"At the Bottom" is not only and not so much a social drama as a philosophical one. Action drama as special literary genre, is tied to a conflict, an acute contradiction between the characters, which gives the author the opportunity in a short time to fully reveal his characters and present them to the reader.

The social conflict is present in the play on a superficial level in the form of a confrontation between the owners of the rooming house, the Kostylevs, and its inhabitants. In addition, each of the heroes who found themselves at the bottom experienced their own conflict with society in the past. The cheater Bubnov, the thief Ashes, the former aristocrat Baron, the market cook Kvashnya live under the same roof. However, in the rooming house, social differences between them are erased, they all become just people. As Bubnov notes: "... everything faded away, one naked man remained ..." What makes a person a man, what helps and prevents him from living, gaining human dignity - the author of the play "At the Bottom" is looking for an answer to these questions. Thus, the main subject of the image in the play is the thoughts and feelings of the overnight stays in all their inconsistency.

In drama, the main means of depicting the hero's consciousness, conveying it inner peace, as well as expressions of the author's position become monologues and dialogues of the characters. The inhabitants of the bottom touch upon in their conversations and vividly experience many philosophical questions. The main leitmotif of the play is the problem of faith and unbelief, with which the question of truth and faith is closely intertwined.

The theme of faith and unbelief arises in the play with the arrival of Luke. This character is in the center of attention of the inhabitants of the rooming house because it is strikingly “different from all of them. To everyone he gets on with

conversation, the old man knows how to pick up the key, inspire hope in a person, faith in the best, console and reassure. Luke is characterized by speech using affectionate names, proverbs and sayings, common folk vocabulary. He, "affectionate, soft," reminds Anna of her father. Luke, in the words of Satin, acts on overnight stays "like acid on an old and dirty coin."

The faith that Luke awakens in people is expressed in its own way for each of the inhabitants of the bottom. At first, faith is understood narrowly - as Christian faith, when Luke asks the dying Anna to believe that after death she will calm down, the Lord will send her to paradise.

As the plot develops, the word "faith" acquires new meanings. The old man advises the actor, who has lost faith in himself because he "drank away his soul", to be treated for drunkenness and promises to tell the address of the hospital where drunkards are treated for nothing. Luka asks Natasha, who does not want to run away from the rooming house with Vaska Pepel because she does not trust anyone, to have no doubt that Vaska is a good guy and loves her very much. Vaska himself advises to go to Siberia and start a household there. Above Nastya, who retells romance novels, passing off their plot as real events, he does not laugh, but believes her that she had real love.

The main motto of Luke - "what you believe, that is" - can be understood in two ways. On the one hand, it forces people to achieve what they believe in, to strive for what they desire, because their desires are there, real and fulfillable in this life. On the other hand, for the majority of overnight stays, such a motto is just "a comforting, reconciling lie."

The heroes of the play "At the Bottom" are divided depending on their attitude to the concepts of "faith" and "truth". For the fact that Luka promotes lies for the sake of salvation, the Baron calls him a charlatan, Vaska Pepel - "a crafty old man" who "tells stories." Bubnov remains deaf to Luka’s words, he admits that he does not know how to lie: “In my opinion, bring down the whole truth as it is!” Luka warns that the truth can also turn out to be a “butt”, and in a dispute with Bubnov and Baron about what truth is, he says: “It’s true, it’s not always a person’s illness ... you can’t always cure the soul with truth ... "The tick, who at first glance is the only character who does not lose faith in himself, at all costs strives to escape from the rooming house, puts the most hopeless meaning into the word" truth ":" What is the truth? Where is the truth?.. There is no work... there is no power! That's the truth! .. You can't live - the devil - you can't live ... here it is - the truth! .. "

Nevertheless, Luke's words find a warm response in the hearts of most of the heroes, because he attributes the failures of their lives to external circumstances and does not see the reason for the failed life in themselves. According to Luka, having left the rooming house, he is going to go "to Khokhols", to see what people have discovered there. new faith. He believes that people will someday find "what's best", you just need to help them and respect them. Satin also speaks of respect for a person.

Satin protects the old man, because he understands that if he is lying, it is only out of pity for the inhabitants of the rooming house. Sateen's thoughts do not entirely coincide with Luke's ideas. In his opinion, a “comforting” lie, a “reconciling” lie is needed and supports those who are weak in soul, and at the same time covers those who “feed on other people's juices”. Satin opposes the motto of Luke with his motto: “Truth is God free man!»

The position of the author in relation to the comforting sermon of Luke cannot be interpreted unequivocally. On the one hand, it cannot be called a lie that Luka shows Ash and Natasha the path to an honest life, consoles Nastya, convinces Anna of the existence afterlife. There is more humanity in his words than in the desperation of the Tick or the vulgarity of the Baron. However, the very development of the plot contradicts Luke's words. After the sudden disappearance of the old man, everything does not happen the way the heroes would like to believe. Vaska Pepel will indeed go to Siberia, but not as a free settler, but as a convict convicted of murdering Kostylev. Natasha, shocked by her sister's betrayal and the murder of her husband, refuses to believe Vaska. The actor accuses the old man of not leaving the address of the cherished hospital.

The faith that Luke awakened in the souls of the heroes of "At the Bottom" turned out to be fragile and quickly faded away. The inhabitants of the rooming house are unable to find the strength in themselves to oppose their will to reality, to change the reality around them. The main accusation that the author addresses to the heroes of the play is the accusation of passivity. Gorky manages to open one of the characteristic features Russian national character: dissatisfaction with reality, a sharply critical attitude towards it and at the same time a complete unwillingness to do anything to change this reality. Therefore, the departure of Luke turns into a real drama for the inhabitants - the faith that the old man awakened in them is unable to find internal support in their characters.

The philosophical position of Luke is most fully expressed in the parable he told to the inhabitants of the rooming house. The parable speaks of a man who believed in the existence of a righteous land, and this faith helped him to live, instilled in him joy and hope. When the visiting scientist convinced him that, according to all his faithful maps and plans, “there is no righteous land anywhere at all,” the man strangled himself. With this parable, Luke expressed the idea that a person cannot be completely deprived of hope, even if it is illusory. In a bizarre way, the plot of the parable is played out in the fourth act of the drama: having lost hope, the Actor hangs himself. The fate of the Actor shows that it is a false hope that can lead a person into a noose.

Another interpretation of the question of truth is connected with the image of the Actor, namely the problem of the relationship between truth and fiction. When the Actor tells Natasha about the hospital, he adds a lot to what he heard from Luka: “An excellent hospital ... Marble ... marble floor! Light ... purity, food ... "It turns out that for the Actor, faith is this embellished truth, this hero does not separate two concepts, but merges them into one on the border between reality and art. The poem, which, suddenly remembering, the Actor quotes, is defining for the conflict of truth and faith and at the same time contains a possible resolution of this conflict:

Lord! If the truth is holy

The world can't find the way,

Honor to the madman who will inspire

Mankind has a golden dream!

