“Virgin Soil Upturned” summary of Sholokhov’s novel

About the product

Sholokhov’s novel “Virgin Soil Upturned” is dedicated to the events that took place in the village and radically changed its usual way of life: collectivization, dispossession and the mass transfer of peasants to collective farms. The first volume of the book was written in 1932, the second in 1959.

To better prepare for a literature lesson, we recommend reading online a summary of “Virgin Soil Upturned” chapter by chapter. A retelling of the work will also be useful for the reader’s diary.

The material was prepared jointly with a teacher of the highest category, Kuchmina Nadezhda Vladimirovna.

Experience as a teacher of Russian language and literature - 27 years.

Summary: Virgin Soil Upturned

M. A. Sholokhov Upturned Virgin Soil
Along the lane farthest to the steppe, on a January evening in 1930, a horseman rode into the village of Gremyachiy Log. From passers-by I learned the way to Yakov Lukich Ostrovny's kuren. The owner, recognizing the visitor, looked around and whispered: “Your Honor! Where did you leave?.. Mister Yesaul...” This was the former commander of Ostrovny in the First World War and the Polovtsian Civil War. After dinner, they began to talk. Lukich was considered the first-class owner on the farm, a man of great intelligence and fox-like caution. He began to complain to the newcomer: in 1920 he returned to bare walls and left all his belongings by the Black Sea. Worked day and night. In the very first year, the new government swept away all the grain from the surplus appropriation system, and then lost count of the change - I handed over bread, meat, butter, leather, and poultry, paid countless taxes... Now - a new misfortune. Some person came from the region and will herd everyone to the collective farm. You made money with your hump, and now give it to the common pot? “We have to fight, brother,” explains Polovtsev. And at his suggestion, Yakov Lukich joined the “Union for the Liberation of his Native Don”.

And the man they were talking about, a former sailor and then a mechanic at the Putilov plant, Semyon Davydov, came to Gremyachiy to carry out collectivization. First, he held a meeting of the Gremyachen activists and the poor. Those present signed up for the collective farm together and approved the list of kulaks: those included in it faced confiscation of property and eviction from their homes. When discussing the candidacy of Titus Borodin, a hitch arose. The secretary of the village cell of the Communist Party, Makar Nagulnov, a former Red partisan, explained to Davydov: Titus is a former Red Guard, from the poor. But, returning from the war, he latched onto the farm with his teeth. He worked twenty hours a day, grew wild hair, acquired a hernia - and began to get rich, despite warnings and persuasion to wait for the world revolution. He answered the persuaders: “I was nothing and became everything, and that’s why I fought.”

“There was a partisan - honor to him for that, he became a fist - to crush him,” Davydov answered. The next day, amid the tears of evicted children and women, dispossession took place. The chairman of the Gremyachensky village council, Andrei Razmetnov, initially even refused to take part in this, but was convinced by Davydov.

Not all of the more prosperous Gremyachen residents sought to join the collective farm. Those dissatisfied with the authorities secretly gathered to discuss the situation. Among them were middle peasants, and even some from the poor. Nikita Khoprov, for example, who was blackmailed with the fact that for some time he was in the white punitive detachment. But Khoprov refused Ostrovny’s offer to participate in the armed uprising. It’s better for him to denounce himself. By the way, who is it that lives in Lukich’s chaff? Isn’t it the same “your honor” who is inciting rebellion? That same night, Khoprov and his wife were killed. Ostrovnov, Polovtsev and the son of the dispossessed man, the first village handsome man and accordion player Timofey Rvany, took part in this. The investigator from the area failed to obtain clues leading to solving the murder.

A week later, the general meeting of collective farmers approved the visiting Davydov as the chairman of the collective farm, and Ostrovny as the farm manager. Collectivization in Gremyache was difficult: at first they slaughtered livestock so as not to socialize it, then they hid seed grain from delivery.

Party secretary Nagulnov divorced Lukerya because she publicly cried out for the exiled Timofey Rvany, her lover. And soon Lushka, known for her frivolity, met Davydov and told him: “Look at me, Comrade Davydov... I am a beautiful woman, very ready for love...”

Polovtsev and Yakov Lukich informed like-minded people from a neighboring farm that the uprising was scheduled for the day after tomorrow. But they, it turns out, changed their intentions after reading Stalin’s article “Dizziness from Success.” They thought that it was an order from the center to drive everyone into the collective farm like a fool. And Stalin said that “you can sit alone.” So they will get along with the local authorities, who were strictly pushing for collectivization, “but it would be no good to turn against the entire Soviet regime.” “Fools, cursed by God!..,” Polovtsev seethed. “They don’t understand that this article is a vile deception, a maneuver!” And in Gremyachiy, in the week after the article appeared, about a hundred applications were submitted to leave the collective farm. Including from the widow Marina Poyarkova, the “lover” of the chairman of the village council Andrei Razmetnov. And half an hour later, Marina, personally harnessing herself to the shafts of her cart, easily took the harrow and ploughshare out of the brigade’s yard.

