejzaia." Nos sovremennik, No. 12
(1972), pp. 103-112.

-------- . Introduction to Ju. Nagibin's IZbrannye proizvedenija. 2
vo1s. Moscow: "Xudoiestvennaja 1iteratura.” 1973, pp. 5-21.

--+ ----- . "Navstrecu sobstvennomu darovaniju." Literaturnaja gazeta,
No. 122 (1960). P. 3.

Axmadu1ina, Be11a. "Cistye prudy. Literaturnyj scenarij po 1ibretto
Ju. Nagibina." Iskusstvo kino, No. 1 (1964), pp. 18-67.

Babockina, Nata1ja. "Vg1jadites' s 1jubov'ju.” Literaturnaja Ebssija.
(August 7, 1970), p. 18.

Baskakov, V. "Mir bo1'six cuvstv." Ibprosy Ziteratury, No. 1 (1958),
pp. 3-19.

V
Be1za, Igor'. "Zizn' v muzike." Literaturnaja gazeta (September 23,
1970), p. 8.

Bi11ington, J. H. The Icon and the Axe: An Interpretive History of'
Russian Culture. New York: A1fred A. Knopf, 1966.

Booth, N. C. The Rhetoric of'fiction. Chicago: University of Chicago
Press, 1961.

216

217

Borisova, Inna. ”Put' na perednij kraj." Drugba narodov, No. 4
(1959), pp. 233-37.

Borisov, B. and A. SevEenko. "Rep1ika kritiku Ju. Kusenko." Znamja,
No. 2 (1959), pp. 232-33.

Bowra, C. M. The Creative Experiment. New York: Grove Press, 1948.

Brjabina, N. "Na tixom ozere i drugie rasskazy.“ mag’sovremennik,
No. 9 (1967), p. 115.

Brown, D. "The 03erk:. Suggestions Toward a Redefinition." .In American

contributions to the Sixth International congress of’Slavists.
V01. 2. Edited by N. E. Harkins. The Hague: Mou1ton, 1969, pp. 1-13.

Brown, E. J. Russian Literature Since the Revolution. London: Co11ier-
Macmi11an, 1969. -

-------- . The Proletarian Episode in Russian Literature: l928-l932.
New York: Octagon Books, 1971.

Cerkasskij, M. "DetaiIi i mys1'." Neva, No. 5 (1957), pp. 178-84.

Charques, Richard. A Short History of.Russia. -London: The Eng1ish
University Press, 1959.

Ciievskij, D. "Cexov in the Deve1opment of Russian Literature." In
Cexov: A Collection of Critical Essays. Edited by R. L. Jackson.
Eng1ewood CIiffs: Prentice-Ha11, 1967, pp. 49-61.

Cir1ot, J. E. A Dictionary of'Symbols. New York: Phi1osophica1 Libra-
ry, 1962.

Cudakova, M. and A. Cudakov. "Iskusstvo ce1ogo. Zametki o sovremennom
rasskaze." Novyj mir, No. 2 (1963), pp. 239-54.

Dajrediiev, B. "Rasskaz v to1stom furna1e.“ vecernjaja Moskva
(October 1, 1946).

Dibah1, Erika. "The Theme of Man and Nature in the Works of Konstantin
Paustovskij." Unpub1ished Ph.D. dissertation. New York Univer-
sity, 1974.

Dmitriev, S. "Nagibin, Ju. M.," in Jurij Nagibin's Cistye prudy.
Moscow: "Moskovskij raboEij," 1962, pp. 552-57.

Dobin, E. S. Geroj. Sjuiet. DetaZ’. Moscow: "Sovetskij pisate1',"
(1962), pp. 131-45.

Do1eze1, L. "The Typo1ogy of the Narrator: Point of View Fiction."
In To Honor Roman Jacobson. V01. I. The Hague: Mouton, 1958.

218

Dorofeev, S. V. "Rasskazy Nagibina," in Ju. Nagibin, Rannej vesnoj.
Moscow: GOSLITIZDAT, 1961, pp. 457-62.

Drobot, Ga1ina. "Mudrost' detstva." Literaturnaja Rossija (February
27, 1970). p. 11.

Durant, W. The Story of'Philosophy. New York: Simon and Schuster,
1953.

DyEko, D. “Tvoe orudie i oruiie." Znamja, No. 9 (1972), pp. 238-42.

