Helping people
- Alexander Solzhenitsyn in many of his works tried to find an answer to the question of the meaning of life. So, in her story “Matrenin’s Dvor,” the main character never thought about herself. She gave all of herself to people, and she did it sincerely, unselfishly. Unfortunately, her fellow villagers did not appreciate the woman’s broad soul and shamelessly took advantage of her kindness. Matryona did not complain about her difficult life - she knew how to find something good and bright in little things, and sincerely enjoyed every day. The writer believed that people like Matryona are the real righteous people on whom all humanity rests.
- One of the brightest characters in Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace” is Natasha Rostova. Ardent and carefree in her early youth, as she grew older she realized that true happiness for her lay in serving her family and the people around her. Natasha loved and respected her parents, brothers and sisters very much. During the war, she demonstrated noble impulses of her soul, helping ordinary soldiers in every possible way. When Natasha married Pierre Bezukhov, she gave all her love and tenderness to her husband and children. The wealth of her soul was so great that she generously shared it with everyone around her.
In material values
- A striking example of undisguised greed and acquisitiveness, of course, is the Famus society, described in the comedy “Woe from Wit” by Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov. Representatives of this society saw the meaning of life only in occupying and maintaining a high position, receiving a high rank, and having popularity and fame in society. To achieve this goal, they were ready to do the lowest, most vile acts. For example, Molchalin was ready to feign passionate love for his boss’s daughter in order to achieve a promotion. Famusov was ready to give his daughter to anyone, as long as the groom had connections in society and a strong financial position. And only Chatsky understood how flawed such a worldview was and did not hesitate to speak about it out loud. However, his bold, open statements frightened the Famus society, which preferred to recognize Chatsky as crazy rather than open their eyes to the truth.
- Sometimes a person voluntarily chooses a path that can lead him to a dead end. This is precisely the situation in which the main character of Ivan Alekseevich Bunin’s story “The Gentleman from San Francisco” found himself. The man devoted his entire life to amassing a fair amount of capital. He deprived himself of ordinary human joys and pleasures and devoted little time to loved ones. When, in his opinion, he achieved what he wanted, he decided for the first time to go on vacation with his family. During the trip, it became clear that there was no, and indeed no, intimacy between the spouses, and the hero’s only daughter saw in her father only a fat wallet capable of satisfying her whims. When the hero died unexpectedly, no one cared about him. He lived his life without committing a single good, significant deed, and his inglorious death became only the natural outcome of his pitiful, insignificant life.
Collection of ideal social studies essays
(1)…So what is the meaning of human existence? (2) Isn’t the answer in the question? (3) Isn’t the point of man’s appearance on earth and in the Universe so that someone would ask? (4) Yourself and the whole world: why are we and why is everything? (5) If it is true that man is matter that has realized itself, has realized its existence, has seen itself from the outside, then who, except man, should ask: why? For what? For what?..
(6) A stone will not be asked that it is a stone, a seagull will not be asked that it is a seagull... (7) A person will not be asked.
(8) “A worm,” wrote one of Daniil Granin’s heroes, “in order to ‘make the earth’.”
(9) “A man,” we say, “to ask.” (10) And for the worm, and for the earth itself, ask: why everything? (11) What is the earth for and why the worm that “makes the earth”? (12) And the most important “why” - why me, a man?
(13) “Simply thinking about the meaning of life,” said Albert Schweitzer, “has value in itself.” (14) A man looks at the sky, at the stars - he needs this because he is a man. (15) He does not look like a mountain top, a tree, a cat. (16) And he looks, asking for himself, and for the mountain, and for the cat: what and why?
(17) What is the most important thing today, what are the most pressing issues? (18) Aren’t the eternal ones the most relevant? (19) Yes, the very ones that we often thought about: they will wait, that’s why they are “eternal”!
(20) A matter of life and death? - just think, we would care about your worries!
(21) Now this is our concern, it is ours - about the life and death of the planet itself, firstly, and, secondly, of humanity, the person on it. (22) And is there anything more important and relevant than such eternal questions?
(23) The present is something that has always been willingly sacrificed for something: sometimes to the past, and sometimes to the future. (24) After all, this moment is just a bridge for the “conservatives” to go into a cozy, sweet past for them, and for the “revolutionaries” to rush and carry them along into the future.
(25) And the people who live today are necessarily worse than those of yesterday. (26) And they are certainly far from those who will come tomorrow!
(27) But it has never been so obvious that everything came together for them, for today’s people. (28) Whatever they are, it undoubtedly depends on them whether life will be preserved.