Relations between the people and the government have become strained again. And then carts arrived from the Yarsky farm and rumors spread that they were looking for seed grain. And a riot broke out in Gremyachiy: they beat Davydov, knocked down the locks from the barns and began to arbitrarily seize the grain. After the rebellion was suppressed, Davydov promised not to apply administrative measures to those “temporarily mistaken.”

By May 15, the collective farm in Gremyache fulfilled its sowing plan. And Lushka began visiting Davydov: she took newspapers and wondered if the chairman missed her. The resistance of the former naval officer was short-lived, and soon the entire village learned about their connection.

Ostrovnov met Timofey Rvany, who had escaped from exile, in the forest. He ordered to tell Lukerya that he was waiting for grub. And at home, Lukich faced an incomparably worse trouble: Polovtsev returned and, together with his comrade Lyatyevsky, settled with Ostrovnov for a secret residence.

Davydov, tormented by the fact that his relationship with Lushka undermined his authority, proposed marriage to her. Unexpectedly, this led to a violent quarrel. In the separation, the chairman became sad, entrusted the work to Razmetnov, and he himself went to the second brigade to help raise the couples. The brigade was constantly mocking about the exorbitant thickness of Daria's cooking. With the arrival of Davydov, another topic for rude jokes appeared - young Varya Kharlamova’s love for him. He himself, looking into her blushing face, thought: “After all, I’m twice your age, wounded, ugly, gap-toothed... No... grow up without me, dear.”

One day before sunrise a horseman rode up to the camp. He joked with Daria, helped her peel potatoes, and then ordered her to wake up Davydov. This was the new secretary of the district committee, Nesterenko. He checked the quality of the plowing, talked about collective farm affairs, in which he turned out to be very knowledgeable, and criticized the chairman for omissions. The sailor himself was going to the farm: he learned that Makar had been shot the night before.

In Gremyachye, Razmetnov outlined the details of the assassination attempt: at night Makar was sitting at the open window with his newfound friend, the joker and joker Grandfather Shchukar, “and they killed him with a rifle.” In the morning they determined from the shell casing that the shooter was a non-combatant: a soldier couldn’t miss at thirty paces. And the shooter ran away so that the horseman could not catch up. The shot did not cause any injuries to the party secretary, but he developed a terrible runny nose, which could be heard throughout the entire village.

Davydov went to the forge to inspect the equipment repaired for sowing. The blacksmith, Ippolit Shaly, in a conversation warned the chairman to throw Lukerya, otherwise he would also receive a bullet in the forehead. Lushka is not the only one tying knots with him. It is already unclear why Timoshka Rvany (namely, he turned out to be the unlucky shooter) shot at Makar, and not at Davydov.

In the evening, Davydov told Makar and Razmetnov about the conversation and offered to inform the GPU. Makar resolutely opposed: as soon as a GPE officer appeared on the farm, Timofey would immediately disappear. The Makari are middle peasants, and even some from the poor. Nikita Khoprov, for example, who was blackmailed with the fact that for some time he was in the white punitive detachment. But Khoprov refused Ostrovny’s offer to participate in the armed uprising. It’s better for him to denounce himself. By the way, who is it that lives in Lukich’s chaff? Isn’t it the same “your honor” who is inciting rebellion? That same night, Khoprov and his wife were killed. Ostrovnov, Polovtsev and the son of the dispossessed man, the first village handsome man and accordion player Timofey Rvany, took part in this. The investigator from the area failed to obtain clues leading to solving the murder.

Polovtsev and Yakov Lukich informed like-minded people from a neighboring farm that the uprising was scheduled for the day after tomorrow. But they, it turns out, changed their intentions after reading Stalin’s article “Dizziness from Success.” They thought that it was an order from the center to drive everyone into the collective farm like a fool. And Stalin said that “you can sit alone.” So they will get along with the local authorities, who were strictly pushing for collectivization, but “turning against the entire Soviet regime” would not do. “Fools, cursed by God!..,” Polovtsev seethed. “They don’t understand that this article is a vile deception, a maneuver!” And in Gremyachiy, in the week after the article appeared, about a hundred applications to leave the collective farm were submitted. Including from the widow Marina Poyarkova, the “lover” of the chairman of the village council Andrei Razmetnov. And half an hour later, Marina, personally harnessing herself to the shafts of her cart, easily took the harrow and ploughshare out of the brigade’s yard.

In the evening, Davydov told Makar and Razmetnov about the conversation and offered to inform the GPU. Makar resolutely opposed: as soon as a GPE officer appeared on the farm, Timofey would immediately disappear. Makar personally set up an ambush at the house of his “former” wife (Lushka was locked up at this time) and on the third day he killed Timofey who appeared with the first shot. Lukerye gave the opportunity to say goodbye to the murdered man and released him.

In the meantime, new people appeared in Gremyache: two red-hot cattle procurers. But Razmetnov detained them, noticing that the visitors’ hands were white and their faces were not rustic. Here the “procurers” presented documents of employees of the regional department of the OGPU and said that they were looking for a dangerous enemy, captain of the White Army Polovtsev, and their professional instinct told them that he was hiding in Gremyache.

After the next party meeting, Varya waylaid Davydov to say: her mother wants to marry her off, but she herself loves him, a blind fool. Davydov, after sleepless thoughts, decided to marry her in the fall. In the meantime, I sent him to study as an agronomist.

