Who is right in the debate about the truth of bow or satin. The debate about the truth and the meaning of life in Gorky’s work “At the Depths”

Essay text:

Creativity A.M. Gorky occupies one of the first places in Russian literature. The works he created clearly and truthfully reflect the reality of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A.M. Already at the beginning of the century, Gorky was perceived by his contemporaries as the head of democratic literature and as a major figure in Russian culture.
Gorky's heroes are mostly thinking people, inclined to think about their fate, about love for their neighbor, about the essence of existence.
In my essay I want to touch on the topic of truth, a topic that has worried people since the day the world began, from the day when homo sapiens appeared on earth, when reason was given to man. The debate about truth has been going on for several thousand years.
Gorky’s work also contains this dispute, a dispute about truth, a dispute about man.
I would like to analyze the thoughts of two heroes of the play: Luke and Satin.
In an interview with a correspondent of the St. Petersburg newspaper, Gorky, touching on the problems of his play, said: Is it necessary to take compassion to the point of using lies, like Luke? This question is not subjective, but general philosophical. This is how Gorky poses the problem.
Luke and Satin reflect on man, his strength, his truth, his attitude towards man: Man is the truth. Luka... With the appearance of this man in the shelter, the souls of its inhabitants were excited, thoughts became more intense, more concentrated. Luke is a wanderer who preaches kindness, love and respect for people. This is a person who loves to think. You cannot deny his intelligence; he strives for the truth.
Luke... In my opinion, this is the main character of the play. Without him, the play At the Bottom would be boring, not reflecting the search for thoughts about man, about truth. He quietly entered the shelter. He consoled whom, he pitied whom, he advised something to whom, and now one gets the impression that Luka has been living among the inhabitants of the shelter for a long time.
Luka is a humanist: Man can do anything. This is a philosopher who knows that the main value on earth is a person, anyone. And as a lyricist he sympathizes with people and
comforts them. Luke’s words are humane, they encourage, lift the spirit, even if only for a short time. Hence their human value.
Luke the wanderer. The Wanderer is not entirely ordinary: he is much smarter, sharper, and more insightful than many of his brothers. Luka is a tireless observer, he really wants to know how this life works and how it will work in the future, so monotonous and at the same time so different, so gray and so colorful, so evil and so kind, if only because it already exists .
The image of Luke is evidence of the talents hidden among the people. For this man is undoubtedly gifted, developed and original.
The most intelligent and intelligent inhabitant of the bottom received the strongest spiritual impressions from Luke Satin. He picks up Luke’s humanistic thought about the value of man and raises it to a height: Man... this sounds proud. Everything that was serious and real in Satin’s soul suddenly stirred up. Under the influence of Luke’s philosophy, his thoughts about truth, about man, arise that are confusing, but not incoherent, but endowed with considerable meaning.
In the spring, Luka left... Satin recalls his conversations with him, recalls his questions and answers:
Grandfather! Why do people live?..
And people live for the best, my dear! I live for a hundred years... and maybe more for a better man!
Satin's monologue about man acquired, in my opinion, a special romantic coloring, as it sounded at the very bottom of life, in the most cruel circumstances. It was a protest both against the system that oppressed man, and against humility and comforting compassion, which dulled the feeling of oppression:
A person is free... he pays for everything himself, and therefore he is free!
I think that, while pronouncing this monologue, Satin was influenced by Luke and his conversations with him.
I believe that in a dispute about truth there is neither a winner nor a loser. In this dispute, everyone is right in their own way. Luke is right when he calls upon himself a lie to help him, a lie that is consoling, a lie that reconciles. Satin is also right in his own way, asserting compassion, respect, saying that truth is Man. His understanding of man is this: man is... not you, not me, not them... no! it's you, me, them, the old man, Napoleon, Mohammed... in one! This is huge! This is where it all begins and ends! Based on this monologue, you can come to the conclusion that it’s true that all the people who live on earth are, but everything else is the work of their hands and their brains.
Satin proves that a person is above satiety, that a person has high goals, there are higher needs than caring about being well-fed: I have always despised people who care too much about being well-fed. Not in this case! The man is taller! Man is above satiety! Truly man is not by bread alone. Luke wants to understand human affairs. And in most cases he succeeds. Having understood the person, Luke tries to help him, take pity on him, console him, and cheer him up. He does this without difficulty, since Luka himself has gone through a lot, and he understands human troubles...
After reading the play At the Depth, I developed a certain concept about truth, pity, and lies. Truly this is a man!

