L. Tolstoy, "Old Horse": a summary

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

"The Old Horse" is a story by the famous Russian writer Leo Tolstoy. This is one of the works written by him for the younger generation. This very short story is aimed at bringing up the best qualities in young people.

Story plot

"Old Horse" is a very small story, but it has a lot of inner meaning. Therefore, this work is excellent for in-depth analysis in the classroom, using its example, you can analyze in detail what an old person feels at the end of his life, what responsibility and a sense of duty are.

In the center of Tolstoy's story "The Old Horse" is the youngest son in a rich and prosperous family. He, along with his older brothers, loves horseback riding, cannot imagine his life without horses. There were many horses in the family, but due to the fact that all the boys are still very young, they were forbidden to ride young and fast horses. All they had at their disposal was an old horse named Voronok.

Once mother let the brothers ride the Funnel again. First, the oldest brother sits on the horse. He goes to the field where adults work, slowly goes around the garden. Soon the brothers offer him a ridegallop to demonstrate what he is capable of in the saddle. The young and hot rider starts whipping the old horse with a whip and knees. The funnel is gaining maximum speed.

Following him in the saddle is the middle brother, who also decides to make the horse gallop at full speed. By the end of this test, Voronok is already completely tired, breathing heavily and barely rearranging his hooves.

Younger brother

The climax of the story "The Old Horse" comes when the youngest brother climbs up the Funnel. He also wants to gallop, to show his brothers how much he can do in the saddle, despite his young age. However, this time the horse refuses to obey. She just doesn't budge. The boy beats her violently with his whip. So hard that the whip breaks. Then he demands from the uncle, who at this time is looking after his older brothers, to bring a new whip.

Uncle starts to calm the boy, tries to reason with him. He explains that the horse does not obey him only because he is very tired. It's not at all that he can't do something in the saddle, it's just that the Funnel has been for many years. And on his lot and so today fell a lot of tests. The older brothers have already ridden enough on him.

Pimen Timofeevich

When the uncle sees that the boy does not understand these explanations, he begins to give examples from the surrounding life for clarity. In the story "The Old Horse" by Tolstoy, a summary of which is in this article, it is described in detailabout the old man Pimen Timofeevich. He lives next door. The whole district knows him, because he is already 90 years old. And everyone respects his age and wisdom. Treat him with respect.

Pimen Timofeevich is so old that he moves with great difficulty. He can only walk by leaning on a stick. The uncle intelligibly explains to his younger brother that, by horse standards, Voronok lived no less than Pimen Timofeevich. They are equally old. It is equally difficult for them to even move around. Not like jumping, which the characters of the story demand from the Funnel.

Only then does the boy finally realize that he had tortured the old horse in vain. He has pity for animals. He asks his forgiveness.

This story is deeply embedded in the head of the protagonist. He remembered for the rest of his life. Even as an adult, he still perfectly remembered Voronok and Pimen Timofeevich. And he respectfully treated both the elderly and old horses and other animals. Always took pity on them and protected them.

The main idea of the story

This is a brief retelling of the story "The Old Horse" by Tolstoy. Analysis of the work allows us to better understand the essence of this story.

The main idea is that people often do not realize how cruel they act towards others. Be it other people or animals. Therefore, the task of others is to be sure to point out cruel people to their inappropriate behavior.

The story "The Old Horse" by Tolstoy, the analysis of which is presented in this article, teaches that you need to be caringand attentive to everyone around. Take care of your loved ones. And especially pets, whose life and existence directly depend on their owners.

The right approach

Despite the fact that the main character of the story is formally the youngest of the brothers, the key role in the story belongs to the uncle. His job is to look after the children. Protect them from unreasonable pranks and injuries, help in any situation. He is both an educator and a tutor who also manages to explain to them the basic ethical and moral principles that will guide them in this life.

Most importantly, he manages to find the exact words with which he explains to the capricious child why the horse he wanted to ride refuses to obey. The apt comparison of an old horse with an old man helped the boy understand the fallacy of his act.

Count Tolstoy

The author of this story is more, of course, known for his other works, which brought him worldwide fame. These are the epic "War and Peace", the novels "Sunday", "Anna Karenina". Tolstoy had a huge influence on the development of not only Russian, but also all European literature. His works have been repeatedly staged on the stages of theaters around the world, filmed. This is the most published writer in Russia. The total circulation of all his books is approaching half a billion.

But he gave a big place in his work to children. Creating separate stories and fairy tales for them, one of which isanalyzed "Old Horse".

In his estate in Yasnaya Polyana, Count Tolstoy even founded a special school for all kids who want to learn science. He himself wrote alphabets and small works for them, which not only helped them to learn to read, but also to learn more about the world around them, to become kind, sincere and honest people. Learn to sympathize with your neighbor, to understand what is good and what is bad. Tolstoy attached no less importance to these small works for children than to his epoch-making works.