Two days later, two harvesters were killed on the road. Razmetnov, Nagulnov and Davydov immediately established surveillance of the houses of those from whom they bought livestock. Surveillance led to Ostrovny's house. Makar proposed the capture plan: he and Davydov would burst through the door, and Andrei would lie down in the yard under the window. After some negotiations, the door was opened for them by the owner himself. Makar kicked the door, which was locked, but did not have time to shoot. A hand grenade exploded near the threshold, followed by the thunder of a machine gun. Nagulnov, disfigured by shrapnel, died instantly, and Davydov, caught in a machine-gun fire, died the next night.

...So the Don nightingales sang for Davydov and Nagulnov, the ripening wheat whispered to them, the nameless river rang over the stones...

OGPU officers identified Lyatyevsky as the man killed by Razmetnov. Polovtsev was captured three weeks later near Tashkent. After this, arrests swept across the region in a wide wave. In total, more than six hundred participants in the conspiracy were neutralized.

Main characters

Semyon Davydov is the chairman of the collective farm, a former sailor, an honest, decent, principled person.
Makar Nagulnov - secretary of the party cell, an ardent revolutionary, has a hot-tempered, stubborn, harsh character.
Andrey Razmetnov is the chairman of the village council, a kind, gentle, sympathetic person.
Alexander Polovtsev is a former white officer, one of the organizers of the uprising against Soviet power.

Other characters

Kondrat Maydannikov is a middle peasant who went over to the side of the Soviet regime.
Grandfather Shchukar is an old peasant, joker and joker.
Timofey Rvany is a young guy, the son of a rich kulak, who sharply opposes Soviet power.
Yakov Lukich Ostrovnov is a wealthy peasant who secretly supports the forces of counter-revolution.
Lushka Nagulnova is Nagulnov’s wife, a dissolute, walking woman.
Varya is Davydov’s bride.
Ippolit Shaly is a blacksmith, an honest and uncompromising person.

Summary

Book one

Chapter 1

“On a January evening in 1930,” a horseman rode into the village of Gremyachiy Log. He drove up to the house of Yakov Ostrovnov, and the owner recognized the rider: it was a White Guard officer, Captain Alexander Polovtsev, with whom Yakov Lukich went through the entire German war.

Chapter 2

The district party committee sent Semyon Davydov, a former sailor and responsible factory worker, to Gremyachiy Log “to carry out complete collectivization.” Arriving at the farm, Davydov met the secretary of the party cell, Makar Nagulnov, and the chairman of the village council, Andrei Razmetnov. From them he learned that in Gremyachey Log there was a “partnership for joint cultivation of the land,” which included only one poor peasant.

Chapter 3

Yakov Lukich and Polovtsev had a “long conversation,” and Ostrovnov complained to his former commander about the Soviet government, which was taking away bread. Polovtsev admitted that he joined the Red Army as a distraction, but did not give up hope of restoring the former power. Yakov Lukich supported him and wrote a receipt stating that he had joined the “Union for the Liberation of the Native Don,” which fought the communists.

Chapter 4

At the meeting, Davydov told the peasants that his task was “to organize a collective farm and destroy the kulak as our common bloodsucker.” There is no consensus among the village residents: some are in favor of collective farms, while others are categorically against them. Nagulnov advised Davydov to lure people into the collective farm at any cost.

Chapter 5

The fate of Andrei Razmetnov was sad. He fought a lot: he went through the entire German war, then the civil war. The Cossacks, deciding to take revenge on a fellow villager for defecting to the Reds, raped his wife, and she committed suicide. Soon Razmetnov’s little son also died.

Chapter 6

At a meeting in the village council, Davydov found “fourteen people of the Gremyachen poor.” They decided to “go and evict the kulaks, splitting into two groups.” Nagulnov went to dispossess Tit Borodin, but he had already driven the cattle to the market so that they would not go to the collective farm. Nagulnov caught up with him and ordered him to return. Borodin reluctantly obeyed.

Chapter 7

Meanwhile, Razmetnov went to the Damascus kulaks, where he began to describe the property. Damaskov did not understand why the new government was taking away his property, acquired through hard work. The poor, under the leadership of Razmetnov, happily began to break into chests and confiscate property.

Chapter 8

Nagulnov and Tit returned to the farm. During their absence, Davydov “destroyed the property in two kulak farms and evicted the owners themselves.” Nagulnov demanded that Titus give him the sawn-off shotgun, but he had already managed to get rid of it. A fight broke out, after which Nagulnov wrote a note to the GPU against Titus. Before leaving, Titus promised his enemy that he would soon take revenge.

Chapter 9

At the meeting, Davydov began to talk about the organization of the future collective farm. He “answered for a long time and intelligently” to questions that worried the peasants. According to rough estimates, it turned out that the collective farm was a worthwhile endeavor, but only less than half of the Cossacks voted in favor.

Chapter 10

After the meeting, the strong peasant Kondrat Maydannikov began to say goodbye to the bulls, which he was supposed to lead “to the common base” the next day. He cried, remembering how he looked after them, how they worked for him. At home, Kondrat wrote an application to the Communist Party cell so that his entire family would be accepted into the collective farm.

