The story "Return", Platonov. Summary

The Great Patriotic War left a mark in the soul of every Russian person. About her written a lot and in different ways, but in the first post-war years, everything basically boiled down to glorifying the image of a hero soldier returning after a long separation from his family. With this, in principle, no one argued, but there was another side to this joyful event. A. Platonov devoted his story to this. "The Return," a brief summary of which is given here, was a work that made a new look at how hard yesterday's warriors had become accustomed to peaceful life.

Scandalous publication

To the creativity of the writer, the Soviet authorities have long been wary. The situation worsened after in 1946 New World magazine published his new work The Family of Ivanovs (later the name changed and became more capacious). "The most vile slander against Soviet people," - this characteristic was received a few months later in the article by V.Ermilov, the story "Return." Platonov (a summary of the text will show it) depicted Alexei, who returned from the front, not in a heroic halo. Moreover, some of his actions cause condemnation from the reader, which contradicted the established tradition. Let's see what the unusualness of the story is.

Long-awaited mobilization

It was September 1945. Captain of the Guard with a common surname Ivanov (this fact is not accidental) got the opportunity to go home. For four years he did not see his wife, son and little daughter. Alexei Alekseevich sent a telegram in advance and began to prepare for a meeting with his family. So begins the story "The Return" of the Platons.

The brief description of the unexpected encounter between the hero and Masha is an important point. Alexei's train was delayed for the second day, when he saw a familiar at the station. The girl served in the dining room, and now she too was heading home. They quickly came together, because both were afraid of meeting with a past life, which they had become unaccustomed to during the war years.

On the way home: summary

The "return" of Platonov continues with a story about the short relations that arose between Alexei and his acquaintance. When the train drove into the city where Masha lived, Ivanov suddenly went out with her. Twenty-year-old girl was very grateful to the companion, because she was afraid of the future. Parents were hijacked by the Germans, and she felt lonely. Unexpected confusion was felt by Alex. He would have to go home, but he kept delaying the meeting with his family.

Only two days later Ivanov went on, promising Masha not to forget her.

Meeting with family

Alexei Alexeyevich's house was already waiting for the sixth day. His wife asked to leave the brick factory and three times to the train. On the day of arrival at the station, the twelve-year-old Petrusha (or Peter, as an adult named him in the story "The Return" of the Platons) was waiting for his father. The summary of the dialogue that emerged and the description of their meeting is as follows. The father saw in the son of a little peasant, accustomed to everyday problems. Yes, and he behaved like an adult. He asked me a lot about why he was traveling so long and how many orders he received, then he took the duffel bag and headed for the house.

Lyubov Vasilyevna was waiting on the porch. She had already tidied up the house, and only one thought bothered her: Semyon Evseevich, who had lost his family and now became attached to her children.

Alexei embraced his wife and felt "familiar warmth." Little Nastya, who did not remember her father, grabbed his leg and tried to pull him away from his mother.

We entered the house. While the wife and children were busy trying to prepare dinner, Ivanov looked around the room and seemed to re-familiarize with it. The smell of his home and the observation of what was happening caused him pleasant and at the same time disturbing thoughts - the author gives them a brief summary.

The "return" of Platonov is to a greater extent the description of Alexei's "addiction" to a new life. He seemed to have seen his family before him, but for some reason he did not feel the joy of meeting. Unaccustomed to him, Lyubov Vasilievna was embarrassed and behaved as if in her youth. My daughter did a simple housework. Petrushka in the usual tone gave commands and somehow resembled a nagging old man.

Alexey looked at them and tried to understand how they lived without him. And he felt ashamed that he did not have a strong fatherly feeling for his son.

First family dinner

At last everyone gathered at the table. Parsley ate a piece of cake and collected all the crumbs. On the offer to take still seriously answered that he was full. His words: "I want you to get more" - they forced the parents to shudder. I pushed aside my piece and Nastya. She said it was for Semyon Evseevich. Alexei tensed - this moment was the beginning of a difficult conversation between the spouses. Lyubov Vasilyevna tried to get away from the topic, briefly replying that the man had lost his family and now comes to tinker with the children. She is calmer from this: she works late, and the guys are under supervision. However, Ivanov did not like the answer.

Petrushka, sensing the wrong, translated the conversation into the weather, then gave orders about tomorrow. They also concerned the father, who needed to register and receive cards urgently. Alexei suddenly felt timid before an older son.

Shchi ate in silence, as if trying to enjoy a quiet family happiness - so ends the story about the dinner of A. Platonov.

"Return": the content of the night conversation

Lyubov Vasilievna waited for evening to be alone with her husband. But the conversation did not work out. Waking up, Petrushka heard the loud voices of his parents. Alexei accused his wife of having contacted Semyon Evseevich, and she tried to explain that there was nothing between them. Lyubov Vasilievna told about a difficult life with two small children - Petrushka did not immediately become economic. The fact that she always thought only of her husband. And only once gave in to feelings, when it was unbearable to endure the burdens of life, and endless loneliness. But I immediately noticed that the meeting with the district committee instructor had made her understand how much she loved her husband. After that she lived by the hope of his return. Platonov (a brief conversation can not convey all the feelings of the heroine) draws attention to the emotional state of a woman who has not experienced guilt, but is also unable to convince her husband. The sound of the glass cracked on the lamp - Alexei crushed it - forced his son to intervene in the conversation. He stood up for his mother and told the story of the local peasant Khariton. While he was at war, his wife lived with others. Returning, he was at first angry, and then came up with a story that he also had women. Now they live in a good way. Ivanov was embarrassed: "I thought he would say about Masha ...".

Unexpected insight

What happened in the morning can be called "real return". Platonov - a summary and the full text of the final of the story is proved - he meant by this word is not just the arrival of the hero home.

Waking up, Petrushka saw Nastya. She said that her father took the bag and left. The boy understood everything, grabbed his sister's hand and ran to the station.

At that time Alexei entered the platform of the moving train: he was thinking about Masha. Suddenly Ivan saw the children running after the train. They fell, but rose and again moved forward, now to the move. Suddenly, Alexei realized that it was Petrushka and Nastya. His chest became hot, and his whole being was filled with "warmth and shudder." An unusual feeling enveloped the hero. "Before, he felt a different life through a barrier of self-esteem and self-interest, and now he suddenly touched her with his bare heart."

He dropped the bag on the ground and got off the train ...

Analysis of Platonov's "Return" allows us to understand how difficult was the process of getting used to the peaceful life of yesterday's soldier, who for a long time saw only death and destruction.