An essay on the topic Why the hero’s future did not work out in the story by I. S.

Wrote in 1857. This story tells us about the unhappy love of a young underage girl who fell in love with a twenty-five-year-old man. The story is based on the memory of a certain N.N., who is one of the main characters of Turgenev’s story “Asya”. In addition to N.N., the story also contains the main character Asya, whose characteristics we need to describe.

The image of Asya in Turgenev's story

The image of Asya in Turgenev's story is clearly depicted in the work. And this is a pretty girl, with a round face. She has a small nose and round cheeks. Dark hair, light eyes with long eyelashes. Asya is graceful, “her slender appearance was clearly and beautifully depicted in the clear sky.” The girl spoke two languages fluently. This is exactly the portrait of the girl that emerges when you read the summary of Turgenev’s story “Asya”.

Asya is the illegitimate daughter of a landowner and a peasant woman. The girl knew about this and was very ashamed, “she wanted to make the whole world forget her origin.” After her mother's death she lived in her father's house, and after his death she was in the care of her brother. And although Asya studied at the best boarding school, she was never able to become a real young lady. She is “used to chatting whatever comes into her head.”

Asya was timid by nature, but at the same time she behaved cheekily. This is a girl about whom one can say “gunpowder” and “fire”, “a chameleon girl”. She is wayward, kind, sincere, sensitive. Asya can be like a child, or she can be capricious, she can be playful and impudent. Her image remains forever in the reader's memory.
One day she met her love in the form of Mr. N.N. And I completely surrendered to this feeling that I experienced for the first time. For her N.N. was a real hero. She fell in love so much that she was ready to do anything, but the girl made a mistake in her choice. N.N was indecisive and despite the fact that his feelings were mutual, despite the fact that the girl said “yours” to him and confessed her love, he rejected her and Asya leaves forever. N.N. Then I regretted my decision many times, but it was too late.

The girl's first love turned out to be broken and unhappy.

In an essay based on Turgenev’s story “Asya”, I would like to highlight the main idea of Turgenev’s story “Asya”. The author shows us how important it is to do everything on time and not be afraid of your feelings. You need to fight for your dream so as not to regret later. And Asya was not afraid, Asya acted, and although we do not know the girl’s future life, we would really like her to have a happy future.

What a dramatic reflection lies initially on the story told in "Ace"! To fully experience this, it is necessary to understand why Asya and N.N. are dissimilar and what causes it. Mainly because each of them lives in their own space and lives in their own time.

On the eve of the meeting with Asya, we see N.N. in the crowd of spectators watching the feast of the student fraternity. The atmosphere of the holiday: “the faces of the students,” “their hugs, exclamations,” “burning glances, laughter” - in a word, “all this joyful effervescence of life could not help but touch and push the hero to the thought: “Shouldn’t I go to them?” In the natural movement of N.N.’s soul, to be together with young people like him, there is nothing that could alert the reader, if not for the eternal craving of Turgenev’s hero to be in the crowd.

The instinct of the crowd, the steady desire to be in it, and not alone with oneself, characteristic of N.N., stand out especially clearly against the backdrop of the heroine’s deep inner concentration and her penchant for introspection. For example, Asya’s ability to laugh not at what she heard, but at “the thoughts that came into her head,” seems “strange” to him.

Apparently, Asin’s choice of a house outside the city was dictated by the desire to belong to herself. In the text of the story, the heroine’s choice of place of residence is read as a symbolic moment of the withdrawal of “Asia’s space” beyond the boundaries of the burgher world, and if we further deepen the symbolism of the “conclusion,” then also as a kind of Asin’s departure from earth to heaven: the house is located “at the very top of the mountain.” Later in the story, the motif of flight, the motif of a bird girl, appears. In general, Turgenev will consistently develop the opposition of Asya and N.N. to each other according to the “top-bottom” principle. So, we will see her sitting “on the ledge” of the wall of the old castle, having tucked her legs “under her”, as if ready to soar into the sky, while N.N. and Gagin, “fitting” below on a bench, sip cold beer. In the same way - from top to bottom - she will look at them from the “lit window on the third floor” of Frau Louise’s house, unaware that at that moment she is talking to them as if from another world and time. In the girl, who playfully invites Gagin to imagine her as the lady of his heart, it is as if one of the shadows of the lunar city comes to life, of which only the tower on the bare rock, the mossy walls, the gray loopholes and the collapsed arches of the old castle are reminiscent. Isn’t it because Asya’s thin figure glides so deftly, easily and confidently “over the pile of rubble” right above the abyss, because everything here has long been familiar to her?

