All school essays on literature. “Russian national character in the work of N.S. Leskov “Lefty” The life of a left-handed person from the story Lefty
Completed by Evgeniy Trubnikov,
student of class 9 “A”
Lyceum No. 369
Scientific director
Epishova Svetlana Fedorovna,
teacher of Russian language and literature
St. Petersburg 2011
Introduction
1. Russian national character
2. Description of Lefty
3. Russian national character of Lefty, the hero of N.S. Leskov’s tale
Conclusion
Bibliography
Introduction
The mysterious Russian soul... She, the subject of admiration and curses, sometimes squeezes a man's fist, crushes concrete obstacles. Otherwise it will suddenly become thinner than a petal, More transparent than an autumn web. Otherwise it flies like on the first day of the fishing season, a desperate mountain river.(E. Dolmatovsky)
There is such a thing as Russian national character. Times change, tsars, leaders, presidents change, our country itself changes, but the features of the Russian national character remain unchanged. Both foreign and Russian thinkers constantly turned to the mystery of the “mysterious Russian soul”, because this topic has always remained and will remain relevant and interesting.
To explore this topic in my work, I chose N.S. Leskov’s work “Lefty” because he, using the form of a tale, tells us the story of a man who personifies all Russian people. " Where “left-handed” is written, you should read “Russian people” - Leskov himself spoke.
“A tale is a type of literary and artistic narrative constructed as a story by a person whose position and speech manner are different from the point of view and style of the author himself. The collision and interaction of these semantic and speech positions underlies the artistic effect of the tale”*. A tale implies a first-person narration, and the narrator’s speech should be measured, melodious, and sustained in a characteristic manner. this person manner. There is no narrator as such in “Lefty”, but in other respects the work can well be called a tale. The author’s “reprimand” creates the impression that the story is being narrated by some villager, simple, but at the same time (judging by the reasoning) educated and wise. “Lefty” has a similar subtext to fairy tales, because they often contain an unobtrusive, often good-natured, condescending mockery of “those in power.”
1. Russian national character
Among all the traits inherent in the Russian national character, we can highlight some that, in my opinion, are basic: hard work and talent, willpower and kindness, patience and perseverance, courage and boldness, love of freedom and patriotism, religiosity. I considered it necessary to quote the statements of some foreigners who touched upon themes of the Russian national character, because they see us from the outside and evaluate us unbiasedly.
· Hard work, talent.
“Russian people have many talents and abilities in almost all areas public life. He is characterized by observation, theoretical and practical intelligence, natural ingenuity, ingenuity, and creativity. The Russian people are great workers, creators and creators.” The sharp practical mind of the Russian person is the source of varied experience and varied abilities. Hence - the rich development of the spirit and an abundance of talents. The talent of the Russian person was manifested in the very successful development of science and technical inventions, and the love of beauty and the gift of creative imagination contribute to the high development of Russian art.
· Love of freedom
“For the Russian people, freedom is above all.
The word “will” is closer to the Russian heart, understood as independence,
freedom in the manifestation of feelings and in the commission of actions, and not freedom as a conscious necessity, that is, as the possibility of a person expressing his will on the basis of awareness of the law”*.
According to the philosopher N.O. Lossky among the primary properties of the Russian people, along with religiosity, the search for absolute good and willpower, includes love for freedom and its highest expression - freedom of spirit. He who has a free spirit is inclined to put every value to the test, not only in thought, but even in experience. This property is associated with the search for absolute good. In the real world it does not exist, therefore, each person makes an independent choice for himself the best way actions, one's own path.
Freedom of spirit, breadth of nature, the search for perfect goodness and the associated test of values through thought and experience led to the fact that the Russian people developed the most diverse, and sometimes opposite, forms and methods. The search for absolute good has developed among the Russian people a recognition of the high value of each individual.
