The theme of fidelity and betrayal is raised in many works of Russian literature. These include M. Sholokhov’s story “The Fate of a Man.” Main character Andrei Sokolov personifies all the best traits of a Russian person. He is a conscientious worker, an honest worker and an exemplary family man, and during the war he is also a brave soldier. He lived a measured life, gave up drinking for the sake of his family. This is how he would have lived if the war had not intervened. In the face of danger, Sokolov stands up to defend his Motherland, his land and a happy life. He experiences all the hardships of war, he is wounded, taken prisoner, but nothing forced him to abandon his moral principles. Through all this difficult time, Andrei carried loyalty to his homeland and comrades in arms. Even his enemies admired his courage and decent behavior.

In the work, Andrei Sokolov is characterized as “a man of unbending will.” He did not lose heart in captivity in front of the German Muller, and he, experiencing involuntary respect for the strength of his spirit, spares his life.

From a letter from a neighbor, Andrei learns terrible news: during the bombing of an aircraft factory in the summer of 1942, his wife and daughters were killed by a bomb. Unfortunately, he also lost his son: Anatoly died on May 9.

From the story we see how many sorrows befell Andrei Sokolov. But he retained his humanity and the ability to give others care and warmth. After the war, he adopts an orphan boy.

Humanity has hope for a bright future as long as there are such devoted and worthy people on earth.

An example of a base act and betrayal is presented by soldier Kryzhnev. He wanted to hand over the platoon commander to the enemies. He put his life and personal interests above the interests of the Motherland, for which he was strangled by Sokolov. In this case, the murder is morally justified, since by doing this Sokolov stopped the traitor and saved people’s lives.

Loyalty. What it is? This is the moral foundation on which the human world rests. This is devotion to one’s principles, duty, one’s Motherland, one’s land, parents, friends and loved ones. The opposite concept is treason. A person cheats first of all on himself, failing to pass the test of moral strength. People are tested for loyalty and treason primarily in relation to their duty, to the Fatherland. This is especially evident during years of difficult trials, during the war.

Let's look at examples from fiction.

In the novel by A.S. Pushkin's "The Captain's Daughter" is about a popular uprising led by Pugachev. Almost everything is related to this storylines stories. The main character is Pyotr Grinev, a young officer who serves in Belogorsk fortress. When the fortress was captured by the Pugachevites, he was faced with a choice: to die, but remain faithful to the oath, to the Fatherland, or to stay alive, but betray his duty, betray the moral principles that had been ingrained in him since childhood. “Take care of your honor from a young age,” the father instructed his son, seeing him off to service. And Grinev preserved his honor, remained faithful to the oath and was ready to die, but not go over to the side of the impostor. And Pushkin talks about treason in his work. Shvabrin, also a young officer, swears allegiance to Pugachev so as not to be hanged. He betrays his military duty, his oath to faithfully serve the Tsar and the Fatherland. Of course, who wants to die young. But betrayal is a shame, people’s contempt, and it has never made a person happier.

M. Sholokhov’s story “The Fate of Man” talks about loyalty to human and military duty. The main character, Andrei Sokolov, endured many trials: he fought, was captured, lost his family, but even in the most difficult moments of his life he managed to remain a man and a faithful defender of his native land. Loyalty does not live in every heart. Let us remember the episode that tells how prisoners were kept in a barn in inhumane conditions. And one of them is ready to betray others, to point out communists and Komsomol members to the fascists in order to survive, curry favor with enemies, and save his life. He does not stand the test, betrays his duty, would become a traitor if not for Andrei Sokolov, who kills the traitor. The author wants to say that only qualities such as loyalty and courage help people preserve the human being within them.

V. Bykov’s story “Sotnikov” also talks about loyalty and betrayal of one’s human and military duty. The action takes place during the Great Patriotic War. The two main characters, Sotnikov and Rybak, find themselves facing death: they fall into the clutches of their enemies. Sotnikov holds on courageously. Beaten and tormented, he does not agree to go into service with the fascists, but remains faithful to his comrades in arms, his military oath, and his Motherland. Courage, boldness, and loyalty to his native land help him remain human to the end. And what about the second one – Rybak? He became a coward even when he abandoned his comrade on the road, who was alone in a shootout with the police. And only fear of the partisans forced Rybak to return. He became a traitor in the face of death: he agreed to join the police to save his life, and even became an executioner: he knocked out the stool under the gallows on which Sotnikov stood. Loyalty and betrayal manifest themselves most clearly in war.

Reflecting on fidelity and betrayal, re-reading the works of Russian writers, I came to the conclusion that fidelity, devotion to the country, love for the Fatherland are the key to courage, honor, preservation human dignity, and betrayal is a shame, cowardice, a path to betrayal.

The Great Patriotic War left an indelible mark on the memory of all the peoples of the USSR, which could not but affect literature. Today there are thousands and thousands of literary monuments of varying degrees of quality dedicated to this period of our history. The most famous writer of the Soviet era, Mikhail Sholokhov, could not stand aside. His story “The Fate of Man” is considered one of the most piercing literary masterpieces dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. The many-wise Litrecon offers you its analysis.

“The Fate of Man” was created within the literary framework. The author strives for as natural a depiction of reality as possible. His characters, their words and actions are written as realistically as possible. The reader can believe that the events described in the story could actually happen.

The genre of the work can be defined as a story. The narrative covers a relatively short period of time. Quantity characters limited. The images created by the writer are blurry and non-specific, which only emphasizes the typical nature of the story told.

Meaning of the name

The title of the story “The Fate of Man” accurately reflects its essence - life path a simple Russian person who had to overcome many trials. Through the fate of an ordinary soldier, does the author show what the entire Soviet people went through? Sokolov’s whole life is a reflection of what each fighter experienced. This is the meaning of the title of the work.

The very word “man” in the title emphasizes main idea Sholokhov - about how, having gone through hell, one can and should remain a person capable of compassion. How, after seeing what horrors humanity is creating, not to despair and continue to live, hoping for the best.

The gist: what is the story about?

The story “The Fate of a Man” begins with how the author, during a trip to the south of post-war Russia, meets the driver Andrei Sokolov and the little boy Ivan. Sokolov tells the story of his life.

Even before the war, Sokolov had a family, a wife, a son and two daughters, and lived a simple working life.

In 1941, Sokolov was drafted into the Red Army as a driver and was captured while carrying shells for an artillery battery. Having passed through a concentration camp, the hero escapes from captivity, taking with him an important German officer.

Returning home, Skolov learns that his wife and daughters have died, and his son, Anatoly, has gone to the front. After some time, he learns that his son is in command of the batteries.

Some time later, Andrei participates in the capture of Berlin; on the day of victory he learns that his son was killed by a German sniper.

