childhood, on earth, my university

Introduction to Chapter 1
Maxim Gorky (1868-1936) is a great Russian writer. During his 44 years of literary creation, Gorky created a large number of literary works. "Childhood", "In the World" and "My University" are known as Gorky's autobiographical trilogy.

"Childhood" mainly describes Gorky's childhood life.The death of his father made the young Gorky follow his mother and grandmother to his grandfather's house in Nijni.My grandfather's house was a dyeing workshop.The family has a large population. In addition to the grandfather and grandmother, there are two uncles, aunts, cousins ​​and cousins, but Gorky can't integrate into their lives, and he doesn't like their lifestyle and family atmosphere.The dull and depressive life and the accompanying loneliness made him experience the hardships of life prematurely.In such a living environment, the kind, gentle and persevering grandmother became the spiritual support for his childhood life and even his later life.Just as my grandfather and my grandmother were very different, so my grandfather and my grandmother had very different Gods.The grandmother's infinite love for life made her God also benevolent and tender, all of which endowed the childhood Gorky with courage and strength to face difficult life.Of course, the rich and vivid fairy tales and folklore of his grandmother also nourished Gorky's young heart, made him feel spiritual joy in the boring living environment, and understood many truths of life from it.

"In the World" narrates the experience of the young Gorky leaving his grandfather's house to make a living outside after his mother died.Gorky worked as an apprentice in a shoe store, worked as a handyman in a relative's house, was a dishwasher on a ship, learned art in an icon workshop, worked as an overseer in a market, and so on.In different industries, Gorky came into contact with all kinds of people, including hypocritical shop owners and buddies, snobbish housewives, calculating waiters, unpredictable carpenters, and so on.Of course, there are also people who have cared for him, loved him or given him some life inspiration, such as the chef Smoore, the fireman Yakov, the tailor's wife, Queen Margot and so on.At the same time, Gorky also witnessed various life forms and lifestyles: some are numb, some are ignorant, some are depraved, some are difficult, and so on.Gorky, who was new to the world, often felt confused, helpless and lost.Fortunately, at this time he fell in love with reading.Although liking reading has brought him a lot of trouble, books are like his grandmother in childhood. From various books, Gorky broadened his horizons and learned about another life different from real life. The courage and motivation to survive in a realistic environment.

"My University" tells the story of Gorky's life experience when he came to Kazan with the dream of going to university.Although his dream of going to university was finally shattered, Gorky learned a lot in the university of society and gradually matured.During this period of life experience, Gorky met another type of people, who had ideals and aspirations to transform the old society and build a better new life.For example, Guri risked his life to print revolutionary leaflets and was eventually arrested and imprisoned; Delenkov helped others with the meager income of opening a grocery store and a bakery; There is also a group of aggressive students who like to talk.To varying degrees, these people made Gorky have a hazy yearning for the sacred cause of revolution, and affected his attitude towards life and life path.In addition, Gorky's life experience in Krasnovydovo village gave him an intuitive understanding of the living conditions of farmers and rural areas, which enriched his life experience and his "university" life on another level.

It can be said that Gorky's "Childhood", "In the World" and "My University" trilogy not only described the writer's growth experience and life experience from childhood to youth in the form of autobiography, but also described the development of Russian society from the city to the city. To the rural social living conditions, development and changes, and people's different mental states.The trilogy is not only the history of the writer's growth and spirituality, but also the history of the development and changes of Russian society.

(End of this chapter)