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The play “At the Lower Depths” was written on June 15, 1902, and premiered on stage on December 31 of the same year. It changed many names during the development process and overcame many obstacles due to censorship in Russian theaters, but remains interesting to this day, because in it you can find the truth about the life of “former people”, that is, the social lower classes of society, hence its name , to which we are so accustomed.

You can talk a lot about why Gorky didn’t give it a title, for example, “Without the Sun” or “Nochlezhka,” but the most interesting thing, in my opinion, is to talk about the conflict of this play.

I want to start with the fact that in the play we can notice three “truths”, each of which is true in its own way, they are the conflict of the work.

The “truth” of the wanderer Luke is that if a person needs a lie in order to live, he needs to lie, for this will be a lie for the greater good. Without it, a person may not be able to withstand the difficult truth and die altogether, since everyone needs consolation to continue the fight against despondency. The hero’s speech is aphoristic, and in it you can see his position in life. For example, the hero believes that: “What you believe in is what it is.”

There is also a second “truth”, which is displayed in the image of Satin, who is a cheater and an alcoholic. In the past, he was a telegraph operator, but he dared to kill a man and went to prison, and so he ended up in a shelter, carrying his “truth” that lying is a religion of slaves and you can’t lie to anyone, anywhere. Satin believes that a person should be respected, and not humiliated with pity. According to Konstantin, a person should not despair, and it is in his monologues that the author’s position is observed: “Truth is the god of a free man!”

The third “truth” is that you need to say everything directly, as it is, and this is Bubnov’s truth. He believes that there is no point in lying, since everyone will die sooner or later anyway.

Each person decides for himself which “truth” is closer to him, but the most difficult thing is to make the right choice, because the life of a person, or even hundreds of people, can depend on it. I believe that the truth proposed by Satin is closer to me, since I think that a person should always be aware of his worth and be respected. Lies will always exist, whether we like it or not, because without evil, as we know, there would be no good. However, it cannot be cultivated and turned into an idea, justifying it with an illusory good. Everyone has their own understanding of “good,” and if we begin to deceive each other in order to achieve a “higher” goal, then we will sow only evil. The dispute over whose truth is more truthful will be resolved by force, and there will no longer be time for respect and value of human life and personality.

Luka leaves, like abstract ideals under the pressure of real life. What can he, a tramp and a beggar, advise people? How can I help you? Only to instill destructive vain hope, which, when it leaves, will break a person into smithereens.

In conclusion, I want to write that an honest person is much stronger and kinder than a liar: he is not indifferent if he tries to find the truth and show it to you, and not hide it or “not notice” out of banal indifference to your fate. A liar irresponsibly and cold-bloodedly takes advantage of gullibility and betrays it, while an honest person has to break through the armor of mistrust and act directly for your good. He doesn't use you or fool you for fun. Luka was also neither calculating nor funny, but he was far from real life and immersed in his own illusions. Satin is a realist; he has seen more in his time. This kind of prodigal son learned from his own experience how a person needs respect and truth, which, who knows, could have warned him in due time from a fatal mistake.

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The genre of Maxim Gorky's play “At the Lower Depths” can be defined as a philosophical drama. In this work, the writer managed to raise many problematic questions about man and the meaning of his existence. However, the dispute about the truth in the play “At the Bottom” became key.

History of creation

The play was written in 1902. This time was characterized by a serious economic crisis, as a result of which, due to the closure of factories, workers were out of work, and peasants were forced to beg and beg. All these people, and with them the state, found themselves at the very bottom of their lives. To reflect the full extent of the decline, Maxim Gorky made his heroes representatives of all segments of the population. This is a Baron who became an adventurer, a former Actor, a prostitute, a locksmith, a thief, a shoemaker, a merchant, rooming house keepers, and a policeman.

And it is in the midst of this decline and poverty that the key eternal questions of life are asked. And the conflict was based on a dispute about the truth in the play “At the Bottom.” This philosophical problem has long become insoluble for Russian literature; Pushkin, Lermontov, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Chekhov and many others took on it. However, Gorky was not at all frightened by this state of affairs, and he created a work devoid of didacticism and moralizing. The viewer has the right to make his own choice after listening to the different points of view expressed by the characters.

