The story “Elephant” shows the miraculous recovery of a little girl who dreamed only of an elephant...

Six-year-old girl Nadya doesn’t eat or drink, she’s turning pale and losing weight, she doesn’t play or laugh. What kind of disease? Doctors shrug their shoulders... But one of them suggests that this is “just” a loss of interest in life. What to do? Fulfill the girl's every whim. The only problem is that she doesn't want anything! She is no longer interested in sweets or dolls.

The father is very worried. It is shown how he does not sleep, walks from corner to corner, smokes and even cries. But he can do nothing to help his daughter.

One morning she wakes up more alert than usual. Instead of the usual gray dreams, she dreamed of an elephant. She asks her parents for an elephant. Dad immediately gets ready and goes to get the toy elephant. Brings a wonderful expensive toy. This elephant can even move its ears and trunk. However, Nadya calls him dead.

Then the father, despite his wife’s doubts, decides to go to the menagerie. He negotiates with the director there to “lend” them a small elephant for a lot of money. The director is German and understands that the elephant cannot go into town, but this man himself has a little daughter, he sympathizes with the hero. In the evening, the elephant is led through the streets past onlookers, led into a house where the openings have been specially widened, and beckoned up the stairs with cake. In the morning, Nadya sees an elephant. Unlike her maid, she does not squeal, but begins to talk to Tommy. Nadya shows him her dolls and plays with him. They even have lunch together! In the evening she falls asleep next to him and dreams that they got married. At night the elephant is taken away, and Nadya is told that he is waiting for her to visit him, but she needs to recover. And she laughs that she is already healthy. The parents breathe a sigh of relief.

The story teaches that sometimes positive emotions and the fulfillment of desires give people the strength to even recover from a serious illness.

Picture or drawing of an Elephant

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This story by Kuprin is a bright and kind work. Love for children and respect for their dreams reign in him. All the characters in the story are positive. And everything in it goes well, although the story begins with a sad scene - the illness of the girl Nadya.

Doctors who examine the patient cannot understand the cause of the disease. But one of them suspects that the culprit is indifference to life. And he gives inconsolable parents advice to fulfill any desires of their beloved daughter.

It is immediately clear that both father and mother love their child infinitely. They appear before the reader dejected with grief and tired of worries. The mother looks tear-stained, and the father is noticeably nervous.

And, they would be happy to fulfill the girl’s every whim. Yes, the whole problem was that she didn’t want anything. And here the author resorts to such a solution to the problem as a connection with nature and the animal world. The girl suddenly declares that she wants to see an elephant in her house.

This animal in the story acts as her savior. Firstly, the author wanted to emphasize that the connection between man and nature is truly inextricable, and communication with its other creations can work wonders. It is no coincidence that he chooses the elephant. After all, this animal, raised in the circus, is smart and friendly towards people. And also - strong. Kuprin here gives Tommy not only physical strength, but also healing strength.

And one more thing: the fact that her cherished dream is coming true helps the girl cope with the blues. She didn't like the clockwork elephant her father bought. Although she, not wanting to upset dad, thanks him. But still, she wanted to see a living creature. And the fact that the elephant had to visit the sick woman in her house is understandable: the girl wanted not just to admire the animal in the circus, but to communicate with him.

No matter how crazy this idea may seem, Nadya’s father decides to carry it out at all costs. The German, the owner of the animals, to whom he turned with his strange request, is at first perplexed. But then he goes to meet a strange visitor. But he also had a little daughter. And, most likely, he imagined himself in the place of Nadya’s father.

Since the story is filled only with positive-minded characters, everything goes without any obstacles. The elephant finally visits the sick girl. She played with him all day. And, thanks to my great friend, I even ate with appetite.

The dreams that Nadya saw after Tommy's visit were joyful. The animal had the most positive impact on the girl’s health. And a real miracle happens - the very next day she feels completely healthy!

The story presents an almost utopian picture of society. Relationships between people seem ideal, because everyone we encounter on its pages are responsive and understanding people. It would be good if situations were always resolved this way and in reality, and dreams came true and miracles happened. But the most important thing about it is that the miracle that happened was created by loving people.