(29) Today the truth is especially tangible: without the past, a person is not complete, without striving for the future it is impossible for a person, but the main meaning of human existence is still that the present continues forever - a person lives and continues. (30) The meaning of life is in life itself. (31) After all, it may indeed turn out that man is the only being in the Universe who is aware of his existence and asks, asks, about the meaning and purposes of his own existence!
(32) Why is this? - may I ask. (33) — Why should they ask?
(34) Let's wait billions of years and find out the answers to all the “whys”. (35) The main thing is not to break the chain, not to let life end...
(According to A. Adamovich*)
* Alexander (Ales) Mikhailovich Adamovich (1927-1994) - Russian and Belarusian Soviet writer, screenwriter, literary critic.
In service to the Motherland
- Selfless service to the Fatherland is a conscious choice of many literary heroes, one of whom was Andrei Sokolov from the story “The Fate of a Man” by Mikhail Aleksandrovich Sholokhov. During the war, the hero’s family died, but he found the strength to find the meaning of life in faithfully and truly serving for the good of the Motherland. During the difficult trials of life, he never betrayed his Fatherland or disgraced the honor of a Soviet soldier. Even at the risk of his own life, he remained devoted to his own ideals and moral principles.
- Brave, resilient, selfless - this is how soldier Vasily Terkin, the hero of the poem of the same name by Alexander Tvardovsky, appears before the reader. He never shied away from carrying out combat orders, even if they posed a serious threat to life, invariably extended a helping hand to those in trouble, and amused his fellow soldiers, strengthening their morale. Thanks to his ingenuity and optimism, the hero got away with it more than once. He performed truly heroic deeds, but never boasted about them and believed that everyone in his place would have done the same.
Essay on the topic The meaning of human life
What is a sense of life? Many people, many generations, have thought about this philosophical question, but no definite answer has been found. The fact is that each person has his own position, which mainly depends on the perception of life, values and much more.
There are a lot of opinions, for some the meaning of life is fun, for others family. My position is this: the meaning of a person’s life lies in achieving goals, arranging life, which in the future will help bring something good and useful to the world. I will prove my point of view with the help of several arguments.
Firstly, throughout his life a person sets himself various goals that help him develop and get settled in life: finish school, go to college, read a big book or jump with a parachute. All these goals make up a person’s life, and its meaning becomes the fulfillment of dreams, the achievement of what is desired. It seems to me that from any side it turns out that the meaning of a person’s life is in his goals, he lives for the sake of their fulfillment, even if he himself does not notice it. For example, in order to fulfill one or another goal or dream, a person spends his time, and sometimes long periods of his life. Could this not be evidence?
Secondly, among society there are people called altruists. These are those individuals who are willing to make sacrifices for the sake of others. It is important for such people to help those who need their help. The meaning of life for such “heroes” is to bring as much benefit as possible during their lives. This desire is not accompanied by self-interest. Just to do more good, altruists set goals and achieve them. If you arrange your life, then you will be able to consistently help others. Everything is interconnected.
This question can even be considered using the example of the famous cosmonaut Alexei Leonov. Flying into space was his dream, which turned into the meaning of life. After problems with the unmanned ship, it was decided to postpone the launch of the main one. A. Leonov was not going to retreat; he walked towards his dream for a long time. Despite the great risk, A. Leonov, together with P. Belyaev, successfully completed the task and returned as heroes of the Soviet Union. If a person is not afraid to lose his life for the sake of a dream, then it is the meaning of his life.
Thus, my point of view is correct, the meaning of a person’s life is to fulfill dreams, achieve goals that are not only important in life, but also bring goodness. I would like to add that the meaning of life should lie in something important.
Other essays: ← The purpose and meaning of human life↑ ManIs it easy to be young? →
In love
- Love is an amazingly strong feeling that can completely take over a person. Thus, the main character of Alexander Nikolaevich Ostrovsky’s drama “The Thunderstorm” saw only love as the meaning of her life, in which she dreamed of completely dissolving. Being a gentle, refined nature, she was far from the harsh realities of everyday life, and found solace only in emotional experiences. However, Katerina, having married Tikhon, did not find her cherished family happiness - her husband did not pay any attention to her, and this made the heroine’s life simply unbearable. Out of desperation, she rushed headlong into a relationship with Boris. But the forbidden relationship also did not bring joy to the young woman. The conflict between duty and feelings broke her, and the way out of this difficult situation for the heroine was voluntary death.
