The general tone of Maxim Gorky’s autobiographical story “Childhood” is sad, gloomy. Everyone except Akulina Ivanovna is the grandmother of the protagonist. Let us dwell on her image in more detail.
Akulina Ivanovna was the daughter of a serf woman, who was kicked out by the owners because of a mutilation. She was a talented lacemaker, but could no longer work. So she turned out to be a beggar and homeless on the street with her little daughter. To feed, Akulina began to work early, her mother taught her lace craft and at 9 she could already work independently. I also had to get married early, at the age of 14. Vasily Kashirin, an angry, monstrous tyrant, who throughout his life beat and humiliated his wife, became her husband. Because of the constant beatings of her 18 children, only three survive. However, despite the hellish life and harsh conditions, Akulina Ivanova miraculously retained optimism and a good heart.
"... Lord, Lord! How good everything is! No, you see how good it is! It was the cry of her heart, the slogan of her whole life ... "
Until the end of her days, she tries as soon as possible to help other people, although sometimes she herself needs help. She does not become cruel and does not despair, even when her own sons follow in the footsteps of her father. It is she who persuades her husband to leave and raise a thrown baby - Ivan Gypsy. She is also engaged in the education of grandchildren, whom at the same time mercilessly scolds and beats his grandfather. Much of everything Alexei adores her fairy tales and stories from life, they help him to develop imagination, learn to think independently and build his picture of the world. “She spoke affectionately, cheerfully, nicely ...” - and her soul was the same. Grandmother Akulina was generous, responsive and sincere. She sincerely believed in God and often drew her strength to fight fate in prayer. The author is so imbued with love for her that he almost deifies her: he calls Akulina Ivanovna’s voice “embracing”, her words are like flowers for him, and her speech is like church hymns.
However, life in an atmosphere of anger and greed leaves its mark on the personality of Akulina Ivanovna. The author does not hide from and says that she abused alcohol, smoked and was completely illiterate and had no education. Her speech is full of mistakes. She meekly endures men and is afraid of him to trembling. He, completely insolent, throws her to the mercy of fate, depriving any money. And a humble ignorant woman cannot protect her rights in any way. She can not protect her grandchildren from communicating with the fierce grandfather, who constantly beats them. She is inactive even when Vasily Kashirin begins to starve a defenseless baby - brother Alexei. We see that the kind heart of the heroine is brazenly used by native people for their own benefit and she does not oppose it, although she understands this.
Akulina Ivanovna was a kind and humble woman, but despite her many virtues in her entire life, she could not find an answer to her good feelings. All her blood relatives are indifferent to her. Through this unfortunate woman, Gorky reveals for us the image of all Russian women of that time. In a rude, cruel environment, oppressed by their own families, they forever lost the keys to their happiness.
Buddenbrooks
