The story of L. Andreev "Kusaka": reviews and opinions

"Kusaka" is an uncomplicated, vital and very touching story about a mongrel who could earn human love, even in spite of her cautiousness and mistrust. The story "Kusaka", whose reviews are more enthusiastic, makes the reader think about the attitude towards our lesser brothers.

Love does not choose

You can not only love your comfortable, domesticated puppies and kittens. Love is worthy and homeless mongrels, who have the same big heart. Modern literature rarely raises questions that affect the story "Kusaka." The testimonies of grateful readers say that this small literary work makes you literally go out and caress the homeless animal, feed the mongrel and give a little love to the abandoned puppy without a pedigree. Human love is very selective: a cute mongrel is fed much more often than a shabby and dirty one. "Kusaka" shows how it really hurts these unfortunate, useless mongrels.

Leonid Andreev and the skill of his imagery

Probably, almost everyone who wanted to write a review about the story of "Kusaka" would necessarily mention in it the abundance of stylistic imagery, to which its author, Leonid Andreev, resorts. The central character of the story is an innocent pooch, whose behavior is argued from the human point of view. Describes the feelings and thoughts of the dog, its expectations and disappointments. This method in literature is called anthropomorphism, when animals are endowed with human qualities. Also, Leonid Andreev uses many epithets, through which he shows his attitude to the unfortunate abandoned dog. The author argues her aggressive behavior, telling the story of how the dog lost the last drops of confidence in a person. It is unlikely that anyone would have managed to create the same vivid and quite realistic image of the dog that Andreev got his Kusaka. Reviews of literary critics about this work, in general, were sustained in the same enthusiastic vein as the testimonies of grateful readers.

Temporary happiness of the unsociable Kusaka

In addition to the characteristic dog, the story features several more characters. One of them, a man-drunkard, is the cause of the mistrust of the mongrel to the human race. At first, the peasant is going to caress the dog, but as a result, the green snake eclipses his reason, and the animal, getting ready for caress, gets only cuffs. Little girl Lelya, in turn, gives the dog love, even though she manages to tear off a whole piece from the hem of her dress. A good-natured girl becomes the first person who manages to tame a frightened and distrustful mongrel. It's amazing what a huge range of human feelings and emotions the "Kusaka" story shows. Readers' comments indicate that all the characters are depicted very realistically and vividly, while Leonid Andreev uses the minimum number of dialogues and descriptions. Relations between the incredulous Kusaka and people are improving day by day: the dog learns to believe in people and take caresses from them, learns to beg for food and amuse the children.

What to do if you do not like the ending of the story

The mongrel enjoys a happy, carefree life and does not think that this unexpected happiness will soon end. When the cold season sets in, people leave the dacha, and little Lele can not persuade her mother to take her beloved Kusaka with her. The reader becomes a little insulted: was it really necessary to resort to the ending that Leonid Andreev used for the sake of greater realism? "Kusaka", the reviews about which are diverse, can cause the reader a sense of injustice or even resentment. But, perhaps, it is these feelings that will make him once again go out and feed a homeless animal or even build a small house for him. The story "Kusaka" shows how little, in fact, you need an ordinary dog: love, food and a person to whom you can come running after affection. Such stories awake in people the best that they have.