Chapter 11

Next in line for dispossession was old man Lapshinov, who “has long been considered a man with money.” He humbly watched as his property was described. Many sympathized with Lapshinov, who touchingly said goodbye to his goods.

Chapter 12

“Life in Gremyachey Log began to rear up”: meetings and gatherings were held every day, everyone discussed the upcoming changes. On the advice of Polovtsev, Yakov Lukich campaigned for the creation of a collective farm. Ostrovnov gathered fists and strong middle peasants opposed to Soviet power. They hoped for the quick appearance of white officers and the uprising of the people. Poor Khoprov, having learned that Ataman Polovtsev was living with Ostrovnov, decided to report this to the Red Army soldiers, but he was killed along with his wife.

Chapter 13

“An investigator and a doctor arrived in the village,” but Khoprov’s killer was never found. Nagulnov had no doubt that this was the work of the kulaks and suggested “evicting the bastards to cold lands.”

Davydov lived in the Nagulnovs’ house, and Makar’s wife, the good-for-nothing and ambling Lushka, began to flirt with the guest. Nagulnov, accustomed to his wife’s infidelities, did not interfere.

Chapter 14

Yakov Lukich was offended by the Soviet government, which “did not provide the opportunity to run a cool household and live richly.” When grain and livestock began to be taken away, Ostrovnov sold the old steam engine and excess livestock, curtailed the crops, and buried the proceeds in a jar. Davydov believed that Yakov Lukich was a competent, intelligent owner, whose experience would be very useful on the collective farm.

Chapter 15

The villagers began to slaughter the cattle, just so as not to give it to the collective farm. Grandfather Shchukar was the first to slaughter his heifer in Gremyachiy Log and ate so much meat that he suffered from indigestion for a long time. Davydov was seriously worried about this. Nagulnov suggested that he complain to the Central Election Commission and mercilessly shoot those who knowingly harm the collective farm. At the meeting, Davydov announced that those “who succumbed to the kulak bait and slaughtered the cattle” would be expelled from the collective farm.

Chapter 16

After the meeting, Davydov and Razmetnov went to the stables to look “at the collective farm horses.” Noticing a crowd of people, they learned from the duty officer Kondrat Maydannikov that the peasants come every time to check how their horses are fed: “the people cannot renounce individuality.”

Chapter 17

At a closed meeting of the party cell, “it was unanimously decided to socialize all the livestock.” It was also decided to “launch an intensified propaganda campaign to stop the malicious slaughter.”

Chapter 18

They stopped slaughtering livestock on the farm and began distributing clothes confiscated from the kulaks to the poor, but “the board was not able to satisfy everyone.”

Chapter 19

Kondrat Maydannikov was disturbed by memories of his former life: how he fought in the German war, and then “cut down the White Poles and Wrangelites, defending his, Soviet power.” However, he felt sorry for his goods, and he was worried that the shepherd boy did not look after the cows well.

Davydov realized that the “socialization of poultry” turned out to be a thankless task, and ordered all the chickens to be distributed home.

Chapter 20

In the regional center, Davydov received a difficult task: to bring collectivization to one hundred percent.

Chapter 21

With the onset of spring, the village residents began to discuss issues “about the creation of a seed fund, about production standards for field work, and the repair of equipment for sowing.” Ostrovnov proved himself to be an experienced farmer, giving valuable advice on the upcoming plowing.

Chapter 22

A propaganda column led by Comrade Kondratko arrived in Gremyachiy Log. “Davydov listened to his speech with pleasure,” although at times he did not understand some of the agitator’s expressions.

Chapter 23

Meanwhile, Polovtsev, who was still living with Ostrovnov, was “actively preparing for spring, for the uprising.” Yakov Lukich lived a double life: he was an ardent opponent of collectivization, but at the same time he loved farming.

From Polovtsev, Yakov Lukich learned that the Bolsheviks would soon begin collecting seed grain “supposedly for collective farm crops.” In fact, this grain is intended for sale abroad, “and grain growers, including collective farmers, will be doomed to severe hunger.” Ostrovnov had to “urgently carry out explanatory work” among the village residents.

Chapter 24

Collecting the seed fund took place with great difficulties: there was “enormous resistance from the majority of collective farmers and individual farmers.” Nagulnov decided to deal with this problem in his usual way - with the help of violence. He beat and intimidated the individual peasant Bannik, and locked several other stubborn peasants in the storeroom all night. This policy has yielded results.

Chapter 25

Having learned about what had happened, Davydov began to scold Nagulnov. He advised him to follow the example of Komsomol member Naydenov, who, with cunning, outright lies and eloquent words, managed to convince the village residents to donate bread.

Chapter 26

By mid-March, “the collection fund was completely assembled.” There were a lot of harrows and plows that needed to be repaired. Blacksmith Shaly managed to do everything on time, for which he was awarded with tools brought from Leningrad.

Nagulnov divorced Lushka, and the young woman asked Davydov to find her a “lost” groom or marry her himself. Davydov, who liked the beautiful Lushka, was very embarrassed.