The Russian people had to endure many trials during their difficult history, and in each of them they showed courage and courage. Among the primary basic properties of the Russian people is powerful willpower. The higher the value, the stronger feelings and energetic activity it evokes in people with a strong will. This explains the passion of the Russian people, manifested in political life, and even greater passion in religious life. The willpower of the Russian people, as N.O. writes. Lossky, is also revealed in the fact that a Russian person, having noticed any shortcoming of his and morally condemning it, obeying a sense of duty, overcomes it and develops a quality that is completely opposite to it.
· Kindness
Often Russian people help those whom they should hate with all their souls, with whom they, in theory, cannot have decent relations. For example, the Austrian German Otto Berger, who was a prisoner in Russia from 1944 to 1949, wrote in his book that while living in Russia, the prisoners understood “What a special people the Russians are. All workers, and especially women, treated us as unfortunate people in need of help and protection. Sometimes the women would take our clothes, our linen, and return it all ironed, washed, mended. The most amazing thing was that the Russians themselves lived in monstrous need, which should have killed their desire to help us, their yesterday’s enemies.”. Our Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky agrees with the opinion of a foreigner: “Russian people do not know how to hate for a long time and seriously,” he wrote about Russian kindness.
The kindness of the Russian people in all layers of them is expressed in the absence of rancor. “Often a Russian person, being passionate and prone to maximalism, experiences a strong feeling of repulsion from another person, but when meeting him, if specific communication is necessary, his heart softens and he somehow involuntarily begins to show his spiritual softness towards him, even sometimes condemning himself for this if he believes that the person in question does not deserve to be treated kindly.”*
· Patriotism
The Russian people have always been distinguished by their patriotism. Russian people could remain dissatisfied with Russia among themselves, but as soon as it was necessary to defend it, to defend the honor of the Motherland, they united and together repulsed the enemy or simply did not allow ridicule of it.
· Patience and Fortitude
“Russians have limitless patience, an amazing ability to endure difficulties, hardships and suffering. In Russian culture, patience and the ability to endure suffering are the ability to exist, the ability to respond to external circumstances, this is the basis of personality.”*
· Religiosity
Religiosity is a feature of the Russian national character that practically determined the entire Russian mentality. In my opinion, if the Russian people were not so religious, then, most likely, their history would have turned out differently. After all, many of the defining features of the Russian national character were formed precisely thanks to her. In his book “The Character of the Russian People,” Russian philosopher N.O. Lossky considers the main and deepest feature of the Russian people to be their religiosity and the associated search for absolute truth. “Russians can talk about religion for six hours straight. The Russian idea is a Christian idea; in the foreground there is love for those who suffer, pity, attention to the individual personality…” writes N.O. Lossky in his book.
2. Description of Lefty
Distinctive properties of N.S.’s prose Leskov - fairy-tale motifs, the interweaving of the comic and tragic, the ambiguity of the author's assessments of the characters - were fully manifested in one of the writer's most famous works, “Lefty”.
Introducing us to the main character, the author does not demonstrate his attractiveness, just a few details: “ left-handed with an oblique eye, a birthmark on his cheek, and the hair on his temples torn out during training.” However, Lefty is a skilled Tula craftsman, one of those Tula gunsmiths who managed to forge the English “nymphosorium” and, thereby, surpass the English masters.
When meeting the king himself, Lefty is not afraid, but “ he walks in what he was wearing: in shorts, one trouser leg is in a boot, the other is dangling, and the collar is old, the hooks are not fastened, they are lost, and the collar is torn; but it’s okay, don’t be embarrassed" Lefty, an unprepossessing little man, is not afraid to go to the sovereign, because he is confident in his rightness and in the quality of his work. Indeed, there is something to marvel at here - the craftsmen not only did not spoil the curiosity, but also surpassed the British in skill: they shod the steel flea and wrote their names on the horseshoes. This is such a miniature work that you can see the result with a “small scope”, which magnifies several hundred times, and the craftsmen, due to poverty, did all the delicate work without a “small scope”, because they “have such a focused eye.” However, Lefty's name was not on the horseshoes, since he considered himself unworthy of it. In his opinion, he didn’t do anything special, because he worked with parts less than shoeing: he forged nails to nail them.
