The Student (Anton Chekhov)

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 Title: The Student

Author: Anton Chekhov

Rating: 6 / 10


 Since <The Student> is a realist novel, it contains a story that would actually happen. This made me follow the storyline easily. 

However, it was too difficult to understand what the author wanted to say in the book. I read this book 10 times, and also read lots of book reveiws and analyses to understand it. I understood that it means human's feelings, mistakes, and lots of other events repeat through history, but I really couldn't understand why Ivan became optimistic in the end, and what does it mean. 

It was interesting to read considering "hero's journey" though. The depiction of miserable reality in the beginning is 'ordinary world', and when Ivan sees widows is 'call to adventure'. His mentor is probably Jesus, and talking with widows is 'special world'. Vasilisa's tear is 'reward', and when Ivan thinks by alone in the end is back to the 'ordinary world'. It was interesting to contrast the beginning and the end, because both are 'ordinary world' but the tone is completely different. It was very negative at the beginning, but at the end, he describes the beauty of nature. It shows how Ivan's perspective toward the world has changed. (197 words)

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  1. Garrioch2022년 3월 10일 오전 10:08

    If we look at the title of the story "The Student" - we can ask - what does it mean to be a student? Ivan is a true student of life and he looks to find ways to be who he wants to be in every day life. He wants to be a preacher so he preaches at a campfire in front of two women. Does he truly move them or annoy them? Is he good at what he does? Even if he isn't, he walks away with inspired feelings that he has done something or learned something important for his future (like a KMLA student might if he or she has a breakthrough in a science class). A true student should be eager and even naive in what they love. They should become inspired by the smallest things. Maybe that is what Chekhov is showing us? Good questions and glad you researched a bit. Nobody really knows what is going on in many of Chehov's stories.

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