Composition
The stories of I. A. Bunin “Brothers” and “The Gentleman from San Francisco” have an acute social orientation. But the meaning of these stories is not limited to criticism of capitalism and colonialism. The social problems of capitalist society are only a background that allows Bunin to show the aggravation of the “eternal” problems of humanity in the development of civilization. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, capitalism in Europe and America reached its highest stage of development - imperialism. Society is moving along the path of technological progress. The largest monopolies are seizing key positions in all sectors of the economy of capitalist countries.
One of the most important signs of imperialism is the development of the colonial system, which finally took shape by the 20th century with the completion of the territorial division of the world between the largest capitalist powers, when the countries of almost all of Africa, most of Asia and Latin America were turned into colonies. This is the concrete historical background in the stories of I. A. Bunin.
In the 1900s, Bunin traveled around Europe and the East, observing the life and order of capitalist society in Europe and the colonial countries of Asia. Bunin realizes all the immorality and anti-humanity of the orders that reign in imperialist society, where everything works only to enrich the monopolies. Rich capitalists are not ashamed of any means to increase their capital. They are not embarrassed by the fact that they make huge profits by exploiting, ruining and impoverishing the majority of the population of their country, and by robbing the peoples of other countries.
In the story “Brothers,” Bunin reveals the essence of colonialism, the shameless, cruel, predatory policy of bourgeois society.
Bunin tells the story of two “earthly” brothers - a young Ceylon rickshaw puller and a rich colonialist, whom the rickshaw puller carries in his carriage. The Europeans, greedy for money and wealth, invaded the lives of the “forest people”, turned them into slaves, and gave everyone their own number. But they also invaded the personal life of the “forest people.” They deprived the young rickshaw driver of hope for happiness, joy, and love by taking his bride away. And life lost all meaning for the rickshaw driver. He sees the only liberation from the cruelty of the world in death, which he receives from the bite of a small, but most poisonous snake.
In “Brothers,” the Englishman realizes the immorality of his life, talking about the crimes he committed: “In Africa I killed people, in India, robbed by England, and therefore by me, I saw thousands dying of hunger, in Japan I bought girls as monthly wives ... in Java and Ceylon I drove rickshaws until my death rattle...” But the Englishman is not tormented by remorse.
Bunin is confident that such an unjust society cannot last long, that the capitalist world is gradually moving towards the abyss.
Having plundered the East and Africa, this world, torn apart by internal contradictions, will begin to self-destruct, as in that very Buddhist legend told by the Englishman.
Bunin reveals the problems of social evil in his other story - “The Gentleman from San Francisco.” "The Mister from San Francisco" is built on symbols and contrasts. "Atlantis" is a model of a capitalist society. Bunin generalizes the image of the gentleman from San Francisco to such an extent that he does not even give him any specific name. A description of life on the ship is given in a contrasting image of the upper deck and the hold of the ship: “The gigantic furnaces rumbled dully, devouring piles of hot coal, with a roar they were thrown into them, drenched in acrid, dirty sweat and naked to the waist, people crimson from the flames; and here, in the bar, they carelessly threw their feet up on the handles, smoked, sipped cognac and liqueurs...” With this sharp transition, Bunin emphasizes that the luxury of the upper decks, i.e., the highest capitalist society, was achieved only through the exploitation and enslavement of people constantly working in hellish conditions in the hold of a ship.
Using the example of the fate of the gentleman from San Francisco himself, Bunin speaks of the aimlessness, emptiness, and worthlessness of the life of a typical representative of a capitalist society. The closeness of this topic to the content of Tolstoy’s “The Death of Ivan Ilyich” is obvious. The thought of death, repentance, sins, and God never occurred to the gentleman from San Francisco. All his life he strove to become equal to those “whom he once took as a model.” By old age there was nothing human left in him. He looked like an expensive thing made of gold and Ivory, one of those that always surrounded him: “his large teeth glittered with gold fillings, his strong bald head shone with old ivory.”
Bunin denies his hero even enlightenment before death, unlike Tolstoy. His death seems to foreshadow the death of the entire unjust world of “gentlemen from San Francisco.” It is not for nothing that on the return journey of Atlantis, the Devil sits on the rocks of Gibraltar, foreshadowing the universal end. The ocean, the primordial element (“bottomless depth, that unsteady abyss about which the Bible speaks so terribly”), which does not accept the gentleman from San Francisco and his spiritless world, in which they have forgotten about God, about nature, speaks about the imminent death of the whole world. about the power of the elements. So, against the backdrop of social problems, Bunin talks about the eternal problems of humanity: about the meaning of life, about the spirituality of life, about man’s relationship to God. For Bunin, an imperfect capitalist society is just one of the forms of manifestation of “universal” evil. Using the example of a gentleman from San Francisco and his soulless life, Bunin shows that the modern world is depraved, that it is mired in sins. The epigraph to “The Master from San Francisco”: “Woe to you, Babylon, strong city!”, taken from the Apocalypse and removed by Bunin only in the last edition in 1951, recalls Belshazzar’s feast on the eve of the destruction of the Chaldean kingdom. “The Gentleman from San Francisco” describes in detail the luxurious life on Atlantis, the main place in which is food: “... putting on pajamas, we drank coffee, chocolate, cocoa; then... did gymnastics, whetting the appetite... did the morning toilet and went to the first breakfast; until eleven o'clock they were supposed to walk briskly around the deck... to excite a new appetite..."
Bunin seems to be fulfilling the plan of Tolstoy, who was going to write a book, the main meaning of which Tolstoy defined as follows: “Gluttony. Belshazzar’s feast... People think that they are busy with different things, they are only busy with eating.”