Lefty is ready to sacrifice himself for the sake of the Fatherland, in the name of the cause. He goes to England without documents, hungry (he’s on the road “ At each station, the belts were also tightened by one badge so that the intestines and lungs did not get mixed up”, to show foreigners Russian ingenuity and skill, and earns the respect of the British by his reluctance to remain in their country.
Lefty's skill and skill aroused well-deserved respect among the British, but, unfortunately, he was deprived technical knowledge, accessible to English masters, and, as a result, the savvy Lefty and his comrades “nymphosoria” can no longer dance: “ It's a shame- the British regret, - It would be better if you knew at least four rules of addition from arithmetic, then it would be much more useful to you than the entire Half-Dream Book. Then you could realize that in every machine there is a calculation of force; Otherwise, you are very skillful in your hands, but you didn’t realize that such a small machine, like the one in the nymphosoria, is designed for the most accurate precision and cannot carry its shoes. Because of this, the nymphosoria now does not jump and does not dance.”
When Lefty returns to his homeland, he falls ill and dies, useless to anyone. Thrown on the floor in a “common” hospital, he personifies inhumanity, short-sightedness and ingratitude state power– the reason for Russia’s unsettled state, according to the author.
From the entire story, it becomes obvious that Leskov sympathizes with Lefty, feels sorry for him, and the author’s comments are filled with bitterness. The image of Lefty reflected Leskov’s search for a positive national hero, and, in my opinion, this image is very close to the goal.
3. Russian national character of Lefty, the hero of N.S. Leskov’s tale
Leskov does not give a name to his hero, thereby emphasizing the collective meaning and significance of his character. The image of Lefty combines the main features of the Russian national character.
· Religiosity
The religiosity of the Russian people is manifested in the episode when Tula craftsmen, including Levsha, before starting work, went to bow to the icon of “Nikola of Mtsensk” - the patron of trade and military affairs. Also, Lefty’s religiosity is “intertwined” with his patriotism. Lefty's faith is one of the reasons he refuses to stay in England. “ “Because,” he answers, “our Russian faith is the most correct, and just as our rightful fathers believed, our descendants should believe just as accurately.”
· Willpower, courage and courage
Lefty, one of three gunsmiths, worked hard on the strange flea for two weeks. All this time they sat locked up, keeping their work secret. This is where the strength of spirit manifests itself, since I had to work in difficult conditions: with closed windows and doors, without rest, so that during work I would never leave their “close mansion”, in which “ the breathless work in the air created such a sweaty spiral that an unaccustomed person with a fresh wind could not breathe even once.”
· Patience and Fortitude
Many times Lefty shows patience and perseverance: and when Platov “ caught the left-hander by the hair and started tossing it back and forth so that tufts flew.”, and when Lefty, sailing home from England, despite bad weather, sits on the deck to quickly see his homeland:
“As soon as we left the bay into the Solid Earth Sea, his desire for Russia became such that it was impossible to calm him down. The flooding has become terrible, but the left-handed man doesn’t go downstairs to the cabins - he sits under the gift, pulls his cap down and looks towards his fatherland. Many times the English came to a warm place to call him down, but so as not to be bothered, he even began to lash out.”
· Patriotism
While in England, Lefty rejects lucrative offers from the British: to settle in London, study science, visit factories for practice, get a prestigious job, get married, start a family. (“ Stay with us, we will give you great education, and you will become an amazing master”, “The British named themselves so that they could send money to his parents”, “we will marry you”, because he loves his homeland, loves its customs, its traditions. Lefty cannot imagine his life outside of Russia. “ “We,” he says, “are committed to our homeland, and my little brother is already an old man, and my parent is an old woman and is accustomed to going to church in her parish,” “but I would rather go to my native place, because otherwise I might go crazy.” get it.”
