The Story of AMGorky's "Childhood" refers to the best examples of Russian prose. It tells not only about the "leaden abominations" of the Russian life of the provincial philistinism, the simple people - semi-literate, and therefore savage, spiritually meager, bitter and osotinated in the minute struggle for a "penny". In the center of the author's attention is the pure child's soul of the protagonist, passing through the cruel stages of becoming, as well as the bright and kind characters of those heroes who have brightened up the painful moments of resentment and injustice that he saw in his grandfather's house.
Vasily Vasilich Kashirin, as the author calls it,the appearance is completely unimportant, rather comical. It's a small, thin old man with a sharp, golden-red beard, fussy, with green eyes and a bird's hooked nose. Personality is quite colorful, but especially its absurdity catches the eye next to a large, even large and too full, but somehow smooth-steppe wife Akulina Ivanovna. However, the history of the life of grandfather Kashirin clearly shows that the fate of a person depends not on appearance, but on the traits of his character. And from the circumstances in which he lived.
Alyosha's sensitive little heart soonunderstands that all members of a large family share one common feeling. No, not love, as it should be between relatives, but hatred, multiplied by anger and envy. And the reason for everything is money. The story of Kashirin's grandfather's life is like a mirror reflecting the fate of his offspring. When old Kashirin first smears Alexei for a fault, then later, in a fit of pity and remorse, confesses: "Do you think they did not beat me? .." It turns out that his grandfather in childhood was sobered that "in a terrible dream" not to see. And so offended that, probably, the "Lord God looked and cried" from pity! So, not by itself, by nature, evil and cruel grandfather! The environment in which he grew up, spoiled and embittered his character, suggested that it is on such conditions that the order in the house and the authority of the elders are kept. At the same time, the grandson learned how unhappy the fate of Kashirin's grandfather was. Before starting a dye-house, he bawled for many years on the Volga, dragged along with his comrades on themselves unbearable barges, tore himself up, suffering mockery from the masters. The eerie ghost of poverty made him spend his whole life, like Chichikov, collect and save a penny, shaking over every ruble.
When Gorky wrote Childhood, the characteristicgrandfather played an important role in the realization of the idea and idea of the work. On his example, he showed how terribly and hopelessly cripple outstanding Russian characters in the medium, if they do not have sufficient internal forces to resist. Vasily Vasilyevich got a family, got rich, opened a dye-house, he mercilessly exploited workers and his own, domestic. He does not want to separate the adult married sons, so that they do not have to give them part of the property owed. Daughter of Varvara Kashirin deprived the dowry for the fact that she illegally married. Alyoshin Uncle mercilessly fight among themselves, but his grandfather does not stop. And only after drinking a lot, drunk, he sadly admits himself, in what "gadyushnik" lives. And the family, in the end, breaks up. The universal favorite of the Gipsies is dying. A terrible fire destroys the lion's share of property. Uncle are dispersed, but they also drink and come to beat the windows in the new father's house. Disappointed, poor and even more "drying up" the soul of the grandfather. A miserable begging alms-starving grandmother and grandson, he appears before us at the end of the story. And a desperately-aching note in vain for life is heard in his ears, his melancholy "Eh, you-and-and ..."
