3 healing power nature.

The image of an oak tree in Leo Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace". In his work, L. N. Tolstoy refers to different facets of personality in order to make it the most full portrait. It can be subtle facial movements: a smile or a sparkle in the eyes. When describing internal state the hero is important not only emotions, but also their external manifestations. Tolstoy finds other features that can show us his "dialectics of the soul", a term used by N. G. Chernyshevsky when characterizing the works of the great writer. In my essay, I will focus on the image of an oak tree from the novel "War and Peace", which helps us to reveal the state of mind of Prince Andrei Bolkonsky.

Andrey meets this tree on his way before he gets to the Rostovs' estate, Otradnoye. Behind the prince's shoulders may be a short life, but rich in content. He saw all the facets of what the writer refers to in his work: peace and war. From such a journey, Bolkonsky made a firm conviction that life was over. “Yes, he is right, this oak tree is a thousand times right,” thought Prince Andrei, “let others, young people, again succumb to this deception, and we know life, our life is over!” The tree he sees makes Bolkonsky look again at the path he has traveled. But the memories do not change his attitude towards himself. The charm of spring does not resurrect beautiful moments in him and does not give a fresh breath of new life.

However, the writer, referring to such a journey that Bolkonsky started in Bogucharovo on the affairs of his son, shows that this particular oak becomes a kind of turning point in the fate of one of the main characters. Prince Andrei does not understand why his coachman Peter can be so happy. And the only one he finds as allies is an old oak, which is "probably ten times older than birches." It was he who further confirmed Bolkonsky in the opinion that “he didn’t need to start anything, that he should live out his life without doing evil, without worrying and not wanting anything.”

The very description of the tree, which the writer cites in the work, helps us understand why Prince Andrei perceived him as the only ally in this beauty of spring fairy forest. “It was a huge oak tree in two girths with broken branches, which can be seen for a long time, and with broken bark, overgrown with old sores. With his huge clumsy, asymmetrically spread, clumsy hands and fingers, he stood between the smiling birches, an old, angry and contemptuous freak. Only he alone did not want to submit to the charm of spring and did not want to see either spring or the sun. From this description it follows that the oak also saw a lot in life. And from such a difficult struggle, he endured not only disappointment, but also the wounds that the sores on his bark speak of. In describing this picture, Tolstoy deftly uses one trick. The writer shows that two kindred souls met who were able to resist the general fun. However, they still remain lonely: the oak is in this forest, Andrei is in life. From the fact that two kindred souls have closed themselves from the light and others, nothing will change. After all, life goes on ... It brings new events and impressions that gradually overshadow any sadness. Natasha Rostova becomes such a creature for Prince Andrei Bolkonsky. He is struck by her sincere joy and admiration.

eat, what surrounds us in life. She rejoices in an ordinary night so directly and without slyness. “No, look at the moon! .. Oh, what a charm! .. So I would squat down, like this, I would grab myself under my knees - tighter, as tight as possible - you have to strain. Like this!"

In this case, the girl becomes not an ally, but one might say, an opponent of Prince Andrei. And it has its effect. Bolkonsky begins to think about the fact that everyday, inconspicuous things from the first time can please a person. He understands that simple items and phenomena of nature, such as the moon, can inspire. Maybe it is at this moment that Prince Andrei understands why Natasha was so happy all day. “Suddenly, such an unexpected confusion of young thoughts and hopes, contradicting his whole life, rose in his soul, that he, feeling unable to understand his condition, immediately fell asleep.”

When he returns, travels from Otradnoye, he begins to pay attention to what surrounds him. This is no longer enthusiasm and a kind of spring awakening of nature. Spring has long come into its own, summer is in the yard. And at this moment, Prince Andrei cannot find the one with whom he was recently so alone in the realm of awakening nature.

The image of oak in the work plays a big role. After all, it is through the eyes of Bolkonsky that this tree is shown. In it, he finds an ally of his soul and thoughts, his passed life. The author uses this image in order not to open slightly through replicas inner world character. Prince Andrei is such a hero who does not speak directly about his anxieties and fears. Only with Pierre can he afford to be a little frank. In that crucial moment when a friend is not around, it was through the description of the tree that we understood what was happening, and what cardinal changes took place in Bolkonsky's soul. He, like this oak, came to life under the warm sun and could rejoice in summer days, like those birches that he met again on the way.

