Student Question

What Christmas memories does Vanka cherish?

Quick answer:

Vanka cherishes memories of Christmas in the countryside, contrasting them with his current life in Moscow. He fondly recalls the community spirit, where children sang carols and visited houses, a tradition absent in the city. Vanka also remembers joyful times with his grandfather, particularly selecting and decorating a Christmas tree together, often with his friend Olga Ignatyevna who would give him sweets. These memories highlight the warmth and togetherness he misses.

Expert Answers

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In the short story "Vanka" by Anton Chekhov, a little boy, who is called Vanka, writes a letter to his grandfather, asking him to help him leave Moscow in order to be able to return to his home. In this letter, Vanka mentions some memories of Christmases past, which illustrate how happy Vanka had been at home in contrast to his current life in Moscow.

Living in Moscow, the capital city, Vanka is missing Christmas as he had experienced it in his past—when he was still living in the country. He fondly remembers how children got actively involved in the creation of the Christmas spirit, as he laments that in Moscow “the children don't come round at Christmas with a star, no one is allowed to sing in the choir.” From this, we can assume that the tradition of children walking from house to house, singing Christmas carols, is a very fond memory for Vanka, one that illustrates a substantial part of what Christmas means to him: a celebration that involves everyone: neighbors, friends and families, children, and adults alike. In the anonymity of Moscow, by stark contrast, Vanka is missing this community spirit.

He also has a very happy memory of his grandfather taking him into the forest in order to get a Christmas tree; he makes this very clear, as he refers to it as “happy times.” He fondly remembers how he and his grandfather later would decorate their Christmas tree after having dragged it from the forest back to their home. They used to do this together with Vanka’s friend Olga Ignatyevna, who would also frequently feed little Vanka sweets and candy.

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