The tragic ending "At the bottom" shows that the "golden dream" of humanity can sometimes turn into a nightmare. The actor's suicide is an attempt to change reality, to get away from the saving faith in nowhere. For the other inhabitants of the rooming house, his attempt seems desperate and absurd, as indicated by Sateen's last remark: "Eh ... ruined the song ... fool-cancer!" On the other hand, the song here can be interpreted as a symbol of the passivity of the heroes of the play, their unwillingness to change anything during their lives. Then this remark expresses that the death of the Actor finally disrupts the habitual course of life of the inhabitants of the rooming house, and Satin is the first to feel this. Even earlier, Luke's words lead him to deliver a monologue in which the answer to the question of truth is given: “What is truth? Man, that's the truth!" Thus, according to the author's intention, the "faith" of Luke and the "truth" of Sateen merge together, affirming the greatness of man and his ability to withstand life's circumstances, even while at the bottom.

Lesson Objective: Create problem situation and encourage students to express their own point of view on the image of Luke and his position in life.

Methodical techniques: discussion, analytical conversation.

Lesson equipment: portrait and photographs of A.M. Gorky of different years.

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Preview:

During the classes.

1. Analytical conversation.

Let us turn to the extra-event series of the drama and see how the conflict develops here.

How do the inhabitants of the rooming house perceive their situation before the appearance of Luke?

(In the exposition, we see people, in fact, resigned to their humiliating position. The roommates languidly, habitually quarrel, and the Actor says to Satin: “One day they will completely kill you ... to death ...” “And you are a blockhead,” Satin snaps. “Why "- the Actor is surprised. "Because - you can’t kill twice." These words of Sateen show his attitude to the existence that they all lead in a rooming house. This is not life, they are all already dead. It seems everything is clear. But the response is interesting Actor: “I don’t understand… why not?” Perhaps it is the Actor, who has died more than once on the stage, who understands the horror of the situation more deeply than others. After all, it is he who commits suicide at the end of the play.)

- What is the meaning of using the past tense in the self-characteristics of the characters?

(People feel like “former”: “Satin. I was an educated person” (the paradox is that the past tense is impossible in this case). “Bubnov. I was a furrier.” Bubnov utters a philosophical maxim: don’t paint yourself, everything will be erased ... everything will be erased, yes!”).

Which character is opposed to the rest?

(Only one Kleshch has not yet resigned himself to his fate. He separates himself from the rest of the rooming houses: “What kind of people are they? Ran, a golden company ... people! I am a working person ... I am ashamed to look at them ... I have been working since I was young ... I won’t get out of here? )

Which scene is the beginning of the conflict?

(The outset of the conflict is the appearance of Luka. He immediately announces his views on life: “I don’t care! I respect crooks, in my opinion, not a single flea is bad: everyone is black, everyone jumps ... that’s it.” And also: “An old man - where it’s warm, there is a homeland ...” Luka is in the center of attention of the guests: “What an interesting old man you brought Natasha ...” - and all the development of the plot is concentrated on him.)

How does Luke affect the overnight stays?

(Luka quickly finds an approach to the rooming houses: “I’ll take a look at you, brothers, - your life - oh-oh! ....” He pities Alyoshka: “Oh, boy, you are confused ....” He does not respond to rudeness, skillfully bypasses questions that are unpleasant for him, is ready to sweep the floor instead of bed-beds. Luka becomes necessary for Anna, pities her: “How can you leave a person like that?” Luka skillfully flatters Medvedev, calling him “under”, and he immediately falls for this bait.)

What do we know about Luke?

(Luka says almost nothing about himself, we only learn: “They crushed a lot, that’s why he is soft ...”.)

What does Luke say to each of the inhabitants of the rooming house?

(In each of them, Luka sees a person, reveals their bright sides, the essence of personality, and this makes a revolution in the lives of the heroes. It turns out that the prostitute Nastya dreams of beautiful and bright love; the drunken Actor receives hope for a cure for alcoholism; the thief Vaska Pepel plans to leave to Siberia and start there new life with Natalia, become a strong master. Anna Luka gives consolation: “Nothing, nothing more will be needed, and there is nothing to be afraid of! Silence, peace - lie to yourself! Luke reveals the good in every person and inspires faith in the best.)

Did Luke lie to the rooming-houses?

(There may be different opinions on this. Luke selflessly tries to help people, instill in them faith in themselves, awaken the best sides nature. He sincerely wishes for good, shows real ways to achieve a new, a better life. After all, there really are hospitals for alcoholics, indeed Siberia is the golden side, and not just a place of exile and hard labor. As for the afterlife with which he beckons Anna, the question is more complicated; it is a matter of faith and religious beliefs. What did he lie about? When Luka convinces Nastya that he believes in her feelings, in her love: “If you believe, you had true love ... then it was! Was!" - he only helps her find the strength in herself for life, for real, not fictional love.)

How do the inhabitants of the rooming house feel about Luke's words?

(The overnight stayers are at first distrustful of his words: “Why are you all lying?” Luka does not deny this, he answers the question with a question: “And ... why do you really need it painfully ... think about it! She, really, can , butt for you ... ". Even to a direct question about God, Luka answers evasively: "If you believe, there is; if you don’t believe, no ... What you believe, that is ... ".)

What groups can the characters in the play be divided into?

"believers" "non-believers"

Anna believes in God. Tick ​​no longer believes in anything.

Tatar - in Allah. Bubnov never believed in anything.

Nastya - in fatal love.

Baron - in his past, perhaps invented.

What is the sacred meaning of the name "Luke"?

(The name "Luka" has a dual meaning: this name resembles the evangelist Luka, meaning "bright", and at the same time associated with the word "evil" (hell).)

(The author's position is expressed in the development of the plot. After Luka's departure, everything happens completely different from what Luka convinced and how the heroes expected. Vaska Pepel really ends up in Siberia, but only to hard labor, for the murder of Kostylev, and not as a free settler. The actor who lost faith in himself, in his strength, exactly repeats the fate of the hero of Luke's parable about the righteous land.Luke, telling a parable about a man who, having lost faith in the existence of a righteous land, strangled himself, believes that a person cannot be deprived of dreams, hopes, even imaginary. while showing the fate of the Actor, he assures the reader and viewer that it is precisely false hope that can lead a person to suicide.)

Gorky himself wrote about his plan: “The main question I wanted to pose is what is better, truth or compassion. What is needed. Is it necessary to bring compassion to the point of using lies, like Luke? This is not a subjective question, but a general philosophical one.

Gorky contrasts not truth and falsehood, but truth and compassion. How justified is this opposition?

(This belief did not have time to gain a foothold in the minds of the roommates, it turned out to be fragile and lifeless, with the disappearance of Luka, hope goes out.)

What is the reason fast fading faith?

(Perhaps the point is the weakness of the heroes themselves, their inability and unwillingness to do at least something to implement new plans. Dissatisfaction with reality, a sharply negative attitude towards it, is combined with a complete unwillingness to do anything to change this reality.)

How does Luke explain the failures of the overnight stay life?

(Luke explains the failures of the life of the rooming houses by external circumstances, does not at all blame the heroes themselves for the failed life. Therefore, they were so drawn to him and so disappointed, having lost their external support with the departure of Luke.)

Luke is a living image, precisely because he is contradictory and ambiguous.