Natasha, with her admiration at the window, only gave impetus to a spark flaring up in Prince Andrei. But the hero strengthened his opinion only at the moment when he again saw that clumsy and “sad” oak. The tree itself seemed to rejoice at the life that spring opened before it, and Andrei “without knowing it, without recognizing it, admired the oak he was looking for. old oak, all transformed, stretched out in a tent of juicy, dark greenery, thrilled, slightly swaying in the rays of the evening sun. The new foliage hid the sores and wounds. So Bolkonsky thought, probably, that his spiritual wounds could also heal. Therefore, he will be able not only to transform like this oak tree, but also to start life from a new leaf. The tree, as if by its example, showed that grief and distrust can be crossed, as he himself did.

With a consistent description of the oak, the author seems to show the steps of the hero's rebirth. First, it is worth letting in the new that surrounds us. This will not only hide external flaws, but also convince yourself that grief will be left behind. Secondly, the most important thing is that you yourself can make everything around you move and come to life: “Through the tough, hundred-year-old bark, juicy, young leaves made their way without knots, so it was impossible to believe that this old man produced them.”

And Bolkonsky goes through all these stages together with the oak. “Yes, this is the same oak tree,” thought Prince Andrei, and a causeless, spring feeling of joy and renewal suddenly came over him. All the best moments of his life were suddenly remembered to him at the same time. And in memory young man, after all, Andrei is only thirty-one years old, only pleasant moments of his life began to emerge, which seemed to say that he could go forward and at the same time rely not only on dark and gloomy, but also bright moments. Bolkonsky seems to understand that it is renewal and admiration for life that allow you to boldly move forward to new heights, and not hide your youth and talent behind a “bark with sores”. He must live not only for himself, but also for others so that they, too, can see in him the best thing that has been hidden for a long time, “... so that everyone knows me, so that my life goes not for me alone, so that they don’t live like that regardless of my life, so that it is reflected on everyone and that they all live with me together!

So the meeting with the oak was the turning point that showed and approved the main character in the opinion that it is possible to start life from scratch. And those around him, perhaps, will help him in this, because during his awakening he remembers Pierre, the girl and now this resurrected oak.

So the image of the oak plays several roles in the story. He not only reveals to us the veil of secrecy over the inner world of the hero, but is also a character who finds his way of reviving Prince Andrei Bolkonsky to a new wonderful life. At the same time, the image of the oak enables the author to show us those qualities of the hero that could not be shown through a description of the appearance.