People eat, drink, have fun, and in all this they forget about God, death, and thoughts of repentance. The passengers of the Atlantis do not even think about the terrible ocean that walked outside the walls of the ship, because they blindly believe “in the power over them of the commander, a red-haired man of monstrous size and weight... similar to a huge idol.” People forget about God and worship a pagan idol; they believe that it will defeat the primeval elements and save them from death; they have fun to “shamelessly sad music”, deceive themselves with false love and behind all this they do not see the true meaning of life.
The philosophy of the people of the new time, the time of progress, civilization, Bunin reveals through the mouth of an Englishman in “Brothers”: “God, religion in Europe have long been gone, we, with all our efficiency and greed, are as cold as ice to both life and death: if and we fear it, either with reason or only with the remnants of animal instinct.” It is noteworthy that in “Brothers” the Englishman himself, a rich colonialist, exploiter and enslaver, realizes this.
Bunin contrasts these people with the civilization of “forest people,” people who grew up in the lap of nature. Bunin believes that only they can feel existence and death, only they have faith. But in "Brothers" both the young rickshaw puller and the colonizer are similar in the emptiness of life.
Europeans invaded the lives of people who lived “an infantile, spontaneous life, feeling with their whole being existence, death, and the divine greatness of the universe,” the Europeans polluted their pure world, brought with them not only enslavement, but they infected the “forest people” passion for money. Overwhelmed by the passion for profit, they also begin to forget about the true meaning of life.
In "Brothers" the motif of intoxication is especially important, both literally and figuratively,
“The rickshaw driver bought cheap cigarettes... and smoked five of them in a row. Sweetly intoxicated, he sat...", "there he put twenty-five cents on the counter and for this he pulled out a whole glass of whiskey. Mixing this fire with betel, he provided himself with blissful excitement until the evening...", "the Englishman was drunk too...", "and he went, he went to drag his drunken rickshaw from head to toe, excited also by the hope of getting a whole bunch of cents" - that's all These are examples of literal drunkenness. But Bunin in the story also talks about intoxication in a figurative sense: “People constantly go to feasts, walks, fun,” said the Exalted... “The sights, sounds, tastes, smells intoxicate them.”
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Whether you like it or not, to communicate with native speakers, good command of the English language is not enough; you also need to be familiar with the culture and traditions of the English-speaking people, so as not to get into trouble by asking a question from.
“The British nation is unique in this respect: they are the only people who like to be told how bad things are, who like to be told the worst.”
“The British nation is unique: they are the only people who like to hear that everything is very bad, and even worse”
~ Winston S. Churchill
The national character of the English people is felt better than that of any other people. There is a sense of superiority in him, which can also be called “island pride”. British patriotism is based on a deep sense of security, in which they, as a nation, have been for centuries.
The British are easy to recognize by their appearance and demeanor. And by looking more closely, determine what part of the country this person is from
A middle-aged Englishman is usually tall, his face is wide, reddish (rarely tanned), with soft, saggy cheeks, and often with blue, expressionless eyes. Women, like men, are often also very tall. Both have long necks, slightly bulging eyes and slightly protruding front teeth.
Compared to the English, the Scots and Irish look simpler, but more colorful. Squat with a lively face and a firm gait, the Scots often have thick red hair. Scots usually have light eyes - gray, blue, green. Also, the inhabitants of Scotland are characterized by fair skin, which is not reddened by the cold northern sun.
Scotland has the highest percentage of red-haired people in the world - around 13% of the population has red hair.
Many often confuse the Scots with the Irish, they say, Irish appearance — it’s bright red hair, freckles and blue eyes. So, this is a stereotype. On city streets you will more often meet guys with dark hair and a red beard. The performer of the role of Harry Potter is a typical representative of Irish appearance: a narrow face, often elongated, sunken cheeks that turn red in spots, not “apples.”
The British value discipline very highly and are considered the most well-mannered and polite in the world. Since the British have a specific politeness, it is often confused with coldness. Violent temperament and ardent passions rage under the guise of coldness and superiority. Principles of “gentlemanly behavior”(exemplary self-control), were elevated to a cult under Queen Victoria, but are still active today.
The English are slow to move and tend to get around sharp corners that they have an inherent desire to be away from prying eyes, which gives rise to a cult of privacy. Sometimes it is enough to watch the English crowd at a national holiday or at a football match to feel how the national temperament is breaking from the reins of self-control.
For example, they politely respect and respect their and your personal space, do not poke their nose into your affairs, do not ask questions, even just finding out a person’s name without a good reason is indecently rude.
The English are distinguished by moderation, which they do not forget about both during work and in pleasure.
There is almost nothing ostentatious about the Englishman. He lives first of all and most of all for himself. His nature is characterized by a love of order, comfort, and a desire for mental activity. He loves good transport, a fresh suit, a rich library.
Among the bustle of people, it is not difficult to recognize a real Englishman. No noise or scream will confuse him. He won't stop for a minute. Where necessary, he will certainly step aside, turn off the sidewalk, swerve to the side, never expressing the slightest surprise or fear on his important face.
Naturally, they want to see the same manners in others. Therefore, the best reason to start a conversation with a friend or even an unfamiliar Briton is
“My home is my castle,” the British joke, preferring to spend evenings in a quiet family circle, discussing the events of the past day in front of the fireplace.
The British value public order very much. and they are never rude. Their passion for gaming is widely known, but despite this, the British are very serious in business matters.
The British are often called conservatives because of their adherence to traditions, which they passionately try to preserve in their original form. But it is this commitment that is most attractive to tourists from all over the world.
