How Steel is Tempered" Summary
Ni Ostrovsky
Twelve-year-old Paul Korchagin was kicked out He left school because when he was waiting for a make-up exam at Father Vasily's house, he sprinkled a pinch of cigarette smoke on the dough for the Easter cake that the priest was making. He followed his mother to the station canteen to find work, and was sent by his boss to the washroom, where he was responsible for burning the tea stove, cleaning knives and forks, and pouring dirty water. In this way, Paul's working life began.
Paul worked in the station canteen for two years, suffered many hardships, and got a glimpse of the bottom of life. In May, his brother Arqing found a job for Paul in the power plant, and he left that place.
One day, earth-shattering news came into the town: "The Tsar has been overthrown!" As a result, the residents heard the new terms "equality, liberty, and fraternity". However, the days full of excitement and turmoil soon passed, and except for the Menshevik flag flying in the town hall, everything else remained the same as before. By November, more and more soldiers were returning from the frontline trenches, and they all had a majestic and powerful title: "Bolsheviks." Although the people in the town don't know where their title comes from, they know that life must have changed again.
Between the spring and summer of 1918, the small Ukrainian town of Sebetovka indeed experienced many changes. The Red Army guerrillas came, the rich fled, and the masses got guns issued by the Red Army. Soon the Red Army retreated, the Germans entered the town, and the rich returned. Paul worked as a stoveman's assistant in a power plant, and he became close friends with Zhu Helai, who came to the factory to work as an assembler. Zhu Helai was a sailor and a Bolshevik who stayed behind to do underground work when the Red Army retreated. He taught Paul how to box and told him to know why and who to fight.
One day, Paul met Tonya, the daughter of the forest officer, while fishing at the lake. At first, he didn't want to chat with this girl. However, Tonya was lively and cute, and she did not ridicule or insult Paul at all. After a few interactions, Paul felt that she was different from other rich girls. They grew close, looking forward to seeing each other. An unconscious love sneaked into Paul's heart and made him uneasy.
The fierce and cruel class struggle gradually unfolded throughout Ukraine. Petliura's gangs spread throughout the province, and the Red Army guerrillas constantly fought against these ragtag groups. Sometimes the red flag of the guerrillas flew in the town, and sometimes the yellow and blue flag of Petliura's troops flew.
On a dark and boring night, Zhu Helai came to Paul's house in order to avoid being hunted by the Petliura gangsters. Paul lived with him for 8 days. Zhukhlai used this forced rest time to completely convey his anger and hatred towards Petliura's army to Paul, who listened eagerly to his every word, and also made Paul understand the truth of life and understand the meaning of life. The Bolsheviks were a revolutionary party that fought unyieldingly against the oppressors and the rich. Although they lived together for only a few days, these few days had a decisive impact on Paul, the young fireman.
Zhu Helai always went out at dusk and came back late at night every day. However, one night he left and never came back. In the morning, Paul hurriedly dressed and went out to inquire about Zhu Helai's whereabouts. When he reached the fork in the road, he suddenly saw Zhukhlai walking around the corner being escorted by a Petliura soldier. "It turns out that's why he didn't go home!" Paul's heart beat wildly. He has to help Zhu Hyuk-rae escape! Zhu Helai told him yesterday that he needed a group of brave brothers! When the escort came alongside Paul, Paul unexpectedly pounced on him, grabbed his gun and pushed it to the ground, dragging him to the road with him. Zhu Helai jumped beside them in two steps, swung his iron fist and hit the escort in the face, sending him rolling into the ditch.
At night, Zhu Helai left the town. Paul was reported to the police and was taken to the city defense headquarters and locked up. Paul was tortured that night, fists and toes kept attacking him. He was covered in wounds, but he said nothing. Even he himself didn't know why he refused to say a word. He secretly reminded himself in his heart to be brave and stubborn, like the people he saw in the book.
"Big Boss" Petliura is coming to the town to review the troops in person, and the town is busy preparing to welcome him.
Colonel Tenek was afraid that the big boss would see so many useless prisoners in the prison, so he asked Paul casually and let him go. Paul couldn't believe his luck, grabbed his shirt and rushed towards the door, running into the street in one breath.
Paul cannot go home or go to his friends' houses. Dragging his tired legs, he ran to the forest officer's garden without even realizing it. The barking of the dog alarmed Tonya. She barked excitedly and walked quickly towards Paul. Tonya begged her mother to let Paul stay, and made arrangements for Paul to take a bath, eat and sleep. Paul was tired and hungry, and needed a break. He didn't want to implicate this beloved girl and had to leave, but he felt that he was not willing to leave here at all. In the evening, Tonya went to the railway factory to find Arqing, and they decided that Paul would leave for Kachadin the next day. Paul stayed at Tonya's house for the night, and neither of the two young people wanted to sleep. They will be separated in a few hours, and may never see each other again. They both feel that they have thousands of words to say to each other, but they don't know where to start.
In the morning, Paul boarded the locomotive bound for Katchadin. After driving, he saw two familiar figures standing on the side road: tall Al Qing and slim and petite Dongnia.