Left-handed is a true patriot, a patriot at heart, gifted from birth, he is characterized by high morality and religiosity. He went through many trials, but even in his death hour he remembers that he must tell the military secret of the British, ignorance of which negatively affects the combat effectiveness of the Russian army.
· Kindness
Despite his strong attachment to his homeland, Lefty refuses the British's request to stay very politely, trying not to offend them. He does this in such a way that his refusal not only did not upset the British, but even earned them respect. And he forgives Ataman Platov for his rude treatment of himself. “Even though he has Ovechkin’s fur coat, he has the soul of a man,” says the “Aglitsky half-skipper” about his Russian comrade.
· Hard work and talent
One of the main themes in the story is the theme of the creative talent of the Russian person. Talent, according to Leskov, cannot exist independently; it must necessarily be based on the moral and spiritual strength of a person. The plot itself, the very history of this tale tells how Lefty, together with his comrades, was able to “outdo” the English masters without any acquired knowledge, only thanks to talent and hard work. Extraordinary, wonderful skill is the main property of Lefty. He wiped the noses of the “Aglitsky masters”, shod the flea with such small nails that you couldn’t see it even with the strongest microscope. In the image of Lefty, Leskov proved that the opinion put into the mouth of Emperor Alexander Pavlovich was incorrect: foreigners “have such a nature of perfection that once you look at it, you will no longer argue that we, Russians, are no good for our importance.”
Lefty's own name, like the names of many of the greatest geniuses, is forever lost to posterity, but his adventures can serve as a memory of an era, the general spirit of which is accurately and accurately captured. The image of Lefty, according to the writer, recalls those times when “inequality of talents and talents” mattered, and makes one look with sadness at the present time, when, “while favoring an increase in earnings, machines do not favor artistic prowess, which sometimes exceeded the limit, inspiring folk imagination to compose fabulous legends similar to the current ones.”
Conclusion
In this work, we examined the Russian national character using the example of N.S. Leskov’s work “Lefty”. Analyzing this work, finding signs of Russian national character in its main character, we discovered that “Lefty” is a work in which Leskov, an unsurpassed master of the tale, skillfully identified the main features of the Russian national character and showed them through the example of his heroes, especially Lefty . To do this, the author uses various linguistic means of expression, such as the use of “folk” words (“nymphosoria” - ciliates, “ukushetka” - couch, etc.). This gives “Lefty” a special “charm”.
Lefty is a symbol of the Russian people. Lefty personifies the Russian people; he is religious, patriotic, hardworking, kind and freedom-loving. Leskov is truly presented great person: a talented master, with a broad soul, a warm loving heart, and deep patriotic feelings.
Thus, at the end of this work, it should be said that the Russian national character, of course, has its own characteristic features, different from the features inherent in other peoples and so incomprehensible to them. That inner strength, spirituality and sacrifice of the people, their kindness, spiritual simplicity, compassion and selflessness and, at the same time, inertia, illogicality and irrationality of actions, behavior justified most often only by intuition, all this makes the Russian people unlike any other people in the world. Russia, where such an extraordinary people lives, is unlike any other country in the world.
work left-handed Russian national character
Bibliography
1. Leskov N.S. Lefty. - Astrel, AST, 2006
2. Vyunov Yu.A. “A Word about Russians.” M., 2002.
3. Vereshchagin E.M. Kostomarov V.G. “Language and Culture”. M, 1990.
4. Ter-Minasova S.G. “Language and intercultural communication.” M., 2000.
5. “Great Soviet Encyclopedia”. M, Soviet Encyclopedia, 1970.
6. Lossky N. O. About the Russian character. M., 1990.
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The image of Lefty in Leskov’s work is quite interesting and unusual. There are very few people like him, and even more so in our time. He goes with the flow, changes practically nothing, his fate is tragic, but he still enjoys life.
Lefty - a talented Tula gunsmith
When Nikolai Pavlovich, the Russian Emperor, ordered the improvement of the flea brought from England by the previous Emperor Alexander Pavlovich, Lefty did the hardest work.