Dispute about the truth

In the play “At the Lower Depths,” as mentioned above, Gorky not only depicted a terrible reality, the main thing for the writer was the answers to the most important philosophical questions. And in the end, he manages to create an innovative work that has no equal in the history of literature. At first glance, the narrative seems scattered, plotless and fragmented, but gradually all the pieces of the mosaic come together, and a clash of heroes unfolds before the viewer, each of whom is the bearer of his own truth.

A topic such as the dispute about truth in the play “At the Bottom” is multifaceted, ambiguous and inexhaustible. A table that could be compiled to better understand it would include three characters: Bubnov, Luka and Satin. It is these characters who lead heated discussions about the need for truth. Realizing the impossibility of answering this question, Gorky puts different opinions into the mouths of these heroes, which are of equal value and equally attractive to the viewer. It is impossible to determine the position of the author himself, therefore these three images of criticism are interpreted differently, and there is still no consensus as to whose point of view on the truth is correct.

Entering into a dispute about truth in the play “At the Bottom,” Bubnov is of the opinion that facts are the key to everything. He does not believe in higher powers and the high destiny of man. A person is born and lives only to die: “Everything is like this: they are born, they live, they die. And I will die... and you... Why regret it..." This character is hopelessly despairing of life and does not see anything joyful in the future. The truth for him is that man cannot resist the circumstances and cruelty of the world.

For Bubnov, lying is unacceptable and incomprehensible; he believes that only the truth should be told: “And why do people like to lie?”; “In my opinion, leave the whole truth as it is!” He openly, without hesitation, expresses his opinion, without looking at others. Bubnov’s philosophy is truthful and merciless to man; he sees no point in helping his neighbor and caring for him.

For Luke, the main thing is not truth, but consolation. Trying to bring at least some meaning to the hopelessness of the daily lives of the inhabitants of the shelter, he gives them false hope. His help lies in lies. Luka understands people well and knows what everyone needs, based on this he makes promises. Thus, he tells the dying Anna that peace awaits her after death, inspires the Actor with hope for a cure for alcoholism, and promises Ash a better life in Siberia.

Luka appears as one of the key figures in such a problem as the dispute about truth in the play “At the Bottom.” His remarks are full of sympathy and reassurance, but there is not a word of truth in them. This image is one of the most controversial in the drama. For a long time, literary scholars assessed him only from the negative side, but today many see positive aspects in Luke’s actions. His lies console the weak, unable to resist the cruelty of the surrounding reality. The philosophy of this character is kindness: “A person can teach goodness. While a person believed, he lived, but he lost faith and hanged himself.” Indicative in this regard is the story of how the elder saved two thieves when he treated them kindly. Luke’s truth is in pity for the person and the desire to give him hope, albeit illusory, for the possibility of something better, which would help him live.

Satin is considered Luke's main opponent. It is these two characters who are leading the main debate about the truth in the play “At the Bottom.” Satin’s quotes sharply contrast with Luke’s statements: “Lies are the religion of slaves,” “Truth is the god of a free man!”

For Satin, lies are unacceptable, since in a person he sees strength, resilience and the ability to change everything. Pity and compassion are meaningless; people do not need them. It is this character who pronounces the famous monologue about the man-god: “Only man exists, everything else is the work of his hands and his brain! It's great! It sounds proud!”

Unlike Bubnov, who also recognizes only the truth and denies lies, Satin respects people and believes in them.

Thus, the dispute about truth in the play “At the Bottom” is plot-forming. Gorky does not give a clear resolution to this conflict; each viewer must determine who is right for himself. However, it should be noted that Satin’s final monologue is heard both as a hymn to man and as a call to action aimed at changing the terrifying reality.

Dispute bows and satin table

The play “At the Lower Depths” is one of the most famous works of the outstanding Russian writer M. Gorky.

Luke Quotes

". This is how it always turns out: a person thinks to himself – I’m doing a good job! Grab - and people are unhappy..." (Luke)

". People are becoming smarter, more and more entertaining... and even though they live, they get worse, but they want to get better... they are stubborn. "

". It’s not the word that matters, but why the word is said? - that's the problem. "

". It’s never harmful to caress a person...”

". Prison will not teach you goodness, and Siberia will not teach you... but man will teach you... yes! A person can teach goodness... very simply. "

". It’s true, it’s not always about a person’s illness... you can’t always cure a soul with the truth...”