In Britain, anything that has stood the test of time is considered a tradition.: rituals and habits, features of life and behavior (for example, green hedges, bright red letterboxes, right-hand drive and left-hand traffic, double-decker red buses, judges in eighteenth-century robes and powdered wigs, fur bearskin hats on the royal guards that they They don’t take it off even in 30 degree heat).
You can find out more about the way of life of the British in the article
After work, residents of England like to spend time in pubs, football matches and various clubs (for example, fans' clubs, gardening clubs). They really like these places, because here they feel more relaxed, make new friends more easily, united by a common interest.
There is an old joke. Heaven is when you live in an English house with a Russian wife on an American salary, and a Chinese chef cooks. Hell is when you live in a Chinese house with an American wife on a Russian salary, and the cook is an Englishman. Why does the whole world laugh at English food and not understand and admire English politeness?
The Queen, weather, tea, football - what the world knows about the British. And the residents of the island state themselves admit that these values really play an important role in their lives. But adherence to traditions is not all that makes up the national character and mentality of the British. The nation itself is the product of the fusion of many tribes that once lived on the island and the peoples that invaded it. Thus, the ancestors of the British, the Saxons, gave their descendants practicality, efficiency and a craving for simplicity. From the Celts they inherited a belief in the supernatural, a penchant for mysticism and an attachment to the past. The Britons endowed their descendants with a love of home. The Angles - with pride and vanity. From the Scandinavian Vikings came a thirst for travel and curiosity. And the last to conquer Britain, the Normans, left a legacy of a love of money and discipline. Today, thanks to the Internet, the British are no longer cut off from the whole world, but they have managed to preserve truly English national traits that still remain recognizable, even if you have never met an Englishman.
Briefly, the national character of the British can be described by the word “tradition”. They are extremely attached to the past and do not hide it. They are difficult to succumb to new fashion trends, and if such changes occur, they affect only certain people, without affecting the nation as a whole. Traditional tea drinking, football fanaticism and pride in their queen are what unites all Englishmen, and this has not changed, let alone for years - decades. From the English adherence to traditions grow the roots of all English character traits. Their automatic politeness is a tribute to traditional upbringing. Moderation and practicality are a gift from distant ancestors. Even their humor is also a child of the custom of laughing at oneself. The British have a strong family culture. And although not all of them are lords, most can remember their great-great-grandfathers and even show photographs of them. Keeping children's dresses, old school notebooks and diaries is quite in the spirit of the British. They enjoy getting together every Sunday for family dinner, wearing matching sweaters and going to the pub in the evenings. And even what the whole world makes fun of - eternal conversations about the weather - is also a tradition that the British have cherished for centuries.
Moderation in everything, bordering on stinginess, is often noticed by foreigners in close contact with the British. The character of the Englishman was formed under the influence of many events that took place on the island. And the habit of saving, saving and living without excesses appeared a very long time ago. Surprisingly, but true: having a friendly and hospitable character, the British will never set the table in excess, as is customary in Russia, for example. So, having invited three people to tea, it is quite natural for an Englishwoman to put on the table a saucer with four cakes and a teapot filled with exactly four cups. And this will not seem to her like manifestations of stinginess or disrespect. On the contrary, this manifestation of moderation, characteristic of all British people, reflects the true essence, without mask and pretense.
Perhaps only the deaf have never heard of practicality as a feature of the English national character. The British are good at managing time and resources. From childhood they are taught moderation and perseverance - to endure cold and rain, withstand punishment and a very moderate dinner. Therefore everyone English child learns very quickly how to use his skills and knowledge to get what he wants and "survive" in a traditional English house with separate taps and carefully regulated heating. Thanks to their practicality, the British are excellent entrepreneurs. It is known that it was the British who stood at the origins of large-scale production of French wines. The inhabitants of the island liked the noble varieties so much that they built the first large wineries with the French, their eternal competitors, and earned a lot of money from it. Even before Christmas, when business life freezes in almost all of Europe, the British continue to make deals and trade in shops.
They say they apologize automatically. Even the British themselves often laugh at their eternal politeness, but are in no hurry to get rid of it. Politeness and tact are the character traits of the British that have won hearts all over the world. It is believed that there is no better personal assistant than an Englishman, who will know exactly what the boss needs, but at the same time pretend that he did not notice anything unusual. Politeness towards others is manifested not only in the use of certain words and attempts to hold the door, but also in behavior. The Englishman does not allow himself gossip (traditional clubs do not count, since what is said in the club remains in the club), rude remarks, loud arguments and quarrels. The French once had a joke that the good thing about an English wife is that she is like good furniture - you can’t hear her. The character of English men also did not allow them to cause family scandals. It is not surprising that this early age children are also accustomed. Being polite, keeping a good face and knowing exactly what time it is are virtues that pupils in English schools possess.
And yet there is no nation more prone to vanity than the British. Living on a small island, the British are nevertheless confident that their country is the best in the world. They have the best political system, the strongest economy and the most valiant police. Together with adherence to tradition, such national vanity and reluctance to accept other people's opinions make the English character unpleasant for a foreigner. The main pride of the British to this day remains the English language, which has long become a global language. Historians believe that national vanity is determined by the geographical location of the country. Having no other peoples and nations on the island, the British accepted themselves as a standard, and carried this love for themselves and for everything English through the centuries. Back in the fifteenth century it was said about the English that they did not see other peoples except their own. But this vanity, together with the love of travel passed down by the Vikings, helped Britain reign over the seas for many years.
