Innocence of Children
Adults live their lives filled with stress and anxiety and they are forced to balance their responsibilities to their families with responsibilities at work. Adults have forgotten what it is like to depend on others and simply live for themselves as they did when they were children. A child’s life should be filled with new and cheerful experiences with their family and friends by their side. They should be able to turn to others for help and support in order to feel secure. Unfortunately, some children are held responsible for their families’ mistakes and problems by having to provide money and, as a result, have no time for fun. In Anton Chekhov’s short stories, he portrays children as being innocent, vulnerable, and dependent on others as well as how they struggle to remain youthful.
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was born January 29, 1860, the third of six surviving children, in Taganrog, Russia. Anton’s father, Pavel Yegorovich Chekhov, was the son of a former serf and he ran a grocery store. Anton Chekhov attended a school for Greeks boys, followed by the Taganrog gymnasium. In 1876, Chekhov’s father declared bankruptcy after putting too much money into building a new house and fled to Moscow to avoid the debtor’s prison. Anton’s two eldest brothers, Alexander and Nikolai, attended Moscow University. The family lived in poverty while Anton was left behind to sell the family’s possessions and finish school. Anton completed schooling and joined the family in Moscow, where he attended Moscow University for medical school. Anton Chekhov not only became a physician, he also became known as the best short story writer in the world. Anton is very well known for his zero ending stories which leave the reader with unanswered questions. Anton is a humanitarian; he gives money and helps people in need. Anton died in May 1904, from tuberculosis and left behind his amazing short stories for all readers to appreciate.
In “Grisha”, Chekhov shows the...