Yuri Bondarev, "The Choice." Summary of the novel

Very often, Y. Bondarev refers to the military theme in his work. "Choice" (a short content of the work and will be the main theme of this article) is a novel that has not become an exception. In addition, this work raises serious moral and philosophical questions related to the role of choice in human life.

About the work

In 1980, Yuri Vasilyevich Bondarev (Vybor) published his book. You can read the summary in various ways, but do not forget that the novel contains a deep philosophical meaning. It is connected not only with the very problem of choice, but also with the description of those changes that occur with the soul of the person who has been in the battle. In this connection, a very serious question arises as to whether the war wrecks people's hearts or simply shows the true nature. Offering to solve this puzzle independently, does not give a clear answer in his work Bondarev.

"Choice": a summary

Ilya Ramzin is the main character of the novel. He is purposeful, engaged in sports and wrestling, he pays much attention to his spiritual growth. The main thing for him is strength and freedom. In his understanding, the ideal person is a strong and brave fighter who can himself manage his freedom. The worst thing for Ilya is to be humiliated. Contempt and disregard for others - there is nothing more terrible for him.

Time to go into battle

It is this self-confident character who chooses Yuri Bondarev for his history. The choice (a summary of this below confirms) for Ilya Ramzin will be the most severe test in his life. The author saw it as his goal to show the reader the person who was put before a harsh reality. Now at stake are not vague ideals and ideas about the world, but their own lives.

The time of this harsh reality, as it is easy to guess, is the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. Our hero, still quite a young man, suddenly finds himself in an artillery school. And from there straight to the front. It was especially difficult in the first months - the beginning of the war was unsuccessful, there were retreats on all fronts.

And it is not surprising that Ramzin and his battery are surrounded by the enemy. Ilya begins to make at least some attempts to save the artillery guns, which were at the disposal of his comrades. But the battery commander hinders him in this. This is a short-sighted and stupid man whose actions lead not only to the loss of all weapons, but also to the death of almost all soldiers under his command.

The fascists, who surrounded the battery, begin the offensive. Realizing that it is useless to resist, Ilya shoots his commander. Ramzin was going to end his life, too, but he does not have time - he is taken prisoner.

But the battle is not the worst, the reader is shown by Bondarev ("The Choice"). The summary describes a far more terrible fate - it is not through their fault that they are in the hands of the enemy. The realities of the camp life of prisoners of war plunge Ramzin into horror. He could not even imagine that soldiers, who had fought shoulder to shoulder yesterday, would report against each other, calmly betray and lie. For them, there is already no concept of duty and honor, the main thing is to survive. In addition, a serious blow to Ilya is what the fascists perceived as a feat of killing him commander.

After a lapse of years

It takes thirty years. It is from this moment that Bondarev resumes the description of events. The choice (a summary of this confirms), which Ilya did in the war, becomes known to the reader only now. The hero never returned to his homeland.

Ramzin is now a resident of Venice. It is on the streets of this European town that he accidentally meets Vasiliev, his former classmate. It turns out that Ilya is considered to be missing in the war without a trace. After all, the protagonist for all these years has not written to anyone a single line, and also avoided those places where one could meet former compatriots. Even the mother did not know anything about his fate. Vasiliev tells how she had waited for Ilya for many years, tried to find her, and was very saddened by the loss of her only son.

Ramzin talks about his life - he married for a long time, but his wife has already died. But there was a son who is currently living in Munich.

Ending

Bondarev ends his story. "Choice" (the brief content of the novel we have considered) ends in the fact that Ilya decides to go to the USSR, to see his mother. But the old lady is not happy with her traitor son. She runs him away. Ramzin can not come to himself after that. He begins to be tormented by a conscience awakened inadvertently. As a result, the hero decides to commit suicide.

Bondarev does not assess the actions of his hero, leaving the reader to do it himself.