The war took away from Sokolov everything he lived for. However, having met the orphan Ivan, whose parents died during the war, the main character takes him under his wing and finds the strength to live on.

The main characters and their characteristics

The system of images is reflected by the Many-Wise Litrekon in table format:

heroes of the story “The Fate of Man”	characteristic
Andrey Sokolov	an unremarkable citizen Soviet Union. chauffeur. Before the war, he was a decent person and a family man: he loved his wife and children, worked for them. has a strong sense of duty: he carried shells for artillery, despite enemy shelling, and immediately after escaping from captivity he asked to be enlisted in a rifle unit. Thanks to his enormous fortitude, he withstood all the trials of life without losing his dignity, but the wounds he received are unlikely to ever heal completely. loves his homeland and is ready to die for it, because he refuses a toast to the victory of Germany, risking his life. this is a collective image of the entire Soviet people.
Muller	commandant of the camp where Sokolov was kept. a power-hungry sadist who regularly beats prisoners. speaks excellent Russian. despises Soviet people. however, wanting to prove Sokolov’s weakness by offering him a toast to the victory of German weapons before execution, he failed and even gained respect for the hero, saving his life.
Ivan	an ordinary boy of 5-6 years old. During the war he lost his parents, but retained his childish cheerfulness.

Themes

The theme of the work “The Fate of Man” reflects all the hardships and hardships of the war, but there is even more heroism and fortitude of the Soviet people in it:

• Humanity- the main theme of the story “The Fate of Man.” Despite difficulties and losses, Sokolov does not harden his heart. He takes pity on the orphan and finds the strength to begin working in a peaceful life again. The hero does not want revenge; the fate of his country is important to him.
• Love– Sholokhov’s love is presented primarily as love within the family. The writer shows that only in the family, having experienced all the difficulties of everyday life, do people show true feelings that even death cannot destroy. Sokolov will never forget his family.
• Family– the family in the story is presented as the highest human value, which serves as an important support for a person. Sokolov, having lost his family, lost his purpose of existence, but, having found a new one, he again found a purpose in life. Only those who have close people and are responsible for them can sincerely love their homeland, because it is also part of the family.
• Mutual assistance- talking about the fate of Soviet prisoners of war, Sholokhov emphasizes the importance of mutual assistance between Soviet people captured by Germans. Despite the fact that some show their rotten essence, most retain their humanity.
• Feat- Sholokhov’s story is free from pathos and pathos, but there is a place for real feat in it, which, according to Sholokhov, lies in fulfilling one’s duty to the country and loved ones. Andrei is not a fabulous hero, but he tried and brought benefit to his homeland on the battlefields and even in captivity.
• Life values– the writer extols such human values ​​as loyalty, honesty and pride, and the ability to preserve them in the most terrible situation. But his hero considers love to be the main value: for family, for homeland, for comrades.
• Devotion– according to Sholokhov, devotion to the homeland and family is one of the greatest virtues of a person. It is she who is the guarantor of perseverance in trials and hardships.
• Kindness– it is especially important, according to the writer, to treat other people with kindness. It is this attitude that can provide sufficient strength to defeat evil.
• Happiness– the author shows that a person finds happiness only in the family circle. But it is impossible without its own place - that is, a country where people have lived freely from time immemorial. The Soviet people fought not for land, but for their happiness.

Problems

The problematics of the story “The Fate of Man” serve as an eternal reminder to us of what our ancestors experienced:

1. Strength of mind– Sholokhov in every possible way emphasizes the strength of spirit of his hero, who does not break before anything, even death itself. This quality of the Soviet people made it possible to defeat an enemy superior in strength and technical equipment.
2. War- the main theme of the story “The Fate of Man.” The writer is not inclined to embellish the war. Dirt, blood, death and violence - this is what the Great Patriotic War is, devoid of any gloss. However, Sholokhov emphasizes the importance and necessity of these tests in the face of the Nazi invasion.
3. Treason– Sholokhov emphasizes the patriotism of that war, showing the unshakable devotion of the majority of Soviet citizens, going through terrible torment, to their fatherland. The author portrayed a traitor, emphasizing his loneliness in the crowd. The people did not support him, since they remained loyal to the country of hell under the threat of death.
4. Death– throughout the war, death haunts the heroes, taking away their closest people and threatening them themselves. However, even she is not able to break the fighters who continue to live, no matter what.
5. Cruelty– the main character faces inhuman cruelty from the German occupiers, for whom human life means nothing. Beatings, abuse and murder by the Nazis become commonplace in captivity.

main idea

The story “The Fate of a Man” is an outstanding work about the Great Patriotic War, which tells about those events as accurately as possible, without any embellishment. The meaning of the story “The Fate of a Man” is as follows: using the example of the fate of Andrei Sokolov, Sholokhov talks about the monstrous ordeal that befell the entire Soviet people. It emphasizes strength ordinary people who were able not only to defeat a terrible inhuman enemy, but then return to peaceful life and restore their country.

The main idea in the story “The Fate of Man” is the need to preserve one’s humanity, no matter what happens. Even in the midst of war and devastation, people must remain human: love and be loved.

What does it teach?

The story “The Fate of Man” once again emphasizes the significance and patriotic nature of that war. The author demonstrates the will of the peoples of the USSR and stigmatizes Nazism, which sought to destroy entire countries and peoples. The conclusion from the book can be drawn as follows: the war for life and freedom is the moral duty of those who value their country.

Sokolov demonstrates to us colossal fortitude, with the help of which one can overcome even the horrors of a concentration camp, not to mention everyday problems. The author emphasizes the importance of family, kindness and love, condemns meanness and opportunism. Sholokhov's morality is eternal, because he is the author who puts family, love and kindness above empty ambitions, and this is an eternal truth.

Criticism

During his lifetime, Sholokhov had a dubious reputation. Many accused him of plagiarism and appropriation of other people's merits. "The Destiny of Man" was also under suspicion. She was also accused of a pro-Soviet position, of keeping silent about the allegedly terrible fate of those who returned from German captivity. For example, the famous dissident A. I. Solzhenitsyn described in his work “The Gulag Archipelago” how Sokolov would actually be greeted:

“Escape to your homeland - through the camp cordon, through half of Germany, then through Poland or the Balkans, led to SMERSH and to the dock: how did you escape when others cannot escape? Things are dirty here! Tell me, you bastard, what task you were sent with (Mikhail Burnatsev, Pavel Bondarenko and many, many.) In our criticism it is established to write that Sholokhov in his immortal story “The Fate of Man” expressed the “bitter truth” about “this side of our life, “ discovered the problem. We are forced to admit that in this generally very weak story, where the military pages are pale and unconvincing (the author apparently does not know last war), where the description of the Germans is standard, popular to the point of anecdote (and only the hero’s wife was a success, but she is a pure Christian from Dostoevsky), - in this story about the fate of a prisoner of war, THE TRUE PROBLEM OF CAPTIVITY IS HIDDEN OR DISTORTED"

Today, Sholokhov's reputation has been practically cleared, and “The Fate of a Man” is considered one of the greatest stories in Russian literature.