Soon, the Red Army captured the town of Sebetovka, the Soviet regime was established, and the local committee of the Ukrainian Communist Youth League was also established. Paul has joined the Red Army and became a soldier of the Kodovsky Cavalry Division. Together with thousands of fighters like him, he traveled throughout Ukraine wearing clothes that were too tattered to cover his body and with a burning passion for struggle. In the battle, he was injured in the thigh and contracted typhoid fever. He grew up rapidly in the disaster and pain. A year later, he was already an outstanding cavalry scout. During this period, he read the book "Gadfly" and was deeply moved by the strength and death of the gadfly.
In June 1920, the First Budyonny Cavalry Corps broke through the defense lines of the Polish White Army and prepared to attack the enemies around Kiev. Paul, who joined this unit, rushed with his comrades to Zhitomir, where the enemy's headquarters was located. He leaned on the horse and galloped forward, his saber drawing a flashing arc in the air, and charged towards the machine gun emplacement at the crossroads that was making savage laughter.
Buyonni’s cavalry advanced in overwhelming numbers, and the cities of Zhitomir and Berdichev were captured one after another... In the fierce battles every day, Paul had completely forgotten himself. During the fierce battle on August 19, the enemy's shrapnel exploded in the air. A green light flashed in front of Paul's eyes, and a piece of red-hot iron drilled into his head. Night fell immediately...
After being in a coma for 13 days, Paul regained consciousness. But his head was still dizzy and he couldn't move in the plaster box. In October, Paul recovered from his injury and was discharged from the hospital. However, his right eye is permanently blind. "It would be better if my left eye is blind. How am I going to shoot now?" He was still thinking about the front line. After Paul was discharged from the hospital, he lived at Bronowski's house, and Tonya was also there. He invited Tonya to attend the general meeting of the Communist Youth League in the city, but she looked at Paul's comrades with contempt and provocation. Tonya didn't want to look like people in dirty uniforms, which made Paul intolerable. Their friendship gradually began to fall apart, and they finally broke up. At this time, Zhu Helai was serving as the chairman of the provincial "Cheka", so Paul went to him and participated in the anti-revolutionary work.
The intense work of the "Cheka" seriously affected Paul's health, which had not yet recovered. His head often hurt like needles. As a result, he lost consciousness after two days without sleep during the hunt for the Sudar gang. In this way, the Provincial Committee of the Communist Youth League transferred Paul to the Railway General Factory as secretary of the Communist Youth League and started a new job. Paul met Lida, a member of the Provincial Committee of the Communist Youth League, studied party history with her, and gradually developed a good impression of her. However, he was very confused and distressed: Is now the time to fall in love? Paul cut off his love with a gadfly's attitude and plunged into work.
In the autumn, a team composed of "Cheka" personnel, Red Army students and party members promptly stopped a counter-revolutionary riot and arrested Father Vasily and a group of conspirators. But new enemies threatened the new regime, the railways were blocked, and there was the danger of starvation and cold. In order to save the city and the railway, a narrow-gauge railway must be built from Yarka Station to the lumberyard. A road construction team set off to complete this extremely difficult task, and Paul arrived at the construction site first.
The autumn rain kept falling, and the roadbed continued to lengthen.
People built roads in the rain during the day and slept on the cement floor at night wearing mud-stained clothes. In addition to enduring the torture of hunger and cold, the work team also had to deal with the attacks of the Orik gang. Some people have deserted, and some have quit the Communist Youth League. However, those who stayed began to compete. Paul led his companions to challenge other teams. He always slept the latest and got up the earliest. By December, the road construction work was getting slower and slower, and typhoid fever was taking away dozens of useful hands every day. Paul, who was disabled all over his body, suffered from arthritis again. Finally, the fatal typhoid fever finally made him lie down.
Paul did not die of typhoid fever, he struggled back from the brink of death. In the spring, the pale and thin Paul came to the cemetery. His comrades died heroically here, sacrificing their lives so that those who were born into poverty and were slaves from birth could have a better life. Paul slowly took off his hat and made a solemn oath full of grief and indignation:
The most precious thing for a person is life. This life can only be obtained once. A person's life should be spent like this: when he recalls the past, he will not regret for wasting his years, nor will he be ashamed of his inaction in the past; when he is dying, he can say, my whole life and all All the energy has been dedicated to the most magnificent cause in the world - the struggle for the liberation of mankind.
A few days later, Paul said goodbye to his mother and returned to the Railway General Factory. Everyone was surprised, everyone thought he was dead. Facing his enthusiastic friends and comrades, Paul was excited, with a happy smile on his face and sparkling eyes.
The days passed quickly. Paul always felt that the time was too short and not allocated enough. He worked in the factory as an assistant electrical assembler. Responsible for political studies, I also go to the library to study every night. Soon he became a Bolshevik candidate. However, acute rheumatism forced him to leave the factory sadly, and it was not until a month later that he lost his crutches. Paul was transferred to Berezdov Town as secretary of the Communist Youth League and political commissar of the Second Militia Brigade. His life turned a new page. He and his comrades were nervously engaged in Soviet construction work: elections, bandit suppression, cultural construction, arresting smuggling, party and league work in the army, etc., which kept them busy from dawn until late at night. A year later, Paul was converted into a formal party member and transferred to the position of Secretary of the State Youth League Committee.
