Oysters
First let me get this out of the way:
This story is pure genius, a classic, timeless, a masterpiece!
Thanks, that feels better.
Okay, let's begin.
Down and out
Father and son
Roaming the streets of Moscow
Alms
Begging
Words get stuck
Hunger
Always hunger
Dead or dying
Ten roubles for oysters
Hallucinating
Desperation
Pacing up and down
Looking for way out
For an answer
Bite
Chew
There has to be something to eat
Anything
Here come the oysters
Whatever they are
Little frogs from the sea
Eat them live
Disgusting
Circus show
Watch the poor kid eat oysters
He even eats the shell
Hilarious (HaHaHa)
Give him another
Make you thirsty
Pace some more
The rich survive on oysters and other delicacies
But life gets boring sometimes
Thank God for the poor
You can always count on them for a laugh
And only for ten roubles
What a bargain
Save some money
For a little bread for a starving son
For a starving body
Don't be annoying
Amuse us
Eat some oysters boy
Keep pacing
Odds are against you
Serve the champagne.
The Goal: Read. Reflect. Respond. Over two hundred Chekhov stories. Constance Garnett translations.
Monday, May 28, 2012
THE RUNAWAY
The Runaway
Promise Her Anything but Give Her Arpege -- the sort of ad the doctor would approve.
The busy doctor uses any means necessary to get his patients to do what he wants.
Fox, finches, fairs are all dangled in front of the boy's eyes to convince him to let his mother go home and stay at the hospital.
We are way out in the country -- and peasants are showing up after trekking for miles and miles. Most get insulted by Dr. Don Rickles when they get their chance.
Cruel to be kind? Or just frustration? The doctor is an old fashioned country doctor who is not politically correct but he genuinely cares about his patients and only wishes they'd listen to his advice.
Chekhov was a doctor and I imagine he used his experiences to fashion this tale. But what is this story about?
At first glance, it is a description of how medicine is practiced in the countryside -- where resources are limited and people like the doctor are doing amazing work with little credit.
The story is told through the eyes of a boy. This is an adventure for him. His elbow is in bad shape because his mother delayed in taking him to the hospital and he is now in danger of losing the arm. The operation is his last shot.
All seems dandy to the boy -- he gets good food and a nice bed -- but he keeps waiting for the doctor to fulfill his promise of finches, foxes and fairs -- and when he loses hope he goes out and takes a tour of the hospital before he gets whacked in the head.
So is this story telling us we are all fed false promises when we are young of how life is going to be before reality smacks us in the head and we realize the truth?
Maybe.
It may just be a story of a boy missing his mother.
Reading this story -- I am curious about how they quarantined the patients -- there are some in the hospital with small pox which is highly contagious -- what precautions were made?
Overall, it seems like the place is decent -- and considering all the circumstances -- the patients well taken care -- and the doctor ( Mr. Warmth) has dedicated his life to helping them.
Maybe Pashka can't at the moment -- but Chekhov -- could certainly appreciate that.
Promise Her Anything but Give Her Arpege -- the sort of ad the doctor would approve.
The busy doctor uses any means necessary to get his patients to do what he wants.
Fox, finches, fairs are all dangled in front of the boy's eyes to convince him to let his mother go home and stay at the hospital.
We are way out in the country -- and peasants are showing up after trekking for miles and miles. Most get insulted by Dr. Don Rickles when they get their chance.
Cruel to be kind? Or just frustration? The doctor is an old fashioned country doctor who is not politically correct but he genuinely cares about his patients and only wishes they'd listen to his advice.
Chekhov was a doctor and I imagine he used his experiences to fashion this tale. But what is this story about?
At first glance, it is a description of how medicine is practiced in the countryside -- where resources are limited and people like the doctor are doing amazing work with little credit.
The story is told through the eyes of a boy. This is an adventure for him. His elbow is in bad shape because his mother delayed in taking him to the hospital and he is now in danger of losing the arm. The operation is his last shot.
All seems dandy to the boy -- he gets good food and a nice bed -- but he keeps waiting for the doctor to fulfill his promise of finches, foxes and fairs -- and when he loses hope he goes out and takes a tour of the hospital before he gets whacked in the head.
So is this story telling us we are all fed false promises when we are young of how life is going to be before reality smacks us in the head and we realize the truth?
Maybe.
It may just be a story of a boy missing his mother.
Reading this story -- I am curious about how they quarantined the patients -- there are some in the hospital with small pox which is highly contagious -- what precautions were made?
Overall, it seems like the place is decent -- and considering all the circumstances -- the patients well taken care -- and the doctor ( Mr. Warmth) has dedicated his life to helping them.
Maybe Pashka can't at the moment -- but Chekhov -- could certainly appreciate that.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
CHILDREN
Children
Obviously this can't just be a story about children playing games.
It has to be about something deeper.
Class struggle -- yeah -- that must be it!
You have Andrey the cook's son competing with the rich children and running out of money-- he then borrows a kopeck but will soon be in debt and become a serf. Bingo.
Chekhov is merely fooling us with a simple tale of childhood -- his stories have angst and uncontrolled desires and digs deep into the human psyche -- he wouldn't dare waste our time following the antics of children. Who has time for that when the world has so many problems?
I got it! The lotto game symbolizes man's plight in the universe -- how the forces out of our control are busy shaping our destiny and we are all like children fooling ourselves that we have some say in how we shape our lives -- or possibly the children represent our animal cravings which are constantly battling with our reason and we think we can overcome them with maturity but we are all lost . . . okay I give up.
Could it be he just got tired of the hypocrisies of adults and wanted to go back to a time when we could entertain ourselves (whatever the motive) for a night -- bicker and do whatever else children do but in the end wind up all together sleeping in a nice warm bed?