Speaking about Sholokhov’s desire for truth, one cannot help but recall the story “The Fate of a Man,” which also became another breakthrough in showing the truth about the war. Some critics reproached Sholokhov for the fact that this is not the whole truth, in the sense that Andrei Sokolov could also face a Soviet concentration camp. But Sholokhov always counted on mutual understanding with the reader. So, he said about “Virgin Soil Upturned”: “I would like to not chew everything in the second book, but leave the reader room for reflection.” And although Sholokhov’s story is a work for all times, it also fits into the literary debates of the 50s and 60s of the twentieth century (discussions about the positive and ideal hero and about the “common man”). Sholokhov’s artistic discovery was the image of a man who, according to his social status, should have been called small, but who shows unparalleled greatness of soul, giving everything to the altar of the fatherland and remaining unbroken in the fight against historical circumstances. With his courage and stoicism, Andrei Sokolov resembles the heroes of ancient tragedies, but at the same time, this is a truly Russian character in all its manifestations, not realizing his own greatness, but simply living according to the canon of behavior that took shape during the times of Dmitry Donskoy and Kozma Minin and which, perhaps it has already been lost to our days, so Sholokhov’s “micro-epic” is, in the words of G.D. Gacheva, a “giant gravestone” to the Russian character. (Osipov V.O. Sholokhov)

Modern literary scholars highly value Sholokhov’s work, seeing in it hints that the fate of man in the post-war USSR was far from ideal:

M. Sholokhov was the first to set a great goal: to morally rehabilitate those who survived all the horrors of fascist captivity, to prove that a person can preserve himself in inhumane circumstances. Yes, he said nothing about filtration camps, humiliating checks and accusations of espionage against former prisoners. But, firstly, as V. Osipov rightly noted, one cannot “judge a story for what is not in it.” And secondly, Andrei Sokolov’s opponents have a very original idea of ​​the hero’s post-war life as happy and cloudless. A burnt-out quilted jacket, clumsily patched pants, eyes filled with “inescapable mortal melancholy,” a sick heart and the arbitrariness of the little masters of life—this is what the defender of the fatherland, forced to wander around Mother Russia, deserves. It is difficult to imagine that such a great writer, as A.I. Solzhenitsyn certainly is, could not see what makes the hearts of more than one generation of readers clench. And finally, are we not too wasteful in our desire to reject everything that was created before us? (Osipova T.O.)

What is treason? This is a betrayal of the interests of one’s country in the name of personal selfish goals. As a rule, this phenomenon acquires particular significance during war, when desertion undermines the foundations on which the state is based. Most people, of course, risk their lives if their homeland is in danger. Our history is rich in such examples and our literature is proud of it. However, there are always those few members of society who succumb to fear and serve only themselves, ignoring the troubles of the fatherland. Today, this problem, as before, is topical, because it manifests itself not only in wartime. That is why arguments on the topic “Treason to the Motherland” are so diverse and cover not only periods of armed conflicts.