He forged the smallest detail that even the human eye cannot see. Of the three masters who performed the operation to improve the flea, he was the most diligent, resourceful, and talented.
Modest, inconspicuous and ugly
Despite all of Lefty's work, many underestimated him. This was usually due to appearance.
He was inconspicuous, ugly-faced, askew, and even left-handed. Almost no one knew what enormous potential was hidden in this seemingly ordinary peasant.
But, as I already said, you don’t often meet people like our hero.
Dear readers! We bring to your attention which was written by N. Leskov.
In his place, many would probably demand monetary compensation for moral damage, or a personal workshop, or some other reward for a huge amount of high-quality work done.
But Lefty wasn't like that. He calmly floated with the flow. I didn't go anywhere. Perhaps he even underestimated himself. He did not demand anything at all, although he did not live so luxuriously.
He didn’t even sign the flea’s legs, but simply made the work twice as difficult as the other craftsmen who forged the flea with him. So none of those who saw the creation of the joint work of Russian and English masters knew that not two masters, but three, worked on the work of art. And the name of the third remained unknown to the world.
Lefty's special patriotism
Despite all the difficulties that Lefty endured, he never betrayed his homeland. No matter how much he was underestimated, he always remained faithful to his beloved country. When he went to England, one can assume that he really liked it there. They offered him to stay, promising him all the necessary and comfortable conditions.
He knew that his work would be appreciated there. But Lefty remembered that there was practically nothing closer to him than his native land, and it didn’t matter what kind of people there would be. The main thing is that you are at home. I had to refuse. For some this may be business as usual, but for Lefty it was a huge choice.
Dear readers! We offer in the story of Nikolai Leskov “The Old Genius”
Just imagine: a homeland where no one needs you, and then you are invited to another, more progressive country, where you will be appreciated...
Lefty dies
Upon arrival in Russia, something terrible happens. Our hero becomes very ill. The pain is so severe that I have to go to the hospital. His name has already been forgotten. What he did is also forgotten. Everyone has already forgotten who he is. Lefty was admitted to a hospital for the poor. While they were carrying him on a stretcher, they dropped him and the guy broke his head. That's how he died in the hospital. None of those who saw him, none of those who surrounded him or carried him in a stretcher suspected that a great master gunsmith with whom almost no one could compare was dying before their eyes. But he is still happy with what he has. This is how Lefty's life ends tragically.
creative work
2. Description of Lefty
Distinctive properties of N.S.’s prose Leskov - fairy-tale motifs, the interweaving of the comic and tragic, the ambiguity of the author's assessments of the characters - were fully manifested in one of the writer's most famous works, “Lefty”.
Introducing us to the main character, the author does not demonstrate his attractiveness, just a few details: “he is left-handed with an oblique eye, there is a birthmark on his cheek, and the hair on his temples was torn out during training.” However, Lefty is a skilled Tula craftsman, one of those Tula gunsmiths who managed to forge the English “nymphosoria” and, thereby, surpass the English masters.
When he meets the Tsar himself, Lefty is not frightened, but “goes in what he was wearing: in shorts, one trouser leg is in a boot, the other is dangling, and the zipper is old, the hooks do not fasten, they are lost, and the collar is torn; but it’s okay, don’t be embarrassed.” Lefty, an unprepossessing little man, is not afraid to go to the sovereign, because he is confident in his rightness and in the quality of his work. Indeed, there is something to marvel at here - the craftsmen not only did not spoil the curiosity, but also surpassed the British in skill: they shod a steel flea and wrote their names on the horseshoes. This is such a miniature work that you can see the result with a “small scope”, which magnifies several hundred times, and the craftsmen, due to poverty, did all the delicate work without a “small scope”, because they “have such a focused eye.” However, Lefty's name was not on the horseshoes, since he considered himself unworthy of it. In his opinion, he didn’t do anything special, because he worked with parts less than shoeing: he forged nails to nail them.