Describing the national character of the British, many authors note extreme individualism. Every Englishman has clear personal boundaries and is not inclined to violate others. Here on the island, everyone knows the laws protecting personal honor and dignity and private property. When greeting or communicating with a stranger, an Englishman will always leave enough distance so that “no smells can reach.” But this is not a matter of disgust, but of boundaries that an Englishman knows how to respect and demands the same respect from others. Even children at school are not inclined to help underachievers unless the teacher orders them to do so. And it is not at all surprising that in English university dormitories there are much more private rooms than shared ones.
The main feature of the national character of the British, which they themselves talk about, is the ability to keep a face. Self-control, like many other character traits, is cultivated in the British from childhood, since their temperament - the result of the fusion of many bloods - does not at all correspond to “decent”. Gentlemanly behavior, even among the lower classes, was elevated to a cult during the time of Queen Victoria. And since then, self-control has been one of the main virtues of the British, regardless of gender and age. The Englishman's character - reserved, even cool - is the result of work on himself, and not a natural quality. Not giving free rein to feelings, being able to accept any situation and come out of it with dignity have created a certain reputation for the residents of Foggy Albion that they are proud of. Even nature works for this. Since childhood, young gentlemen and ladies have become accustomed to sudden changes in weather; the cold and the ability to endure all these hardships have strengthened their character.
A description of the characteristics of their behavior would be incomplete without mentioning the other side of the coin. How can self-control, elevated to an unspoken law, coexist with madness in the football stands? Or national politeness with punk culture, which has gained enormous popularity in England? The paradoxical and contradictory nature of the English character has been noted by many historians and sociologists. England, materialistic and practical, gave birth to world-famous mystics, poets and philosophers. The most famous travelers and explorers were born in respectable and home-loving England. The character of the Englishman, generally restrained and understandable, can be unpredictable and violent in certain circumstances. It was the most law-abiding nation that gave the world the best detective writers. The nation, where women have traditionally been the keeper of the hearth more than in other countries, has enriched world literature with women's names. And the paradoxical nature of English humor is the stuff of legends. Not always funny, but always on the verge of a foul, he is subject to harsh criticism and at the same time has fans around the world.
Lewis Carroll believed that the British were an extremely curious nation. This is probably why the heroines of his books often ended up in prison because of this. most interesting stories. This trait is rarely mentioned in descriptions of the character of the English, but without curiosity there would not have been that thirst for knowledge that forced the construction of the first university back in the 12th century. It is generally accepted that English education is of the highest quality. This reputation is well deserved, since the UK education system skillfully combines traditions and new trends, which is also only possible thanks to national curiosity. And if earlier it was believed that the only deity of the British was money, which they love and know how to make, now it is knowledge and the desire for discovery.
For an Englishman, family is his fortress, stronghold and place of peace of mind. They build their houses with large families in mind. The British don't like to shout about it, but they adore children. And even the severity of upbringing is explained solely by concern for the future generation. At the same time, in England it is not considered shameful to live with parents even after having your own family. And an English mother-grandmother will not blame her daughter-in-law for the fact that her children are destroying the whole house. She will simply silently put things in order and will do this every time until the children get used to this way of life and begin to do it on their own. From the outside it often seems that the British are reserved in expressing feelings even within the family, but the fact that they always know exactly what happened to the most distant relatives, what shade of socks grandfather prefers and what type of hydrangeas a great aunt wants to plant, only emphasizes how For the British, family is important. Therefore, it is not at all surprising to see walls hung with photos of long-dead relatives in the average English house. The British know how to be proud of their family. And even the most eccentric antics of “their own” cause good-natured smiles.
For all their isolation, individualism and national pride, the British are very friendly and hospitable people. These character traits of the British manifest themselves most often on their territory. More than once, tourists noted that, having gotten lost, they quickly found help in the form of local residents or police. For a true Briton, it goes without saying that you will stay for dinner if you show up at his house in the evening. English housewives always have a “place for a guest” in their home. Well, hospitality is most clearly manifested in English pubs, where it is customary to pay for everyone present.
The British themselves say that all their actions are driven by love. The love of gardening has turned the country into a beautiful flower garden. The love for dogs has allowed us to develop many decorative breeds. The love of travel once turned the country from an island state into an empire with numerous colonies. The love of art gave birth to many masterpieces in the fields of literature, music and theater. And tourists still go to England to see with their own eyes how harmoniously traditions are intertwined with new times.
Each nation has its own special character traits. This applies especially to the English. Every Englishman, no matter where he lives at the moment, has a set of qualities that will not allow him to be confused with a representative of another nationality.
We can say that the characteristics of the British are the result of the historical development of the country, a reflection of its traditions and customs, as well as a consequence of the island position of England.
Many authors have tried to describe from the perspective of a typical Englishman, his character, habits, interests. But we should not forget that each person is unique, so it is important not to simplify or exaggerate information about the life of an entire people.
Among the national character traits of the British, one of the main ones is their constancy and commitment to various rituals and traditions. Some traditions turn into performances, such as the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London or the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.
Some traditions are deeply embedded in the life of the British and even attempts to change something are not considered. An Englishman’s own vision of the world cannot change under the influence of external factors, just as his habit of drinking tea at five o’clock cannot change.
It is believed that the people of England are calm in any situation. Their equanimity and self-control are determined by the fact that from childhood they are taught to react in a certain way to life situations, not to show true feelings, and to overcome hardships and hardships. It is rare to see an expression of emotion on the faces of the British, be it surprise or anger.
Despite the constancy and restraint, among the character traits of the British, not the least important is their eccentricity, which provokes some paradoxical behavior. Showing emotion during football matches is not typical for an Englishman.