E1berg, Miriam. ”Chi1dren as Portrayed by Soviet Prose Writers During
the Period of the 'Thaw.'" Unpub1ished Ph.D. dissertation. New
York University, 1971.

Ei'jaEeviE, A. Geroi istinnye i mnimye. Leningrad: "Sovetskij pisa-
te1'," 1953, pp. 196-98.

-------- . "Xaraktery i sjuiety." Znamja. NO- 9 (1957). P- 105-

-------- . Iskusstvo prinadlegit narodu. Leningrad, 1950, pp. 73-74.

E11man, R. and C. Feide1son, Jr., eds. TheIVodern Tradition: Back- ,
grounds ofVModern Literature. New York: Oxford University Press,
1965.

Ermo1aev, H. Soviet Literary Theories 1917-1934: The Genesis of
Socialist Realism. University of Ca1ifornia Pub1ications in
Modern Phi1o1ogy, 1963.

Fedotov, G. P. The Russian Religious.Mind. New York: Harper and Row,
1960.

Fi1ippovskij, N. "VozraSEenie k iizni." Moskovskij komsolec (October
2, 1963), po 3.

Fomenko, L. N. Obraz sovetskogo voina v xudogestvennoj literature.
Moscow: VOENIZDAT, 1963, pp. 85-87.

-------- . "Pobeidaet xudoinik." Znamja, No. 9 (1973), pp. 221-31.

Friedman, N. "Point of View in Fiction: The Deve1opment of a Critica1 .
Concept." EULA, LXXX, No. 5 (1955), 1160-1184.

Frye, Northrop. Anatomy of Criticism: Pour Essays. Princeton: Prince- .
ton University Press, 1957.

Gedenkov, V. "Na derevenskie temy." Junost', No. 10 (1955).

Gibian, George. "New Trends in the Nove1." Survey, No. 36 (Apri1-June,
1961), pp. 49—55.

-------- . "Soviet Literature During the 'Thaw.'" in Literature and Revo-
lution in Soviet Russia, 1917-62. Edited by Max Hayward and Leopo1d
Labedz. New York: Oxford University Press, 1963.

219

G1inkin, I. "Temy - geroi - konf1ikty." Zvezda, No. 3 (1963).

Gor, G. "Jurij Nagibin - Bolsoe serdce." Zvezda, No. 1 (1945), pp.
147-48.

Gromov, P. P. :3eroj i vremja. Leningrad: "Sovetskij pisate1," 1961.

-------- . “Zametki o 1iterature voennyx 1et." Zvezda, No. 2 (1945).

Gubko, M. "Ce1ovek pobeidaet." Zvezda, No. 3 (1963).

Hami1ton, E. LVythoZogy. Boston: Litt1e, Brown, 1942. '

-------- . .vythology. New York: The New American Library, 1963.

Ho1iday, G. F. Review of Echo: Short Stories by A.<?rin, K. Ledin, Y.
Kuranov, 1L Lidin, Y. Nagibin, L. Panteleyev, Eh Permyak,.M.
Prishvin,<3. Skulsky, in Slavic and East European Journal, X
(1966), 208-210.

Hunter B1air, Katherine. Review of'Soviet Literature. London: George
A11en and Unwin, 1966.

Harkins, W. E. Dictionary of'Russian Literature. New York: Phi1oso- .
phica1 Library, 1956.

Haustov, L. "Poetideskie rasskazy." Neva, No. 7 (1955), p. 179.

Hayward, Max. "Conf1ict and Change in Literature." Survey, No. 46 .
(January, 1963), pp. 9-22. '

Ho1thusen, J. Twentieth century Russian Literature: A critical History. -
New York: Frederick Ungar, 1972.

Ignat'eva, N. "Byt' Ee1ovekom." Iskusstvo kino, No. 4 (1963), pp. 97-
99.

Iof'ev, M. "Pisate1' v puti." Novyj mir, No. 3 (1959), pp. 235-40.

Izuitov, A. Problema psixologizma v Estetike i literature. ’Leningrad:
"Nauka," 1970, pp. 40-57.

Janov, A. "Po1oéite1'nyj geroj i1i Don Kixot?" Doprosy literatury, No.
8 (August, 1966).

Juzovskij, Ju. "O rasskazax Jurija Nagibina." Oktjabr', No. 9 (1953),
pp. 182-86.