I

In 1808, Emperor Alexander traveled to Erfurt for a new meeting with Emperor Napoleon, and in high Petersburg society they talked a lot about the greatness of this solemn meeting. In 1809, the proximity of the two rulers of the world, as Napoleon and Alexander were called, reached the point that when Napoleon declared war on Austria that year, the Russian corps went abroad to assist its former enemy, Bonaparte, against its former ally, the Austrian emperor, before high society talked about the possibility of marriage between Napoleon and one of the sisters of Emperor Alexander. But, in addition to external political considerations, at that time the attention of Russian society with particular vivacity was drawn to the internal transformations that were being carried out at that time in all parts of the state administration. Life in the meantime real life people with their own essential interests of health, illness, work, recreation, with their own interests of thought, science, poetry, music, love, friendship, hatred, passions, went, as always, independently and outside of political proximity or enmity with Napoleon Bonaparte and outside of all possible transformations. Prince Andrei lived without a break for two years in the countryside. All those enterprises on estates that Pierre started at home and did not bring to any result, constantly moving from one thing to another, all these enterprises, without expressing them to anyone and without noticeable labor, were carried out by Prince Andrei. He had in the highest degree that practical tenacity that Pierre lacked, which, without scope and effort on his part, gave movement to the cause. One of his estates of three hundred souls of peasants was listed as free cultivators (this was one of the first examples in Russia), in others corvée was replaced by dues. In Bogucharovo, a scholarly grandmother was issued to his account to help puerperas, and the priest taught the children of peasants and yards to read and write for a salary. One half of his time, Prince Andrei spent in the Bald Mountains with his father and son, who was still with the nannies; the other half of the time in the Bogucharovo monastery, as his father called his village. Despite the indifference he showed to Pierre to all the external events of the world, he diligently followed them, received many books and, to his surprise, noticed when people fresh from Petersburg, from the very whirlpool of life, came to him or to his father in the knowledge of everything that happens in the external and domestic politics far behind him, sitting without a break in the village. In addition to classes on estates, in addition to general studies in reading a wide variety of books, Prince Andrei was at that time engaged in a critical analysis of our last two unfortunate campaigns and drawing up a project on changing our military regulations and decrees. In the spring of 1809, Prince Andrei went to the Ryazan estates of his son, whom he was the guardian of. Warmed by the spring sun, he sat in the carriage, looking at the first grass, the first birch leaves, and the first puffs of white spring clouds scattered across the bright blue of the sky. He did not think about anything, but looked cheerfully and senselessly around. We passed the ferry on which he spoke with Pierre a year ago. We passed a dirty village, threshing floors, greenery, a descent with the remaining snow near the bridge, an ascent along washed-out clay, strips of stubble and bushes greening in some places, and drove into a birch forest on both sides of the road. It was almost hot in the forest, the wind could not be heard. The birch, all covered with green sticky leaves, did not move, and from under last year's leaves, lifting them, crawled out, turning green, the first grass and purple flowers. Scattered in some places along the birch forest, small firs with their coarse eternal greenery unpleasantly reminded of winter. The horses snorted as they rode into the woods and became more sweaty. The footman Peter said something to the coachman, the coachman answered in the affirmative. But, apparently, the sympathy of the coachman was not enough for Peter: he turned on the goats to the master. "Your Excellency, it's easy!" he said with a respectful smile.- What? “Easy, your highness. "What he says? thought Prince Andrew. “Yes, it’s true about spring,” he thought, looking around. - And then, everything is already green ... how soon! And birch, and bird cherry, and alder is already beginning ... And the oak is imperceptible. Yes, here it is, the oak. There was an oak at the edge of the road. Probably ten times older than the birches that made up the forest, it was ten times thicker, and twice as tall as each birch. It was a huge, two-girth oak, with boughs broken off, apparently long ago, and with broken bark, overgrown with old sores. With his huge clumsy, asymmetrically spread out clumsy hands and fingers, he stood between smiling birches like an old, angry and contemptuous freak. Only he alone did not want to submit to the charm of spring and did not want to see either spring or the sun. “Spring, and love, and happiness! - as if said this oak. “And how do you not get tired of the same stupid senseless deceit! Everything is the same, and everything is a lie! There is no spring, no sun, no happiness. Look, the crushed dead fir trees are sitting, always the same, and there I spread my broken, peeled fingers, wherever they grew - from the back, from the sides. As you have grown, so I stand, and I do not believe your hopes and deceptions. Prince Andrei looked back at this oak tree several times as he rode through the forest, as if he was expecting something from him. There were flowers and grass under the oak, but he still, frowning, motionless, ugly and stubbornly, stood in the middle of them. “Yes, he is right, this oak tree is a thousand times right,” thought Prince Andrei, “let others, young people, again succumb to this deception, and we know life, our life is over!” Whole new row hopeless, but sadly pleasant thoughts in connection with this oak arose in the soul of Prince Andrei. During this journey, it was as if he thought over his whole life again and came to the same old, reassuring and hopeless conclusion that he didn’t need to start anything, that he should live his life without doing evil, without worrying and desiring nothing. .

"... An oak tree stood on the edge of the road. It was probably ten times older than the birches that made up the forest, ten times thicker and twice as tall as each birch. It was a huge, two-girth oak, with broken branches and bark overgrown with old sores. With huge, clumsy, asymmetrically spread out clumsy hands and fingers, he stood between smiling birches like an old, angry and contemptuous freak. Only he did not want to submit to the charm of spring and did not want to see either spring or the sun.

This oak seemed to say: “Spring, and love, and happiness! And how do you not get tired of the same stupid, senseless deceit! Everything is the same, and everything is a lie! There is no spring, no sun, no happiness. Look, the crushed dead firs are sitting, always alone, and there I spread my broken, peeled fingers, which grew out of the back, from the sides - anywhere. As they grew up, I stand and do not believe your hopes and deceptions.