1. Discussion of D.Z.

The philosophical question posed by Gorky himself: what is better - truth or compassion? The question of truth is multifaceted. Each person understands the truth in his own way, bearing in mind some final, higher truth. Let's see how the truth and lies correlate in the drama "At the Bottom".

What do the characters in the play mean by truth?

(This word has many meanings. See the dictionary.

There are two levels of "truth".

D.Z.

Prepare for an essay on the work of M. Gorky.

The purpose of the lesson: to create a problem situation and encourage students to express their own point of view on the image of Luke and his position in life.

Methodical techniques: discussion, analytical conversation.

Lesson equipment: portrait and photographs of A.M. Gorky of different years.

Download:

Preview:

During the classes.

1. Analytical conversation.

Let us turn to the extra-event series of the drama and see how the conflict develops here.

How do the inhabitants of the rooming house perceive their situation before the appearance of Luke?

(In the exposition, we see people, in fact, resigned to their humiliating position. The roommates languidly, habitually quarrel, and the Actor says to Satin: “One day they will completely kill you ... to death ...” “And you are a blockhead,” Satin snaps. “Why "- the Actor is surprised. "Because - you can’t kill twice." These words of Sateen show his attitude to the existence that they all lead in a rooming house. This is not life, they are all already dead. It seems everything is clear. But the response is interesting Actor: “I don’t understand… why not?” Perhaps it is the Actor, who has died more than once on the stage, who understands the horror of the situation more deeply than others. After all, it is he who commits suicide at the end of the play.)

- What is the meaning of using the past tense in the self-characteristics of the characters?

(People feel like “former”: “Satin. I was an educated person” (the paradox is that the past tense is impossible in this case). “Bubnov. I was a furrier.” Bubnov utters a philosophical maxim: don’t paint yourself, everything will be erased ... everything will be erased, yes!”).

Which character is opposed to the rest?

(Only one Kleshch has not yet resigned himself to his fate. He separates himself from the rest of the rooming houses: “What kind of people are they? Ran, a golden company ... people! I am a working person ... I am ashamed to look at them ... I have been working since I was young ... I won’t get out of here? )

Which scene is the beginning of the conflict?

(The outset of the conflict is the appearance of Luka. He immediately announces his views on life: “I don’t care! I respect crooks, in my opinion, not a single flea is bad: everyone is black, everyone jumps ... that’s it.” And also: “An old man - where it’s warm, there is a homeland ...” Luka is in the center of attention of the guests: “What an interesting old man you brought Natasha ...” - and all the development of the plot is concentrated on him.)

How does Luke affect the overnight stays?

(Luka quickly finds an approach to the rooming houses: “I’ll take a look at you, brothers, - your life - oh-oh! ....” He pities Alyoshka: “Oh, boy, you are confused ....” He does not respond to rudeness, skillfully bypasses questions that are unpleasant for him, is ready to sweep the floor instead of bed-beds. Luka becomes necessary for Anna, pities her: “How can you leave a person like that?” Luka skillfully flatters Medvedev, calling him “under”, and he immediately falls for this bait.)

What do we know about Luke?

(Luka says almost nothing about himself, we only learn: “They crushed a lot, that’s why he is soft ...”.)

What does Luke say to each of the inhabitants of the rooming house?

(In each of them, Luka sees a person, reveals their bright sides, the essence of personality, and this makes a revolution in the lives of the heroes. It turns out that the prostitute Nastya dreams of beautiful and bright love; the drunken Actor receives hope for a cure for alcoholism; the thief Vaska Pepel plans to leave to Siberia and start a new life there with Natalia, to become a strong master.Anna Luka gives consolation: "Nothing, nothing more will be needed, and there is nothing to be afraid of! Quiet, rest - lie to yourself! "Luke reveals the good in every person and inspires faith in the best.)

Did Luke lie to the rooming-houses?

(There may be different opinions on this matter. Luke selflessly tries to help people, inspire faith in themselves, awaken the best aspects of nature. He sincerely wishes for good, shows real ways to achieve a new, better life. After all, there really are hospitals for alcoholics, indeed Siberia - the golden side, and not just a place of exile and hard labor. As for the afterlife with which he beckons Anna, the question is more complicated; this is a matter of faith and religious beliefs. What did he lie about? When Luka convinces Nastya that he believes in her feelings, in her love: "If you believe, you had true love ... it means - it was! It was! "- he only helps her find the strength in herself for life, for real, not fictional love.)

How do the inhabitants of the rooming house feel about Luke's words?

(The overnight stayers are at first distrustful of his words: “Why are you all lying?” Luka does not deny this, he answers the question with a question: “And ... why do you really need it painfully ... think about it! She, really, can , butt for you ... ". Even to a direct question about God, Luka answers evasively: "If you believe, there is; if you don’t believe, no ... What you believe, that is ... ".)

What groups can the characters in the play be divided into?

"believers" "non-believers"

Anna believes in God. Tick ​​no longer believes in anything.

Tatar - in Allah. Bubnov never believed in anything.

Nastya - in fatal love.

Baron - in his past, perhaps invented.

What is the sacred meaning of the name "Luke"?

(The name "Luka" has a dual meaning: this name resembles the evangelist Luka, meaning "bright", and at the same time associated with the word "evil" (hell).)

(The author's position is expressed in the development of the plot. After Luka's departure, everything happens completely different from what Luka convinced and how the heroes expected. Vaska Pepel really ends up in Siberia, but only to hard labor, for the murder of Kostylev, and not as a free settler. The actor who lost faith in himself, in his strength, exactly repeats the fate of the hero of Luke's parable about the righteous land.Luke, telling a parable about a man who, having lost faith in the existence of a righteous land, strangled himself, believes that a person cannot be deprived of dreams, hopes, even imaginary. while showing the fate of the Actor, he assures the reader and viewer that it is precisely false hope that can lead a person to suicide.)

Gorky himself wrote about his plan: “The main question I wanted to pose is what is better, truth or compassion. What is needed. Is it necessary to bring compassion to the point of using lies, like Luke? This is not a subjective question, but a general philosophical one.

Gorky contrasts not truth and falsehood, but truth and compassion. How justified is this opposition?

(This belief did not have time to gain a foothold in the minds of the roommates, it turned out to be fragile and lifeless, with the disappearance of Luka, hope goes out.)

What is the reason for the rapid fading of faith?

(Perhaps the point is the weakness of the heroes themselves, their inability and unwillingness to do at least something to implement new plans. Dissatisfaction with reality, a sharply negative attitude towards it, is combined with a complete unwillingness to do anything to change this reality.)

How does Luke explain the failures of the overnight stay life?

(Luke explains the failures of the life of the rooming houses by external circumstances, does not at all blame the heroes themselves for the failed life. Therefore, they were so drawn to him and so disappointed, having lost their external support with the departure of Luke.)

Luke is a living image, precisely because he is contradictory and ambiguous.

1. Discussion of D.Z.

The philosophical question posed by Gorky himself: what is better - truth or compassion? The question of truth is multifaceted. Each person understands the truth in his own way, having in mind some final, higher truth. Let's see how the truth and lies correlate in the drama "At the Bottom".