". He who seeks will find... He who really wants will find. "

". What is the truth? Man - that's the truth. "(Satin about the truth)

". There is a comforting lie, a reconciling lie... A lie justifies the weight that crushed the worker's hand... and blames those dying of hunger... I know the lie! Those who are weak at heart... and who live on other people's juices - those who need lies... some are supported by it, others hide behind it... And who is his own master... who is independent and does not eat someone else's - why does he need lies? Lies are the religion of slaves and masters... Truth is the god of a free man. "(Satin about truth and lies)

Quotes from Bubnov

". It turns out: no matter how you paint yourself on the outside, everything will be erased... everything will be erased, yes. "(Bubnov)

". And whoever is drunk and smart has two lands in him..."

". It is better. It's always better to leave on time. "

". A woman must have a soul... We are animals... we need... we need to be taught. "(Vaska Ash)

". Work if you like...what is there to be proud of? If you value people for their work... then a horse is better than any person... it carries and is silent. "

". There is no talent... no self-confidence... and without it... never, nothing..."

". I know that a person is not free within himself. "(Vasilisa)

". Crooks are all smart... I know! They are crazy - impossible. A good person, even a stupid person, is good, but a bad person must have intelligence. "(Medvedev)

"The essence of the dispute between Luke and Satin"

1. The history of the appearance of M. Gorky’s play “At the Depths”.
2. Innovation of the play.
3. General characteristics of the residents of the shelter.
4. Luke's position.
5. Contrasting the ideas of two heroes - Luke and Satin.

Man is free. he pays for everything himself: for faith, for disbelief, for love, for intelligence. A person pays for everything himself and therefore he is free.
M. Gorky

The play “At the Lower Depths” by M. Gorky is one of the most striking and dramatic works of the writer. The play was first shown on the stage of the Moscow Art Theater in 1902. The play was the greatest success in the theatrical life of that time. Over time, it was staged in other theaters in Russia and Western Europe. The main problems of M. Gorky’s creativity in the early 1900s are shown in the play “At the Depths”. Here the writer again, as in his earlier works, turns to the world of the outcasts, although he views them a little differently.

What is the innovation of M. Gorky’s play “At the Lower Depths”? The theme of the human “bottom” itself is not new in literature, and the novelty of this play lies not in the theme itself, but in its new solution. M. Gorky, depicting the suffering of people at the bottom, exposes the bourgeois-property world and shows the whole society in miniature. The writer’s position towards tramps has also changed; he is already trying to look into their destinies and understand the essence of existence, to reveal social psychology. Describing the terrible pictures of the life of the inhabitants of the shelter, M. Gorky at the same time shows the powerful strength of these people, which is capable of resisting the social conditions that influence a person and disfigure him. The heroes of the play “At the Bottom” are trying to figure it out and understand what are the reasons and meaning of the fate that is prescribed for them. They argue about the truth, about simple human happiness and, most importantly, about the individual himself, about his place in this world. Each character in the play has his own opinion and his own answer to these questions.

People living in the shelter have completely different characters, different origins and ages, but they are all brought together by one fate. And they perceive their position just as differently. Mortally ill Anna and Tatar came to terms with their situation. The only thing the Baron can do is useless ridicule of the people of the “bottom” just like him. Nastya is angry, the thief Vaska Pepel is rebelling, Luka is trying to console all the inhabitants of the shelter, and Satin philosophizes a lot, but does absolutely nothing to somehow realize his ideals in life. Tick worries more than anyone about his fate; he constantly dreams of one day breaking out of the captivity of the shelter and starting to live by honest work.

But one of the most important disputes in the play “At the Lower Depths” is between two residents of the shelter - between Luka and Satin.

For Luke himself, all people are selfish, pathetic, worthless, and they only need consolation in their lives. Luke's role is precisely that of a comforter for all the inhabitants of the shelter. For Luke himself, there are a huge number of truths, as many as there are people in the world. He tells various stories to the residents of the shelter: about extraordinary love, about a righteous land, “in that land, they say, special people inhabit. good people! They respect each other. - they help,” he talks to Anna about the wonderful life in the next world.” and you will be at peace. There will be nothing more to be afraid of and nothing! Silence. " The elder informs the actor about a free hospital where alcoholics are cured: “. Nowadays they treat drunkenness. Free treatment, brother. This is how the hospital is set up. so that, therefore, they can be treated for nothing. " But such lies from Luke did not help the residents of the shelter, but on the contrary, only harmed them. Thus, the Actor, who for a moment believed in Luke’s fairy tale about an extraordinary hospital, very soon realized the value of his fictitious stories. And it’s not for nothing that the Actor quotes P. J. Beranger:

Gentlemen! If the truth is holy
The world doesn't know how to find a way -
Honor the madman who inspires
A golden dream for humanity!