1. Andrei Sokolov, the hero of Sholokhov’s work “The Fate of a Man,” faces treason against his homeland. The soldier is captured and witnesses how the Germans are trying to find out which of the detainees is the Red Commissar. Members of the Bolshevik Party were shot immediately and were not taken prisoner. Their disfigured bodies served as proof that the German authorities would establish their own rules and get to every communist. A traitor appears among the ranks of prisoners and offers others to hand over the commander in exchange for safety. Then Andrei kills him so as not to sow confusion in the ranks of the soldiers. He understood that any concession to the enemy is treason, which is not only punishable by execution, but also does not find even the slightest moral justification. Because of deserters and Vlasovites, the country is losing its chances of victory.
2. Demonstrates readiness to betray elite in Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace". The nobility does not risk their lives in battle, sits in salons and argues that nothing will change with the arrival of Napoleon. French they know better than their own, manners and antics are the same everywhere. They don’t care who is in power, what will happen to the country, how the battle will end, where their compatriots die every day. They will happily accept any outcome, because they have no true patriotism. They are strangers in Russia, its suffering is alien to them. The example of Prince Rostopchin, the Governor-General of Moscow, who was only capable of pathetic patriotic speeches, but did not really help the people, is widely known. Also stupid and false is the outfit of high society ladies who dressed in sundresses and kokoshniks instead of foreign dresses, supposedly supporting the national spirit. While ordinary people were shedding blood, the rich were playing dress up.
3. In Rasputin's story “Live and Remember,” Andrei Guskov becomes a traitor by deserting the army. Front-line life was too much for him: lack of food and ammunition, constant risk, tough leadership broke his will. He moved to his native village, knowing that he was bringing a mortal threat to his wife. As you can see, betrayal of one’s homeland is dangerous because a person completely loses his moral core and betrays all the people dear to him. He substitutes the devoted Nastena, who helps him, risking her reputation and freedom. The woman fails to hide this help, and her fellow villagers pursue her to find the deserter. Then the heroine drowned herself, and her selfish husband sat in secluded place, feeling sorry only for myself.
4. In the story “Sotnikov” by Vasil Bykov, the handsome and strong man Rybak loses all his dignity when he encounters a real threat. He and a friend go on reconnaissance, but due to Sotnikov’s illness they are forced to take refuge in the village. As a result, they were captured by the Germans. Unlike the sick partisan, the healthy Rybak is a coward and agrees to cooperate with the invaders. Sotnikov is not trying to justify himself or take revenge. All his efforts are aimed at helping those people who sheltered them, to protect them with their silence. Meanwhile, the traitor wants, at all costs, to save his own life. Although he believes to the last that he can deceive the enemy and escape, joining his ranks for a while, Strelnikov prophetically notes that nothing can save his comrade from moral decay. In the finale, Rybak knocks the support from under his former colleague’s feet. So he set out on the path of betrayal and crossed out everything that connects him with his homeland.
5. In Griboyedov's comedy "Woe from Wit" the heroes do not fight, but still manage to harm their country. Famus Society lives by conservative and hypocritical principles, ignoring progress and the rest of the world outside their ivory tower. These people usurp the people, plunge them into ignorance and drunkenness with their extravagant and cruel antics. The nobles, the support of autocratic power, are themselves mired in hypocrisy and careerism, while their whims are provided for by the peasantry. We see, for example, the stupid and mediocre military Skalozub, who only shines with shoulder straps at balls. He cannot be trusted with his daughter, let alone a regiment or a company. He is a limited and pitiful person who is accustomed to only receiving from his homeland, but not repaying it with valiant and honest service. Isn't this treason?
6. Loyalty and betrayal in war are always obvious. For example, in Pushkin’s story “The Captain’s Daughter,” Shvabrin calmly serves and receives ranks without being a brave man. When the battle broke out, he showed his true face. The traitor immediately went over to the enemy’s side and swore allegiance to Pugachev, saving his life, while his friend Peter risked himself just to honestly fulfill his duty. The oath to the rebel is not Alexei’s only betrayal. During the duel, he used a dishonest tactic, thereby betraying his honor. He also dishonestly deceives Grinev and vilifies Masha’s name without any reason. Then he finally falls into the abyss of moral decline and forces Maria to marry him. That is, the baseness of a person is not limited to betrayal of his homeland, and one cannot forgive this kind of betrayal, if only on the grounds that it is clearly not the last. If he was able to betray his native country, then there is nothing to be expected from him in relation to people.
7. In Gogol's story "Taras Bulba" Andriy betrays his country because of his passionate love for a Polish woman. However, this is not entirely true: he was initially alien to the traditions and mentality of the Cossacks. This contrast between personality and environment is visible when the hero returns home from the bursa: while Ostap joyfully fights with his father, the youngest son caresses his mother and peacefully stays away. He is not a coward or a weakling, he is simply a different person by nature, he does not have this militant spirit of the Zaporozhye Sich. Andriy was born for family and peaceful creation, while Taras and all his friends, on the contrary, see the meaning of a man’s life in eternal battle. Therefore, the younger Bulba’s decision looks natural: not finding understanding in his native land, he looks for it in the person of the Polish girl and her entourage. Probably, in this particular example, betrayal can be justified by the fact that the person could not have acted differently, that is, cheated on himself. At least he did not cheat and deceive his comrades in battle, acting on the sly. His honest position was at least known to everyone and emotionally motivated, because if you do not feel a sincere desire to help your homeland, sooner or later your lies will come out and do even more harm.
8. In Gogol's play "The Inspector General" there is no war, but there is an imperceptible and more vile betrayal of the homeland than desertion on the battlefield. Officials of the city “N” plunder the treasury and oppress their native people. Because of them, the district is in poverty, and its population is overwhelmed by constant extortions and outright robbery. The situation of ordinary people in peacetime is no better than in times of war. A stupid and vicious government is constantly moving against them, from which even a pitchfork cannot be defended. Nobles ruin with complete impunity motherland, like a Mongol-Tatar horde, and no one is able to stop this, except, perhaps, the auditor. In the finale, the author nevertheless hints that the real inspector has arrived, and now the thieves cannot hide from the law. But how many of these districts find themselves in an invisible state of siege for years due to the debauchery of the ruling elite? The writer also answers this question by giving his city a universal name in order to emphasize that this is the situation throughout Russia. Isn't this a betrayal of the interests of the fatherland? Yes, embezzlement is not called that out of tact, but in essence this is real treason.
9. In Sholokhov's novel " Quiet Don“The hero changes sides of the barricades several times in search of his truth and true justice. However, Gregory finds nothing like this on either side. It would seem that a person has the right to choose and make mistakes, especially in such an ambiguous situation, but some of his fellow villagers perceive these throwings as a betrayal of the homeland, although in fact Melekhov always follows the truth and is faithful to the interests of the people. It is not his fault that these interests change so often and disappear under one banner or another. It turned out that all parties only manipulated the patriotism of the Cossacks, but no one was going to act morally and fairly towards them. They were only used in the division of Russia, talking about the homeland and its defense. This is where Gregory became disillusioned, and people are already rushing to label him a traitor. Thus, there is no need to rush to blame a person for treason; maybe he is not to blame at all, and people from above use people’s anger against him as a weapon.
10. In Shalamov’s story “ Last Stand Major Pugachev,” the hero honestly and selflessly went through the war. He defended the country at the cost of his life and never retreated. However, he, like many comrades from the front, was sent to a labor camp for fictitious treason. Anyone who was captured or besieged was sentenced to 25 years in prison. In conditions of hard labor, this is a guaranteed death. Then Pugachev and several other soldiers decide to escape, because they have nothing to lose. From the point of view of the Soviet leadership, this is treason. But from the point of view of normal human logic, this is a feat, because innocent people, and even war heroes, should not be compared with criminals. They had the strength to defend their right to freedom, not to become slaves of the system, powerless and pathetic. Then, in 1944, in a German camp, provocateurs told the hero that he would be imprisoned in his homeland anyway. He did not believe and did not serve the enemy. Not broken. So what does he have to lose now, when the most gloomy forecasts justified? Although he goes against the state, I do not consider him a traitor. Traitors are the government that goes against its people.
Interesting? Save it on your wall!

