Questions

Class 2

Women and their men.

 

The Cook’s Wedding

1. As he observes the scene in the kitchen Grisha asks himself a number of questions. What are they? Are these important and valid questions or are they just misunderstandings of an uninformed observer? What does he find puzzling?

 

The Huntsman

2. Why does this story touch us? Where does its appeal come from?

 

Agafya

3. Why do women choose Savka over their own men? What attracts them?

4. Why did Agafya disregard the dire consequences of revealing her adultery to her husband?

5. The story discusses Savka as much as it does Agafya, yet the latter name gives it the title. Do you believe it is justified?

 

Sorrow

6. What urged Grigory to re-examine his entire life?

 

Peasant women

7. How do Mashenka and Matvei Savvich view the end of their affair?

8. How do the lovers express their thoughts and concerns? (see their vocabulary, references, opinions)

9. Why was Mashenka convicted? Was her guilt beyond any reasonable doubt?

10. What does Matvei Savvich’s story (its style and tone) tell us about himself? Do all the members of his audience support his opinion regarding the story’s outcome and the justice?

11. What is the connection between the story about Mashenka, Matvei Savvich and Kuzka and the lives of the members of Dyudya’s household?

 

Witch

12. Why does deacon Savely believe that his wife is a witch? What does this claim tell us about Savely, his wife and their marriage?

 

The Chorus girl

13. What does the conflict between Pasha and Mrs. Kolpakov reveal about their social status, personalities, values?

14. What are the unexpected turns in this short story?

 

Class 3

Mature Chekhov

A Boring Story (1889)

1. What are Nikolai Stepanovich’s discoveries, problems and challenges? What is his main concern?

2. How would you interpret his predicament?

3. What, if anything, makes Nikolai Stepanovich a sympathetic character?

4. Why does Chekhov include in this story a detailed account of Nikolai and Katia’s encounter in Kharkov? What is the significance of the failure of their relationship?

5. When Chekhov was working on “A Boring Story” in Yalta, he wrote, ”As a result of the heat and my wretched, melancholy mood, the story is turning out rather boring. But at least the subject is new, so perhaps people will find it interesting to read” (August 3, 1889). Do you agree with this statement?

6. Why, in your opinion, is this work considered to be one of Chekhov’s masterpieces?

 

Rothschild’s Fiddle (1894)

7. What is Yakov’s reaction to his wife Marfa’s illness?

8. How does she view her own illness and imminent death?

9. The leitmotif of Yakov’s imaginary losses goes throughout the entire short story. What do Yakov’s regrets tell us about his life, views and personality?

10. What brought about Yakov’s epiphany? What was its outcome?

11. Why this title?

 

Anna on the Neck (1895)

12. What does the opening of the story (the first paragraph) tell us about the bride and the groom? What can we anticipate after having read such an opening?

13. Socially, Anna and her husband belong to different worlds. How are these worlds presented in the story?

14. What kind of couple do Anna and Modest Alexeich make?

15. Who represents the power in this short story? What are the attributes of power?

16. Do you see Anna’s story as a story of assent?

 

The Black Monk (1894)

17. The protagonist of this story, Kovrin, died in a state of happiness, with a blissful smile on his lips. How does his life, thoughts and demise compare to those of Nikolai Stepanovich, the protagonist of “A Boring Story”?

 

Class 4

Later Masterpieces

 

Ward #6 (1892)

1. What kind of person is Gromov? How does the narrator explain the causes of Gromov’s mental condition and hospitalization?

2. What are Dr. Ragin’s views on the town hospital, his job, his obligations as a doctor, people’s suffering and medicine in general?

3. Why does Dr. Ragin say that Gromov is kept in the asylum by chance? Do you agree with him? 

4. What are the causes of Dr. Ragin’s apathy?

5. Dr. Ragin believes that in reality there is no difference between a Vienna hospital and his own hospital. Why does he come to this conclusion?

6. What do you think about Dr. Ragin’s advice to embrace the Stoic values? Is it a valid advice? Is Gromov willing to follow it? Does Dr. Ragin follow it himself?

7. What, according to Dr. Ragin, brings people together?

8. Why does Gromov deny Dr. Ragin his friendship? Do you agree with his claim that they have nothing in common?

9. What do you make of the story’s ending?

 

In Exile (1892)

10. This short story offers yet another discussion of different approaches to human happiness, Semyon’s and the Tatar’s. How does this discussion compare to the ones presented in “A Boring Story” and “Ward #6”? Who in your opinion is right?

 

The Student (1894)

11. Trace the protagonist’s, Ivan Velikopolsky’s, course of thoughts. Why does he first think about Russian history and Russian rulers? What are his conclusions?

12. What circumstances and/or details of the setting/environment prompt the student a different train of thoughts? Why does he recall and start telling the story of Peter?

13. Why did Vasilisa weep? And why did her reaction to the story matter to the student?

14. How do you understand the title of this story?

 

The House with the Mezzanine (1896)

15. Why is Lida contemptuous of the narrator?

16. The narrator argues that the peasants of Malozyomovo need nothing. He says, “The people are fettered with a great chain, and you don’t cut the chain, you merely add new links to it.” (290) What does he mean? Do you agree with him?

17. Why does the narrator say that under the present conditions “an artist’s life has no meaning, and the more talented he is, the more strange and incomprehensible his role”? (293)

18. What does the ending of the story tell us about its characters?

 

The Man in a Case (1898)

19. What urged the narrator, Burkin, to tell the story of Belikov?

20. Would you say that Burkin is a reliable narrator and that his account about Belikov is accurate? Which, if any, of his statements seem questionable to you?

21. Why did Belikov begin to court Varenka?

22. Why did the narrator, Burkin, state that Belikov’s death did not bring about any changes? What kind of changes did he expect?

23. Why, in your opinion, is “The Man in a Case” one of Chekhov’s best know short stories? What makes it a masterpiece?

 

Class 5

Later Masterpieces


Gooseberries

1. Why does Ivan Ivanovich disapprove of his brother Nikolai’s choices and opinions? Why does he question and even condemn Nikolai’s happiness?

2. Why was the story about Nikolai (and gooseberries) a disappointment? Why was it not appreciated by the audience (Burkin and Alekhin)?

3. Is Ivan Ivanovich a reliable narrator?

 

About Love

4. What does the guilty verdict in an arson case tell us about Luganovich and his wife, Anna Alekseevna?

5. Can we take Alekhin’s story of unrequited love at face value? What makes us question his statements?

6. Is there a connection between the three short stories, The Man in a Case, Gooseberries and About Love? Why are they considered a trilogy?

7. Comment on the endings of these three stories. What kind of ‘conclusion(s)’ do the narrators provide to their stories?

8. Where is Chekhov in these stories? Do we have an access to the author’s voice?

 

The Lady with the Dog

9. Was there any particular reason why the main characters of the short story The Lady with the Dog became lovers?

10. How did their love affair grow to become love?

11. What, if anything, makes them attractive to the reader?

12. In the end we are told that Gurov and Anna Sergeevna “loved one another … as husband and wife.” How do you understand this statement, especially in the light of both characters’ failed marriages?

 

The Fiancée

13. Nadia abandoned her family, fiancé and her native town in order to find new happy life. Did she succeed?

14. What does she await in the end of the story?

 
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