Prince Andrei looked back at this oak tree several times as he rode through the forest. There were flowers and grass under the oak, but he still stood in the middle of them, gloomy, motionless, ugly and stubborn.

“Yes, he is right, this oak is a thousand times right,” thought Prince Andrei. “Let others, young people, again succumb to this deception, and we know: our life is over!” Whole line thoughts, hopeless, but sadly pleasant, in connection with this oak arose in the soul of Prince Andrei. During this journey, it was as if he thought over his whole life again and came to the same reassuring and hopeless conclusion that he did not need to start anything, that he should live his life without doing evil, without worrying and desiring nothing ...

It was already the beginning of June, when Prince Andrei, returning home, drove again into that birch grove in which this old, gnarled oak struck him so strangely and memorable. “Here, in this forest, there was this oak that we agreed with. Where is he? - thought Prince Andrei, looking at the left side of the road. Without knowing it himself, he admired the oak he was looking for, but now he did not recognize it.

The old oak, all transformed, spread out like a tent of juicy, dark greenery, was thrilled, slightly swaying in the rays of the evening sun. No clumsy fingers, no sores, no old grief and mistrust - nothing was visible. Juicy, young leaves made their way through the hundred-year-old hard bark without knots, so that it was impossible to believe that the old man had produced them. “Yes, this is the same oak tree,” thought Prince Andrei, and an unreasonable spring feeling of joy and renewal suddenly came over him. All the best moments of his life were suddenly remembered to him at the same time. And Austerlitz with a high sky, and Pierre on the ferry, and a girl excited by the beauty of the night, and this night, and the moon - he suddenly remembered all this.

“No, life is not over at thirty-one,” Prince Andrei suddenly decided finally and irrevocably. - Not only do I know everything that is in me, it is necessary that everyone knows this: both Pierre and this girl who wanted to fly into the sky. It is necessary that my life does not go for me alone, that it is reflected on all and that they all live with me.

Mood: No

Music: STV radio

There was an oak at the edge of the road. Probably ten times older than the birches that made up the forest, it was ten times thicker, and twice as tall as each birch. It was a huge, two-girth oak, with boughs broken off, apparently long ago, and with broken bark, overgrown with old sores. With his huge clumsy, asymmetrically spread out clumsy hands and fingers, he stood between smiling birches like an old, angry and contemptuous freak. Only he alone did not want to submit to the charm of spring and did not want to see either spring or the sun.
“Spring, and love, and happiness! - as if said this oak. “And how do you not get tired of the same stupid senseless deceit! Everything is the same, and everything is a lie! There is no spring, no sun, no happiness. There, look, crushed dead firs are sitting, always the same, and there I spread my broken, peeled fingers, wherever they grew - from the back, from the sides. As they grew up, I stand and do not believe your hopes and deceptions.
Prince Andrei looked back at this oak tree several times as he rode through the forest, as if he was expecting something from him. There were flowers and grass under the oak, but he still, frowning, motionless, ugly and stubbornly, stood in the middle of them.
“Yes, he is right, this oak tree is a thousand times right,” thought Prince Andrei, “let others, young people, again succumb to this deception, and we know life, our life is over!” A whole new series of hopeless, but sadly pleasant thoughts arose in the soul of Prince Andrei in connection with this oak tree. During this journey, it was as if he thought over his whole life again and came to the same old, reassuring and hopeless conclusion that he didn’t need to start anything, that he should live his life without doing evil, without worrying and desiring nothing. . On the side of the road stood an oak. Probably ten times as old birches that formed the forest, he was ten times as thick and twice as each birch. It was a huge , two girth oak, with broken long ago , it is clear and females with broken bark overgrown old sores . With its huge clumsy asymmetrically splayed gnarled hands and fingers, he was old, angry and scornful monster stood between the smiling birches. Only he did not want to obey the charm of spring and did not want to see no spring, no sun.
"Spring , love and happiness ! - As if to say that oak . - And it does not bother you all the same stupid meaningless hype! All the same , and all the hype ! There is no spring , no sun, no happiness. Vaughn see , sit crushed dead spruce, always the same , and there I spread out my broken off , skinned fingers , where neither they grew - from the back , from the sides. and deceptions."
Prince Andrew looked several times at this oak, passing through the woods, as if he were waiting for something from him. Flowers and grass were under an oak tree, but he was still frowning, still, ugly and hard, stood among them.
"Yes, he"s right, a thousand times right this oak - thought Prince Andrew - let other young again lend themselves to this deception, and we know life - our life is over!" A whole new range of bad thoughts, but sadly - pleasing in connection with the oak originated in the soul of Prince Andrew. that he should live out their lives without doing evil, not worrying and wanting nothing.