What do the characters in the play mean by truth?

(This word has many meanings. See the dictionary.

There are two levels of "truth".

Prepare for an essay on the work of M. Gorky.

1. The "truth" of Luke.
2. Interpretation of the image of Luke.
3. The role of Luke in the life of the inhabitants of the "bottom".

The socio-philosophical drama "At the Bottom" was conceived by Gorky in 1900. The play was first published in Munich in 1902. In Russia, the work was published by the Znanie publishing house in 1903. The play shows the life of the inhabitants of the rooming house. These are degraded, unfortunate, destitute people. There is nothing bright in their lives.

The image of Luke is rightfully considered the most complex in the play. This man is trying to console the suffering. His position directly contradicts the phrase: "Truth is the god of a free man." Luke does not accept the cruel and evil "truth". For him, the truth is the “truth” in which a person believes.

Luka is very kind to those around him. He finds for everyone exactly those words that a person needs. Let this consolation have nothing to do with the real truth of life. But on the other hand, if you can make a person even a little happier, why neglect this opportunity? The play raises a complex philosophical question, whether Luke's compassion is better than the bare "truth" that reveals to the inhabitants of the "bottom" all the wretchedness of their existence... Everyone can answer this question in different ways. But one cannot but admit that the role of Luke in the life of other characters in the play is great.

Luke is not trying to convince anyone of anything: He simply consoles those who need it. He does not impose his point of view, and this shows his wisdom. Luke is sure: "What you believe is what you are." One cannot but agree with this. A person's subjective perception of the surrounding reality can be very different from the opinions of others. But the opinion of others is not necessarily considered true. Luke helps the underprivileged find hope. But this is very important for a person.

Critics could not come to unambiguous conclusions about the image of Luke. Some thought Luke was positive hero because it helps people find something good in themselves. Others considered Luka a negative character, because after he left the rooming house, the inhabitants of the "bottom" had even more difficulty, because they were forced to say goodbye to illusions. The attitude of Gorky himself towards Luka was very contradictory. In 1910, the writer spoke about the hero of the play: “Luka is a crook. He doesn't really believe in anything. But he sees how people suffer and rush about. He feels sorry for these people. So he says different words to them - for consolation.

The inhabitants of the rooming house treat Luka as a storyteller. They do not delude themselves about the words of the old man. For example, Pepel says: “You lie well ... You speak tales nicely! Lie! Nothing...". So, Luke's words still find a response in the souls of tormented people.

Anna Luca consoles with talk about the peace that will come after death. For a dying woman, these words can mean much more than the reasoning of the "working man", her husband Klesch, that after her death he will be able to arrange his life. So, in this case, the role of Luke is certainly positive. To an actor suffering from drunkenness, Luke talks about special hospitals where alcoholics can be cured. This hope could give strength. And Luka cannot be blamed for the fact that, having lost hope, the Actor decides to commit suicide. The hope of a better lot could make a person stronger if he initially had at least a little more strength and the desire to break out of the vicious circle.

Vaska Peplu Luka says that his life in Siberia will not turn out so badly. "A good side- Siberia! Golden side! Whoever is in power and in the mind is there - like a cucumber in a greenhouse! Let the old man's words be doubtful. On the other hand, an attempt to instill confidence in tomorrow better than the intention to trample a person into the dirt, to deprive him of his last dream.

It is no coincidence that Luke tells a parable about how a certain person believed that somewhere there is a righteous land. And when the faith was destroyed by a scientist who managed to prove that this land does not exist, the man hanged himself. He could not survive the collapse of his hopes. The old man is sure that a lie can bring salvation, but the truth, on the contrary, is dangerous and cruel.

The image of Luke is the personification of humanity and philanthropy. Paradoxically, he himself is the same inhabitant of the "bottom" as the others. But he did not lose human qualities, finds in himself kindness and compassion for others. The rest for a long time no longer find in themselves at least a drop of sympathy for those who are nearby. How did Luke manage to keep kindness in himself? Perhaps the reason for this is that, unlike those around him, he does not cease to love and respect the people around him. Even in those cases when there is nothing to love and respect them for. Attempts to console the suffering for Luke are not valuable in themselves. He does not revel in his role as a comforter, he uses lies as a means to awaken something human in the dead souls of the inhabitants of the "bottom". And it is not his fault for the lack of results. Luka can be reproached for the fact that after his departure, the life of the inhabitants of the rooming house became even more difficult. They had to part with illusions, again they found themselves face to face with the realities of life. But on the other hand, the reproaches against the elder look unfounded. The trouble with the inhabitants of the “bottom” is that they are inactive, submit to circumstances, do not try to do anything to change their fate. Luke could be a guiding light for the Actor. But it's easier to believe Sateen. Not Luca, but Satin and the Baron caused the Actor's suicide. After all, it was they who convinced the unfortunate that there are no hospitals for alcoholics. On the other hand, was it in hospitals? Couldn't the Actor believe in his future and make attempts to change something in life? Luka tried to influence him, said to Sateen: “And you, why are you confusing him?” The rest are indifferent to the words, both their own and those of others.

Luca leaves the rooming house because he can't change the course of things. It is not in his power to help people leave the "bottom", to become full members of society. Luke understands that his help to the disadvantaged cannot be something material, tangible. The role of the comforter cannot be permanent, otherwise it will depreciate. Attempts to inspire hope, to encourage should resemble a flash of light in impenetrable darkness. And then people will decide for themselves whether to do something or not. The play does not answer whether the life of at least one of the inhabitants of the bottom will change. And, in my opinion, this is not accidental; Gorky in the work put the toughest questions, to which everyone can answer in their own way.

IN school years many, probably, had a chance to get acquainted with the work of the respected Russian writer Maxim Gorky - the play “At the Bottom”, without embellishment, describing to all of us the familiar archetypes of people living in Russian realities.

Despite the fact that more than a century has passed since the publication of the drama, the situations that it touches on remain relevant today.

In this article, we will analyze in detail the image of the character Luke from this play, get acquainted with his statements and talk about the attitude of other heroes of the work towards him.

Where did the wanderer come from

does not reveal the secret the origin of Luke, only a fleeting mention of his wandering life. The wanderer has neither a homeland, nor at least some definite place of residence. He himself says this about it: "Old man – where it is warm, there is the homeland”.

The inhabitants of the rooming house are also not interested in the past of the old man, they are preoccupied with their problems and attempts "get out in public", and not drag out an existence “at the bottom” for the rest of your life.

Analysis of character characteristics

Luke appears before us in the form soft-hearted old man preaching goodness, love, pity and the will of a person to create his life as his heart tells.

From the hero directly emanates an aura of peacefulness and understanding, which, of course, disposes the characters of the play to him, making them believe that the future is not hopeless and there is a chance to correct their own. social status to fulfill dreams and desires.

To everyone who, willy-nilly, ended up in a rooming house, Luca picks up the right words , gives everyone hope and encourages them to believe in their dreams, no matter how ridiculous they may seem to themselves and others.

