"Kruglyansky Bridge": a brief summary of Vasil Bykov's book

"Kruglyansky Bridge" is Vasil Bykov's story telling us about the relationship between people, humanism, as well as about the inhuman and human face of the war. This realistic work reflects the images of people existing in real life, with their empathy and devotion, hatred and friendship, love and fear.
Here it is said about the price of a person's life in comparison with a high goal. Ambiguously, one can also interpret the act of the protagonist. On the eternal value of human feelings and is the speech in Bykov's work "Kruglyansky Bridge", a brief summary of which you can read below.

Beginning of the story

For those arrested in the partisan detachment, there was no special room, so Styopka the Pusher sat in a pit and recalled the events of the last days. In this detachment he was uncomfortable, there was little trust in the hero, and he was sent to serve in an economic platoon. But once the demolitionist Maslakov called Styopka on the job. He was delighted with this event, since, despite his age (18 years), he had considerable experience in such activities.

Two more people went with them: the former battalion commander Britvin, who was demoted for some reason, and he wanted to earn his pardon, and Danila Shpak, who was well acquainted with this locality. On the instructions it was necessary to burn a wooden bridge near the small village of Kruglyany.

Fatal shot

It was already about to rain and dusk was coming when they were in place. Maslakov decided that it was necessary to go right now, since the night guard near the bridge had not yet been delivered, and even if the rain intensified, the object might not catch fire. Under various pretexts Shpak and Britvin refused to go, then Maslakov ordered Styopka to follow him.

Next, Vasil Bykov 's book includes a description of the tragic events. At the exit from the forest, the heroes seemed completely deserted by the bridge and the road. Coming closer, they saw that in a rainy mist a figure suddenly flashed. They continued their movement, because it was too late to hide. A shot rang out from the side of the bridge, and Stepan and Maslakov dashed across the road. Moving along the embankment, which was getting lower, Styopka, who held a canister in one hand, and in another - a rifle, was able to see the figure of the gunman. After that, throwing gasoline, practically without aiming, he shot.

Once on the opposite side of the road, Stepan found deadly wounded Maslakov. There was silence, there were no more shots.

The new commander

After the fateful event of the story "Kruglyansky Bridge" (a brief summary is presented in the article) Stepan dragged himself back, having loaded the commander's body upon himself. He expected Shpak and Britvin to help him, but they met only in the forest. Despair and grief filled Styopkin's mind, because the commander was wounded, and he left the canister near the bridge. All the more reason was not from her, since the object was no longer able to be picked up due to the fact that the Germans strengthened the guard. The commander of the group Britvin ordered Styopka to search for the cart.

Pretty quickly Styopka found a horse that was grazing in the forest. But the owner of the animal, a teenager of fifteen years old Mitya, did not want to give it to Tolkach, because in the morning the boy had to take milk to Kruglyany. Stepan offered him a compromise option: to go together, and in the morning to go home with a horse. All this was in vain, since Maslakov had already died.

Britvina was alarmed by the fact that the teenager was the son of polizei, so Mitya decided to leave until the morning. When he heard that in the morning a boy should take milk through this bridge, a plan matured in the head of the new commander.

The Britvin Plan

The author of the story (V. Bykov) "Kruglyansky Bridge" further tells us that Britvin sent the teenager home with the condition that he would come to them with milk in the morning. Shpak went for the explosives. But the ammonite he brought to them was heavily damp, so the new commander ordered Styopka and Shpak to dry it right on the fire. He himself at that time watched the actions of his subordinates.

When the explosive was a little dry, Britvin joked with Styopka, as he and Maslakov decided to burn the canister with gasoline, to which the guy objected that the deceased commander did not want to risk anyone. Brithvin also decided to convince him that war is a risk people, because the winner is the one who is more at risk. After these words, Styopka decided that the new commander knows more about the war than the deceased.

Undermining the bridge

Further in the work "Kruglyansky Bridge" (a brief summary we give) it is narrated that as soon as morning came, Mitya appeared with a cart and cans. Pouring milk from one container, they stuffed it with explosives, and the bikford cord was pulled out. It was planned to set it on fire thirty meters before the bridge, and then throw off the can and lash the horses. By the time the policemen come to their senses, the bridge has already been blown up.

Stepkino place was at the bridge, where he, in fact, went. For a long time the road was empty. Finally, a cart came into it, in which Mitya sat and smoked incompetently a cigarette. He did not see Shpak and Britvin. The boy was worried. Literally ten meters from the bridge one of the guards shouted something, after which Mitya stopped the cart and jumped to the ground.

The young demoman was afraid that the German would see the Bickford cord, and, throwing up the machine gun, gave the order to save Mitya. After this, the horse jerked to the bridge, and, stumbling, fell to his knees. On one side the boy rushed to him, and on the other - three policemen. Styopka took aim at them, but did not have time to shoot, for there was a powerful explosion, the wave of which threw the guy back. Half-stunned, he ran to the forest, where Shpak and Britvin were waiting for him. The joyful commander said that they had shot the horse, to which Mitya ran.

After calling Britvin a bastard and not obeying the order to surrender the weapon, Styopka threw up the gun and shot the commander in the stomach.

The final

The "Kruglyansky Bridge" (the brief content read above) is ending with the fact that Styopka awaits trial while sitting in the pit. Shpak, who visited him, says that Britvina is operating, and nothing threatens his life. On the young demolition man he does not hold evil and asks that he does not tell about Mitya and the whole story as a whole. Stepan decided for himself that he was guilty and ready to suffer punishment, but most importantly - he will not withhold these events, tell everyone about Mitya.

The summary can not fully convey the images of the characters, so it is advisable to read the full version of the work.