Reflecting on the dissimilarity of the heroes, it is important to emphasize that against the background of N.N.’s spiritual drowsiness, Asin’s restless soul clearly appears. But this dominant state of the heroine is revealed mainly through her external behavior. First of all, N.N. draws attention to her amazing mobility: “She did not sit still for a single moment.” Asya is especially active in the scene at the ruins of the castle ("quickly ran across the pile of rubble..."; "started climbing over the ruins...").

Asya can be spontaneous, playful and a little extravagant. This is evidenced by her actions during her first meeting with N.N. So, having decided to go to bed, she unexpectedly caught up with the young people on the road to the river and, without answering Gagin’s question (“Aren’t you sleeping?”), ran past.

What do you think can explain the numerous irregularities in Asya’s behavior? Her internal imbalance, the reason for which lies in Asya’s passionate nature, self-doubt (“...And with your mind...” N.N. tells her. “Am I smart?” she asked...”), in a strange upbringing, but most importantly, in the position of a heroine between two worlds: the daughter of a peasant and a landowner, who spent her childhood in a peasant hut, and her youth in a boarding house for noble maidens.

How can one explain the oddities in Asya’s behavior when she appears before N.N. either as a “decent, well-bred young lady” or “just a girl, almost a maid”? Perhaps because she tends to live in constant changes of mood, fooling around, being sad, frolicking. However, another answer can be proposed. What if Asya thus tries on the masks imposed on her by life, demonstrates roles that reflect her ambiguous position as a half-peasant and half-lady? But my heart really aches when she sits by the window in an old dress, sews in a hoop,” and quietly hums “Mother, my dear,” because at that time it’s as if her bitter fate is standing behind the girl’s back.

From the readers' first acquaintance with Asya, Turgenev emphasizes that within her lives an angular teenager with a “straight” and “bold” look, which only children have, and at the same time an awakening femininity that transforms her gaze into “deep” and “tender.” She can play at being a society girl and run and frolic like a child. But the main thing: no matter what she does, her every movement, every moment of her life is animated by a deep feeling of awakening love. And it is precisely in the ability to love that Asino’s superiority over the hero lies.

You can pay attention to the kinship between Turgenev’s heroine and Pushkin’s Tatyana in terms of the depth of their feelings. In addition, Asya directly says to N.N.: “And I would like to be Tatyana...”. Turgenev built this parallel deliberately. Moreover, in the draft manuscript the comparison of the love story of the heroes of “Asia” and “Eugene Onegin” looked more clear than in the final version. In the draft, for example, we read about Asa that “she is able to get sick, leave, write a letter.” In the end result, Turgenev’s heroine only made an appointment with N.N. But this girl, like Tatyana, amazes with the strength and dedication of her feelings.

Asya never utters the word “love”. And in a farewell note to N.P., having written that she expected “only one word” from him, she again does not admit that this word is “love.” Although the heroine, when left alone with N.N., cannot help but talk about love itself.

How do heroes talk about love? They are talking about mountains that are higher than the clouds, about the blue of the skies, about wings, birds, flying upward. The dream of wings, the desire to feel the delight of flight is a metaphor for love in Turgenev's story.

The feeling of flight relentlessly guides the heroine. Even then we involuntarily sense a bird in her, when we see Asya sitting “motionless, her legs tucked under her,” on the wall of the castle. It seemed that if she pushed off from the wall, she would immediately soar into the heights... However, N.N. looks at the girl “with a feeling of hostility.” He is irritated by Asya’s eccentricities, so at the moment he sees in her only something “not entirely natural.” But the moment will come when N.N. sees the bird-girl in Asa.

What caused the hero’s “different” vision? The feeling of happiness spilled into the world, which Asya experiences to the same extent as the hero. An equal feeling of happiness and fullness of life makes the heroes feel lifted off the ground. Moreover, it is N.N. who takes the girl into flight (“But we are not birds.” — “But we can grow wings,” I objected...”), which would be beyond his capabilities. It’s beyond his sleepy soul.