But no matter how sweet and comforting the words of the wanderer sounded, they were only empty sounds, distracting roommates from everyday hardships, and not real support, giving strength to get out of poverty and dishonor.

However, Luka is not a liar, he just sincerely pities those around him and cheers them up, even if it is absolutely pointless and useless.

Luke's relationship with other characters in the play "At the Bottom"

The characters relate to the elder in two ways:

• alone ( thief Vaska Pepel, Actor, Anna, Nastya, Natasha) tell him with relief about their life, confess and receive in response the necessary pity, sympathy and soothing statements;
• other ( kartuznik Bubnov, Satin, Baron, Tick) do not trust a stranger too much and speak to him briefly and skeptically.

One thing is certain - nobody remained indifferent to the appearance of such an extraordinary personality in such a dirty and doomed place.

After the sudden disappearance of the wanderer, the fate of some characters has changed dramatically. The wife of the locksmith Kleshch, Anna, died of tuberculosis, the Actor could not come to terms with the hopelessness of his life and hanged himself, Vaska Pepel went to hard labor in Siberia due to an accidental murder, his dreams of an honest life with Natasha came to an end. The rest of the heroes continued to while away their time in a rooming house, but at the same time started thinking about the meaning of their existence, their actions and the problems of others.

Parable of the Righteous Land

The parable of Luke tells us about a man who endured all the hardships and sufferings of earthly life, believing that there is a righteous land where people live in great relationships, help each other and never lie. One day he went to a local scientist he knew and asked him to show the righteous land on a map. He tried to find what he was looking for, but could not. Then the man got angry, hit the scientist, and then went home and strangled himself.

This parable seemed to predetermine the fate of several characters - the death of Anna and the Actor, the imprisonment of the thief Vaska. They believed that their own righteous land would be found for them, that it was possible to get out of the bottom, poverty, but this did not happen. Luka soon left, and with him the hope that warms the heroes of the play also left.

Quotes

The play "At the bottom" is rich thoughtful phrases and the statements of the characters, but perhaps the most significant of them are the words of Elder Luke.

Here are a few of his quotes, which should be analyzed and pondered by everyone who has read the play “At the Bottom” by Gorky:

“All of them are people! No matter how you pretend, no matter how you wiggle, but you were born a man, you will die a man ... "

"I don't care! I respect crooks too, in my opinion, not a single flea is bad: everyone is black, everyone jumps ... "

“You, girl, do not be offended ... nothing! Where is it, where are we to pity the dead? E, honey! We don’t feel sorry for the living… we can’t feel sorry for ourselves… where is it!”

“Here, then, you will die, and you will be calm ... you will not need anything else, and there is nothing to be afraid of!”

“... not in the word - the point, but - why is the word spoken? - that's the problem!"

Outcome

The image of the wanderer Luka in Maxim Gorky turned out to be very multifaceted and reflective major philosophical questions about life, love, principles and human priorities.

And not only Luke - all the characters in one way or another reflect those who we meet in real life.

The writer managed to reflect in his work entertaining philosophical and psychological ideas:

All of the above is important for a correct understanding of the work and simply the situations that happen to people around us, it teaches us to sympathize and set life priorities correctly.

Russian writers have always shown an interest in philosophical problems, that is, in the problems of human existence and the meaning of life. The work of M. Gorky was no exception, and the play "At the Bottom" is rightfully considered the first Russian socio-philosophical drama. One of the most complex in the play is the image of Luke. It is with him that the main philosophical question is connected: “Which is better: truth or compassion?”.

Luke is an itinerant preacher. He appears in a rooming house in the midst of disputes of its inhabitants about conscience and honor. Do they need people who are at the very bottom of life?

The mission of the comforter falls to the share of Luke. He calms everyone and promises deliverance from suffering to everyone. And Luke does not invent anything. Knowing how to feel the dreams and desires of people surprisingly subtly, he only convinces them of what they themselves hope for in the depths of their souls. At the core life position Luke lies the phrase he himself expressed: "What you believe, that is." He advises the dying Anna not to be afraid of death, because death will free her from pain and torment. He tells the actor about the possibility of recovering from alcohol in a special hospital. Ash after the words of Luke begins to believe that he will find his happiness with Natasha on the "golden side" of Siberia.

The inhabitants of the rooming house have different attitudes towards the old man. So, Nastya, for example, after Luka left, says: “The old man was good!” The tick especially emphasizes that Luke is compassionate. And even Luka's antagonist Satin notes that Luka "was like crumb for the toothless", that he acted on him, "like acid on a rusty coin." But the Baron calls him a charlatan, and the same Klesch says that the old man did not like the truth. And again, oddly enough, Satin rushes to Luke's defense. He interrupts the Baron with the words: "Silence! .. be silent about the old man!" How do you evaluate Luka anyway?

A number of researchers associate the name of Luke with the evil one, with the tempter. But still this is not entirely true. He does not seduce or tempt anyone. However, his name, apparently, is connected with the word "crafty" in the meaning of "cunning". Luka is not as simple as it seems at first glance: he is an outstanding person with great life experience. He quickly navigates the situation, finds an approach to almost everyone. In addition, the name of the hero is associated with the gospel apostle Luke. Before us is a certain bearer of wisdom, the spokesman of his truth, which is connected in a significant way with the Christian commandments. Luke's story about how he took pity on two robbers who were plotting a murder and fed them (that is, responded to evil with good), just confirms this.

Yet for all its complexity and ambiguity, Luke deserves respect. First of all, this person is kind and sympathetic. He is sincere in his attitude towards the people of the “bottom”. In addition, he does not impose his views on anyone. And most importantly, he himself has no personal benefit from this lie. According to Luke, a person lives "for the best." This means that his dreams, hopes, self-esteem should be strengthened, which he does, driven by pity and mercy.

The question of the author's attitude to Luke is very complicated. It is known that the writer more than once called him a swindler, a saint and a rogue. Yes, indeed, Luke expresses his compassion in a peculiar form - in the form of a lie, a beautiful fairy tale. But his lie is not everyday, it can sometimes even be called high. This is a kind of Christian lie for salvation. He believes that the truth is too scary for people, and therefore wants to embellish their existence, bringing a "golden dream" into it.

No matter how Gorky opposed his hero, nevertheless, the writer turned out to be better, wiser and kinder than he originally conceived. When at the end of the play the rooming houses try to “judge” Luka, the author refuses them: Satin immediately and irrevocably stops all conversations.

Thus, in the play "At the Bottom" M. Gorky creates a very interesting and controversial image. On the one hand, Luka is kind and helps people not to lose heart. On the other hand, his lies lead to the fact that the most weak-minded people can not stand it, and their return from the land of dreams to horror Everyday life too hard for them to bear. Thus, for example, the loss of faith leads the Actor to suicide.