Chapter 27

Ostrovnov informed Polovtsev that he urgently needed to act and first of all attack the propaganda column. But unexpectedly, the Cossacks, opposed to Soviet power, refused to support the former White Guard. They read Stalin's article in the newspaper about excesses in collectivization and believed it. The peasants demanded their receipts from Polovtsev. In other villages, the Cossacks also refused to rebel.

Chapter 28

“Newspapers with Stalin’s article “Dizziness from Success” were brought to Gremyachiy Log.” The peasants began to discuss it with all their might. Nagulnov realized that he had gone too far with his harsh methods, but did not want to admit it.

Chapter 29

The next day, Davydov received “twenty-three applications to leave the collective farm.” It was felt that there was complete confusion in the area, and no one really knew how to act. Soon orders came to Gremyachiy Log to return socialized poultry and small livestock to the peasants.

Chapter 30

A week later, in the village, “about a hundred farms left the collective farm.” The peasants stole horses and cattle and hid them in secluded places. Davydov learned that if the sowing plan was not fulfilled, he would answer with his own head. Meanwhile, the villagers who left the collective farm demanded the return of their plots, which needed to be sown. Davydov explained that he “cannot split up the collective farm land” and offered uncultivated land in return. The peasants were deeply outraged by such injustice.

Razmetnov’s partner, Marina Poyarkova, also left the collective farm, which caused the lovers to break up.

Chapter 31

Grandfather Shchukar was assigned “to become a permanent coachman under the management of the collective farm,” despite the fact that he had little understanding of horses. Talking with Davydov, he shared that he “had no luck as a peasant”: as a child, he was accidentally scalded by a priest during baptism, he was torn by dogs, pinched by a gander, and once he was even caught on a hook. Following the example of the neighboring boys, he wanted to bite off a fish hook from one deaf grandfather while fishing. The grandfather thought that he had a bite, and pulled the fishing rod with all his might, and the hook caught on the boy’s lip. Since then he was nicknamed Shchukar.

Chapter 32

Nagulnov learned that he was going to be expelled from the party for arbitrariness. However, Makar did not want to return his party card - it would be better if they shot him than leave him out of work.

Chapter 33

“Twenty-three collective farm carts” came to Gremyachiy Log from a neighboring farm for seeds - now everything is common, it needs to be shared, but in the village there is no grain for sowing. Having learned about this, the villagers rushed to the barns to recapture their grain from the strangers. The women began to demand that the seed grain be returned to them, but Davydov refused to do so. They began to beat him, and left him alone only when they learned that the neighboring Cossacks had knocked down the locks from the barns and began to divide the bread.

Chapter 34

Returning home from the area, Nagulnov met a wolf. The horse got scared and, breaking the bridle, ran away. Makar had to go to the farm on foot.

Chapter 35

Seeing people near the barn, Nagulnov began shooting in the air. He threatened that everyone who took the grain would be recognized as “enemies of Soviet power.” Together with a policeman who arrived in time, they managed to arrest the instigators. The next day we managed to collect all the stolen bread. Davydov shamed the villagers, but promised not to take revenge on them, but to punish only the instigators of the robbery. The peasants were grateful that he did not hold a grudge against them.

Chapter 36

Plowing began, but soon Davydov noticed that many collective farmers were working on the land carelessly. He began to reproach them, but all in vain. Then Davydov decided to set a personal example, despite the fact that he had never plowed before. By evening, his legs ached from the unusual hard work and his “back hurt,” but he kept his word. Collective farmers began to look up to him, and soon “socialist competition” began in the brigade.

Chapter 37

By mid-May, the collective farm “fully fulfilled the sowing plan,” but people were afraid that due to the late sowing dates, the wheat might not germinate. They suggested that Davydov go to church and order a prayer service, to which the collective farm chairman replied that it was necessary to “run the economy with science, not with priests.”

Nagulnov was not expelled from the party: the matter ended with one reprimand. Marina Poyarkova, meanwhile, found herself a new “husband,” which is why Razmetnov began to slowly become an alcoholic.

Chapter 38

Davydov decided to weed the grain “so that not a single weed would be on the collective farm fields.” No one had done this on the Don before, and Yakov Lukich was very happy with this innovation: the harvest would be much richer.

Chapter 39

Lushka Nagulnova also began working in the fields. In the evenings, she organized cheerful carnivals, and the songs and dances did not stop until dawn. Lushka made a firm decision to conquer Davydov. She tried to appear in front of him as often as possible, flirted, started conversations. One day Davydov accompanied Lushka, and she seduced him. He realized that their relationship needed to be “actually formalized, otherwise it would be awkward both in front of Makar and in general.”

Chapter 40

Ostrovnov went to mark the forest for cutting. On the way, he began to think about Soviet power and came to the conclusion that it was unlikely that it would be possible to push it away. In the forest, he accidentally met Timofey Rvany, who decided to dig up a rifle and start “hunting.” Another trouble awaited Yakov Lukich at home: Polovtsev returned.

Book two

Chapter 1

The grain has sprouted on the collective farm field. Ostrovnov admired them every morning, marveling at how lucky the Soviet government was. Polovtsev still lived with him and even brought an old machine gun and saber. Yakov Lukich regretted that the white officer lived with him: when the Bolsheviks dealt with the enemies, they would get to him. Ostrovnov was “sad and feeling sorry for himself almost to the point of tears.”

