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Topic: Analysis of the passage 'Children' from the literary masterpiece Childhood by the literary giant Gorky.
Sample essay: Analyzing the excerpt 'Children'
Essay:
Undoubtedly, each of us holds memories of our childhood. These may be days filled with joy and laughter or perhaps a childhood marked by tears. Regardless of the nature of these memories, recalling them evokes a myriad of emotions. Maxim Gorky, the renowned writer, recreates his childhood in the excerpt 'Children.'
Maxim Gorky (1868 - 1936), born Alexei Maximovich Peshkov, faced significant hardships in life, as his pen name suggests. The excerpt 'Children' is from Chapter IX of his autobiographical novel 'Childhood,' written between 1913 and 1914. In this passage, Aloysha discovers his three little friends banned from playing with him due to an incident involving one of the boys falling into a well. Despite the prohibition, the children continue their friendship, meeting in various ways and sharing tales of fairy tales and birds.
These children all lack parental affection in their lives. Aloysha, living with his grandparents after losing his father and with his mother remarried, receives love and care from his grandmother but faces the harshness of his grandfather. The children of Major Opxyannikov live with their new parents as their birth mother passed away. The Major, their father, prohibits them from playing with Aloysha. This prohibition likely stems from the contrast in their living conditions, as Major's children come from a prosperous family, while Aloysha's family is economically struggling. Despite the social disparity, they share a similar plight of parental love deprivation, fostering a pure and innocent childhood friendship.
True friendship never breaks for any reason. Despite prohibitions, they find ways to maintain their bond. It takes a profound friendship to overcome barriers and continue playing together. They climb onto the old sled beneath the warehouse awning to 'observe' and chat. It becomes the place where the three children of Major Oppxianicop confide in Aloysha about their lives, their deceased birth mother, and their new mother, often referred to in fairy tales as the wicked stepmother. In Aloysha's young mind, he believes that the mother of the three children will return, resurrected by magic. He shares his grandmother's fairy tales with them, silencing them with rapt attention. Suddenly, 'an old man with a white beard, wearing a shabby brown monk-like robe with a fur hat on his head,' arrives and threatens Aloysha: 'No trespassing on my land.' It's Major Oppxianicop. He grips Aloysha's shoulder, making him 'scared to the point of tears,' but before he can cry, Aloysha 'is already outside the gate.'
Contrary to expectations, the children, despite the intimidation from adults, remain close and joyful. Aloysha 'dug a crescent-shaped hole' in the fence to converse with them. They 'squat or kneel down, whispering to each other,' with one of the three children standing guard to watch for their father's appearance. The children's stories revolve around their dull lives, the lives of birds, and 'many other childish stories.' Aloysha tells them his grandmother's fairy tales, and whenever he forgets, he runs back to ask, and they love it. They 'sit close together, like little chicks.' The eldest brother smiles, the youngest 'purses his lips and puffs up his cheeks,' and the other leans his arm on his knee, the other arm around his sister to shield her from their father's gaze. The gap and economic disparity cannot separate the genuine and profound friendship of these children. They bond through innocence, in its purest form. This sincere friendship knows no divisive boundaries.
Beyond highlighting the children's friendship, this passage also depicts the benevolent image of Aloysha's grandmother. Her fairy tales laid a solid foundation for Gorky's extensive literary career, making him a renowned writer known to generations of global readers. Though not explicitly detailed, we can sense that she is a kind and loving figure for Aloysha. The statement from Major's eldest son is also the author's affirmation: 'Perhaps all grandmothers are very good.' She is always caring, close, and meticulous in looking after her grandchildren. She introduces Aloysha to the world of fairy tales, stories imbued with humane and noble sentiments. The eldest son's words make Aloysha feel 'as if he had lived on this earth for a hundred years, not just eleven.'
This excerpt is part of an autobiographical novel narrated in the first person, with the storyteller addressing himself as 'I,' making the story authentic and highly engaging. What unfolds in the work reflects Gorky's own experiences since the characteristic of this genre is writers narrating their own life stories. 'Children' combines elements of autobiography, description, expression, argumentation, and imaginative elements, creating intrigue for readers. The intertwining of everyday stories and fairy tales about mothers and grandmothers creates a narrative space filled with poetic charm and profound human emotions.