In this story, Sholokhov depicted the fate of an ordinary Soviet person who went through the war, captivity, who experienced a lot of pain, hardships, losses, deprivations, but was not broken by them and managed to maintain the warmth of his soul.
For the first time we meet the main character Andrei Sokolov at the crossing. We get an idea of ​​him through the impression of the narrator. Sokolov is a tall, stooped man, he has large dark hands, eyes “as if sprinkled with ashes, filled with such an inescapable mortal melancholy that it is difficult to look into them.” Life has left deep and terrible marks on his appearance. But he says about his life that it was ordinary, although, as we learned later, in fact it was full of terrible shocks. But Andrei Sokolov does not believe that God should give him more than others.
And during the war, many Russian people suffered the same tragic fate. Andrei Sokolov, as if inadvertently, told a random stranger a sad story that happened to him, and before our eyes stood a generalized image of a Russian person, endowed with the features of true humanity and true heroism.
Sholokhov used the “story within a story” composition here. Sokolov himself narrates his fate, by this the writer ensures that everything sounds sincere and authentic, and we believe in the real existence of the hero. Much had accumulated and ached in his soul, and so, having met a random listener, he told him about his whole life. Andrey Sokolov went his own way, like many others soviet people: He had the opportunity to serve in the Red Army, and experienced a terrible famine, from which all his loved ones died, and “go after the kulaks.” Then he went to the factory and became a worker.
When Sokolov got married, a bright streak appeared in his life. His happiness was in his family. He spoke of his wife Irina with love and tenderness. She was a skilled homemaker, trying to create comfort and a warm atmosphere in the house, and she succeeded, for which her husband was immensely grateful to her. There was complete understanding between them. Andrei realized that she, too, had suffered a lot of grief in her life; for him, it was not her appearance that was important in Irina; he saw her main advantage - a beautiful soul. And she, when an angry man came home from work, did not become embittered in response, did not fence himself off from him with a prickly wall, but tried to relieve the tension with affection and love, realizing that her husband had to work a lot and hard to provide them with a comfortable existence. They created their own little world for each other, where she tried not to let in the anger of the outside world, which she succeeded in, and they were happy together. When they had children, Sokolov broke away from his comrades with their drinking sessions and began bringing all his pay home. This demonstrated his quality of absolute lack of selfishness towards his family. Andrei Sokolov found his simple happiness: a smart wife, excellent students, his own house, modest income - that’s all he needed. Sokolov has very simple requests. Spiritual values ​​are important to him, not material ones.
But the war destroyed his life, like thousands of other people's lives.
Andrei Sokolov went to the front to fulfill his civic duty. It seemed hard for him to say goodbye to his family. His wife's heart had a presentiment that this separation would be forever. Then he pushed away for a moment, got angry, thinking that she was “burying him alive,” but it turned out the other way around: he returned, and the family died. This loss is a terrible grief for him, and now he blames himself for every little thing, remembers his every step: did he offend his wife in any way, did he ever make a mistake, where he did not give warmth to his loved ones. And with inexpressible pain he says: “Until my death, until my last hour, I will die, and I will not forgive myself for pushing her away!” This is because nothing can be returned, nothing can be changed, everything that is most precious is lost forever. But Sokolov unfairly blames himself, because he did everything he could to return alive, and honestly fulfilled this duty.
When it was necessary to deliver ammunition to a battery that found itself without shells under enemy fire, the company commander asked: “Will you get past Sokolov?” But for him this issue was initially resolved: “And there was nothing to ask here. My comrades may be dying there, but I’ll be sick here?” For the sake of his comrades, he, without thinking, was ready to expose himself to any danger, even to sacrifice himself: “What kind of caution can there be when there are guys fighting empty-handed, when the entire road is covered with artillery fire.” And a shell hit his car, and Sokolov became a prisoner. He endured a lot of pain, hardship, and humiliation in captivity, but in any situation he retained his human dignity. When the German ordered him to take off his boots, he handed him his foot wraps, which put the fascist in a stupid position in the eyes of his comrades. And the enemies laughed not at the humiliation of the Russian soldier, but at their own.
This quality of Sokolov was also evident in the scene in the church, when he heard that one of the soldiers was threatening to betray him to the young commander. Sokolov is disgusted by the idea that a Russian person is capable of such a vile betrayal. Andrei strangled the scoundrel, and he felt so disgusted, “as if he was not strangling a person, but some kind of reptile.” Sokolov tried to escape from captivity, he wanted to return to his own people at all costs.” However, the first time he failed, he was found with dogs, beaten, tortured and put in a punishment cell for a month. But this did not break him; he still had the dream of escape. He was supported by the thought that in his homeland they were waiting for him, and should wait. In captivity, he experienced “inhuman torments,” like thousands of other Russian prisoners of war. They were brutally beaten, starved, fed so that they could only stand on their feet, and forced into backbreaking work. There was also news about German victories. But this did not break the unbending spirit of the Russian soldier; bitter words of protest burst from Sokolov’s chest: “They need four cubic meters of production, but for each of us, one cubic meter through the eyes is enough for the grave.” And some scoundrel reported this to the camp commander. Sokolov was summoned to the Lagerführer, and this meant execution. Andrei walked and said goodbye to the world around him, but in these moments he did not feel sorry for himself, but for his wife Irina and children, but first of all he thought about gathering his courage and fearlessly looking death in the face, not losing the honor of a Russian soldier before his enemies.
But a test still awaited him. Before the execution, the German invited Andrei to drink German weapons for the victory and gave him a piece of bread with lard. This was a serious test for a man starved to death. But Sokolov had an unbending and astonishingly powerful patriotism. Even before his death, brought to the point of physical exhaustion, he did not compromise on his principles, did not drink to the victory of his enemies, he drank to his own death, he did not take a bite after the first or second glass, and only after the third did he take a small bite. Even the Germans, who did not consider Russian prisoners as people, were amazed by the amazing resilience and sense of the highest human dignity of the Russian soldier. His courage saved his life, he was even rewarded with bread and lard, which he honestly shared with his comrades.
In the end, Sokolov managed to escape, but even here he thought about his duty to his homeland and brought with him a German engineer with valuable information. Andrei Sokolov is thus an example of the patriotism inherent in the Russian people.
But life did not spare Andrei, he was no exception among thousands tragic destinies. The war took his family away from him, and on Victory Day his pride was his only son. But she could not destroy the spirit of the Russian man. Andrei managed to preserve warmth in his soul for the little boy, an orphan, whom he found at the door of the teahouse and became his father. Sokolov could not live only for himself, it seemed pointless to him, he needed to take care of someone, to turn to someone his unspent love for his forever lost family. Sokolov’s whole life was now concentrated in this boy. And even when he suffered another setback: an ill-fated cow was run over by a car on the road, and his driver’s license was unjustly taken away from him, he did not become embittered, because now he had a little man for whom it was worth living and maintaining warmth.
This is how Sholokhov presented to us the difficult life of one ordinary Russian man. He is an ordinary soldier - a hard worker, the kind in Soviet army there were millions. And even the tragedy he experienced is not exceptional: during the years of the Nazi invasion of our country, many people lost their dearest and closest ones.
Thus, we see behind this personal, individual fate the fate of the entire Russian people, a heroic people who bore on their shoulders all the hardships and horrors of war, who defended the freedom of their Motherland in an impossible struggle with the enemy.

