The Gooseberries Taste Test Moral Progress in Anton Checkhov's Prose

David Higgins

Date of Award

2005

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Humanities

First Advisor

Schatz, David

Keywords

Chekhov, Anton, Gooseberries, Short Stories

Area of Concentration

Literature

Abstract

This thesis begins with an introduction to some historical responses to Anton Chekhov's prose by critics who found his writing bleak and pessimistic. It challenges such interpretations by considering a wide range of Chekhov's short stories as a unified body of work and re-examining Chekhov's concept of progress and moral action. The first chapter discusses 'Ward Six' as the groundwork for a concept of progress dependent on physical sensation. Through his portrayal of suffering and failure in 'In the Ravine' and 'Heartache,' Chekhov diagnosed social ills. The second chapter discusses 'An Attack of Nerves' and 'The Duel' as working towards a new model of progress that incorporates failure and accepts weakness as having positive potential. The third chapter discusses 'The Man In a Shell,' 'Gooseberries,' and 'About Love' as a unified trilogy. Interpretation centers around Ivan Ivanych as narrator and moralist in the context of his audience and setting. The thesis concludes by attempting to resolve the tension between the imperative of moral action and the impossibility of certainty in acting. Chekhov's prose re-defines progress as a state on constant flux between the two --rather than a linear progression toward a goal. Progress must be based on both an acceptance of the unknown and the desire to breach it.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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