These poems by Beranger from the lips of the Actor sound like a mockery of illusions. He does not want to live in a fictional world and as a result commits suicide. As a result, it turns out that all of Luke’s sermons do not improve a person’s life, but, on the contrary, only push him to the edge. Gradually, life itself and harsh reality expose all of Luke’s comforting lies. In M. Gorky's play, Luke's position is contrasted with Satin's monologue. He calls for every person to open their eyes to life's problems and see the real reality, and not the fictitious one that Luke offers. According to Satin, “Lies are the religion of slaves and masters. Truth is the god of a free man!” But all the heroes of this play are absolutely not like free people. These people are losers, they are stupid, they are those “who are weak at heart. and those who live on other people's juices need lies. Some she supports, others hide behind her. And who is his own boss. whoever is independent and doesn’t eat other people’s things, why does he need lies. " But it gradually becomes clear that there is no one in the play who could become his own master.

Satin speaks out against Luke, against his sermons - patience and consolation: “I can’t get it out of my head. this old man. Don't offend the person! And if I was once offended - for the rest of my life at once! What should I do? Forgive? Nothing. No one. " Satin argues that you should not humiliate a person with pity for him, you just need to respect him. For Satin, a person “is not you, not me, not them. No! It's you, me, them, the old man, Napoleon, Mohammed. in one! This one is huge. Human. It sounds. proudly! We must respect the person! Don't regret it. Don't humiliate him with pity. must be respected!”

In the play “At the Bottom,” M. Gorky tried to show how different social conditions of life, incompatible contradictions of reality can push every person “to the bottom.” M. Gorky sees a way out of this situation only in a decisive and merciless struggle against all these living conditions.

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Quotes from the play “At the Lower Depths” by Gorky: sayings, aphorisms by Luka, Satin, Bubnov, Pepla, etc.

This article presents quotes from Gorky’s play “At the Lower Depths,” statements and aphorisms of such heroes as Luka, Satin, Bubnov, Vaska Ash, etc.

". It is, perhaps, lordship - like smallpox... and a person will recover, but the signs remain. "

". How many different people on earth are in charge... and they frighten each other with all sorts of fears, but there is still no order in life... and there is no purity..."

". If someone has not done good to someone, he has done something bad..."

". A person lives differently... as his heart is adjusted, so he lives... today he is good, tomorrow he is evil...”

". Why love them? To love - we must love the living... the living..." (Luke about the dead)

". You - beware of the living... that's what I say..." (Luke about the dead and living people)

". If you believe you had true love... that means you had it! Was. "

". Girl, someone needs to be kind... you need to feel sorry for people! It's time to feel sorry for a person... it happens well. "

". There are people, and there are others - people..."

". That is why every person must be respected... we don’t know who he is, why he was born and what he can do... maybe he was born for our happiness... for our great benefit. "

". Children especially need to be respected... children! Children need space! Don’t interfere with the children’s lives... Respect the children. "

Quotes from Satin

". Human! It's great! It sounds... proud! Human! We must respect the person! Don’t feel sorry... don’t humiliate him with pity... you need to respect him. "(Satin about a person)

". I was honest, but the spring before last. "

". Such a life that just as you got up in the morning, you started howling..."

". Everyone wants order, but there is a lack of reason. "

Quotes from Vaska Ash

Actor Quotes

". Education is nonsense, the main thing is talent. And talent is faith in yourself, in your strength...” (Actor)

Quotes from other heroes

". All people have gray souls... everyone wants to brown up..." (Baron)

". It’s not enough to know, you understand. "(Natasha)

". Do not offend a person - that is the law. "(Tatar)

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Dispute about truth and dreams In M. Gorky’s play “At the Depths” - presentation

Presentation on the topic: “The debate about truth and dreams in M. Gorky’s play “At the Lower Depths”” - Transcript:

1 Dispute about truth and dreams In M. Gorky’s play “At the Depths”

2 The relevance of Gorky’s work, written a century ago, is not surprising, because the author highlighted one of the main questions of human existence: on what and how can relationships between people be built and what will come of it?