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“Elephant” is one of the best children's works by Alexander Kuprin. Every adult remembers a simple and kind story about a girl who was saved from illness by a huge animal. This article contains an approximate outline of the story “Elephant” by Kuprin.

What is the work about?

For those who do not remember the content of the story, it is worth summarizing it briefly. A. Kuprin dedicated this work to stories from the life of a little girl. The story “Elephant”, the outline of which is outlined in the article, expresses the Russian writer’s attitude towards nature, towards all living things. Neither pills nor other remedies helped the girl. An elephant saved her from illness.

Analysis of Kuprin's story

The work is dynamic. The plot begins from the very first paragraph. It becomes clear to the reader that the girl is sick. But the doctors who constantly visit her cannot find a way to relieve her of suffering. The torment of Nadya - and this is the name of the heroine of the story - is not physical, but psychological in nature. After all, the doctor tells her parents that her diagnosis is indifference to life.

What is special about the work “Elephant” by Kuprin? A summary of further events that formed the basis of the plot is outlined below. But first it’s worth saying that this story is a typical work of children’s literature. There is instructiveness and kindness in it. And Nadya, and her parents, and the owner of the menagerie are positive heroes. The story has a happy ending. But the main idea of ​​the story is that a person, be it a child or an adult, needs very little to be happy. So, into what parts can the work written by A. Kuprin be divided?

Story "Elephant": plan

1. Unknown illness.
2. Menagerie.
3. Majestic procession.
4. Tommy visiting Nadya.
5. Recovery.

Unknown illness

The plan for the story “Elephant” by Kuprin does not have to be compiled in chapters. The first two parts can be combined into a story about a girl’s illness. Nadya suffers from an illness caused by boredom. Nothing can please her. Parents are worried. But no matter how hard they try, they cannot cheer up the girl. She is losing weight, melting before our eyes, does not answer her mother’s questions and sadly looks at the ceiling.

Dream

This can be called one of the points that makes up the outline of the story “Elephant” by Kuprin. One day Nadya sees an elephant in a dream. The girl spoke for the first time in a long time. Nadya wants to see an elephant, but not the one shown in the picture, but the real one. The father, hearing about his daughter's wish, puts on his hat and leaves. He returns with an expensive and very beautiful toy. The elephant is turned on using a small key, and it begins to slowly move around the room. However, this is not what Nadya dreamed of. The girl wanted a real elephant. And then the father goes to the menagerie.

Next we talk about the meeting of Nadya’s father with the trainer. “In the menagerie” - this is how the next point of the plan can be called. Nadya's father meets the trainer and asks to take the elephant to his home for just one day. The strange request leaves the owner of the menagerie bewildered. But when a man talks about his little daughter’s illness, the trainer agrees to help. Of course, provided that Nadya’s father compensates for the loss from such a strange event.

The story then tells the story of an elephant marching through the streets of the city. The main part of the story is the chapter in which the girl meets the elephant.

Tommy visiting Nadya

This part is the climax of the story. Before bringing the huge animal from the menagerie, the father widened the stairs and removed unnecessary furniture from the living room. The girl was not at all afraid of the elephant. She was only amazed by its incredible dimensions.

She introduces herself to him, extending her hand and turning to you. For the first time in the days of her illness, Nadya laughs. She asks Tommy if he drank tea today. The trainer is responsible for his pet. Nadya spends the whole day happily. She shows her new friend her dolls. The elephant shows the girl all kinds of circus tricks.

The next day Nadya wakes up completely healthy.

This story is surprisingly bright and kind. The work is filled with boundless love for children.

The outline of the story “Elephant” by Kuprin presented above consists of six points. It can be made more compressed. Drawing up a plan develops the ability to highlight the most important things in the text. With its help, the child learns to retell and analyze a work of art.

Kuprin's work "Elephant" is written in the form of a children's fairy tale, which, however, hides the problems of adult life and the wise thoughts of an experienced author, who himself was the father of several daughters.

The story was written in 1907, during the period between two revolutions, when Kuprin published a series of essays, stories and novellas. Beginning in 1907, the writer’s prose became more prominent in Russian literature, and he achieved recognition among his colleagues and public attention. “Elephant” was included in the collected works in 6 volumes. Volume 4.