Also, the British rarely hold back their emotions when faced with criticism or ridicule of their traditions or way of life. This is a fairly patriotic nation, ready to pay taxes to support the royal family, which may be dissatisfied with some rules until they are introduced into law.
The paradoxical character of the British is determined by some inconsistency of their behavior. They do not like heat, but love fireplaces, have no idea about the affairs of their neighbors, but know everything about the life of the royal family, can dress casually at home, but even to a large exhibition cattle They will put on a hat and insert a flower into the buttonhole of their jacket.
These features of the national character of the British are inexplicable, but they are invariably proud of them.
The eccentricity of behavior lies in the life of the British without regard to others. They do not care about the opinions of others, although they will listen politely. The British can collect strange things, walk with a folded umbrella in the rain, and dress extravagantly.
This tendency to stand out, to become different from everyone else, probably arose precisely because of the historically established strict norms of behavior, regulations and rules that do not allow one to be very different from others.
No matter how eccentric and original the inhabitants of England are, for the most part their behavior is ritualistic.
The British observe certain rituals when communicating: even with strangers, they will carry on a conversation about the weather, gardening or minor news, because that’s the custom. It is not even the topic of conversation that is important, but the process itself.
There are certain rituals in organizing entertainment, eating, choosing clothes, organizing leisure time on weekends, and communicating with different categories of people. During the day, an Englishman can perform certain actions, not because he wants to, but because it is prescribed by rituals.
One of the negative characteristics of the British is their snobbery. This quality is often explained as a consequence of the imperial psychology that came from the time when England subjugated almost half the world. The English feel superior to other peoples, and this superiority lies not in having no one above them, but in having someone below them.
Previously, from childhood, a stereotype was implanted in their consciousness that they needed to show the greatness of the British nation, to set an example to the whole world. And even when the empire fell, this idea did not easily leave the subconscious of people.
Also, often the British simply do not delve into the life and characteristics of other peoples, selfishly giving preference to their own internal problems. The island position of England determined the special hostile attitude of the British towards other nations. What happens on the mainland is largely perceived by the people of England as something different from their life as a civilization from the barbarians.
But we must give the British their due; they will never show their hostility in person, for which they are often considered two-faced. This is determined by their politeness - they will never out loud express dissatisfaction or disagreement with someone else’s opinion, uttering some of the complacent phrases: “This is a very interesting idea” or “Quite an interesting reasoning.” In reality, this will mean disagreement.
In general, they quite rarely utter categorical phrases. Even when answering the question “What time is it?” from an Englishman you can hear “I believe it is six o’clock” or “I think it is six o’clock.” Those who often communicate with representatives of the British people consider this impolite - such polite treatment for show hides their indifference, indifference and suspicion.
The natives of England do not care how a person dresses, how he speaks, or how he behaves. The eccentricity of others is not condemned and seems to go unnoticed. This principle of their life can be expressed in the words “Live and let others live.”
The British tolerance also extends to their attitude towards nature. England is considered a green country with unique nature. It is not uncommon in Britain to have a lonely house standing among the trees, which shows the presence of humans even in remote areas of the country, or parks and gardens in large cities that look more like wild nature.
The isolation of the nation is explained by the geographical location of the country. Insular psychology separates not only England from the mainland countries, but also each person from each other. This nation loves privacy very much. The British have a very difficult time getting along with other people, but they maintain connections with the friends they make for many years.
When meeting with acquaintances, men do not show joy, do not exchange routine smiles, do not hug, but limit themselves to a classic handshake. Women do not exchange real kisses when they meet, but only imitate sounds and gestures somewhere in the area of their friend’s ear.
Physical contact when communicating with friends is considered indecent and unnatural.
In this regard, the British live by the “don’t touch me” principle. Every person tries to avoid contacts with strangers. When such contacts cannot be avoided, for example, on public transport, they do not look each other in the eyes and try to avoid eye contact.
It seems to all foreigners that the excellent sense of humor of the British is just a myth. Their jokes seem flat, ridiculous, uninteresting and stupid. The British themselves are proud of their sense of humor and react painfully to such assessments from others.
Accusing them of lacking the ability to joke hurts their pride more than condemning other character traits. Perhaps the British lack of a sense of humor is attributed to their inability to laugh at themselves, their traditions and interests.
English humor has more to do with words than with sitcoms or dressing up. Therefore, it traditionally manifests itself in literature - in the comic characters of W. Shakespeare, C. Dickens, D. Austen, L. Carroll and other authors. Also, English humor can manifest itself without words: Charlie Chaplin's short comedies still cause laughter all over the world.
All these qualities define an original, unique and somewhat paradoxical world - a typical English character. It is simply impossible to confuse a representative of this country with someone else.
Students, graduate students, young scientists who use the knowledge base in their studies and work will be very grateful to you.
Posted on http://www.allbest.ru/
in the discipline "Ethnology"
on the topic: “The image of the British in fiction”
Each nation has certain character traits that are made up of traditions, culture, beliefs, and peculiarities of geographical and economic conditions.
So the Germans, for example, are very thrifty and punctual, the Russian people are distinguished by their stamina and endurance, the southern nationalities (Spaniards, Italians, French) are hot-tempered and temperamental, and the inhabitants of the Caucasus are distinguished by their hospitality.
Most often, stereotypes about the characteristics of a national character turn out to be less truthful than ideas about cultural characteristics. Character is the purely individual characteristics of people, the totality of individual mental properties of a person, which are formed in activity and manifested in behavior.
In my work I want to consider the image of an Englishman using examples of stereotypes of national character described in fiction.