Hey, it's nice to dream.
Obviously this can't just be a story about children playing games.
It has to be about something deeper.
Class struggle -- yeah -- that must be it!
You have Andrey the cook's son competing with the rich children and running out of money-- he then borrows a kopeck but will soon be in debt and become a serf. Bingo.
Chekhov is merely fooling us with a simple tale of childhood -- his stories have angst and uncontrolled desires and digs deep into the human psyche -- he wouldn't dare waste our time following the antics of children. Who has time for that when the world has so many problems?
I got it! The lotto game symbolizes man's plight in the universe -- how the forces out of our control are busy shaping our destiny and we are all like children fooling ourselves that we have some say in how we shape our lives -- or possibly the children represent our animal cravings which are constantly battling with our reason and we think we can overcome them with maturity but we are all lost . . . okay I give up.
Could it be he just got tired of the hypocrisies of adults and wanted to go back to a time when we could entertain ourselves (whatever the motive) for a night -- bicker and do whatever else children do but in the end wind up all together sleeping in a nice warm bed?
Hey, it's nice to dream.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
SLEEPY
Sleepy
Thirteen year old Varka is a killer.
A baby killer
So what should her penalty be?
A good lawyer would certainly describe the circumstances leading up to the crime.
She was not in her right mind.
Lack of sleep made her do it.
She was abused by her master.
Her father had recently died.
She was overworked.
Does it excuse Varka?
Of course not.
An innocent baby is dead.
So what should the penalty be?
This story makes you anything but sleepy.
It makes you angry at the injustice displayed in this world.
Varka is only thirteen. She has lost her childhood at some point and now is basically a slave. The oppression that dominates her existence is conveyed quite powerfully. You want to shout: Wait a minute! This is not right. When is this poor girl going to get a chance to rest? Have you people no compassion? What makes people so callous? So inhumane? How do you get to the point when a thirteen year old girl is being treated worse than animal?
And we know it's not just in this household -- there are thousands -- millions of other Varkas -- not just in the Russia of Chekhov's time -- but in all parts of the world this very hour -- and what should be done?
No one is paying any attention.
We are too busy watching the latest shenanigans of the beautiful people.
This story is titled Sleepy.
The real title is:
Wake up!
Okay. Okay. I'll calm down. Maybe Chekhov didn't intend to make a political sentiment. It's really a story about human nature which Chekhov brilliantly weaves using dreams and hallucinations -- and nothing more.
I don't know.
It's late.
I need to go to bed.
But I'm not sleepy.
Thirteen year old Varka is a killer.
A baby killer
So what should her penalty be?
A good lawyer would certainly describe the circumstances leading up to the crime.
She was not in her right mind.
Lack of sleep made her do it.
She was abused by her master.
Her father had recently died.
She was overworked.
Does it excuse Varka?
Of course not.
An innocent baby is dead.
So what should the penalty be?
This story makes you anything but sleepy.
It makes you angry at the injustice displayed in this world.
Varka is only thirteen. She has lost her childhood at some point and now is basically a slave. The oppression that dominates her existence is conveyed quite powerfully. You want to shout: Wait a minute! This is not right. When is this poor girl going to get a chance to rest? Have you people no compassion? What makes people so callous? So inhumane? How do you get to the point when a thirteen year old girl is being treated worse than animal?
And we know it's not just in this household -- there are thousands -- millions of other Varkas -- not just in the Russia of Chekhov's time -- but in all parts of the world this very hour -- and what should be done?
No one is paying any attention.
We are too busy watching the latest shenanigans of the beautiful people.
This story is titled Sleepy.
The real title is:
Wake up!
Okay. Okay. I'll calm down. Maybe Chekhov didn't intend to make a political sentiment. It's really a story about human nature which Chekhov brilliantly weaves using dreams and hallucinations -- and nothing more.
I don't know.
It's late.
I need to go to bed.
But I'm not sleepy.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
THE COOK'S WEDDING
The Cook's Wedding
Pelageya, my sweet Pelageya.
Life has not been kind to you.
Forced to marry some cabman you don't love.
You dream of better things.
But you will never live out those dreams.
Pelageya, it's not fair.
To this day so many like you toil and suffer in silence never having an opportunity to choose their own destiny.
And many, like young Grisha, still watch in horror and ask WHY?
Pelageya, my sweet Pelageya.
Life has not been kind to you.
Forced to marry some cabman you don't love.
You dream of better things.
But you will never live out those dreams.
Pelageya, it's not fair.
To this day so many like you toil and suffer in silence never having an opportunity to choose their own destiny.
And many, like young Grisha, still watch in horror and ask WHY?
Sunday, May 6, 2012
IN A STRANGE LAND
In A Strange Land
Kamyshev loves toys.
Especially French toys.
Named Champoun.
He teases him with no mercy.
Kamyshev loves to tease those beneath him.
Guess it makes him feel superior.
So if you are a Jew or Frenchman that depends on him for a living be ready.
This is a power game.
Most relationships are in some way or another.
It stinks if you are at the bottom and have to endure the teasing.
Actually it stinks if you are at the top and the only way you get your kicks is by belittling those beneath you.
Some advice for Kamyshev: Grow up.
Some advice for Champoun: Abandonner!
Kamyshev loves toys.
Especially French toys.
Named Champoun.
He teases him with no mercy.
Kamyshev loves to tease those beneath him.
Guess it makes him feel superior.
So if you are a Jew or Frenchman that depends on him for a living be ready.
This is a power game.
Most relationships are in some way or another.
It stinks if you are at the bottom and have to endure the teasing.
Actually it stinks if you are at the top and the only way you get your kicks is by belittling those beneath you.
Some advice for Kamyshev: Grow up.
Some advice for Champoun: Abandonner!
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