Chapter 2

Yakov Lukich felt the approach of some terrible disaster. He learned that his old mother began to babble about the fact that white officers were living in their house. Having learned about this, Polovtsev left and advised Ostrovnov to keep an eye on his mother. Yakov Lukich ordered his wife not to give her mother any food or drink: “he’ll die any day now or tomorrow.” A few days later the old woman died.

Chapter 3

Davydov lost weight, became more irritable and nervous. Razmetnov advised him to look less closely at local girls, and “especially at divorced wives.” Thoughts about Lushka did not leave Davydov, and he decided to marry her in order to re-educate her: to involve her in “social work”, to force her to engage in self-education. However, Lushka, who despised Davydov for his gentle character, refused him.

Chapter 4

Nagulnov began to study English in order to freely communicate with the Western proletariat in the future. Soon grandfather Shchukar joined him and began to study the encyclopedic dictionary.

Chapter 5

Davydov’s entire appearance began to show “something unpleasant and pitiful.” Razmetnov and Nagulny sympathized with their comrade, who found himself in the power of a woman. They lamented that so many good people suffered “from the damned woman’s seed.”

Chapter 6

Davydov came to the lagging brigade, and during lunch he felt a gaze on him: there was so much “hot, unspoken love, expectation, hope and humility” in it that the chairman was confused. This is how Davydov found out that a very young girl, Varya, was in love with him.

Chapter 7

One day Davydov had to plow with Varya. He accidentally tore his vest and was about to return home to get his jacket: on his chest and stomach there was an indecent tattoo that he got while serving in the navy. Varya, wanting to serve him, ran to the camp to get clothes. The girl dreamed of reciprocity, but Davydov’s heart belonged to another.

Chapter 8

The secretary of the district committee, Ivan Nesterenko, came to the camp and gave Davydov some advice: organize a library on the farm, be more attentive to the needs of collective farmers. He also advised to quickly deal with Lushka: “a stupid infatuation with a worthless woman” could undermine the authority of the collective farm chairman.

Chapter 9

Davydov learned that Nagulnov was shot at night. He was very lucky: he survived. Makar chased the attacker, but did not catch up. After that, he began to carry a revolver with him.

Chapter 10

From the blacksmith, Davydov learned that Ostrovnov, who had always been known as a cunning, cruel and vindictive person, began to manage the entire farm on the collective farm. The blacksmith also advised Davydov to abandon the walking Lushka, whom he saw with Timofey Rvany, who had escaped from prison. Davydov told Nagulnov about this, and he promised to deliver Timofey alive or dead as soon as possible.

Chapter 11

Nagulnov and Razmetnov arrested Lushka and the aunt with whom she lived. In the village council, Nagulnov locked the women in a closet without informing Davydov about it. At first Lushka cursed “worse than a drunken Cossack,” but then she quieted down. On the third day, Timofey Rvany appeared, and Nagulnov killed him. He released Lushka and ordered her to immediately pack up and leave the farm forever, otherwise she would not escape trial.

Chapter 12

A few days later, Nagulnov told Davydov that Lushka had left and advised him to get her out of his head.

Chapter 13

When Davydov arrived in the field on Sunday, he saw that the collective farmers had no intention of working. He began to reprimand them, to which the workers said that they were not “working animals” and had the right to a day off. With great difficulty, Davydov managed to persuade them to go out into the field.

Chapter 14

A village resident, “a little beaten and dressed out of shape,” came to Davydov and reported that the neighbors had stolen all their hay from the field. During the fight, they managed to recapture two carts, but managed to take away the rest of the hay.

Chapter 15

Davydov went to a neighboring collective farm to tell the chairman about the theft. However, he refused to return the stolen hay, since his collective farmers are “exceptionally honest workers.”

Chapter 16

Davydov “decided not to transfer the case of the theft of hay to the district prosecutor’s office.” He asked Grandfather Shchukar to “find out who actually previously owned the disputed land,” and sent him to fetch the district land surveyor.

Chapter 17

Davydov decided to inspect the farm school, and accidentally discovered a lemon grenade in one of the students. The chairman learned from the boy that he had taken a grenade from the barn that belonged to Timofey Rvany’s father. During the search, he found a machine gun, rifles, grenades and a box of ammunition. The blacksmith insisted on a search of Ostrovnov’s place as well, but Davydov said that he had no right “to carry out arbitrary searches and disturb the entire farm.”

Chapter 18

On the way to the area, Shchukar fell asleep under a bush and was bitten by a snake. He thought that it was “an otherwise harmful viper,” and prepared for death. Luckily for the old man, it turned out to be a harmless snake.

Chapter 19

Upon returning home, old man Shchukar faced a new misfortune. In the yard, “he saw women crowded together excited about something”: it turned out that they had given him a child with a note stating that the father of the newborn was Shchukar. After that, he “walked around for a week with a bandaged cheek and a swollen eye.”

Chapter 20

Two employees of the regional OGPU arrived in Gremyachiy Log, looking for a dangerous criminal - Polovtsev. Since the murdered Timofey Rvany was a member of Polovtsev’s gang, it means that his accomplices could still remain on the farm.

