THE HORSE-STEALERS

The Horse-Stealers

To Catch a Thief.

Out there in the world we all become prisoners. We have jobs -- routines -- laws -- life becomes a rut. Boring.

The thief is free to do what he wants when he wants to.

The hospital assistant meets some thieves and he fights for his stuff -- but in the end he loses his stuff and his position.

He has an awakening. He turns his back on his old life -- the life of routines -- the bourgeois existence -- of work and a little vacation -- a wife -- two kids -- the whole lot which is sold as normality. He gives it all up for a taste of lawlessness. Otherwise, in his eyes known as freedom.

After being robbed -- instead of getting mad at the thieves -- he envies them -- he wants to get rid of all his baggage and live like nature intended -- not worrying about routines -- not getting into ruts -- being free.

He becomes a thief. An outlaw. Is he happier for it? At least he doesn't feel inferior like he did in his old lifestyle -- where as a hospital clerk he knew his lowly position and had to endure the humiliation of that position all the time.

This story is rich with characters and it keeps you on the edge as to what is going to happen. You know Yergunov is going to be robbed but when and how will he react. The twist in the story is also done very cleverly and the end of the story is chilling and shocking when we find out Yergunov's reaction.

This is anarchy. No laws. No rules. In this story Chekhov presents a world where the anarchist dream of a society with no rules is visited -- although there is no denying the freedom of that society we also realize the brutality as well.

What's most interesting is how the story makes us understand why Yergunov would be tempted to throw everything away and become a thief -- at the same time we also realize that the world of the outlaw might be romanticized -- but at the end of the day -- the thief is still a thief -- or a murderer -- or whatever else he wants to be. Just get out of the way!

This story explores what it means to be free but like the West with its outlaws like Billy the Kid -- the reality which Yergunov will sadly find out --  his new life will not be a carefree one -- more a world where he will live like a wild animal with all its grace and savagery.