In this story, Sholokhov depicted the fate of an ordinary Soviet person who went through the war, captivity, who experienced a lot of pain, hardships, losses, deprivations, but was not broken by them and managed to maintain the warmth of his soul.
For the first time we meet the main character Andrei Sokolov at the crossing. We get an idea of ​​him through the impression of the narrator. Sokolov is a tall, stooped man, he has large dark hands, eyes “as if sprinkled with ashes, filled with such an inescapable mortal melancholy that it is difficult to look into them.” Life has left deep and terrible marks on his appearance. But he says about his life that it was ordinary, although, as we learned later, in fact it was full of terrible shocks. But Andrei Sokolov does not believe that God should give him more than others.
And during the war, many Russian people suffered the same tragic fate. Andrei Sokolov, as if inadvertently, told a random stranger a sad story that happened to him, and before our eyes stood a generalized image of a Russian person, endowed with the features of true humanity and true heroism.
Sholokhov used the “story within a story” composition here. Sokolov himself narrates his fate, by this the writer ensures that everything sounds sincere and authentic, and we believe in the real existence of the hero. Much had accumulated and ached in his soul, and so, having met a random listener, he told him about his whole life. Andrei Sokolov went through his own path, like many Soviet people: he had the opportunity to serve in the Red Army, and experienced a terrible famine, from which all his loved ones died, and “go after the kulaks.” Then he went to the factory and became a worker.
When Sokolov got married, a bright streak appeared in his life. His happiness was in his family. He spoke of his wife Irina with love and tenderness. She was a skilled homemaker, trying to create comfort and a warm atmosphere in the house, and she succeeded, for which her husband was immensely grateful to her. There was complete understanding between them. Andrei realized that she, too, had suffered a lot of grief in her life; for him, it was not her appearance that was important in Irina; he saw her main advantage - a beautiful soul. And she, when an angry man came home from work, did not become embittered in response, did not fence himself off from him with a prickly wall, but tried to relieve the tension with affection and love, realizing that her husband had to work a lot and hard to provide them with a comfortable existence. They created their own little world for each other, where she tried not to let in the anger of the outside world, which she succeeded in, and they were happy together. When they had children, Sokolov broke away from his comrades with their drinking sessions and began bringing all his pay home. This demonstrated his quality of absolute lack of selfishness towards his family. Andrei Sokolov found his simple happiness: a smart wife, excellent students, his own house, modest income - that’s all he needed. Sokolov has very simple requests. Spiritual values ​​are important to him, not material ones.
But the war destroyed his life, like thousands of other people's lives.
Andrei Sokolov went to the front to fulfill his civic duty. It seemed hard for him to say goodbye to his family. His wife's heart had a presentiment that this separation would be forever. Then he pushed away for a moment, got angry, thinking that she was “burying him alive,” but it turned out the other way around: he returned, and the family died. This loss is a terrible grief for him, and now he blames himself for every little thing, remembers his every step: did he offend his wife in any way, did he ever make a mistake, where he did not give warmth to his loved ones. And with inexpressible pain he says: “Until my death, until my last hour, I will die, and I will not forgive myself for pushing her away!” This is because nothing can be returned, nothing can be changed, everything that is most precious is lost forever. But Sokolov unfairly blames himself, because he did everything he could to return alive, and honestly fulfilled this duty.
When it was necessary to deliver ammunition to a battery that found itself without shells under enemy fire, the company commander asked: “Will you get past Sokolov?” But for him this issue was initially resolved: “And there was nothing to ask here. My comrades may be dying there, but I’ll be sick here?” For the sake of his comrades, he, without thinking, was ready to expose himself to any danger, even to sacrifice himself: “What kind of caution can there be when there are guys fighting empty-handed, when the entire road is covered with artillery fire.” And a shell hit his car, and Sokolov became a prisoner. He endured a lot of pain, hardship, and humiliation in captivity, but in any situation he retained his human dignity. When the German ordered him to take off his boots, he handed him his foot wraps, which put the fascist in a stupid position in the eyes of his comrades. And the enemies laughed not at the humiliation of the Russian soldier, but at their own.
This quality of Sokolov was also evident in the scene in the church, when he heard that one of the soldiers was threatening to betray him to the young commander. Sokolov is disgusted by the idea that a Russian person is capable of such a vile betrayal. Andrei strangled the scoundrel, and he felt so disgusted, “as if he was not strangling a person, but some kind of reptile.” Sokolov tried to escape from captivity, he wanted to return to his people at all costs.” However, the first time he failed, he was found with dogs, beaten, tortured and put in a punishment cell for a month. But this did not break him; he still had the dream of escape. He was supported by the thought that in his homeland they were waiting for him, and should wait. In captivity, he experienced “inhuman torments,” like thousands of other Russian prisoners of war. They were brutally beaten, starved, fed so that they could only stand on their feet, and forced into backbreaking work. There was also news about German victories. But this did not break the unbending spirit of the Russian soldier; bitter words of protest burst from Sokolov’s chest: “They need four cubic meters of production, but for each of us, one cubic meter through the eyes is enough for the grave.” And some scoundrel reported this to the camp commander. Sokolov was summoned to the Lagerführer, and this meant execution. Andrei walked and said goodbye to the world around him, but in these moments he did not feel sorry for himself, but for his wife Irina and children, but first of all he thought about gathering his courage and fearlessly looking death in the face, not losing the honor of a Russian soldier before his enemies.
But a test still awaited him. Before the execution, the German invited Andrei to drink German weapons for the victory and gave him a piece of bread with lard. This was a serious test for a man starved to death. But Sokolov had an unbending and amazingly strong patriotism. Even before his death, brought to the point of physical exhaustion, he did not compromise on his principles, did not drink to the victory of his enemies, he drank to his own death, he did not take a bite after the first or second glass, and only after the third did he take a small bite. Even the Germans, who did not consider Russian prisoners as people, were amazed by the amazing resilience and sense of the highest human dignity of the Russian soldier. His courage saved his life, he was even rewarded with bread and lard, which he honestly shared with his comrades.
In the end, Sokolov managed to escape, but even here he thought about his duty to his homeland and brought with him a German engineer with valuable information. Andrei Sokolov is thus an example of the patriotism inherent in the Russian people.
But life did not spare Andrei; he was no exception among thousands of tragic destinies. The war took his family away from him, and on Victory Day his pride was his only son. But she could not destroy the spirit of the Russian man. Andrei managed to preserve warmth in his soul for the little boy, an orphan, whom he found at the door of the teahouse and became his father. Sokolov could not live only for himself, it seemed pointless to him, he needed to take care of someone, to turn to someone his unspent love for his forever lost family. Sokolov’s whole life was now concentrated in this boy. And even when he suffered another setback: an ill-fated cow was run over by a car on the road, and his driver’s license was unjustly taken away from him, he did not become embittered, because now he had a little man for whom it was worth living and maintaining warmth.

Page 1 ]

Loyalty and betrayal - arguments

* Loyalty to a friend:

** Fyodor Dostoevsky “Crime and Punishment” (Dmitry Razumikhin supports his friend, Rodion Raskolnikov, no matter what)

** Vladimir Korolenko “In Bad Society” (Children from the dungeon: Valek and Marusya became friends with a boy from the “upper” class Vasya. The guys are so loyal to each other that they are ready not to betray under torture. Vasya even committed an unseemly act: he stole from his own home for sick Marusya a doll to brighten up last days her life)

* Cheating on a friend:

** Alexander Pushkin “The Captain's Daughter” (Petr Grinev and Shvabrin. Once friendly heroes turn out to be enemies because of different views on such concepts as honor, loyalty, nobility. Shvabrin eventually betrays Grinev, and because of his love for the same the same girl, Masha Mironova, is doing everything possible to destroy Grinev, with whom he was once friends)

** Mikhail Lermontov “Hero of Our Time” (Grushnitsky, out of envy and jealousy, betrays Pechorin, since he turned out to be happier than him in love. Princess Mary Ligovskaya, who previously sympathized with Grushnitsky, who had his own plans for the girl, falls in love with Pechorin. generosity, Grushnitsky cannot forgive Pechorin for his defeat and decides to take a vile step - a dishonest duel. He slanderes Pechorin, accusing him of having a close relationship with Princess Mary, and during the duel he offers his former friend a pistol loaded with blank cartridges.)