The English character is, on the one hand, perhaps the most contradictory and paradoxical among European peoples, almost all of its features have directly opposite properties, and on the other hand, it is very integral and definite, traceable over many centuries. The existing stereotypes about the English are obvious and can be easily traced in fiction.
The purpose of my work is to explore the concept of an ethnic stereotype and describe some of the features of the use of such stereotypes of the English character using the example of images described in fiction.
Basic English Character Traits
The concept of “ethnic stereotype” consists of several characteristics: an ethnic stereotype exists in the minds of a large number of people, and not of an individual; ethnic stereotypes can be both negative and positive; Ethnic stereotypes can be directed both at representatives of a given ethnic group and at representatives of other ethnic groups.
The most commonly attributed character trait to the English is their sense of national superiority. Perhaps snobbery is an echo of imperial psychology, when England was a colonialist country and owned almost a quarter of the world. Almost from birth, all Englishmen were instilled with the idea that they should set an example for all mankind and demonstrate the superiority of the British system.
One Venetian traveler noted that “The English are great lovers of themselves and everything that belongs to them; they are convinced that there are no other people except themselves, and no other world except England.". Our N.M. agreed with him. Karamzin, who noted: “In general, the English people consider us foreigners to be some kind of imperfect, pitiful people.”
The feeling of superiority and chosenness can be fully read in the work of John Galsworthy “The Forsyte Saga”. The Forsyte family tends to think that “the British Empire is around them, and then the ends of the earth».
Also one of the key features of the English character is commitment to tradition- many call this trait conservatism. Indeed, the desire to preserve in their original form the features of life and behavior, rituals and habits, sometimes brought to the point of absurdity - from a modern and non-English point of view - distinguishes the British from most other peoples, is subject to sharp criticism, but at the same time makes them attractive to tourists all over the world .
The conservatism and egocentrism that are attributed to the British result in the following characteristic of the British - distrust of everything foreign. Traditional English xenophobia is much more developed among the working people than among the middle classes. It is very difficult for English workers to get along with foreigners due to differences in habits, especially in food and language. English cuisine differs sharply from the cuisine of any other European country, and the British maintain staunch conservatism here. As a rule, an Englishman will not touch a foreign dish; garlic and olive oil disgust him, and without tea and pudding, life is impossible. Features in English make it impossible for almost everyone who left school at fourteen to learn a foreign language in adulthood. Traveling abroad, speaking foreign languages, and the ability to enjoy foreign cuisine are latently associated with lordship and manifestations of snobbery.
The dislike of everything foreign and the traditional xenophobia of the British represent a stereotype that appears to be a relic of their sense of national superiority. Let's give an example from the story “The aunt and the sluggard” (“The Aunt and the Lazy Man”)
“I loathe New York, Bertie. I wouldn't come near the place if I hadn't got to see editors occasionally. There"s a blight on it. It"s got moral delirium tremens. It "s the limit. The very thought of staying more than a day in it makes me sick."
“New York disgusts me, Bertie! I would never come here if I didn't have to meet with publishers. This city is disgusting. His soul is sick with delirium tremens. Just the thought of staying here for even a day makes me sick.”[Wodehouse 2006: 454].
Dislike for everything foreign and for foreigners themselves is expressed in many ways, from food to language.
There is also a very vivid stereotype that an Englishman without his own home is like a snail without a shell. An English house represents a unique pinnacle of comfort and convenience. The decor of a traditional English house includes many objects, tables, ottomans, sofas and armchairs, all in front of a fireplace with crackling wood, a glass of whiskey in hand, what else is needed to meet old age! The British have a special, reverent attitude towards the house; they do not recognize apartments, preferring, albeit small, even in installments with interest, but their own house with a front garden.
Their houses are an integral part of English culture, and they are also their “fortresses”. An English house represents a unique pinnacle of comfort and convenience. Here's an example from the story “The aunt and the sluggard”:
“To have to leave my little cottage and take a stuffy, smelly, over-heated hole of an apartment in this Heaven-forsaken, festering Gehenna.”
“Give up my little house for a stuffy, stinking hole called an apartment in this God-damned rotting Gehenna!”[Wodehouse 2006: 454].
The cozy atmosphere is inviting and supported by tea drinking.
Tea party- another stereotype that English literature gave rise to. One gets the impression that the whole life of the British is exclusively breaks between tea parties.
“Then you have tea for breakfast; then you have tea at eleven o"clock in the morning; then after lunch; then you have tea for tea; then after supper; and again at eleven o"clock at night.You must not refuse any additional cups of tea."
“Tea will be served at breakfast, at 11am, after lunch, then tea just for the sake of drinking tea, tea for dinner and again at 11am. And don’t refuse other offers to drink tea.” .
general review English fiction testifies to the huge role that tea drinking plays in the life of every Briton. It is difficult to find a single 19th-century English novel or modern film that does not include a tea party scene. Afternoon tea ritual afternoon tea) is vividly represented in the works of William Thackeray, Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde, Charles Dickens, Bernard Shaw.
Of course, one of the most striking examples of the five o’clock tea party (“ five o'clock tea"), written in a humorous manner, is an excerpt from Lewis Carroll's book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The writer called this scene a “mad tea party”: for the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the Dormouse, time stopped at 5 o’clock, and now the whole trio must drink tea forever: “...Near the house under a tree a table was set for tea; The Hatter and the Hare were drinking tea, and the Garden Dormouse was sitting on a chair between them. Alice noticed that the table was very large and covered with dishes. - Would you like some cake? - the Hare kindly suggested. Then Sonya woke up and sang through her sleep: “Tea!.. Tea!.. Tea!.. ...And since then we always have five o’clock,” said the Hatter. “We always only have time to drink tea!”