Gorky, of course, stands in the position of Sateen and condemns Luka. However, there is no such direct condemnation in the play. The reader and the viewer themselves will have to decide what is better: the truth of Sateen or a lie to save Luke. Or maybe the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

So, Luke takes part in the fate of people thrown to the bottom of life. In his speeches and actions, he tries to distract people from their bleak life, although he knows the sad result of each of the overnight stays. Luke's humanity is necessary for people, because he awakens sympathy, compassion in people, those main values ​​without which one cannot be called a man. But, of course, pity in itself is not able to save people from suffering. Decisive changes in reality are needed. Therefore, Luka and Satin are not antagonists, but rather allies. Luke, like a doctor, patiently and wearily heals tormented souls, and Satin is a dreamer, endowed with the gift of bold creative thought, able to see far and vigilantly. But, unlike Luke, Satin is not a worker in the field of human suffering, but a contemplative. People in and of themselves don't interest him. He is far from their suffering. He is only interested in his own thought, breaking out far beyond the walls of the rooming house.

Luka and the inhabitants of the rooming house. Disputes about ways to achieve the ideal in M. Gorky's play "At the Bottom"

Teacher: Potapushkina

Irina Grigorievna

Biysk, 2007

Goals: 1) in the course of observing the fate of the heroes, show the reasons tragic fates heroes, clash of different opinions about the truth;

2) the formation of the skill of analytical reading, the ability to generalize and systematize.

During the classes:

Formulation of the problem.

What is the conflict in the play?

At first glance, social, since the position of the heroes in society is obvious - they turned out to be outcasts, there is an ambivalent attitude towards such people: on the one hand, they cause disgust, on the other hand, one cannot but sympathize with them. But there is no obvious contradiction, for example, between the inhabitants of the rooming house and the rest of the characters in the play. In the dialogues and monologues of the characters on seemingly completely mundane and mundane topics, we see a hidden (or obvious) desire for the ideal, the desire to comprehend the meaning of life.

It is no coincidence that the key word of the play is the word "truth" as a philosophical category. The characters have different ideas about the truth. We have to find out which "truth" is the truth, or maybe all the heroes are right in their own way?

On the eve of the lesson, groups of 2-3 people receive a task: select material from the text on the character, answer the questions proposed by the teacher, and draw conclusions. At the lesson, each group presents to the attention of classmates the results of their work, which should be recorded in a table. During the lesson, students turn to the text, answer questions from the teacher.

] Central way early Gorky is proud and strong personality embodying the idea of ​​freedom . Therefore, Danko, who sacrifices himself for the sake of people, is on a par with the drunkard and thief Chelkash, who does not perform any feats for the sake of anyone. “Power is virtue,” said Nietzsche, and for Gorky, the beauty of a person lies in strength and feat, even aimless: strong man has the right to be “on the other side of good and evil”, to be outside ethical principles, like Chelkash, and a feat, from this point of view, is resistance to the general flow of life.
After the series romantic works In the 90s, full of rebellious ideas, Gorky creates a play that has become, perhaps, the most important link in the entire philosophical and artistic system of the writer - the drama "At the Bottom" (1902). Let's see what heroes inhabit the "bottom" and how they live.

II. Conversation on the content of the play "At the bottom"
How is the scene depicted in the play?
(The scene is described in the author's remarks. In the first act, this "cave-like basement", "heavy, stone vaults, sooty, with crumbling plaster". It is important that the writer gives instructions on how the scene is lit: "from the viewer and from top to bottom" the light reaches the bedchambers from the basement window, as if looking for people among the basement inhabitants. Thin partitions fence off Ash's room.
"Everywhere on the walls - bunks". Except for Kvashnya, Baron and Nastya, who live in the kitchen, no one has their own corner. Everything is for show in front of each other, a secluded place only on the stove and behind the cotton canopy that separates the bed of the dying Anna from the others (this way she is already, as it were, separated from life). Dirt everywhere. "dirty cotton canopy", unpainted and dirty table, benches, stool, tattered cardboard, pieces of oilcloth, rags.
Third act takes place in the early spring in the evening on a wasteland, “littered with various rubbish and a yard overgrown with weeds”. Let's pay attention to the color of this place: the dark wall of a barn or stable "gray, covered with remnants of plaster" the wall of the rooming house, the red wall of the brick firewall blocking the sky, the reddish light of the setting sun, the black boughs of elderberry without buds.
Significant changes take place in the setting of the fourth act: the partitions of Ash's former room are broken, and the Tick's anvil has disappeared. The action takes place at night, and the light from the outside world no longer breaks into the basement - the stage is lit by a lamp standing in the middle of the table. However, the last "act" of the drama takes place in a wasteland - the Actor strangled himself there.)

- What kind of people are the inhabitants of the rooming house?
(People who have sunk to the bottom of life end up in a rooming house. This is the last refuge for tramps, outcasts, “ former people". Here are all the social strata of society: the ruined nobleman Baron, the owner of the bunkhouse Kostylev, the policeman Medvedev, the locksmith Kleshch, the card maker Bubnov, the merchant Kvashnya, the card sharper Satin, the prostitute Nastya, the thief Pepel. Everyone is equalized by the position of the dregs of society. Very young people live here (the shoemaker Alyoshka is 20 years old) and still not old people (the oldest, Bubnov, is 45 years old). However, their lives are almost over. Dying Anna appears to us as an old woman, but it turns out she is 30 years old.
Many shelters do not even have names, only nicknames remain, expressively describing their carriers. The appearance of the dumplings merchant Kvashnya, the character of the Mite, the ambition of the Baron are clear. The actor once bore the sonorous surname Sverchkov-Zadunaisky, and now there are almost no memories left - “I forgot everything.”)

What is the subject matter of the play?
(The subject of the image in the drama "At the Bottom" is the consciousness of people thrown out as a result of deep social processes, to the "bottom" of life).

- What is the conflict of the drama?
(social conflict has several levels in the play. The social poles are clearly marked: on one, the owner of the bunkhouse, Kostylev, and the policeman Medvedev, who supports his power, on the other, the bunkhouses, essentially without rights. So it's obvious conflict between power and disenfranchised people. This conflict hardly develops, because Kostylev and Medvedev are not so far from the inhabitants of the rooming house.
Each of the hostels has experienced in the past your social conflict , resulting in a humiliating position.)
Reference:
sharp conflict situation, which is played out in front of the audience, is the most important feature of drama as a kind of literature.

- What brought its inhabitants to the rooming house - Satin, Baron, Klesch, Bubnov, Actor, Nastya, Pepel? What is the backstory of these characters?
(satin went “to the bottom” after serving time in prison for murder: “I killed a scoundrel in temper and irritation ... because of sister»; Baron went bankrupt; Mite lost his job: “I am a working person ... I have been working since I was young”; Bubnov he left the house away from sin so as not to kill his wife and her lover, although he himself admits that he is “lazy” and even a drunkard, “would drink the workshop away”; Actor drank himself, "drank away his soul ... died"; fate Ashes was predetermined already at his birth: “I am a thief from childhood ... everyone always told me: thief Vaska, thieves son Vaska!”
The Baron tells in more detail about the stages of his fall (act four): “It seems to me that all my life I have only changed clothes ... but why? I don't understand! He studied - he wore the uniform of a noble institute ... but what did he study? I don't remember... He got married - put on a tailcoat, then - a dressing gown... but he took a bad wife and - why? I don't understand... He lived everything he had - he wore some kind of gray jacket and red trousers... but how did he get mad? I didn't notice... I served in the Treasury Chamber... a uniform, a cap with a cockade... I squandered government money, - they put on me a prisoner's robe... then - I put on this... And that's it... like in a dream. .. A? That's funny? Each stage of the life of the thirty-three-year-old Baron seems to be marked by a certain costume. These dressings symbolize a gradual decline in social status, and there is nothing behind these “dressing up”, life passed “like in a dream”.)