** Haruki Murakami “Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and the years of his wanderings” (“We don’t want to see you anymore” - and no explanation. His four best friends overnight cut him off from themselves - and from his old life. 16 years later, the already grown-up Tsukuru I’ll have to meet my friends again to find out what really happened. It turned out that Belaya accused him of rape and his friends believed it)

* Loyalty to the profession/your work:

** Boris Polevoy “The Tale of a Real Man” (about the events that happened in the life of the Soviet pilot Alexei Meresyev during the Great Patriotic War. During the battle, the plane was shot down by the Germans. He escaped, but his toes were crushed. Meresyev spent eighteen days making his way through the forest. In the hospital, he underwent amputation. As a result of persistent training and enormous willpower, Alexei achieved the opportunity to fly as before. In incredibly difficult living conditions, he remained devoted to his chosen profession, his chosen business.)

** Andrei Platonov “The Sand Teacher” (Maria Nikifirovna Naryshkina chose the difficult profession of teacher. When she was assigned to the village of Khoshutovo, where sand “reigned” and there was no vegetation, she did not refuse. In this small settlement people were dying of hunger , there was poverty and devastation everywhere, but Maria did not give up, but decided to use her teaching gift for good: to teach residents to fight the sands. Thanks to her work, vegetation appeared in the village, and on.

More peasants began to come to lessons. After the work was done, she was sent to help the nomadic people. She could have refused, but, remembering the hopeless fate of this people, she decided to put public interests above her own. With her actions and fortitude, she proved that loyalty to her profession is not limited to the walls of the office. Maria Nikiforovna became an excellent example of selfless professionalism, kindness and responsiveness and showed how difficult and important the path of a teacher is.)

* Loyalty to your loved one

** William Shakespeare “Romeo and Juliet” (children of militant clans meet each other against the orders of their parents. Juliet decides to pretend to be dead and avoid marrying another. Not knowing that his beloved is sleeping, Romeo takes poison. Waking up, Juliet sees the dead Romeo and kills himself with a dagger)

** Mikhail Bulgakov “The Master and Margarita” (Margarita loved her chosen one so much that she sold her soul to the devil. She was ready to look for him all over the world and beyond. She remained faithful to him, even when there was no hope of finding the Master.)

** Alexander Kuprin " Garnet bracelet"(Loyalty to love pushes a person to heroic deeds; it can also be destructive. In A.I. Kuprin’s story “The Garnet Bracelet,” unrequited love becomes the meaning of life for the petty official Zheltkov, who remains faithful to his high feeling To married woman who will never be able to reciprocate his feelings. He does not defile his beloved with demands for reciprocal feelings. Tormented and suffering, he blesses Vera for a happy future, does not allow vulgarity and everyday life to penetrate the fragile world of love. In his loyalty there is a tragic doom to death.)

* Infidelity (betrayal) to a loved one

** Alexander Ostrovsky “Thunderstorm” ( main character Katerina fell in love with Boris, cheating on her husband (Tikhon Kabanov), and then commits suicide)

** Nikolay Karamzin " Poor Lisa"(the rich nobleman Erast seduces Lisa, and then, having received what he wants, abandons her, leaving “for the army,” but then they meet 2 months later and he announces to her that he is engaged (he had to marry a rich widow, because he lost his fortune at cards). In the finale, the heroine commits suicide)

** Leo Tolstoy “War and Peace” (Natasha Rostova spiritually cheated on Andrei Bolkonsky with Anatoly Kuragin) / note: + reasons for betrayal + when betrayal is justified - Rostova, due to her age and inexperience, was unable to think about the consequences of her choice)

*True to your word

** Leonid Panteleev “Honest Word” (talks about a boy of seven or eight years old, who, during a game, the older boys entrusted to guard an imaginary gunpowder warehouse and took from him honestly that he will not leave his post. Having played and forgotten about the sentry, the boys had long since fled to their homes, but our hero remained. It was already getting dark in the park when the narrator saw a little sentry who never wanted to leave the post entrusted to him, because he was afraid to break his promise. And only the permission of the major, whom the narrator accidentally finds at a tram stop, frees the boy from his word and allows him to go home. The narrator says that he does not know the name, surname, or parents of this boy,

but he knows one thing for sure: he will grow out of him real man with a strong will and consciousness of fidelity to the word.)

** Alexander Pushkin “Eugene Onegin” (Tatiana Larina was the embodiment moral strength and sincerity. Therefore, she rejected Onegin’s love and remained faithful to her marital vow, despite the fact that she loved him.)

*True to yourself

** Ivan Bunin " Dark alleys"(the heroine managed to remain faithful in her soul to her first and only love in her life - to Nikolai. Years pass, Nadezhda becomes an independent woman standing firmly on her feet, but she remained lonely. Loyalty to her beloved warms the heroine’s heart, although when they meet she blames him , not forgiving for betrayal.) /note: fidelity to your principles + fidelity to love + forgiveness of betrayal/

** Mikhail Bulgakov “The Master and Margarita” (The Master believed so much in what he was doing that he could not betray the work of his whole life. He could not leave it to be torn apart by envious critics. To save his work from misinterpretation and condemnation, he even destroyed it.)

* Loyalty/betrayal to the Motherland

** Alexander Pushkin “The Captain's Daughter” (Peter Grinev is faithful to his duty and his state, despite the mortal danger when Shvabrin betrays his Motherland, the honor of an officer, his friends, saving his life) /note: + reasons for betrayal/

** Nikolai Gogol “Taras Bulba” (Taras’s youngest son, Andriy, fell in love with the lady and betrayed his homeland) / note: + unforgiveness of betrayal on the part of Taras)

** Mikhail Sholokhov “The Fate of a Man” (The main character Andrei Sokolov showed patriotism, dedication and courage not only during military service, but also in captivity. The hero, being very hungry and tired, refuses to drink and eat in honor of the German victory. After all, Andrei he is faithful to his Von duty to the end, he is not afraid of being shot for his refusal to the fascist. Andrei Sokolov is a man with a capital M. It is precisely such people, devoted to the Motherland, who saved the country and defended it.)

“The Fate of a Man” (1956) is a sad story about the life of Andrei Sokolov. This simple man has faced so many different trials that the hero himself sometimes asks himself: “Why have you, life, maimed me so much?” - but he can’t find an answer to his difficult question.

Despite everything that Andrei Sokolov had to go through, he managed to maintain his human face, and in the war he not only showed courage and courage, but also demonstrated great love and devotion to his Motherland.

