THE STEPPE

The Steppe

This story took me a while to read. At first, I was having difficulty following the story. What is this all about? Is there a narrative? Is it going anywhere? Such pedantic thoughts -- and then -- well -- Chekhov works his magic and as usual he is way ahead of me.

I kept reading and finally started to catch up. This story  grows on you. I would compare it to a film -- one of those slow films that might make you sleepy but you go with it -- you may not know what is happening at first -- but you like the scenery -- and then you get to know the characters and then all comes together and you begin to gel with it.

For me the story started to come to life with the appearance of the waggoners. You are amused by their antics and at other times you feel for their plight. The characters are so rich -- funny -- real. Full of life.

And what is the story about? It is the journey that Yegorushka takes -- leaving his village for an education. A chance for him to grow up -- and you feel this boy will turn out to be a real gem. Yegorushka is curious and sentimental -- but he is also ready to stand his ground if need be. He will fight for what he believes in.

But this is everyone's story -- we all leave our home one way or another and begin the journey -- the journey of growing up and seeing things and experiencing things that will forever be etched in our brain.

When I was eight I left Gibraltar and headed to America and that journey done on a ship crossing the Atlantic was more than a trip -- it marked the boundary between a certain innocence and a certain awareness of the world.

So while the story did take a while before I warmed up to it -- once I was in sync with it -- I began to appreciate it for what it is -- Chekhov has a chance to wax poetically about the physical aspects of the steppe and the people who reside there.

Along the way Chekhov tells us a lot about the Russian character -- and about life in general.

It is a meditative piece -- one not to rush through -- given a chance it offers rich rewards.