Lefty is ready to sacrifice himself for the sake of the Fatherland, in the name of the cause. He goes to England without documents, hungry (on the road, “at each station, his belt was tightened by one badge so that his intestines and lungs would not get mixed up”) to show foreigners his Russian ingenuity and skill, and earns the respect of the British with his reluctance to stay in their country .
The skill and skill of Lefty aroused well-deserved respect among the British, but, unfortunately, he was deprived of the technical knowledge available to English masters, and, as a result, the “nymphosoria” savvy by Lefty and his comrades can no longer dance: “It’s a pity,” the English regret, - It would be better if you knew at least four rules of addition from arithmetic, then it would be much more useful for you than the entire Half-Dream Book. Then you could realize that in every machine there is a calculation of force; Otherwise, you are very skillful in your hands, but you didn’t realize that such a small machine, like the one in the nymphosoria, is designed for the most accurate precision and cannot carry its shoes. Because of this, the nymphosoria now does not jump and does not dance.”
When Lefty returns to his homeland, he falls ill and dies, useless to anyone. Thrown on the floor in a “common people’s” hospital, he personifies the inhumanity, short-sightedness and ingratitude of state power - the reason for the unsettled state of Russia, according to the author.
From the entire story, it becomes obvious that Leskov sympathizes with Lefty, feels sorry for him, and the author’s comments are filled with bitterness. The image of Lefty reflected Leskov’s search for a positive national hero, and, in my opinion, this image is very close to the goal.
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It's no secret that a left-handed person differs from a right-handed person not only in that he writes while holding a pen in the other hand. Let's try to find out about the features, characteristics and qualities of a left-handed person.
Today in the world, about 8-15% of people use their left hand as their dominant hand; they are called left-handed.
It is interesting that children choose their leading hand at the age three years, this manifests itself in games and creative activities - for example, when drawing, painting, modeling. It is believed that in children who are left-handed, the right hemisphere of the brain is predominant (dominant). His work is responsible for the perception of location and orientation in space, artistic perception, creative, including musical, abilities, intuition, imagination, emotions.
Psychologists often note that left-handers are artistically gifted people and have an excellent ear for music. In addition, left-handers tend to have difficulty pronouncing certain sounds and sometimes have delayed speech development. Speaking about other qualities of left-handers, psychologists note stubbornness, the ability to draw, sculpt, sing, and difficulties with reading and writing.
Left-handed children are often trusting, spontaneous, subject to other people's influence and mood. They are also characterized by capriciousness, tearfulness, persistence and tenacity in achieving what they want. The reasons for the difference between right-handers and left-handers is that the right and left hemispheres of the brain are responsible for different areas mental activity.
Experts also note the connection between temperament and left-handedness. Left-handed people are more emotional than right-handed people and have problems with self-control. Left-handers can instantly become angry and lose their temper, but they have logical thinking, the ability to consistently process information, generalize it and analyze it. Left-handers are distinguished by excellent physical mobility, a desire for sports, impressionability and vulnerability, they also have a tendency to fantasize and have excellent memory.
In the past, most children who involuntarily preferred using their left hand were deliberately retrained. Many parents perceive the news that their child is left-handed negatively, but there is no need to be so categorical in your judgments. Today, all experts agree that in no case should a left-handed person be retrained. The process of retraining a left-handed person is a difficult test for his psyche, which will only cause stress and neuroticism in the child.
After retraining, children often suffer from neurotic disorders, including sleep disturbances, appetite problems, headaches, enuresis, and stuttering.
As recommendations for the behavior of adults with a left-handed child, advice is given not to focus on the fact that the child is different from other children because he is left-handed. In a situation where the baby feels that his peculiarity is causing increased interest from others, his self-esteem may decrease and shyness and self-doubt may develop.
Interestingly, when choosing a profession, it is worth considering a person’s left-handedness. Left-handed people have proven themselves excellent in areas such as design, photography, painting, architecture, music, and sports. It has been noted that among left-handed people there are a lot of creative personalities who have achieved success; examples include: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Vladimir Mayakovsky, composers Bach, Beethoven, Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe. If a left-handed child appears in the family, you should not retrain him; rather, you should give him a chance to express himself creatively and develop the characteristics and skills that he is good at. Children need and need the support of their parents. Be healthy!