3 The central idea of the play is a dispute about a person, about what a person is, what he needs more - the truth, often cruel, or a beautiful dream. The choice between an “uplifting” truth and a “comforting, reconciling” dream, and at such a level that human life depends on it, is the problem that the author raises in his work.

4 Particularly important and interesting for the writer are the positions of Luke and Satin as bearers of the main ideas.

5 Luke’s position This is the idea of compassion for people, for their misfortunes, the idea of active goodness that consoles a person, arousing in him a faith that can lead him further, which will allow him to withstand the burden of the “truth of life.”

6 Luke consoles Anna, promises her an afterlife. Luka pretends to believe Nastya. The old man gives hope to the Actor. Luka believes that a person needs to be given support in life, to “inspire a golden dream” of dreams. With the appearance of Luke, the main conflict of the play arises. A dispute about a person ensues between two heroes: Satin and Luka.

7 Luke comforts Anna

8 Luka pretends to believe Nastya

9 Luke gives hope to the Actor

10 Satin’s position Satin does not accept Luke’s position, but still thinks about it. “He's smart. It... acted on me like acid on an old and dirty coin..." exclaims the hero. Next he pronounces his famous monologue.

11 Satin says that a real person, free, strong, is worthy of the truth (“truth is the God of a free person!”), that the truth opens up opportunities for a person to think realistically, soberly.

13 Thus, Luke did not improve anyone’s life, his consolation does not last long: the truth again makes everyone disappointed. But at the same time, Luka did not lie about the existence of hospitals for alcoholics, and the Actor himself could not find the strength to undergo treatment. And when the time came to wake up from the “dream” inspired by the wanderer, the hero crashed against the harsh “truth” of Satin, falling from the height of his dream. Illusions only temporarily lull and calm people down - this is the meaning of the entire play.

The works he created clearly and truthfully reflect the reality of the late 19th - early 20th centuries. Already at the beginning of the century, A. M. Gorky was perceived by his contemporaries as the head of democratic literature and as a major figure in Russian culture. Gorky's heroes are mostly thinking people, inclined to think about their fate, about love for their neighbors, about the essence of existence. In my essay, I want to touch on the truth, a topic that has worried people since the day the world began, from the day when homo sapiens appeared on earth, when reason was given to man. The debate about truth has been going on for several thousand years. In Gorky's work there is also this dispute, a dispute about truth, a dispute about a person.

I would like to analyze the thoughts of two heroes of the play: Luke and Satin. In an interview with a correspondent of the Petersburg newspaper, Gorky, touching on the problems of his play, said: “Is it necessary to take compassion to the point of using lies, like Luke? This question is not subjective, but general philosophical.” This is how Gorky poses the problem. Luke and Satin reflect on man, his strength, his truth, his attitude towards man: “this is the truth.”

Luka... With the appearance of this man in the shelter, the souls of its inhabitants were excited, thoughts became more intense, more concentrated. Luke is a wanderer who preaches kindness, love and respect for people.

This is a person who likes to think. You can’t deny his intelligence; he strives for the truth. Luke... In my opinion, this is the main character of the play.

Without him, “At the Bottom” would be boring, not reflecting the search for thoughts about a person, about truth. He quietly entered the shelter. He consoled someone, felt sorry for someone, advised something to someone - and now one gets the impression that Luka has been living among the inhabitants of the shelter for a long time.

Luke is a humanist: “Man can do anything.” This is a philosopher who knows that the main value on earth is a person, anyone. And therefore he sympathizes with people and consoles them. Luke’s words are humane, they encourage, they lift the spirit, even if only for a short time. Hence their human value. Luke is a wanderer.

The Wanderer is not entirely ordinary: he is much smarter, sharper, and more insightful than many of his brothers. Luka is a tireless observer, he really wants to know how this one works and how it will work in the future - so monotonous and at the same time so different, so gray and so colorful, so evil and so kind, if only because it is already There is. Luke is evidence of the talents hidden among the people. For this man is undoubtedly gifted, developed and original. Satin, the most intelligent and intelligent inhabitant of the “bottom,” received the strongest spiritual impressions from Luke. He picks up Luke’s humanistic thought about the value of man and raises it to heights: “Man...