Sherlock Holmes in the works of Arthur Conan Doyle, Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot, created by the detective queen Agatha Christie, solve complicated problems with the help of a cup of tea. For them, traditional English tea drinking is not only a ritual that does not allow for retreat, but also an opportunity to gather their thoughts in order to put together all the pieces of the detective puzzle.
Benevolence- another stereotypical idea of the English people. You often hear that the British are extremely hospitable and friendly - and this is true. The English do not know how to hate, they do not hold evil in their memory. The British are extremely reserved people and, often, stingy with emotions. Restraint, control over one's feelings, often mistaken for simple coldness - these are the life principles of this small but very proud people. As evidence, he will give an example from the story “Jeeves takes charge”:
""Do you know that Lady Florence has broken off her engagement with me?"
- "Indeed, sir?"
Not a bit of sympathy! I might have been telling him it was a fine day.
- "You're sacked!"
- "Very good, sir." He coughed gently.
"Get out!"
"Very good, sir."
“Do you know that Lady Florence broke off our engagement?
- Is that so, sir?
And not a drop of sympathy! I might as well have told him that the weather was nice today.
- You're fired!
- Yes, sir. He coughed delicately.
- Get out!
- Yes, sir."[Wodehouse 2006: 37].
A clear example of the fact that the British do not like to make trouble and can calmly and politely respond to outright rudeness.
In cases where representatives of other sentimental nations weep with tears of admiration or tenderness, the Englishman will say lovely(cute), and this will be equivalent in terms of the strength of the feelings shown [Pavlovskaya 2003: 86]. “The English have no soul; they have the understatement instead" -U English No souls, instead of her at them restraint .
Apparently it was this quality that gave birth to a whole subculture in Britain in the form of gentlemen and dandies. The main thing in a gentleman's character is stoicism, patience, and politeness.
Law-abiding- another feature without which we cannot imagine the British. Respect for the law has become such a natural component of their character and life that in many cases even the need for strict control and punishment for non-compliance has disappeared [Pavlovskaya 2003: 91].
In an excerpt from the story “Jeeves Takes Charge,” the main character himself emphasizes this:
“The house-party I had left had consisted entirely of law-abiding birds like myself.”
“When I left, society there consisted of law-abiding citizens, like myself.”[Wodehouse 2006: 33].
The masses to this day, to one degree or another, tend to believe that “illegal” is a synonym for “bad.” It is known that the criminal legislation is harsh and full of absurdities, and litigation is so expensive that the rich always get the advantage over the poor in them, but there is a general opinion that the law, such as it is, will be scrupulously observed, the judges will be incorruptible and no one will be punished otherwise than by court verdict” [Orwell. The British. http://orwell.ru/library/essays/].
The passion for maintaining order follows the British everywhere. The strongest emotional indignation among the British is caused by a disdainful attitude towards queues, which are an object of special worship for them. They themselves, according to one apt expression, form a queue of even one person.
As D. Mikesh notes, the British stand in line almost their entire lives: “At week-ends an Englishman queues up at the bus-stop, travels out to Richmond, queues up for a boat, then queues up for tea, then queues up for ice cream, then joins a few more odd queues just for the sake of the fun of it, then queues up at the bus-stop and has the time of his life" (On weekends, an Englishman stands in line at a bus stop, having arrived in Richmond, he queues up for a boat, then waits in line for tea, for ice cream , then joins a few more queues just for fun, again waits in line at the bus stop, and so on for the rest of his life) .
It seems that all these endless queues are another reason for the British to start talking about the weather again. All the jokes and ridicule they are subjected to for this are completely fair. Any English conversation really revolves around this topic; even semi-official letters from organizations contain references to good or bad weather [Pavlovskaya 2003: 92]. D. Mikesh, as a person who has lived in England most of his life, knows how to laugh at himself: “This is the most important topic in the land.Do not be misled by memories of your youth when, on the Continent, wanting to describe someone as exceptionally dull, you remarked: “He is the type who would discuss the weather with you.” In England this is an ever-interesting, even thrilling topic, and you must be good at discussing the weather" (Weather really is For them topic first importance. Let not be misled by the memories of your youth, when on the Continent, trying to describe the most boring person, you remarked: “He is one of those who will discuss the weather with you.” In England it's always a hot topic of conversation and you have to be good at discussing it) .
However, along with such highly moral principles, there is such a trait of the English character as hypocrisy. It has become so widely part of the English character that the visiting observer will be prepared to encounter it at every turn, but will find particularly striking examples in the laws relating to gambling, drunkenness, prostitution and obscenity [Orwell. The British. http://orwell.ru/library/essays/]. This tendency can be explained by the British desire to always maintain decorum. Much of what they do shows their insincerity and is hypocritical, since the British tend to adhere to certain norms of behavior.
Hypocrisy- a stereotype characterizing English society. It is so ingrained in the English character that sometimes ordinary lies are presented as a form of politeness.
Let's give one example from the story “Jeeves and unbidden guest”: (“Jeeves and the uninvited guest”)
""Awfully glad to see you," I forced myself to say it. "So you"ve popped over, eh? Making a long stay in America?"».
“Nice to meet you,” I said, even though it wasn’t true. I had a feeling that big troubles awaited me ahead. - So you swam across the ocean? How long to go to America?[Wodehouse 2006: 206].
The British love to present themselves in a good light, by hook or by crook. Here's another example of hypocritical behavior from the same story:
“Absolutely! We were always together. Saw all the sights, don"t you know. We"d take in the Museum of Art in the morning, and have a bit of lunch at some good vegetarian place, and then toddle along to a sacred concert in the afternoon, and home to an early dinner. We usually played dominoes after dinner. And then the early bed and the refreshing sleep. We had a great time. I was awfully sorry when he went away to Boston."