The action of the story "Lefty" takes place in Russian Empire during the reign of Tsars Alexander the First and Nikolai Pavlovich. The work contrasts the attitude of the emperors towards the Motherland and the achievements of the Russian people. In the story, the author noticeably sympathizes with Tsar Nikolai Pavlovich, as well as with the main character, the Tula master Leftsha, whose views are akin to the imperial ones. They are united by the belief that nothing is impossible for a Russian. The characterization of Lefty from Leskov’s story “Lefty” is an opportunity to understand the essence of a real simple Russian person.
Closeness to the people
With the main character of the work N.S. Leskov does not introduce us right away. Over the course of several chapters, it seems that the main character of the story is the Cossack Platov. True main character appears as if by chance. Perhaps, the author did this deliberately in order to emphasize the essence of the character of Lefty from the story “Lefty” - he comes from the people and himself is their personification, with all his simplicity, naivety, indifference to wealth, great faith in Orthodoxy and devotion to the Fatherland. For the same purpose, the author does not give the hero a name. Lefty is one of three Tula craftsmen who were given the honor of making something like this to prove to Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich and the self-confident British what the Russian people are capable of.
The generality of the image of Lefty is emphasized not only by his namelessness, but also by a little information about him. As we read, we don't know anything about his age or family. Before us is only his laconic portrait: “Left-handed with an oblique face, a birthmark on his cheek, and the hair on his temples torn out during training.”
The great talent of a simple master
Despite his outward ugliness, Lefty has a great talent that amazed not only the Tsar himself, but also English craftsmen. Lefty, together with two other Tula craftsmen, managed to shoe a miniature flea without any special knowledge or equipment. In this case, Lefty got the most difficult job - forging miniature nails for horseshoes.
The quality without which the characterization of Lefty from the story “Lefty” will be incomplete is the modesty of a brilliant master. Craftsman did not boast of his achievement and did not consider himself a hero, but simply conscientiously carried out the instructions of the sovereign, and also tried with all his heart to show what the Russian people were capable of. When Emperor Nicholas realized what the craftsmen's work was, which at first he could not see even through his small scope, he was surprised how they could do it without equipment. To which Lefty modestly replied: “We are poor people and due to our poverty we do not have a small scope, but our eyes are so focused.”
Indifference to wealth and comfort
Lefty also showed modesty and indifference to wealth during his trip to England. He did not agree to study abroad; promises of neither money nor fame convinced him. Lefty asked for one thing - to go home as soon as possible. This simplicity and modesty became the reason for the hero’s inglorious death, which no one knew about. He was embarrassed by the comfortable cabin and high society, so he spent the entire journey across the winter sea on the deck, which is why he got sick.
Arriving in St. Petersburg, he was unable to introduce himself and say that he was carrying out the tsar’s instructions. Therefore, he was robbed and was not admitted to any hospital except the simplest one for the poor, where he died. The author contrasted the image of Lefty with the Englishman who sailed with him, who was settled in a good hotel and cured. And Lefty died tragically because of his modesty and simplicity.
Lefty Character Traits
Love for the Motherland and a sense of responsibility to one’s state are the main character traits of Lefty. Master Lefty's last thought was the desire to convey to the Tsar at all costs that there is no need to clean guns with bricks. If he had been able to convey this, Russian military affairs would have been even more successful, but his request never reached the sovereign. Even dying, this simple Tula master remained true to his character, the main feature of which was to think first of all about the Fatherland, and not about himself.
In the image of Lefty N.S. Leskov showed the full depth of the Russian person: naive, simple and even funny, but for whom there is nothing dearer than the Orthodox faith and native side. Devotion to the Motherland, responsibility for its future and great natural skill - these are the qualities that underlie the characteristics of the hero of the tale “Lefty”.
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