- How is the social conflict interconnected with the dramatic one?
(Social conflict is taken off stage, relegated to the past, it does not become the basis dramatic conflict. We observe only the result of off-stage conflicts.)

- What kind of conflicts, besides the social one, are highlighted in the play?
(The play has traditional love conflict . It is determined by the relationship between Vaska Pepel, Vasilisa, the wife of the owner of the hostel, Kostylev and Natasha, Vasilisa's sister.
Exposure of this conflict- the conversation of the roomers, from which it is clear that Kostylev is looking for his wife Vasilisa in the rooming house, who is cheating on him with Vaska Pepel.
The origin of this conflict- the appearance of Natasha in the rooming house, for the sake of which Pepel leaves Vasilisa.
During development of a love conflict it becomes clear that the relationship with Natasha revives Ash, he wants to leave with her and start a new life.
Conflict climax taken off stage: at the end of the third act, we learn from the words of Kvashnya that “they boiled the girl’s legs with boiling water” - Vasilisa knocked over the samovar and scalded Natasha’s legs.
The murder of Kostylev by Vaska Ashes turns out to be tragic ending love conflict. Natasha ceases to believe Ash: “She is at the same time! Damn you! You both…")

- What is the peculiarity of the love conflict?
(Love conflict becomes edge social conflict . He shows that anti-human conditions cripple a person, and even love does not save a person, but leads to tragedy: to death, mutilation, murder, hard labor. As a result, Vasilisa alone achieves all her goals: she takes revenge former lover Ashes and her sister-rival Natasha, gets rid of her unloved and disgusted husband and becomes the sole owner of the rooming house. There is nothing human left in Vasilisa, and this shows the enormity of the social conditions that have disfigured both the inhabitants of the rooming house and its owners. The roomers are not directly involved in this conflict, they are only bystanders.)

III. Final word teachers
The conflict in which all the characters are involved is of a different kind. Gorky depicts the consciousness of the people of the “bottom”. The plot unfolds not so much in external action - in everyday life, but in the dialogues of the characters. Exactly the conversations of the sleepers determine development of dramatic conflict . The action is transferred to the non-event series. It's typical of the genre. philosophical drama .
So, the genre of the play can be defined as a socio-philosophical drama .

Additional material for the teacher
To record at the beginning of the lesson, you can suggest the following analysis plan dramatic work:
1. Time of creation and publication of the play.
2. The place occupied in the work of the playwright.
3. The theme of the play and the reflection of certain life material in it.
4. Characters and their grouping.
5. The conflict of a dramatic work, its originality, the degree of novelty and sharpness, its deepening.
6. Development of dramatic action and its phases. Exposition, plot, ups and downs, climax, denouement.
7. Composition of the play. The role and significance of each act.
8. Dramatic characters and their connection with action.
9. speech characteristic characters. Relationship between character and word.
10. The role of dialogues and monologues in the play. Word and action.
11. Identification of the author's position. The role of remarks in drama.
12. Genre and specific originality of the play. Correspondence of the genre to the author's predilections and preferences.
13. Comedy means (if it's a comedy).
14. Tragic flavor (in case of tragedy analysis).
15. Correlation of the play with the aesthetic positions of the author and his views on the theater. The purpose of the play for a particular scene.
16. Theatrical interpretation of the drama at the time of its creation and beyond. The best acting ensembles, outstanding directorial decisions, memorable incarnations of individual roles.
17. The play and its dramatic traditions.

Homework
Identify the role of Luke in the play. Write out his statements about people, about life, about truth, about faith.

Lesson 2 The role of Luke in the drama "At the Bottom"
The purpose of the lesson: create a problematic situation and encourage students to express their own point of view on the image of Luke and his position in life.
Methodical methods: discussion, analytical conversation.

During the classes
I. Analytical conversation
Let us turn to the extra-event series of the drama and see how the conflict develops here.

- How do the inhabitants of the rooming house perceive their situation before the appearance of Luka?
(IN exposure we see people, in essence, resigned to their humiliating position. The roommates languidly, habitually quarrel, and the Actor says to Sateen: “One day they will completely kill you ... to death ...” “And you are a blockhead,” Satine snaps. "Why?" - the Actor is surprised. "Because you can't kill twice."
These words of Sateen show his attitude towards the existence that they all lead in a rooming house. This is not life, they are all already dead. Everything seems to be clear.
But the Actor's retort is interesting: “I don’t understand ... Why not?” Perhaps it is the Actor, who has died more than once on the stage, who understands the horror of the situation more deeply than others. He is the one who commits suicide at the end of the play.)

- What is the meaning of using past tense in the self-characteristics of the characters?
(People feel "former":
"Satin. I was an educated person” (the paradox is that the past tense is impossible in this case).
"Bubnov. I'm a furrier was ».
Bubnov pronounces a philosophical maxim: “It turns out - don’t paint yourself outside, everything will be erased... everything will be erased, Yes!")

- Which of the characters opposes himself to the rest?
(Only one The tick has not reconciled yet with your fate. He separates himself from the rest of the roomers: “What kind of people are they? Roar, golden company... people! I'm a working man... I'm ashamed to look at them... I've been working since I was little... Do you think I won't get out of here? I’ll get out... I’ll rip off my skin, and I’ll get out... Just wait... my wife will die...”
The dream of another life is connected with the Tick with the liberation that the death of his wife will bring him. He does not feel the enormity of his statement. Yes, and the dream will be imaginary.)

What scene is the beginning of the conflict?
(The beginning of the conflict is the appearance of Luke. He immediately announces his views on life: “I don’t care! I respect crooks too, in my opinion, not a single flea is bad: everyone is black, everyone jumps ... that's it. And one more thing: “To the old man - where it is warm, there is the homeland ...”
Luke turns out in the center of guests' attention: “What an interesting old man you brought, Natasha ...” - and all the development of the plot is concentrated on him.)

- How does Luka behave with each of the inhabitants of the rooming house?
(Luke quickly finds an approach to the overnight stays: "I'll look at you, brothers - your life - oh-oh! .."
He takes pity on Alyoshka: "Oh, boy, you're confused ...".
He does not respond to rudeness, skillfully bypasses questions that are unpleasant for him, and is ready to sweep the floor instead of the bedchambers.
Luka becomes necessary for Anna, pities her: “How can you leave a person like that?”.
Luka skillfully flatters Medvedev, calling him "under", and he immediately falls for this bait.)

- What do we know about Luke?
(Luka says almost nothing about himself, we only learn: “They crumpled a lot, that’s why he is soft ...”)