We are responsible for those we have tamed.
A. de Saint-Exupéry

The action of the story "Asya" takes place in the 19th century in Germany. Its main characters are N.N. and Asya, and the story is their love story.
Mr. N.N., a rich young man, meets his compatriot Gagin and his sister Asya. He liked Asya immediately. He saw something special and attractive in her. Arriving at Asya’s home, N.N. got to know her better. The young man understands that this girl is not like everyone else, not a flirt. At first Asya was afraid of the stranger, but soon she started talking to him.
Returning home, N.N. was filled with pleasant feelings and considered himself happy. He realized that he loved Asya. And Asya fell in love with him just as much.
All this time, N.N. suspected that Asya was not Gagin’s sister. Asya's overheard conversation with Gagin, in which the girl confessed her love for N.N., seemed to dispel his doubts. N.N. thought that he could not love Asya, and also thought that the Gagins were deliberately lying to him. And he decided to retire, to get away from all this and spent three days in the mountains. Having returned, he meets with Gagin again, and he tells N.N. Asya’s story. This story explains the girl's strange behavior. N.N. goes to Asya and spends the whole day with her. This day was the happiest in his life. He felt in love.
A few days later, Asya made an appointment with N.N. She hoped that he would confess his love to her, but N.N. began to reproach Asya for telling her brother everything. The girl decided that he did not love her. One word could have made Asya and N.N. happy. But it was not spoken. Asya left with Gagin, N.N. looked for her for a long time, but never found her.
Having already grown old, remaining lonely, having never met true love, N.N., as his most precious thing, keeps the geranium flower thrown to him by Asya. The story of Asya and N.N. is a warning to us, the young: after all, indeed, “happiness has no tomorrow, it does not have yesterday, it does not remember the past, does not think about the future; he has a present - and that’s not a day, but a moment.” Therefore, you need to appreciate and cherish love and loved ones, understanding them and forgiving them their little whims.

Almost every famous Russian classic in his work turned to such a literary genre as a story; its main characteristics are the average volume between a novel and a short story, one developed plot line, a small number of characters. The famous prose writer of the 19th century, Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev, turned to this genre more than once throughout his literary career.

One of his most famous works, written in the genre of love lyrics, is the story “Asya”, which is also often classified as an elegiac genre of literature. Here readers find not only beautiful landscape sketches and a subtle, poetic description of feelings, but also some lyrical motifs that smoothly turn into plot ones. Even during the writer’s lifetime, the story was translated and published in many European countries and enjoyed great popularity among readers both in Russia and abroad.

History of writing

Turgenev began writing the story “Asya” in July 1857 in Germany, in the city of Sinzeg on the Rhine, where the events described in the book take place. Having finished the book in November of the same year (writing the story was a little delayed due to the author’s illness and overwork), Turgenev sent the work to the editors of the Russian magazine Sovremennik, in which it had long been awaited and published in early 1858.

According to Turgenev himself, he was inspired to write the story by a fleeting picture he saw in Germany: an elderly woman looks out from the window of a house on the first floor, and the silhouette of a young girl can be seen in the window of the second floor. The writer, thinking about what he saw, comes up with a possible fate for these people and thus creates the story “Asya”.

According to many literary critics, this story was of a personal nature for the author, since it was based on some events that took place in Turgenev’s real life, and the images of the main characters have a clear connection both with the author himself and with his immediate environment (prototype for Asya could have been the fate of his illegitimate daughter Polina Brewer or his half-sister V.N. Zhitova, also born out of wedlock, Mr. N.N., on whose behalf the story is told in “Asa”, has character traits and a similar fate with the author himself) .

Analysis of the work

Plot development

The description of the events that took place in the story is written on behalf of a certain N.N., whose name the author leaves unknown. The narrator recalls his youth and his stay in Germany, where on the banks of the Rhine he meets his compatriot from Russia Gagin and his sister Anna, whom he takes care of and calls Asya. The young girl, with her eccentric actions, constantly changing disposition and amazing attractive appearance, impresses N.N. is very impressed and he wants to know as much as possible about her.

Gagin tells him the difficult fate of Asya: she is his illegitimate half-sister, born from his father’s relationship with the maid. After the death of her mother, her father took thirteen-year-old Asya to his place and raised her as befits a young lady from a good society. After the death of her father, Gagin becomes her guardian, first sends her to a boarding house, then they go to live abroad. Now N.N., knowing the unclear social status of the girl who was born to a serf mother and a landowner father, understands what caused Asya’s nervous tension and her slightly eccentric behavior. He feels deeply sorry for the unfortunate Asya, and he begins to experience tender feelings for the girl.

Asya, like Pushkin’s Tatyana, writes a letter to Mr. N.N. asking for a date, he, unsure of his feelings, hesitates and makes a promise to Gagin not to accept his sister’s love, because he is afraid to marry her. The meeting between Asya and the narrator is chaotic, Mr. N.N. reproaches her for confessing her feelings for him to her brother and now they cannot be together. Asya runs away in confusion, N.N. realizes that he really loves the girl and wants to return her, but cannot find her. The next day, having come to the Gagins' house with the firm intention of asking for the girl's hand in marriage, he learns that Gagin and Asya have left the city, he tries to find them, but all his efforts are in vain. Never again in his life N.N. does not meet Asya and her brother, and at the end of his life's journey he realizes that although he had other hobbies, he truly loved only Asya and he still keeps the dried flower that she once gave him.