It is noteworthy that in those revolutionary days people were specific. They perceived this story as an allegory. The girl is a symbol of the Russian people, tired of worries and the joyless course of life. The elephant is the embodiment of his dream of decent conditions, high social status, justice and freedom. And, according to the author, people don’t need much to be happy: to touch a dream at least for one day, finding lost hope and faith in its fulfillment. Of course, such an interpretation is too free an interpretation, but it very well shows how the readers, and, possibly, the author himself, were inclined then.

Genre, direction

1. Direction – realism;
2. Genre: story.

Kuprin worked at a time when realism flowed from the large prose form of the novel or epic into small-volume genres: short stories, short stories, novellas. He successfully tried all these forms, putting wise thoughts into them, but without stretching the content into volumes and chapters. The public fully appreciated this, because by that time they were already tired of the voluminous and heavy reading.

The main characters and their characteristics

The main characters of the story are the girl Nadya and the elephant Tommy.

1. Nadya– a little sick girl who is rapidly losing weight. The character of the heroine is revealed mostly in descriptive moments rather than in dialogues. Absolutely atypical behavior for her age is caused by indifference to life, loss of interest and lack of desire for anything. As the author describes, she looks like an ordinary sad girl, losing strength due to her illness. By the appearance of the heroine, one can understand how much the child is disappointed in life, as if she had a heavy burden of life experience on her soul. Most likely, this behavior is due to illness. A girl her age needs to run, move and play, but a mysterious illness has tied her to her bed. But what kind of disease is this? Most likely, the child came up with it himself in order to attract the attention of adults and get rid of loneliness. Most likely, Nadya lacked affection and care in her family, and she found a way to get them at the subconscious level. She doesn’t pretend to be consciously, she does it automatically.
2. Tommy the Elephant- a large, friendly animal that was able to help the main character in her recovery. The elephant is very calm, obedient and, like all animals, loves to eat. He immediately finds a common language with Nadya: his small eyes narrow as if laughing, he gently shakes her hand with his strong finger, nods as a sign of gratitude.
3. Girl's father- minor character. This is a kind and sympathetic man who, judging by his wealth, works a lot. Maybe the girl’s condition is caused precisely by the fact that he is not around. Trying to create all the conditions for the baby, he most likely forgets about the main thing - that children at her age need a lot of communication, but a bunch of gifts can harm them, making their characters capricious.

Topics and issues

1. The main thread runs through the entire story theme of relationships between parents and children. The author shows how useful it is to listen to your children and be able to say the right words in support. But you cannot overdo it with care, otherwise the child will grow up too spoiled. You need to be able to find this line between indifference and excessive care, as the girl’s father did. It is noteworthy that it was not money that helped him in this, but his ability to negotiate with people. From this example, he himself learned a lot, because a child needs not so much toys as attention.
2. General problems of the work- raising children. Everyone knows how hard this work and the process of upbringing itself is, which lasts almost throughout the entire life of the parents. Nadya’s behavior may be the result of a family mistake: surrounded by toys and luxurious conditions, the girl remains lonely, because all her dolls are not alive. Lack of attention and communication with parents led to the development of apathy towards life. The child’s interest in the outside world decreases, he does not understand the relationship of mom and dad to his personality and simply goes into his own world, withdrawing into himself. As a rule, problems in a person, negative character traits are always the cause of improper upbringing and bad example from the family.
3. Also rises theme of human relations with nature using the living example of Nadia and Tommy. Their friendship and the girl’s recovery after meeting an elephant are an example of the inextricability of the connection between a person and the world around him. The author reminds us of the importance of reciprocity between Mother Nature and what she has created. Each of us should treat animals with respect, as if they were our fellow human beings. And then it can thank us by relieving nervous tension and giving positive emotions.

Meaning

The main idea of ​​the work is that, regardless of age and gender, a person needs communication, understanding, support, then he will see meaning in life. This is especially important for children. The story prioritizes the need for spiritual kinship. In live communication, and not in the possession of countless dolls, the girl found motivation to recover.