The problem of loneliness and the search for the meaning of life worried Leo Tolstoy all his life, reflected in full measure in his work.

The author created a description and image of an oak tree in the novel "War and Peace" in order to convey the state of Andrei Bolkonsky during a period of reassessment of life values. Circumstances change the inner world of a person, sometimes turn the soul inside out.

excerpts

2 vol. 3 part. 1 chapter (1 excerpt)

There was an oak at the edge of the road. Probably ten times older than the birches that made up the forest, it was ten times thicker, and twice as tall as each birch. It was a huge, two-girth oak, with boughs broken off, apparently long ago, and with broken bark, overgrown with old sores. With his huge clumsy, asymmetrically spread out clumsy hands and fingers, he stood between smiling birches like an old, angry and contemptuous freak. Only he alone did not want to submit to the charm of spring and did not want to see either spring or the sun.

“Spring, and love, and happiness! - as if said this oak. “And how do you not get tired of the same stupid senseless deceit! Everything is the same, and everything is a lie! There is no spring, no sun, no happiness. There, look, crushed dead firs are sitting, always the same, and there I spread my broken, peeled fingers, wherever they grew - from the back, from the sides. As they grew up, I stand and do not believe your hopes and deceptions.

Prince Andrei looked back at this oak tree several times as he rode through the forest, as if he was expecting something from him. There were flowers and grass under the oak, but he still, frowning, motionless, ugly and stubbornly, stood in the middle of them.

“Yes, he is right, this oak tree is a thousand times right,” thought Prince Andrei, “let others, young people, again succumb to this deception, and we know life, our life is over! A whole new series of hopeless, but sadly pleasant thoughts arose in the soul of Prince Andrei in connection with this oak tree. During this journey, it was as if he thought over his whole life again and came to the same old, reassuring and hopeless conclusion that he didn’t need to start anything, that he should live his life without doing evil, without worrying and desiring nothing. .

Chapter 3 (2 excerpt)

“Yes, here, in this forest, there was this oak, with which we agreed,” thought Prince Andrei. - Where is he? ”- thought Prince Andrei again, looking at the left side of the road and, without knowing it himself, without recognizing him, admired the oak he was looking for. The old oak, all transformed, spread out like a tent of juicy, dark greenery, was thrilled, slightly swaying in the rays of the evening sun. No clumsy fingers, no sores, no old grief and mistrust - nothing was visible. Juicy, young leaves broke through the hundred-year-old hard bark without knots, so that it was impossible to believe that it was the old man who produced them. “Yes, this is the same oak tree,” thought Prince Andrei, and an unreasonable spring feeling of joy and renewal suddenly came over him. All the best moments of his life were suddenly remembered to him at the same time. And Austerlitz with a high sky, and the dead, reproachful face of his wife, and Pierre on the ferry, and the girl, excited by the beauty of the night, and this night, and the moon - and he suddenly remembered all this.

“No, life is not over even for thirty-one years,” Prince Andrei suddenly decided without change. - Not only do I know everything that is in me, it is necessary that everyone knows this: both Pierre and this girl who wanted to fly into the sky, it is necessary that everyone knows me, so that my life goes not for me alone. life, so that they do not live like this girl, regardless of my life, so that it is reflected in everyone and so that they all live with me together!

The image and characteristics of Oak

Widower, father, owner

Two years have passed since the Battle of Austerlitz, Prince Andrei was a widow in the Bald Mountains with a young son, father and sister. Sometimes he had to travel on business to the Kolenka estates, as he was the boy's legal guardian.

Bolkonsky retired from military affairs and became a leading master. In some villages, the prince transferred the peasants to the status of free cultivators. In other estates, he replaced the serf service of corvée with dues. Innovations had a positive effect on family income.