Main characters

The main character of the story, Anna, whom her brother calls Asya, is a young girl with an unusual attractive appearance (a thin boyish figure, short curly hair, wide-open eyes bordered by long and fluffy eyelashes), a spontaneous and noble character, distinguished by an ardent temperament and a difficult, tragic fate. Born from an extramarital affair between a maid and a landowner, and raised by her mother in severity and obedience, after her death she cannot get used to her new role as a lady for a long time. She perfectly understands her false position, therefore she does not know how to behave in society, she is shy and shy of everyone, and at the same time she proudly wants no one to pay attention to her origin. Left early alone without parental attention and left to her own devices, Asya begins to think about the contradictions in life that surround her.

The main character of the story, like other female characters in Turgenev’s works, is distinguished by amazing purity of soul, morality, sincerity and openness of feelings, a craving for strong feelings and experiences, a desire to perform feats and great deeds for the benefit of people. It is on the pages of this story that the concept of Turgenev’s young lady and Turgenev’s feeling of love, common to all heroines, appears, which for the author is akin to a revolution invading the lives of the heroes, testing their feelings for perseverance and ability to survive in difficult living conditions.

Mr. N.N.

The main male character and narrator of the story, Mr. N.N., has the features of a new literary type, which in Turgenev replaced the “extra people” type. This hero completely lacks the typical “extra person” conflict with the outside world. He is an absolutely calm and prosperous person with a balanced and harmonious self-organization, easily susceptible to vivid impressions and feelings, all his experiences are simple and natural, without falsehood or pretense. In his love experiences, this hero strives for mental balance, which would be intertwined with their aesthetic completeness.

After meeting Asya, his love becomes more intense and contradictory; at the last moment, the hero cannot fully surrender to his feelings, because they are overshadowed by the disclosure of the secrets of his feelings. Later, he cannot immediately tell Asya’s brother that he is ready to marry her, because he does not want to disturb his overwhelming feeling of happiness, and also fearing future changes and the responsibility that he will have to take for someone else’s life. All this leads to a tragic outcome: after his betrayal, he loses Asya forever and it is too late to correct the mistakes he made. He has lost his love, rejected the future and the very life he could have had, and pays for it throughout his entire joyless and loveless existence.

Features of compositional construction

The genre of this work refers to an elegiac story, the basis of which is a description of love experiences and melancholic reflections on the meaning of life, regret about unfulfilled dreams and sadness about the future. The work is based on a beautiful love story that ended in tragic separation. The composition of the story is built according to the classical model: the beginning of the plot is a meeting with the Gagin family, the development of the plot is the rapprochement of the main characters, the emergence of love, the climax is a conversation between Gagin and N.N. about Asya’s feelings, denouement - a date with Asya, explanation of the main characters, the Gagin family leaves Germany, epilogue - Mr. N.N. reflects on the past, regrets unfulfilled love. The highlight of this work is Turgenev’s use of the ancient literary device of plot framing, when a narrator is introduced into the narrative and the motivation for his actions is given. Thus, the reader receives a “story within a story” designed to enhance the meaning of the story being told.

In his critical article “Russian Man at a Rendezvous,” Chernyshevsky sharply condemns the indecision and petty timid egoism of Mr. N.N., whose image is slightly softened by the author in the epilogue of the work. Chernyshevsky, on the contrary, without choosing expressions, sharply condemns the act of Mr. N.N. and pronounces his verdict on those who are the same as him. The story “Asya”, thanks to the depth of its content, has become a real pearl in the literary heritage of the great Russian writer Ivan Turgenev. The great writer, like no one else, was able to convey his philosophical reflections and thoughts about the destinies of people, about that time in the life of every person when his actions and words can forever change it for the better or for the worse.

Asya is one of the simplest and at the same time mysterious names you can call a girl.

Asya's character and fate will depend on what family, what country, and even what time of year she is born. The fact is that behind a simple set of sounds lies real magic.

Meaning and origin of the name Asya

Few people know what the name Asya means. It just seems like there is nothing complicated about it. In fact, the origin and history of the name Asya is quite vague: too many versions are intertwined here.

There are three main versions of the origin of the name:

Scandinavian;

Greek;

Turkic.

