Fiction - Chekov's Short Story; "Gosseberries"

Summary
Ivan Ivanovitch Chimsha-Gimalayski, a veterinary surgeon, and Burkin join their friend, Alehin, because of the rainy weather they decide to shelter at Alehin's place. Ivan tells a story about his brother, a government official, that he became obsessed with the idea of returning back to the country where he and his brother had spent their happy childhood. The symbol of his success became a gooseberry bush. Finally his dream came true. He bought himself a farm and became a landowner. Ivan Ivanovich tells how he visited Nikolay, and how depressing it was for him to see this apparently happy man, now fat and flabby, living in what he imagined to be his earthly paradise, referring to himself as 'we, noblemen'. All this makes Ivan Ivanovich think about the nature of human happiness, that he thinks one's happiness is when he is not aware of others' unhappiness.
which always included a gooseberry bush. To save for his future dream, Nicholay lived meagerly and literally starved his poor wife to death.

. Ivan tells his two friends that his brother put on airs as a landowner and took advantage of the local peasantry, just as all landowners can be expected to do

Plot and Conflicts

Some of these conflicts revolve around Ivan and Nikolay's views of the world, and of their own actions. Where Nikoliay saw himself as pursuing his dream, Ivan saw him as selfish. Where Nikolay found the taste of the gooseberries wonderful, Ivan found them sour and unripe: they are not even living in the same world.
Others are conflicts in the larger framing story. Ivan has told this story about the past, but Aliokh and Bourkin aren't satisfied with it. Here again Ivan's in conflict with the world view of others, and with what is found satisfying. There is a conflict between authority and freedom, as portrayed by two characters, Nikolay Ivanich and Ivan Ivanich. They are siblings who have differences of values, desires, and personality. Nikolay is a representative of authority while Ivan is a representative ofyfreedom. Nikolay is too obsessive with his definite desire of having his own estate. As we see, Nikolai keeps thinking all the time about obtaining a farm and growing gooseberries. Moreover, he is so ambitious that he can do everything like living thriftily, dressing like a beggar, and saving up all money in the bank, in order to succeed his dream. His marriage with an ugly widow only to gain her money and not considering himself guilty of her death caused from his regime show his selfishness. His taking offence if the peasants dont call him Your Honour and his saying that I only have to lift my finger, and the people will do whatever I want show his authoritative figure. Ivan Ivanich is a romantic character he likes to live close to nature.
For Ivan there are two types of people happy and unhappy. It is also possible that Ivan equates being selfishly just like Nikolay is doing. happy and not helping others to selfishness. By focusing on self rather than on others man is acting He is satisfied but has not fulfilled his potential, and the reader comes to view Nikolai Ivanich’s happiness as pathetic..

Theme
we have the theme of paralysis, greed, selfishness, control, ego, aspirations, power and change. What is also striking about the story is the sense of paralysis that both Ivan and Nikolay feel though for different reasons. Ivan feels paralysed because he is fully conscious that there are people in the world who are unhappy and he knows that there is very little he can do to help them. Though he knows he must try. Nikolay on the other hand feels stuck in his job and longs to have enough money to be able to buy his own farm. Something that he eventually achieves though the process of buying the farm changes Nikolay. The story also views the human penchant for voluntarily limiting one’s life. In some.cases the reason is fear, in others an inclination toward laziness..

Characterization

Major or central characters are Ivan Ivanaich and Nikolay. The former character tells a story about the latter character who is his brother.
Minor characters are Alikoin, Burkin and the maidservant etc that help move the plot events.
Ivan is the dynamic and the protagonist who is faced with a conflict that must be resolved. Dynamic character who changes over time.
Maidservant is the static character who doesn't change over time.
Round character is nikolay who has complex personality who is the conflicted and contradictory person.
Stock character the rich widow who was kinda killed by Kikolay
Nikolay the antagonist who struggles for values not deemed universally admirable like misbehaving .peasnats selfish and self-centered