Chapter 21

Razmetnov, suffering from longing for family happiness, decided to get pigeons. To protect his pets, he began shooting the neighbors' cats, for which he received a reprimand from Davydov.

Chapter 22

At a meeting of the “Gremyachen party cell”, the candidacies of village residents who wished to join the party were discussed. A dispute arose between fellow villagers about who was worthy of this honor and who was not.

Chapter 23

“Unexpectedly for everyone, the blacksmith Ippolit Shaly came forward and asked why Ostrovnov, who held the position of supply manager, had not yet joined the party. A skirmish ensues between them. Finally, the collective farmers began to discuss the organization of the kindergarten.

Chapter 24

Varya confessed her feelings to Davydov and said that her mother wanted to marry her to the neighbor’s guy. Unexpectedly, the chairman realized that he had “loved this girl for a long time.” After a sleepless night, he went home to Varya and proposed to her. Davydov decided that the wedding would take place in the fall, when all the work was finished and Varya would go to college.

Chapter 25

Davydov took Varya to the area. The girl’s first trip to the city “delighted, confused and trembled.” On the way, grandfather Shchukar entertained the lovers with funny stories.

Chapter 26

Polovtsev and his partner learned that OGPU officers were looking for them. It soon became clear that two security officers were brutally killed on the road between the farms. Davydov and Nagulnov realized that a gang was operating in the area.

Chapter 27

A few days after the murder of the security officers, Polovtsev again settled with Ostrovnov. Meanwhile, Andrei Razmetnov decided to marry his neighbor Nyurka, who had been in love with him for a long time. The wedding turned out to be sad: “no songs, no dancing, no funny jokes and wishes to the newlyweds inherent in Cossack weddings.”

Chapter 28

Colonel Sedoy contacted Polovtsev, who had been giving him orders all this time. As fate would have it, he held the position of agronomist at the regional agricultural administration. He outlined a plan for the rebellion, according to which all forces should be directed to fight not against the Cossacks, but against units of the Red Army.

Chapter 29

Suspecting something was wrong, Nagulnov, Davydov and Razmetnov burst into Ostrovnov’s house, but immediately “the roar of a light machine gun thundered.” Nagulnov and Davydov were killed.

Two months passed after these events, “a lot has changed in the village” during this time. Grandfather Shchukar “became unsociable, taciturn, even more tearful than before.” Varya dropped out of school.

The counter-revolutionary plot on the Don was uncovered: more than six hundred people were arrested, among whom were Polovtsev and Ostrovnov. The instigators were shot, the rest were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment. Thus ended the attempted uprising “against Soviet power in the south of the country.”

Summary of the novel “Virgin Soil Upturned” by Sholokhov M.A.

In January 1930, a horseman rode into the Gremyachiy Log farmstead. He needed to get to the kuren of Yakov Lukich Ostrovnov. The horseman asked passers-by for directions.

When the owner saw the newcomer, he excitedly whispered: “Your Honor!..” The guest turned out to be the former commander of Ostrovny in the First World War and the Polovtsian Civil War. The owner invited the guest to dinner. Then they started talking. Now Yakov Lukich is a big boss. People consider him a smart, cunning and careful person. The owner began to complain to the commander that when he returned, he found the walls of the house bare. All his goods remained near the Black Sea. I had to work without rest to get something back. But then a new government came. They took all the grain, bread, meat, butter, poultry... They ordered me to pay taxes. Now there is a new instruction: all people must join the collective farm. That is, all the good that Lukich managed to acquire should go into the common pot. Polovtsev suggested to Lukich that he should fight this. Then Yakov Lukich joined the “Union for the Liberation of his Native Don”. Semyon Davydov came to the village to carry out collectivization. Once he was a sailor, and then a mechanic at the Putilov plant. He convened a meeting of the Gremyachey poor. I met Nagulnov and Razmetnov. Those who attended this meeting immediately signed up for the collective farm. And then they compiled a list of kulaks whose property should be taken away and evicted from their homes. They began to discuss the candidacy of Titus Borodin. Party secretary Makar Nagulnov began to defend Titus. After all, Borodin used to be a poor Red Guard. Only when he returned from the war did he become a big boss. But before that I worked twenty hours a day, and I completely stopped taking care of myself. I even got a hernia. But he became a very rich man. Davydov responded to this: “He was a partisan - honor to him for that, he became a fist - to crush him.” The very next day, screams and crying were heard from everywhere - dispossession was underway. Even the chairman of the Gremyachen village council, Andrei Razmetnov, did not like this. He refused to participate in dispossession. But Davydov threatened him and Razmetnov had to be dispossessed. Davydov told him about his own childhood. They had four children in the family. The mother could not feed them, so she engaged in prostitution. Those people who were not completely poor did not really want to join the collective farm. They were unhappy and gathered councils to discuss a possible way out of the situation. Even some poor people supported these councils. One of these poor people was Nikita Khoprov. Previously, he was in the white punitive detachment; he had something to blackmail him with. Therefore, Ostrovnov invited Khoprov to participate in the uprising. But Khoprov did not agree, he decided that it would be better to denounce himself. In addition, the poor man learned that Polovtsev lived in Ostrovnov’s chaff and that it was he who was inciting people to revolt. But Khoprov did not have time to convey anything - he and his wife were killed at night. This was done by Ostrovnov, Polovtsev and the son of one of the dispossessed people. It was Timofey Rvany - an accordion player and the first handsome man.

