Is it good to be an idealist?This question is put by Saltykov-Shchedrin in his fairy tale “Karas-idealist” from practical positions. Philosophical idealism is not even considered by the Russian classic. So, without delaying the case indefinitely, we turn to the work "Karas-idealist", a summary of which is presented in the article. Saltykov-Shchedrin wrote it in 1824.
"Karas-idealist" plot as such has not.It is built on the dialogue of crucian and ruff. The carp is well-read, clever by bookish wisdom, but does not know life at all, but this does not prevent it from being intoxicated with socialist ideas. He dreams that everyone will live in equality and fraternity. Pikes will stop eating crucians, and monks - ear.
Ruff listens to all this, only smirks andin every way scolds his counterpart. But at the same time their conversations happen again and again. Ruff admits that although there is a crucian and a dolt, you can’t talk about such sublime topics with anyone else in the river. Therefore, the fish meet again and argue again. The crucian looks at everything through the glasses of rosy optimism, and the ruff criticizes the views of the crucian from the standpoint of common sense. And so, page by page, they drag the dispute rope back and forth. Thus, it is clear that the specificity of the Karas-idealist tale is that there is no dynamic. All movement and tension are hidden in the dialogues of the ruff and crucian.
And here comes the crucial moment:Now Karas need to convince the validity of their views pike. The direct feed (crucian carp) tries to convince its consumer (pike) that it needs to change its habits and switch to a different diet for the ideas of equality and fraternity. It is not difficult to guess that everything ends with the eating of a carp pike. It happens as if by chance during the conversation, and all those present immediately ask the pike if the carp tasted good.
В процессе беседы карася и ерша затрагивается many painful topics for both Russia and the whole world. For example, the question of social justice. Who among us has not dreamed of a society of equal opportunities, the crucian is also dreaming, and the ruff pulls it up and says that everything is good, they say, but pike will never do that, because there will always be a hierarchy in the river. And while the oppressed will “sleep in the mud,” the top will enjoy life. The crucian carcass is trying to convince the ruff that the pike immediately, as soon as they hear about the idea of social justice, will immediately turn to its loyal followers. Ruff only mocks (and for good reason). Saltykov-Shchedrin in the fairy tale "Karas-idealist", a brief summary of which we are examining, described the problems of social inequality. The thoughts expressed by Mikhail Evgrafovich 5 years before his death remain relevant for Russia in the 21st century.
An indicative point is that the carpabsolutely does not know what he is talking about. Here, the critics of the author come under attack, apparently, dreamers familiar to him who want to rebuild life in Russia. For a crucian, pike was a mythical character until he met her. He did not know anything about what monks do to capture crucians. The idealist fish did not know how tasty her fellow sour cream was.
What is allowed to a youngster, not to face an adultman All people in their youth are idealists and dreamers, but when life picks up its whip, human convictions are put to the test, and only those that are most consistent with common sense survive. Such is the general moral that is endowed with the Saltykov-Shchedrin fairy tale "Karas-idealist".
The dialogue between the characters is built in a very peculiar way:the crucian-poor fellow is straining, trying to prove something to a pike, and only he stutters about virtue, immediately the pike swallows him "unintentionally". In other words, it is possible to talk with authority only if you are kneeling in a pleading pose, it is fraught to communicate on an equal footing.
Perhaps Saltykov-Shchedrin very impressedthe fate of P.Ya. Chaadayev. Recall that Peter Yakovlevich allowed himself an attempt to criticize the social system of Russia of the 19th century, and he was declared insane and ordered a medical examination.
Правда, при всем этом карась - все же фигура ridiculous, but the text of the work "Karas-idealist" (a brief content does not make it possible to highlight in detail all such moments) voluntarily or unwittingly pushes such parallels.
The question is complex and ambiguous.If you put an equal sign between optimism, dreaminess and idealism, then faith in good and bright is necessary to grow up as a normal person. But as he grows up, a person must abandon those aspirations and values that are morally obsolete and pull him down. At the same time one should not think that moral adaptation comes from such a position. Basic moral values one way or another should regulate human behavior. True, if you asked the author of a fairy tale, Saltykov-Shchedrin himself (“Karas-idealist” confirms this thought) would tell the reader that he does not approve of either idealism or senseless optimism, divorced from realities of life.
The work will not be clear to schoolchildren, italready written for adults. In general, it seems that when Saltykov-Shchedrin (“Karas-idealist”) created his work, then he already crystallized as much as possible his convictions and views on the Russian contemporary reality. The classic added these “crystals” generously to his later compositions, and they acquired a unique parable-philosophical aftertaste.
Such is the analysis of the fairy tale "Karas idealist"Saltykov-Shchedrin. Perhaps it is incomplete, maybe it was possible to extract something else from this multidimensional and bottomless by value of the Russian writer, but, as N.V. Gogol, "our man should be respected at least for trying."