It sounds proud." Everything that was serious and real in Satin’s soul suddenly stirred up. Under the influence of Luke's philosophy, his thoughts about truth and about man arise - confusing, but not incoherent, but endowed with considerable meaning.

In the spring, Luka left... Satin remembers his conversations with him, remembers his questions and answers: “- Grandfather! why do people live?.. - And all rights reserved 2001-2005 for the best people live, my dear! For a hundred years... and maybe more - they live for a better person!

“Satin’s monologue about man acquired, in my opinion, a special romantic overtones, since it sounded at the very “bottom” of life, in the most cruel circumstances. It was a protest both against the system that oppressed man, and against humility and comforting compassion, which dulled the feeling of oppression: “Man is free... he pays for everything himself, and therefore he is free!

“I think that, while pronouncing this monologue, Satin was influenced by Luke and his conversations with him. I believe that in a dispute about truth there is neither a winner nor a loser. In this dispute, everyone is right in their own way. Luke is right in calling upon lies to help him - a comforting lie, a reconciling lie. Satin is also right in his own way, affirming compassion, respect, saying that truth is Man.

His understanding of man is this: man is “...not you, not me, not them... no! - it’s you, me, them, the old man, Napoleon, Mohammed... in one! This is huge! This is where it all begins and ends!” Based on this monologue, we can come to the conclusion that the truth is all the people who live on earth, but everything else is the work of their hands and their brains.

Satin proves that “man is above satiety,” that man has higher goals, has higher needs than caring about being well-fed: “I have always despised people who care too much about being well-fed. Not in this case! The man is higher! Man is above satiety!

“Truly, “man is not satisfied with bread alone.” Luke wants to understand human affairs. And in most cases he succeeds. Having understood the person, Luke tries to help him, take pity on him, console him, and cheer him up. He does this without difficulty, since Luka himself has gone through a lot, and he understands human troubles...

After reading the play “At the Bottom,” I developed a certain concept about truth, pity, and lies. The truth is man!

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History of creation

The play was written in 1902. This time is characterized by a serious situation in which, due to the closure of factories, workers were out of work, and peasants were forced to beg and beg. All these people, and with them the state, found themselves at the very bottom of their lives. To reflect the full extent of the decline, Maxim Gorky made his heroes representatives of all segments of the population. turned adventurer, former Actor, prostitute, locksmith, thief, shoemaker, merchant, rooming house keepers, policeman.

Dispute about the truth

A topic such as the dispute about truth in the play “At the Bottom” is multifaceted, ambiguous and inexhaustible. A table that could be compiled to better understand it would include three characters: Bubnova. It is these characters who lead heated discussions about the need for truth. Realizing the impossibility of answering this question, Gorky puts different opinions into the mouths of these heroes, which are of equal value and equally attractive to the viewer. It is impossible to determine the position of the author himself, therefore these three images of criticism are interpreted differently, and there is still no consensus as to whose point of view on the truth is correct.

Bubnov

For Bubnov, lying is unacceptable and incomprehensible; he believes that only the truth should be told: “And why do people like to lie?”; “In my opinion, leave the whole truth as it is!” He openly, without hesitation, expresses his opinion on others. Bubnov’s philosophy is truthful and merciless to man; he sees no point in helping his neighbor and caring for him.

Luke

Luka appears as one of the key figures in such a problem as the dispute about truth in the play “At the Bottom.” His remarks are full of sympathy and reassurance, but there is not a word of truth in them. This image is one of the most controversial in the drama. For a long time, literary scholars assessed him only from the negative side, but today many see positive aspects in Luke’s actions. His lies console the weak, unable to resist the cruelty of the surrounding reality. The philosophy of this character is kindness: “A person can teach goodness... As long as a person believed, he lived, but he lost faith and hanged himself.” Indicative in this regard is the story of how the elder saved two thieves when he treated them kindly. Luke’s truth is in pity for the person and the desire to give him hope, albeit illusory, for the possibility of something better, which would help him live.

Satin

Satin is considered Luke's main opponent. It is these two characters who are leading the main debate about the truth in the play “At the Bottom.” Satin's quotes contrast sharply with Luke's statements: “Lies are the religion of slaves,” “Truth is the god of a free man!”

Unlike Bubnov, who also recognizes only the truth and denies lies, Satin respects people and believes in them.