The investigator wanted to find out who was to blame for the murder, but nothing happened.
A week later a meeting was called. On it, Davydov is confirmed as the chairman of the collective farm. Ostrovnov becomes a supply manager. People who did not want to join the collective farm began to slaughter their livestock and hide their grain. They decided to expel Timofey Rvany, but the wife of party secretary Nagulnov, Lukerya, was in love with him. She, not embarrassed by people, began to shout for her lover. After this, Nagulnov decides to divorce her. Lushka, whom everyone knew as a flighty person, began to invite Davydov: “...I am a beautiful woman, very ready for love...” Nagulnov kicks his wife out. Then Davydov leaves Nagulnov’s house. Polovtsev and Lukich had already set a date for the uprising. It will be the day after tomorrow. The conspirators informed the kulaks from the neighboring farm about this. They decided to refuse, they thought that the creation of collective farms was a decree coming from the very top. But that was not the case. The fists of the Soviet regime were very afraid. This angered Polovtsev. People began to apply to leave the collective farm. Marina Poyarkova also submitted such an application. She was a friend of the chairman of the village council Andrei Razmetnov. Thus, relations between the people and the government began to deteriorate. They came from another farm to pick up grain. People were outraged. Davydov was beaten, people began to steal grain from barns. When the riot was suppressed, Davydov promised the people that he would not punish anyone. The collective farm must fulfill the plan, and by May 15 it did. Davydov was very pleased. Lushka came to him all the time, explaining that she wanted to look at the newspapers. No matter how Davydov resisted, he could not resist. Soon the whole village learned about their connection. Ostrovnov goes into the forest and meets Timofey Rvany there. It turns out that he escaped from exile. Ragged asks to tell Lukerya to bring him food. When Lukich returned home, he found Polovtsev returning with his friend. They decided to live with Ostrovnov secretly. Rumors about the relationship between Davydov and Lushka are spreading. This could undermine Davydov’s authority, so he invites the woman to get married. But Lushka quarreled with Davydov. He was very sad, so he entrusted all the worries to Razmetnov, and he himself went to the second brigade. When Davydov arrived at the brigade, a very young Varya Kharlamova fell in love with him. Everyone was making fun of the chairman. But he believed that Varya was too young for him. Everything was as always. An ordinary morning. But then a man on a horse rode up to the camp. He ordered to wake up Davydov. The man turned out to be the new secretary of the district committee named Nesterenko. He came to check, criticized the activities of the chairman, and monitored all the work. Davydov got ready to go to the farm. When the chairman got there, he learned from Razmetnov that Makar had been shot. It was at night. The man was sitting in the company of grandfather Shchukar. And then he was shot from a rifle. The non-combatant shot because he didn’t hit. So Makar remained unharmed. It turns out that Timoshka Rvany shot. But why in Makara? Nagulnov was unable to catch up with the shooter. Davydov went to inspect the equipment that was supposed to be repaired. Blacksmith Ippolit Shaly talks with Davydov. Shaly assures that Ostrovnov is an enemy. Ippolit advises Davydov to break up with Lushka. She also dates others. And if Davydov does not stop this connection, he may receive a bullet in the forehead, which this time could not reach Makar. Davydov decides to go to the farm school. Here he sees one of the boys holding a hand grenade. The boy takes Davydov to Rvany’s barn. There is a machine gun, rifle, ammunition and grenades here. When Davydov returned in the evening, he had a conversation with Makar and Razmetnov. He suggested reporting Rvany to the GPU. But Makar believes that Timofey will immediately disappear as soon as he learns that a GPE officer has appeared on the farm. Makar himself ambushed Timofey. Near Lushka's house he killed him. New people appear. They introduce themselves as livestock producers. But their hands are not at all tired. Therefore, Razmetnov detains them. They admit that they are employees of the regional department of the OGPU. Here, in Gremyachiy, they are looking for Polovtsev, captain of the white army. He is very dangerous. Another party meeting is taking place. After him, Davydov meets Varya. She talks about how her mother wants to marry her off. But Varya loves Davydov, and doesn’t want to marry anyone but him. Davydov thought about this for a long time. And he decided to marry Vara in the fall. But for now she needs to go to the agricultural technical school. Two days later, OGPU officers who introduced themselves as harvesters were killed. When Razmetnov, Nagulnov and Davydov found out about this, they established surveillance of the houses where the cattle were purchased. It turned out that, most likely, the captain was in Ostrovnov’s house. Makar drew up a capture plan. Nagulnov and Davydov were supposed to burst through the doors. Andrei, meanwhile, had to watch the window. Ostrovnov opened the house. Makar kicked in the locked door of the room. The explosion of a hand grenade was immediately heard. Nagulnov was mortally wounded. Davydov died the next day. Polovtsev was arrested some time later near Tashkent. Many participants in the conspiracy were neutralized.