According to the Scandinavian version, Asya is a derivative of the name Asta - Astrid. Translated into Russian, this name means “divinely beautiful”, “passionate”. What does the name Asya mean according to the Greek version? "Reborn". This is a short version of the beautiful name Anastasia. Finally, the third version of the origin and history of the name Asya relates it to the female names Asiya and Asiyat, which are very often found among the Tatars. It turns out a short “home” version of these beautiful Turkish names. By the way, the meaning of the name Asya is often raised to the geographical concept of “Asia”.

Moreover, Asami is the name given to the owners of many other female names. This can be called Anisya, Anna, Agnessa, Aksinya, Vasilisa, Arsenia. For Bulgarians, this is an affectionate address to a girl by name Asena, for Armenians – to Hasmik, for Kazakhs – to Aysel.

What kind of character is Asya endowed with?

The girl Asya is growing up quiet, but internally determined and courageous. She knows what she wants, but is not always ready to talk about her desires. Asya is kind-hearted, dependent on the psychological atmosphere reigning in the house. Any violation of the usual way of life can throw her out of balance. Asya needs time to accept change. It is important for parents, understanding this feature, to teach the girl to accept change more calmly.

The meaning of the name Asya in the Scandinavian tradition is quite accurate. Girls with such names grow up beautiful and very passionate. Creativity and inspiration are their element; they are interested in issues of spirituality and personal development.

Growing up, Asya turns into an altruist. She always wants to help someone, she sincerely worries about the failures of her friends and tries not just to sympathize, but to do something effective, to really help. She is reliable, responsible, but not punctual.

A girl named Asya very energetic. She is able to instantly solve a problem that suddenly arises, and will act quickly, decisively and correctly. But planned things do not cause boredom. She will procrastinate until the last minute, postponing things until later if they do not please her.

Asya trusts your loved one with full dedication. This can let her down if we are talking about an unworthy person. Asya has a hard time experiencing disappointment in people. Possessing a light character, Asya rarely enters into direct conflict, but does not betray her interests. With age, she learns to respond to offenders and not focus on problems. It is very pleasant to communicate with a girl with this name.

Asya's female fate

In love Asya romantic and sentimental. She falls in love easily, and can choose a person who is completely unsuitable for her. Often idealizes a man, forgiving him a lot. Strives to become a good housewife, loves children. I get disappointed often and a lot. Her femininity attracts men: it is a rare woman who can so harmoniously combine gentleness, understanding, the desire to please her beloved with practicality and low personal needs. However, having decided to break up with a person, he does it decisively, although he suffers in his soul.

Asya's character and fate are closely connected with those close to her and loved ones. Exactly family values are the main thing for her. Asya puts her family above all else - this is her safe haven, reliable protection, lifeline. She knows how to create a pleasant atmosphere in which both household members and guests will feel at ease. However, she does not strive to be a housewife - she needs new faces and her own business.

Asya extremely thrifty. She runs the household masterfully, managing not only to feed her family deliciously, but also to save money for a rainy day. It is difficult to suspect her of wanting to spend more on herself than she should. She can very easily refuse an expensive item, but she will be happy about some pleasant little thing.

Asya likes to exercise her body. She enjoys going to the fitness center, training at home, loves long walks that are good for her figure and soul, and visits the sauna and solarium.

Asya's profession

Asya is very emotional. The atmosphere in the home and workplace is important to her. She can achieve high results in professions related to creativity, sociology, psychology, and counseling. Asya can work as a teacher and social worker, secretary and accountant, be a politician and consultant. Many Asi know how to subtly feel the body, so choose professions related to medicine.

Famous people with this name:

Asya Gorskaya - Russian poetess;
Asya Zvereva is a famous Russian sound engineer;
Asya Veksler - Soviet illustrator;
Asya Kozina is a contemporary Ukrainian artist;
Asya Nemchenok is a Russian artist;
Asya Shneiderman - Soviet poetess;
Asya Noris - Italian actress;
Asya Saavedra - American singer;
Asya Simonyan – Armenian gymnast;
Asya Abubakarova is a Chechen singer.

Name compatibility

Amorous, delicate Asya can get along with almost anyone. She can create a successful marriage with Artem, Dmitry, Makar, Alexey, Georgy, Igor, Vadim, Peter, Sergey, Gleb, Nikita, Evgeny, Ruslan.

She will have good, even relationships with Yaroslav, Arseny, Ivan, Alexander, Andrey, Oleg, Lev, Yuri, Danil, Mikhail, Vyacheslav, Vasily.

An accommodating character is one of the most valuable qualities of a girl named Asya. Friendly, sociable, intelligent, she attracts and charms.