“We didn’t part for a minute. We were always together, you know. In the mornings we ran around museums, then, so to speak, had breakfast in a vegetarian canteen, and in the afternoon, as he called it, we attended concerts of sacred music. We only dined at home, then, what’s-his-name, we played dominoes and went to bed early. In general, we had a lot of fun. I was terribly upset when he left for Boston."[Wodehouse 2006: 213].
In fact, Moti got drunk every day, danced on the table in the pub, brought drunken friends home to Worcester, and eventually ended up behind bars for beating up a constable.
Obsession with sports- a stereotype often attributed to residents of England. They are the authors of several of the most popular games in the world, which have spread much more widely than any other product of their culture. The English themselves are not particularly skilled at games, but they love to participate in them and with an enthusiasm that in the eyes of foreigners is simply childish, they love to read about them and make bets. Nothing brightened the lives of the unemployed between the world wars more than football betting. Professional footballers, boxers, jockeys, even cricketers enjoy a popularity unimaginable for a scientist or artist [Orwell. English.].
Chris Cleave's book "Gold" tells the story of two friends and rivals, elite athletes Kate and Zoe. Not only are they fighting for championship on the cycling track, but they are both in love with Jack, their teammate. Students of the same trainer, they are all preparing for the most important start of their careers. Exhausting training, a brutal regimen, a strict diet - they make these sacrifices without hesitation. But much more important things hang in the balance - friendship and love, loyalty and betrayal, envy and self-sacrifice... The heroes of the book have to make difficult choices and look for an answer to a difficult question: what is the true price of gold?
Humor- This is perhaps the most distinctive feature of the British. English humor is very peculiar, no one can understand it. The refined irony of Bernard Shaw or Oscar Wilde is understandable to everyone, but falling trousers, toilet witticisms, indispensable hints of various kinds of greasiness and indecency of Mr. Bean or Benny Hill cause undisguised bewilderment among other peoples. Laughing at oneself and at others is completely natural for an Englishman. Allegory, play on words, paradoxical statements, sharp jokes - all this constitutes the glory of the English people and language [Pavlovskaya 2003: 89].
-“I would also like to draw,” said Alice finally. - At the well.
-Draw and inject? - asked the Hare.[Lewis Carroll "Alice in Wonderland"].
English humor is not the kind that causes loud laughter, but hidden humor, often elusive, it gives a special charm to English literary works, especially when reading them in the original language.
Through the mouth of his hero Sherlock Holmes, Conan Doyle wittily speaks of the impossibility of acquiring all knowledge, comparing the head to an attic in which you cannot put everything, since “its walls are not elastic”
Sherlock Holmes is never rude or arrogant, although he admitted that "he is the only one in the world" He just laughs at Lestrade, but does it tactfully, telling Watson: “When I think that Lestrade is now following the wrong trail, I burst into laughter.” or: “When Gregson, Lestrade or Attelney Johnson are in the 147 dead end, which is their normal state, they immediately call me" In the same novel, Holmes speaks of the "indomitable energy" of Johnson, who arrested not only Thaddeus Sholto, but also the housekeeper, the gatekeeper and the Hindu servant. In the story “The Empty House,” Sherlock Holmes only allows himself to remark to Lestrade that “Three unsolved murders in a year is too much.”
Examples of English humor in the works of Shakespeare:
- Something is rotten in the state of Denmark (Act IV, scene VII) - Something is rotten in the Danish kingdom
- There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dream of in your philosophy“There are many things in the world, friend Horatio, that our sages never dreamed of.”
- Though this be madness, yet there is method in it. -If This madness, That V him There is system
- If you treat everyone according to their deserts, who will leave without being flogged?
The English have a special ability to say funny things with deadpan seriousness. This feature of the national gift is evidenced by the works of many classics of English literature: Shakespeare, Byron, Thackeray, Oscar Wilde, Jerome K. Jerome, Aldous Huxley, as well as foreign authors.
Based on the conducted research, we can conclude that English fiction creates a holistic image of a “typical Englishman”, in which certain qualities can be identified.
Summarizing the features of the English character described by the authors, one can see that the most common ethnic stereotypes of this culture are: a sense of national superiority; conservatism and adherence to tradition; good behavior, politeness and decency; restraint in emotions; hypocrisy; law abiding and compliance with rules; snobbery, humour, English tea drinking and obsession with sport.
The goal I set was achieved by studying the material on this problem and, on the basis of this material, the role of the reflection of ethnic stereotypes in a literary text was identified using the example of English culture.
In conclusion of the work done, I would like to say that in some cases, ethnic stereotypes can become a serious obstacle to intercultural contacts.
ethnic stereotype Englishman literature
Literature
1. Pavlovskaya A.V. Ethnic stereotypes in the light of intercultural communication. M.: Education, 1998.
2. Pavlovskaya A.V. England and the British. GEO #4, 2003.
3. Stefanenko T.G. Ethnopsychology. Workshop. M.: Nauka, 2006.
4. Stefanenko T.G. Social and psychological aspects of the study of ethnic identity. M.: Nauka, 1999.
5. Mikes G. How to be an Alien. Penguin Books Ltd, 1973.
6. Orwell J. The British.
7. Woodhouse P.G. Shouldn't we call Jeeves? M.: Harvest, 2006.
8. Woodhouse P.G. Storybook
9. Carroll L. Alice in Wonderland. Perm book 1992.
10. Conan-Doyle.A. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
11. Shakespeare W. Hamlet
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