In his free time, Bolkonsky read a lot, kept notes about the reasons for the defeat of Russian soldiers in the war with Napoleon. Nothing comforted the soul of a thirty-one-year-old man. The emotional side of life did not fit into his daily routine.

spring forest

The road lay in the Ryazan province, it was necessary to check the affairs in the villages of the son. The spring of 1809 turned out to be warm, Andrei indifferently examined the green grass, young buds on trees, which looked especially beautiful against the background of a bright blue sky.

It was especially warm in the birch grove, there was no wind here, it was getting hot, although earlier the remains of snow could be seen under the bridge. purple flowers that adorned the glades, instilled faith in springtime. The horses were sweating, and the birds and the men on the goats rejoiced at the changing seasons.

The prince did not understand the reason human joy. He thought about the oak that stood by the road.

What did the oak tree look like after winter?

The tree was much older than those birches that surrounded it, because the trunk is immense, and the height was twice the height of the birches. Old branches were broken off many years ago, in their place sticking out ugly crippled bitches, as a symbol of rich spiritual experience.

More than once, the oak lost its bark in places, which overgrown with moss, like ancient wounds, indicating that the tree had to go through a lot. With age, the symmetry lost its lines, the tree looked clumsy, senile freak against the background of young birches, rejoicing at the arrival of spring:

“It was a huge, two-girth oak, with branches broken off, apparently long ago, and with broken bark, overgrown with old sores. With his huge clumsy, asymmetrically spread clumsy hands and fingers, he stood between smiling birches like an old, angry and contemptuous freak.

What was common between the oak and Prince Bolkonsky

Andrei imagined how the tree was indignant about the general fun.

“Spring, and love, and happiness! - as if said this oak. “And how do you not get tired of the same stupid senseless deceit! Everything is the same, and everything is a lie! There is no spring, no sun, no happiness.

The hero, like an oak tree he meets, feels like a stranger among the joyful faces of those around him. He lost his wife two years ago, the pain of loss left a mark on his soul, reminiscent of peeled bark on a tree trunk. The officer survived the defeat of the Russian army in the battles of Shangreben and Austerlitz, passed through himself the humiliation in captivity, disappointment in the authority of Napoleon.

Bolkonsky's soul, like this oak, was disfigured by the trials of fate, he perceived the joy of those around him as hypocrisy, and happiness as a non-existent category of worldview. Emotionally, the man felt empty. Life, love and joy seemed inaccessible due to age and bitterness. life experience.

“Yes, he is right, this oak tree is a thousand times right,” thought Prince Andrei, “let others, young people, again succumb to this deception, and we know life, our life is over!”

The hero decided that his destiny was to live out the years predetermined by the Lord, avoiding temptations, calmly, without getting angry, without worrying, unlike the whole world. Like an oak that doesn't accept spring rules, stands, not covered with bright foliage.

The image of an oak tree in summer

Ryazan affairs demanded a meeting with Ilya Nikolaevich Rostov. The prince found the count in Otradnoe. I had to spend one June night at the estate. Natasha Rostova excited the imagination of Bolkonsky, who was in despondency. The girl so naturally, so enthusiastically admired the beginning of summer, that an unconscious hope rattled in the soul of the hero.

The road home again lay past the protesting oak, which in the spring remained imperturbable and indifferent to the general awakening. The forest closed overhead in a thick edge. Andrei wanted to see his mute associate, he gazed intently at the left side of the grove.
Suddenly he caught himself involuntarily admiring that oak whose gloomy image he wanted to find. It's amazing how the ancient tree has changed. The evening sun warmed the crown, filled with juicy greenery, which rustled sweetly, swaying in a light breeze.

Young foliage successfully covered all the flaws of the old trunk, rejuvenating it with itself. The life-affirming state of the oak was transferred to Bolkonsky. Victorious moments flashed in my memory, the sky near Austerlitz at the moment of injury, the face of the departed Liza and the happy girl Natasha Rostova, whose image evoked a desire to rejoice in everything that is beautiful around.

“No, life is not over even for thirty-one years,” Prince Andrey suddenly decided, finally and without change.

The prince radically changes life, tries to create a new military charter, take into account the mistakes of past battles, and increase the combat readiness of the state. Together with Minister Speransky, they are working on army reforms. Begins new stage the life of Prince Bolkonsky. The sprout of romantic attraction to young Natasha took root in the soul young man to fill the void there.