Paul reunited with Lida at the Sixth Congress of the All-Russian Communist Youth League. He reviewed to Lida his absurd behavior of handling relationships with a gadfly attitude three years ago. But Leda told him that she was married and had children. Paul was sad, but he held on strong. After the meeting, Lida told Paul in the letter she left behind that she hoped he would not be so harsh on herself, because "in our lives there is not only struggle, but also the joy brought by true love."
Two years have passed, and Paul has been living in a hurry during this period. His health was gradually failing, and the autumn and winter brought him much physical pain. Finally, the state health director sent a diagnosis of severe damage to his central nervous system to the party committee. Paul was forced to go to a sanatorium. But he didn't stay there for long before he left there early. In late autumn, Paul was admitted to the hospital again due to a car accident. After two surgeries, his right leg was disabled, and there was an untreatable hidden injury to his spine, threatening him with complete paralysis.
Unfortunate encounters and heavy blows followed one after another. Paul's hands and feet were numb, and sometimes he couldn't even get out of bed suddenly. The situation became worse day by day. The Central Committee stopped his work. Along with receiving the pension, he also received a disability certificate.
Paul went to the Black Sea port. He was holding his head in the shore park, thinking deeply. His life flashed before his eyes scene by scene. How was his life in these 24 years? He did not leave the team until his strength was completely lost. Now that he is seriously injured and has no hope of returning to the team, what should he do with himself? Since you have lost your most precious fighting power, why are you still alive? Pavel slowly drew his pistol from his pocket and tried to shoot himself. However, the muzzle looked into his eyes contemptuously. He put the pistol on his knee again and cursed fiercely: "Friend, this is a fake hero! Any stupid person will kill himself at any time! This is the most cowardly and easiest way out. ... Even if life is really difficult, Even if you endure it, you must be able to survive and make life useful."
Paul has found a new goal in life. He wants to rely on literature to return to the army.
He and Daya got married and moved to a small coastal town. Now, Paul's life is about studying. He has read many classical literary works, completed the first semester of the correspondence university, and studied with young people at night. Soon, his legs were completely paralyzed, and only his right hand was still functioning. Then, he also lost sight in his left eye. He is very calm, and he firmly believes that he is by no means a 100% cripple. He continued to study, blind and with the help of radio broadcasts. He completely forgot about the cruel blow of fate and the severe physical pain. He was happy with the growth of the motherland and the people, and was also proud that his wife had become a formal member of the Bolshevik Party.
They moved to Moscow. Paul, who was out of danger from the operation to remove his parathyroid gland, started working again. He is going to write a novella entitled "Born of the Storm" about the heroic feats of Kodovsky's cavalry division. He used the slit in the middle of the cardboard frame to restrain the pencil and wrote gropingly. After intense labor, three chapters were finally completed. Unexpectedly, during the process of sending them to old comrades for comments, these manuscripts were lost by the post office. His 6 months of hard work were in vain! There was no choice but to start working again. This time, the girl next door, Golia, took the initiative to help and acted as his "secretary". At the end of each day's work, Golia read to him what she had written down. When Paul thought the writing was not good, he would rewrite it himself.
The last chapter is written. My mother sent the heavy parcel to the Cultural Propaganda Department of the Provincial Party Committee. Paul waited from morning to night, anxiously looking forward to the reply. Many days later, the telegram from the provincial committee arrived. The telegram said: "The novel has been greatly appreciated and will be published soon. Congratulations on its success."
Paul's heart jumped again. The iron ring that life had placed on him had been broken. He picked up new weapons, walked back to the team, and started a new life.
Nicholas Ostrovsky (1904-1936), the author of "How Steel Was Tempered", was a famous Soviet proletarian writer and an outstanding communist fighter. He was born into a working-class family in Ukraine and joined the Communist Youth League in 1919. During the Revolutionary War, he was seriously injured, blind and paralyzed. However, with his tenacious will and amazing perseverance, he created the novels "How Steel Was Tempered" and "Born of the Storm" (the first part ).
This book is a novel that shines with lofty ideals and is filled with fiery revolutionary passion. The work is based on the author's life history, but it is not an autobiography of the author himself, but a literary treasure that has been refined and typicalized through artistic processing. Through the growth process of the protagonist Paul Korchagin in the revolutionary struggle, the novel truly and artistically reflects the Soviet social characteristics and the atmosphere of the times from the October Revolution, civil war to the restoration of the national economy, and enthusiastically praises the sacrifice for the motherland. The young generation of the Soviet Union during the war showed their growth process and spiritual outlook. As soon as this book was published, it was welcomed and praised by readers at home and abroad. It has been reprinted hundreds of times in China and translated into more than 50 national languages. It has been translated and published in China, India, Brazil, Mongolia, Argentina and other countries. The image of Paul Korchagin has long become a model of art and a role model in life loved by people around the world. Paul's famous saying about "life" has become the motto of millions of revolutionary youth.