- The hero of Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin’s story “The Garnet Bracelet” made selfless love for the beautiful young princess the meaning of his entire life. Being a simple clerk, Zheltkov could not claim the reciprocity of Vera Sheina, who, moreover, was married. He understood perfectly well that his feelings were doomed from the very beginning, but it was in them that he saw the meaning of his existence and felt the joy of being. The hero did not demand anything in return; his quiet, inconspicuous love did not disturb Vera and her family for a long time. When Zheltkov dared to open up, he realized that he had thereby caused trouble for his beloved. Not wanting to become a cause of discord in the family, the hero left this world, but did it with great love in his heart.
Search for the meaning of life
- Finding your purpose in life is not an easy task. The main character of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin’s novel “Eugene Onegin” was busy searching for the meaning of life. He tried to find something that would bring him satisfaction and peace of mind, but not a single activity could awaken his interest. Suffering from unbearable boredom, tired of empty social entertainment, Eugene went to the village to accept the inheritance of his deceased uncle. However, even the change of situation did not have a beneficial effect on the hero. Fate presented Onegin with generous gifts - the faithful friendship of Lensky and the tender love of Tatyana, but the hero realized their full value too late. As a result, he remained a lonely, restless wanderer who had not found his true calling.
- As a rule, people who are smart, thoughtful, and prone to analysis and philosophical reflection are concerned with finding the meaning of life. The central character of Mikhail Yurevich Lermontov’s novel “A Hero of Our Time” was precisely such a hero. The young officer Grigory Pechorin had many wonderful qualities that attracted people to him. But he was prevented from finding his happiness in life by his vices - selfishness, indifference, fear of feelings and attachments - which he did not even try to fight. It was these qualities that repelled those who sought to warm him with their love and friendly participation from Pechorin. The hero could not decide what he needed from life. He was looking for love, but at the same time he neglected it, he wanted to realize his ambitions in the service, but did nothing for it. In the image of Grigory Pechorin, the writer revealed the theme of the so-called “superfluous person” who failed to find himself and sank into oblivion without a trace.
- Pierre Bezukhov, one of the central characters in L. N. Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace,” also tried to find his place in life. At first, he wanted to take a strong place in secular society, but, being a decent and moral person, he quickly became disillusioned with his hypocritical environment. In order to be at least somehow useful, he even joined a secret society, but over time he realized that this was not his path. Only by creating a happy family with Natasha Rostova did he find peace of mind. His beloved woman, children, honest work - all this became the meaning of life for Pierre, his true purpose.
In search of the meaning of life
“War and Peace” is the world famous epic novel by Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy. The main problem that the writer poses in this work is the problem of searching for the meaning of life. His favorite characters are Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov - suffering heroes searching for their destiny. They are characterized by a restless soul, a desire to be useful and loved.
Tolstoy's novel begins precisely with the search for the meaning of life by Pierre Bezukhov and Andrei Bolkonsky, and these searches continue throughout the entire narrative. Two completely different heroes complement each other perfectly: the childishly naive, kind Pierre and the serious, practical Prince Andrei. Each of them goes through their own path, full of joys and disappointments, but they are united by the desire to find truth and justice.
Andrei Bolkonsky first appears before us at the very beginning of the novel - at an evening in Anna Pavlovna Sherer's salon.
Tolstoy describes the hero as a tired, bored guest who found it unpleasant to be in the world and communicate with its representatives. He saw nothing good in these meaningless events and pretend people, so he sought to break this vicious circle. Thirsting for fame and recognition, Prince Andrei goes to war, where he was seriously wounded. Bleeding on the battlefield, he looks into the heavens and realizes the value of life: “How come I haven’t seen this high sky before? And how happy I am that I finally recognized him. Yes! It’s all empty, it’s all deception, except this endless sky.” And after some time, Bolkonsky becomes disillusioned with his idol, Napoleon: the hero sees how the emperor maliciously looked at the battlefield with wounded and dying soldiers. Are you enrolling in 2019? Our team will help you save your time and nerves: we will select directions and universities (according to your preferences and expert recommendations); we will fill out applications (all you have to do is sign); we will submit applications to Russian universities (online, by e-mail, by courier); we will monitor competition lists ( we will automate the tracking and analysis of your positions); we will tell you when and where to submit the original (we will evaluate the chances and determine the best option). Entrust the routine to professionals - more details.
After Austerlitz, all former dreams and aspirations seemed small and insignificant to Prince Andrei, the same as his former idol. The birth of a child and the death of his wife forced the hero to come to the conclusion that a quiet life and caring for his son was the only thing left for him. But depression and the feeling of the impossibility of happiness indicated that all these worries could not calm him down.