Ka1inenko, 0. "Madonny iz Sudii." .Moskovskaja pravda (December 22, 19-
57). .

Kamjanov, V3 "Uroki dostoinstva." Literaturnaja Rossija (September 10,
1971 , p. 9.

220

Karaganov, A. "Trubnikov snova pod obstre1om." Ibprosy literatury, No.
8 (1956). pp. 22-31.

Karetnikova, M. "Lirizm i 1ie1irizm." fidolodaja gvardija, No. 6 (1962),
p. 263.

Kedrina, z. "Romantika i Eizn'." smena, No. 15 (1953), p. 18.

K1ado, N. ”Pis'ma bez konvertov." Iskusstvo kino, No. 12 (1959), pp.
116-22.

Kogan, A. l'Odin rasskaz." Sibirskie ogni, No. 9 (1964), pp. 183-86.

Komissarov, A. "0 psixo1ogiZeskoj dostovernosti." Neva, No. 3 (1960),
p. 184.

Konstantinov, Ju. "So1daty ve1ikoj vojny." Zvezda, No. 9 (1958), pp.
221-27.

Kova1ev, V. A., ed. Russkij sovetskij rasskaz. Leningrad: "Nauka,”
1970.

Kova1ev, V. A. and A. I. Pav1ovskij, eds. Problemy psixologizma v
sovetskoj literature. Leningrad: “Nauka," 1970.

Koz1ov, 1. "Eutkaja duEa xudoinika." Ogonek, No. 20 (1955), p. 23.

-------- . "Po raznym stranam." Znamja, No. 9 (1968), pp. 242-45.

Krasnova, L. "Sovremennyj sovetskij rasskaz. TvorEestvo Ju. Nagibina."
Dopovidi ta povidbmlenija. Drogobit: Pedinstitut im I. Ja
Franko, 1962, pp. 9-13.

Kristo-Nagy, I. “Nagibin," in A2 a2 szovjet irodalom. Edited by Janos
E1bert and Lész16 Kardos. Budapest: Gondo1at, n.d.

Ku1e§ov, A. "Dobrota sporta." beéernjajaIVoskva (March 21, 1973), p. 3.

Kuprin, A. I. Sbbranie socinenij. V01. 3. Moscow: "Xudoiestvennaja
1iteratura," 1971, 201-18.

Kurova, K., ed. Problemy psixologizma v sovetskoj literature. Lenin-
grad: "Nauka," 1970.

Kusenko, Ju. "Ne v nogu so stroem." lVoskva, No. 11 (1968), pp. 224-29.

Kvasnin, V. "K1imov + Marusja = rokovaja 1jubov . Literaturnaja gaze-
ta (August 12, 1970).

Lapsin, M. )"S 1jubov'ju k de1oveku." .Moskovskij komsomolec (Apri1 4,
1970 , p. 3.

Lebedinskaja, L) "Nemota mnogosTovija." Literaturnaja gazeta (Apri1
12. 1972 .

221

Levickij, Lev. KOnstantin Paustovskij. 05erk tvordestva. Moscow:
”Sovetskij pisate1'," 1963.

Levin, F. "Nado by po azimutu... Literaturnaja gazeta (September 25,

1968).

Lovejoy, A. 0. The Great Chain of Being. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard
University Press, 1970.

Lubbock, Percy. The craft of'liction. New York: Viking Press, 1957.

Lukageviz, V. "Pogovorim o rasskaze." Literaturnaja gazeta (August 16,
1955 , p. 3.

Lutterbacher, Otto. Die Landschaft inf?ottfried Kellers Prosawerken.
“Sprache und Dichtung" Series, Heft 8. TUbingen, 1911.

McLean, H. and W. Vickery, eds. The Year of'Protest, 1956. New York:
Vantage Books, 1961.

Maevskaja, T. P. Idei i obrazy russkogo narodnideskogo romana. Kiev:
”Naukova dumka," 1975.

Magidoff, Robert. Guide to Russian Literature. New York: University
Press, 1964.

Maguire, R. A. Red virgin Soil: soviet Literature in the 1920's.
Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1968.