Upon learning that hostilities had begun, Andrei Sokolov almost immediately went to the front. It’s hard for the hero to part with his beloved wife and children, but he goes to fight for his country, as well as for his family, and for many other similar families, in order to give these people hope for a better and happier life in the future. Therefore, for Andrey this is already becoming a matter of honor.

Once at the front, soldier Sokolov serves as a driver, but he is soon captured by the Germans. Talking about this episode of his life, the hero explains how difficult it was for him to realize that he was not in captivity of his own free will. According to the man, it is difficult for someone “who has not experienced this firsthand” to immediately “enter the soul” so that all this “reaches him in a human way.”

Indeed, it is difficult to convey in words the entire horror of German captivity and to describe the cruel tortures to which the Germans subjected Russian soldiers. But Andrei Sokolov was able to go through these tests with dignity, and, in his own words, “not turn into a beast.” And most importantly, his love for his Motherland not only did not fade away during all this time, but only became stronger.

It is enough to remember how bravely this man refuses to drink “to the victory of German weapons” and proudly rejects the enemy’s snack, despite the fact that he can barely stand on his feet. The desire to return “to his people, to his homeland” is so strong in the hero that he makes two attempts to escape.

The first of them turns out to be unsuccessful, and the Germans brutally punish Andrei Sokolov by setting a pack of dogs on him. Despite this, the hero still makes a second desperate attempt to escape from the enemy’s hands, and this time he succeeds.

Running away from the Germans, soldier Sokolov thinks not only about himself, but also about what benefit he can bring to his country. That is why he takes with him the German major, whose driver he was in captivity. This act also says a lot about how devoted Andrei Sokolov is to his homeland.

For the fact that the hero brought a German to his unit, who “is worth more than twenty “languages”,” the Russian colonel wants to petition for Andrei’s nomination for a reward. These words make the man experience joyful excitement, but the emotions are so strong in him not at all because he wants to receive a medal for his services to the Fatherland. It’s just that during the time spent in German captivity, Andrei Sokolov “lost the habit of human treatment.”

The only desire of a half-dead soldier who has barely escaped from the enemy’s lair and set foot on Russian soil is to be enlisted in a rifle unit. Andrei Sokolov strives to do everything in his power to help his country, and this shows true patriotism this man and all the strength of his love for the Motherland.

Sometimes it happens that a young man enters into adult life full of ambitious plans, a desire to change everything for the better, and falls into a routine against which all his attempts are powerless. There are many such examples in literature and in life.

What does such a person do? Maintains his ideals, but stops fighting with society, steps aside because he believes that his time has not come yet? This is what Chatsky did in Griboedov’s comedy “Woe from Wit.” No, he did not betray his ideals, he was and remained confident that he was right, but he realized that the fight against society was pointless, he was not only not perceived as a reformer, he was simply considered crazy, which is doubly offensive.

Or the doctor Ionych from Chekhov’s story of the same name, who also wanted to change his life for the better, who fell in love with a young and beautiful girl and was full of ambitious plans. But disappointment in love led to disappointment in life. Stratsev has changed dramatically in just four years, has lost all interest in life and is simply eking out a miserable existence, while remaining a respected doctor.

Unified State Exam 2018 The topic of an essay on literature is “Loyalty and betrayal” in relation to oneself, one’s moral principles, one’s calling, goals, words, religious beliefs

I believe that a striking hero on the topic of Loyalty and Betrayal towards oneself will be Judas from the Bible. He sold his beliefs for 30 pieces of silver and set an example of betrayal. First he betrayed his beliefs, and then Jesus Christ.

His moral values ​​were very weak, which is why he was so easily shaken by the opportunity to get rich quick.

Loyalty and Treason to the Motherland, national duty? Examples of works

Almost any novel, any story about war can be suitable for writing this direction, because war is such a terrible thing that there is always a place for examples of selfless loyalty to the Motherland and examples of dirty betrayal in the name of saving one’s own life.

For example, Sholokhov’s story “The Fate of a Man.”

The main character, Andrei Sokolov, is captured by the Nazis. He didn’t want this and tried to die with his head raised, but the Nazis still decided to take him prisoner. Sokolov is not going to give up and dreams of organizing an escape; he does not imagine betraying the Motherland when the fascists offer to hand over the commanders and communists.

However, among the prisoners there is a low soul, a certain Krydnev, who, succumbing to the promises of the enemy, was going to hand over his wounded platoon commander. Sokolov personally strangled the traitor, because such people cannot be left alive. A traitor, in order to save himself, will without hesitation kill dozens of innocent people.

Sokolov manages to escape, but is quickly caught and sent to work in Germany. However, despite all the hardships camp life Sokolov remained a real person, remained faithful to duty and homeland, and upon returning to his native village after the war, he took in an orphan boy. His heart did not harden in the leapfrog of betrayal and cruelty, among the deaths and horrors of war, he remained a man true to his moral principles.

Unified State Exam 2018 Topic essay on literature “Loyalty and betrayal” Homeland, national debt Arguments and examples from works. Text conflict

On the theme “Loyalty and betrayal of the Motherland, duty,” you can use many works, for example, “The Captain’s Daughter” by Pushkin.

Everything in this story is simple. The young officer Pyotr Grinev turns out to be faithful to both his love and, most importantly, his military duty, his oath. By the will of fate, he had a chance to meet Emelyan Pugachev himself, when he was not yet the ataman of the rebel Cossacks, and after this incident Pugachev felt sympathy for Grinev. Therefore, when fate brings these people together again, already in the crucible of battle, Pugachev offers Grinev protection and patronage if he goes over to his side. Of course, Grinev, for whom a duty is better than death, refuses and this is his feat as a person.

But the brilliant officer, whom Grinev Shvabrin initially admired, in a moment of danger ceases to be a man, he runs over to the side of the rebels and uses them in order to achieve his own plans related to captain's daughter Maria Mironova. But even those to whom they defected do not like traitors; only dirty scum can go next to such people, so Pugachev formally supports his enemy Grinev, against formally his friend Shvabrin.

Pugachev understands what a duty of honor is and respects people who are able to maintain it no matter what.

Perhaps. Two works will be enough. In principle, they are quite voluminous and provide a lot of ground for thought on the topic of loyalty to the Motherland and treason.

Naturally, this is Gogol’s Taras Bulba, where you can consider Andrei’s betrayal. What is the essence of betrayal, why did Andrei do it? What is more important, love for a woman or loyalty to the Motherland? These questions can be sorted out.

There is also a work by Vasil Bykov “Sotnikov”. Here we can consider the reasons that pushed the partisan Rybak to betrayal, and consider what this betrayal of Rybak himself ultimately led to.

Conduct the idea that betrayal in the name of saving life turned out to be the fact that this life itself became unbearable for the traitor.