And yet, the meeting with Natasha Rostova revived Prince Andrei to life and helped him understand the meaning of existence. Thanks to this girl, he learned the power of love. It was love and family that became the meaning of life for the hero. And even though there were disagreements between this couple, Bolkonsky did not stop loving Natasha until his death. After the Battle of Borodino, “a new happiness was revealed to him” - “happiness that is outside of material forces, outside of material external influences on a person, the happiness of one soul, the happiness of love.” Prince Andrei realized the indestructible “divine love” that he felt for Natasha.
We also meet Pierre Bezukhov for the first time in Anna Scherer. He appears before us as an absent-minded, naive young man who finds himself in the world for the first time. A little later, after the death of his father, the young man becomes the rich Count Bezukhov. Being a somewhat naive man, Pierre married the vile beauty Helen Kuragina and managed to regret it more than once.
“What’s wrong? What well? What should you love, what should you hate? Why live, and what am I? What is life, what is death? What force controls everything? - he asked himself. And the answer was: “If you die, everything will end. You will die and you will find out everything - or you will stop asking. But it was also scary to die.”
Having become a Freemason, Pierre seemed to be reborn: he finds for himself a new meaning in life - deeds for the benefit of others. Encouraged by this idea, “he firmly believed in the possibility of a brotherhood of men united for the purpose of supporting each other in the path of virtue.” Bezukhov wanted to carry out reforms on his estates, but this did not live up to the hero’s hopes; he doubted Freemasonry and left it.
The Patriotic War of 1812 became a turning point in Pierre's life. The hero begins to worry about the fate of Russia: he prepares a militia, voluntarily witnesses the Battle of Borodino and even plans to kill Napoleon! After a fight with French soldiers, the young man is captured, where a new stage of his quest begins. Bezukhov saw all the horrors of captivity: the inhumanity of evil enemies, massacres, bullying, execution. But under the influence of Platon Karataev, the hero’s spiritual revival occurs. Like this simple peasant, Pierre begins to love life in all its manifestations, despite all difficulties.
And finally, happiness now enters Pierre's life. He married Natasha Rostova, raises children and loves his family very much. The main conviction that Pierre learned from his long and complex search for the meaning of life is this: “As long as there is life, there is happiness.”
Human life is a path of disappointments and joys, gains and new losses. The same can be said about the fates of Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov. The spiritual development of the characters is complex, and their views and beliefs change under the influence of current events. In the end, the suffering heroes still find their meaning in life and find peace.
Useful material on the topic:
- In search of the meaning of life Pierre Bezukhov
- Tolstoy's characters in search of the meaning of life
- Moral search for the meaning of life by Andrei Bolkonsky
- Novel "War and Peace". Summary. Volume 3-4. Search for the meaning of life by Andrei Bolkonsky.
- L.N. Tolstoy in my life
The false meaning of life and the consequences of error
- The main character of Nikolai Gogol's story "The Overcoat" led a completely meaningless, unconscious life. Being a “little man,” he had small needs and dreams. He considered the only way to earn the respect of his colleagues to buy a new overcoat, which, in his opinion, could elevate his person in the eyes of others. As a result, the hero saved on literally everything in order to get closer to his cherished goal. Buying an overcoat became his raison d'être. Fate cruelly laughed at the hero, who was never able to enjoy the purchase - the overcoat was stolen, and the man, unable to bear the loss, died of grief. Thus, the writer wanted to say that the wrong choice of life values can play a cruel joke on a person. You need to take a meaningful approach to choosing the meaning of your existence and move in the right direction.
- The hero of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov's play “Uncle Vanya” sacrificed his entire life on the altar of false ideals. Together with his niece, he worked hard for meager remuneration, sending the hard-earned money to his late sister’s husband, who was a professor. The heroes saw in his person a representative of science, the smartest and most educated person, and in their help they saw service to Science. Only when they met their idol in person did they realize the bitter truth - all their sacrifices were in vain, since the professor turned out to be a pathetic nonentity. Such a revelation was a heavy blow for the main character, who, in a strong emotional impulse, attempted to kill a relative. When the passions subsided, he tried to come to terms with the fact that he had wasted his time and energy so ingloriously.
- The main character of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov's story “Ionych” rejected Startsev’s proposal for the sake of a career as a pianist. The girl saw the meaning of her life in serving art, and went to enroll in the capital's conservatory. None of those close to her doubted the brilliant future of the heroine, who in fact turned out to be a very mediocre pianist. As a result, she returned to her hometown, where she continued her music studies, which no longer had much significance. Having experienced deep disappointment, the heroine could not find the strength to search for a new meaning in life.