Makarov, A. "Rasskazy Jurija Nagibina." Sovetskij voin, No. 21 (1953),
p. 19.‘ '

Makarova, M. "Si1a duxa." Iskusstvo kino, No. 9 (1968), pp. 37-41.
Makina, M. "Na kon‘éike 1u‘c’a." Voskva, No. 5 (1972), pp. 207-13.

Manaeva, D.) "O vojne bez vojny." Sovetskaja kul'tura (November 15,
1969 ..

Manni1ov, P. "Rasskaz poogdrjajuséij brakon'erstvo." Omota i oxotnic'e
.xozjajstvo, No. 1 (1958), p. 59.

Mar, E. "PuteSestvie v stranu detstva." Decernjaja.Moskva (March 9,
1972).

Mas1ennikov, V. "Ju. Nagibin. Momenta1'nye fotografii." Literaturnaja
Rossija, No. 36 (1966).

Matin, G. "Truba zovet." Literaturnaja Rossija (December 3, 1965).
Medvedeva, E. "Razbuienoe bespokojstvo." Izvestija (January 30, 1970).

MesEerjakova, N. Ja. "Ju. M. Nagibin. Zimnij dub." Literatura v
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222

Meyer, Prisci11a Ann. "Aksenov and Soviet Prose of the 1950's and 19-
60's." Unpub1ished Ph.D. dissertation. Princeton University,
1971.

' Mi1', L. "Ljubov' v vakuume." Literaturnaja gazeta (May 1, 1968).

Mirsky, D. S. A History of'fiussian Literature. Edited by F. J. Whit-
fie1d. New York: A1fred A. Knopf, 1964.

Mitin, G. ;V trex izmerenijax." Literaturnaja gazeta (February 14,
1968 .

Mixaj1ova, L. "801'soe v ma1om." iloskva, No. 12 (1959), pp. 179-94.

Mixa1'denko, I. "The Theme of the Russian Vi11age in the Soviet Prose
of the Post-Sta1inist Period." Unpub1ished Ph.D. dissertation.
New York University, 1972.

M1ynek, A. "Rasskaz o nagix sovremennikax." JVoskovskij komsomolec
(October 19, 1955).

Moffett, J. and K. McE1heny, eds. Points of'Iiew: An Anthology of
Short Stoires. New York: The New American Library, 1966.

Muratov, L. "Etot sportivnyj fi1'm..." Leningradskaja pravda (January
6, 1971). P. 3.

\
-------- . "Etot sportivnyj fi1'm. Leningradskaja pravda (January 24,

1971).
Nazarenko, V. Jazyk iskusstva. Leningrad: "Sovetskij pisate1'," 1961.
Nazarova, L. “Sdastie nuino zavoevat'." Junost', No. 5 (1956), p. 71.
Niko1in, Evgenij. "Po1noj dnéoj." Neva, No. 7 (1953), pp. 171-75.

Novikova, Ju. "Rasskazy o pervyx podvigax." Pioner, No. 7 (1956), pp.
77-78.

Ognev, A. "Prob1emnyj rasskaz." Sibirskie ogni, No. 2 (1967), pp. 170-
76.

Osinin, V. "Ma1en'kie rasskazy o bo1'§oj sud'be." Literaturnaja gazeta
(August 6, 1969).

Ozerov, V. Na putjax socialisticeskogo realizma. Moscow: "Sovetskij
pisate1'," 1958.

Pacira, Lydia. "V1adimir Tendrjakov: A Survey and Ana1ysis of His
Works." Unpub1ished Ph.D. dissertation. Michigan State Universi-
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Parrott, Ray Jennings, Jr. "Mixai1 Mixaj1ovib Prigvin: Major Short
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223

Pankov, V. iremja i knigi. Moscow: "Prosvegdenie," 1964.

Paustovskij, Konstantin. Sbbranie sodinenij v vos'mi tomax. V01. 8.
Moscow: "Sovetskij pisate1'," 1969.

Peckham, M. "Toward a Theory of Romanticism." in Romanticism: Points
of'iiew. Edited by R. F. G1ecknew and G. E. Enscoe. Eng1ewood
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Pistunova, A. ."Dorogi k 1judjam." Literaturnaja Rossija (August 17,
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Pomorska, Krystyna. Introduction to fifty Years of'Russian Prose.
V01 2. Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT Press, 1971, 1-7.

Povo1jaev, V. "NaEinaja s pereu1kov detstva.“ Literaturnaja gazeta
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