This work can be understood in different ways, but the main idea remains the same: there is no need to surround yourself with things, fencing yourself off from the world, and impose this fortress on a child. It is necessary to give him the opportunity to reveal himself in live communication. Only in this way will he discover an interesting world.

What does it teach?

The story “Elephant” teaches that in the family it is necessary to show understanding and sensitivity. It is always necessary to have close people nearby who will always help you return to the true path if you have lost your way. We need to be able to appreciate those who are close to us and constantly provide support.

Every person himself should be ready to fulfill any whim, just to see a smile on the face of loved ones again.

Interesting? Save it on your wall!

Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin

"Elephant"

The little girl Nadya (6 years old) fell ill, according to Dr. Mikhail Petrovich, with “indifference to life.” The only way to cure is to cheer. But the girl doesn't want anything.

One day she asked for an elephant. Half an hour later, dad brought her an “expensive beautiful toy” - a gray elephant that wags its tail and shakes its head. But the girl said that she wanted the real one, and this one is dead. Then dad goes to the menagerie and begs the German owner to let Tommy the elephant go home with them. The German doesn’t understand at first, but dad explained everything. Then the owner of the menagerie allows the elephant to be visited at night and checks himself whether this is possible (whether there is a large room, a strong floor, wide doors).

At night the elephant is led into the house. To help him climb the stairs to the second floor, dad buys him a pistachio cake. In the morning, they tell Nadya that the elephant has arrived, they feed her a soft-boiled egg and milk and take her to the elephant in a stroller. The girl is not afraid of the elephant, they have tea together: the girl drinks tea, the elephant drinks sugar water with rolls. Nadya introduces him to the dolls and shows him a picture book. Friends having lunch together. In the evening, Nadya cannot be torn away from the elephant, she falls asleep next to him and has a dream that “she married Tommy, and they have many children, small, cheerful elephants.”

The elephant is taken away. In the morning the girl wakes up cheerful and, having learned that the elephant has left and called her to visit, asks to tell her that she is already completely healthy.

Six-year-old Nadya is unwell. She is not interested in her favorite dolls, or even the friends with whom she loved to play so much before. He even refuses chocolate. Nadya is sick with indifference to life. The doctors who come to their house every day cannot do anything. Each time they give only the same advice - not to let Nadya get bored, entertain her and fulfill all her whims. The parents would be happy to follow the doctors’ orders, but Nadya doesn’t want anything.

This morning Nadenka woke up a little more cheerful than usual. She had some kind of dream. But he can't remember it. In response to her mother’s usual question whether she needs anything, she suddenly remembers her dream and in a whisper, as if sharing a secret, asks for an elephant. Nadenka’s dad immediately runs out of the house and within 30 minutes brought his daughter a large gray elephant. He's groovy. He can swing his trunk and tail, and on his back in a tent embroidered with gold sit 3 little people. The distressed Nadya says that this elephant is dead, but she wanted a living one and reminded her father that he once promised to take her to the menagerie, but never did.

The father leaves home again, this time he goes to the menagerie. After watching the performance, he approached the owner of the menagerie. He tells him about his daughter, about her illness and her request to bring her an elephant. The owner of the menagerie felt sympathy for the girl Nadya, since he himself has a six-year-old daughter. They agree that at night, in order not to disturb the peace of the townspeople, they will bring the elephant to Nadenka’s house. The next morning the girl woke up and was told that an elephant had come to visit, but first she needed to eat and get dressed. Nadya shows interest in everything that happens around her. She quickly ate the egg, drank hot milk and, without resisting, got dressed. When Nadya was taken into the living room with the elephant, she was amazed at its size. She met Tommy the elephant, asked how he slept, and began to treat the elephant with buns and sweet water. They play together all day and even have lunch at the same table.

In the evening, when it was time to sleep, Nadenka could not be torn away from Tommy, so she fell asleep next to him. The girl was carried to bed, and the elephant was returned to the menagerie. The next morning they explained to the girl that Tommy had gone home to his children and asked her to tell her that he was waiting for her to visit when she got stronger and recovered. Nadyushka smiled slyly and asked him to tell Tommy that she was already healthy.