- How does Luke affect the overnight stays?
(In each of the lodging-houses, Luka sees a man, reveals their bright sides, the essence of personality , and this produces revolution in life heroes.
It turns out that the prostitute Nastya dreams of beautiful and bright love;
the drunken Actor receives hope for a cure for alcoholism - Luke tells him: “A person can do anything, if only he wants to ...”;
thief Vaska Pepel plans to leave for Siberia and start a new life there with Natasha, to become a strong master.
Anna Luca gives consolation: “Nothing, dear! You - hope ... That means you will die, and you will be calm ... you will not need anything else, and there is nothing to be afraid of! Quiet, calm - lie to yourself!
Luke reveals the good in every person and inspires faith in the best.)

- Did Luka lie to the rooming-houses?
(There may be different opinions on this.
Luke selflessly tries to help people, to instill in them faith in themselves, to awaken the best sides of nature.
He sincerely wants the best shows real ways to achieve a new, better life . After all, there really are hospitals for alcoholics, indeed Siberia is the “golden side”, and not just a place of exile and hard labor.
As for the afterlife with which he beckons Anna, the question is more complicated; it is a matter of faith and religious beliefs.
What did he lie about? When Luka convinces Nastya that he believes in her feelings, in her love: “If you believe, you had true love ... then it was! Was!" - he only helps her find the strength in herself for life, for real, not fictional love.)

- How do the inhabitants of the rooming house relate to the words of Luke?
(The overnight stayers are at first distrustful of Luka’s words: “Why are you lying all the time? Luka does not deny this, he answers the question with a question: “And ... why do you really need it painfully ... think about it! She, really, can , butt for you ... "
Even to a direct question about God, Luke answers evasively: “If you believe, there is; if you don’t believe it, no ... What you believe in is what it is ...”)

What groups can the characters in the play be divided into?
(The heroes of the play can be divided into "believers" and "non-believers" .
Anna believes in God, Tatar - in Allah, Nastya - in "fatal" love, Baron - in her past, perhaps invented. Tick ​​no longer believes in anything, and Bubnov never believed in anything.)

- What is the sacred meaning of the name "Luka"?
(At the name "Luka" dual meaning: this name is reminiscent of Evangelist Luke, means "light", and at the same time associated with the word "sly"(euphemism for the word "crap").)

- What is the author's position in relation to Luke?
(The author's position is expressed in the development of the plot.
After Luke left everything happens not at all as Luke convinced and as the heroes expected .
Vaska Pepel really ends up in Siberia, but only to hard labor, for the murder of Kostylev, and not as a free settler.
The actor, who has lost faith in himself, in his strength, exactly repeats the fate of the hero of Luke's parable about the righteous land. Luke, telling a parable about a man who, having lost faith in the existence of a righteous land, strangled himself, believes that a person should not be deprived of dreams, hopes, even imaginary ones. Gorky, showing the fate of the Actor, assures the reader and viewer that it is false hope that can lead a person to commit suicide .)
Gorky himself wrote about his plan: The main question I wanted to ask is what is better, truth or compassion. What is needed. Is it necessary to bring compassion to the point of using lies, like Luke? This is not a subjective question, but a general philosophical one.

- Gorky contrasts not truth and falsehood, but truth and compassion. How justified is this opposition?
(Discussion.)

- What is the significance of Luke's influence on the overnight stays?
(All characters agree that Luke instilled in them false hope . But after all, they did not promise to raise them from the bottom of life, he simply showed them own possibilities, showed that there is a way out, and now everything depends on them.)

- How strong is the faith in yourself awakened by Luke?
(This belief did not have time to gain a foothold in the minds of the roommates, it turned out to be fragile and lifeless, with the disappearance of Luke, hope goes out)

- What is the reason for the rapid fading of faith?
(Maybe the thing in the weakness of the heroes themselves , in their inability and unwillingness to do at least something to implement new plans. Dissatisfaction with reality, a sharply negative attitude towards it, are combined with a complete unwillingness to do anything to change this reality.)

- How does Luke explain the failures of the overnight stay life?
(Luke explains the failures of the life of overnight shelters by external circumstances , does not blame the heroes themselves for a failed life. Therefore, she reached out to him so much and was so disappointed, having lost external support with the departure of Luke.)

II. Final word of the teacher
Gorky does not accept passive consciousness, whose ideologist he considers Luke.
According to the writer, it can only reconcile a person with the outside world, but this world will not move him to change.
Although Gorky does not accept Luka's position, this image seems to be getting out of the author's control.
According to the memoirs of I. M. Moskvin, in the production of 1902, Luka appeared as a noble comforter, almost the savior of many desperate inhabitants of the rooming house. Some critics saw in Luka "Danko, who was given only real features”, “spokesman of the highest truth”, found elements of the exaltation of Luke in Beranger’s poems, which the Actor shouts out:
Lord! If the truth is holy
The world can't find the way,
Honor to the madman who will inspire
Mankind has a golden dream!
K. S. Stanislavsky, one of the directors of the play, planned path "decrease" hero.“Luke is cunning”, “looking slyly”, “slyly smiling”, “insinuatingly, softly”, “it is clear that he is lying”.
Luke is a living image precisely because he is contradictory and ambiguous.

Homework
Find out how the question of truth is resolved in the play. Find sayings different heroes about the truth.

Lesson 3
The purpose of the lesson: identify the positions of the characters in the play and author's position towards the question of truth.
Methodical methods: analytical conversation, discussion.

During the classes
I. Teacher's word
A philosophical question posed by Gorky himself: Which is better, truth or compassion? The question of truth is multifaceted. Each person understands the truth in his own way, having in mind some final, higher truth. Let's see how the truth and lies correlate in the drama "At the Bottom".

II. Dictionary work
- What do the heroes of the play mean by "truth"?
(Discussion. This word has many meanings. We advise you to look into Dictionary and discover the meaning of the word "truth".

Teacher comment:
Can be distinguished two levels of "truth".
One is " private truth, which the hero defends, assures everyone, and above all himself, of the existence of an extraordinary, bright love. Baron - in the existence of his prosperous past. Kleshch calls his situation true, which turned out to be hopeless even after the death of his wife: “There is no work ... there is no strength! Here is the truth! Shelter... there is no shelter! You need to breathe ... here it is, really! For Vasilisa, the “truth” is that she is “tired” of Vaska Pepl, that she mocks her sister: “I’m not boasting - I’m telling the truth.” Such a "private" truth is at the level of a fact: it was - it was not.
Another level of "truth" "worldview"- in Luke's remarks. Luke's "truth" and his "falsehood" are expressed by the formula: "What you believe is what you are."

III. Conversation
- Do you really need the truth?
(Discussion.)

- The position of which character opposed to Luke's position?
(Positions of Luke, compromising, comforting, opposes the position of Bubnov .
This is the darkest figure in the play. Bubnov enters into an argument implicitly, like talking to myself , supporting the polyphony (polylogue) of the play.
First act, scene at the bedside of the dying Anna:
Natasha (to Tick). Would you, tea, treat her more kindly now .., after all, not for long ...
Mite. I know...
Natasha. You know... It's not enough to know, you understand. It's scary to die...
Ash. And I'm not afraid...
Natasha. How! .. Courage ...
Bubnov (whistling). And the threads are rotten ...
This phrase is repeated several times throughout the play, as if