Previous
Allusions
Foil
Explanation and Analysis—Alekhin and Nikolai:
In “Gooseberries,” Alekhin and Nikolai act as foils for each other, meaning that the differences between the characters reveal important qualities of each man and of the intentions behind the story as a whole. The key difference between Alekhin and Nikolai is that, despite both being wealthy and content men, Alekhin is down-to-earth and humble, while Nikolai is greedy and egotistical. When introducing readers to Nikolai, Chekhov (via Ivan) describes him as “old, fat, flabby” and notes that he requires peasants to refer to him as “Your Honor.” When introducing readers to Alekhin, on the other hand, Chekhov introduces him in the following way:
On the threshold stood Alekhin himself, a man of about forty, tall, stout, with long hair, looking more like a professor or an artist than a landowner. He was wearing a white, long-unwashed shirt with a braided belt, drawers instead of trousers, and his boots were also caked with mud and straw. His nose and eyes were black with dust. He recognized Ivan Ivanych and Burkin and was apparently very glad.
Chekhov communicates to readers in this paragraph that, despite his wealth and status, Alekhin is humble and kind. This comes across in the description of Alekhin “looking more like a professor or an artist than a landowner” due to the fact that he is covered in mud, straw, and dust from doing hard manual labor all day. Chekhov also notes that Alekhin is “very glad” to have his friends stop by out of the blue, rather than feeling inconvenienced or burdened by it. Though problematic, Chekhov’s description of Alekhin being “tall” and “stout”—when compared to Nikolai’s “old, fat, flabby” appearance—is likely meant to signify that he is less greedy and materialistic than the older man.
By setting Alekhin and Nikolai up as foils for one another, Chekhov encourages readers to question if wealth and status is the reason behind landowners' greed or cruelty, or if it is more about individual personalities and attitudes.
Related Themes:
