The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Private Ivan Chonkin
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| Author | Vladimir Voinovich |
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| Original title | Жизнь и необычайные приключения солдата Ивана Чонкина |
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Language | Russian |
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| Released | |
The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Private Ivan Chonkin ("Жизнь и необычайные приключения солдата Ивана Чонкина", 1969-1975) and its sequel, Pretender to the Throne: The Further Adventures of Private Ivan Chonkin ("Претендент на престол", 1979), is the magnum opus of a Soviet dissident writer Vladimir Voinovich.
The first book is set in the Red Army during World War II, satirically exposing the daily absurdities of the totalitarian Soviet regime. It was rejected by Novy Mir, circulated by samizdat, and first printed by an emigre magazine in West Germany, allegedly without author's consent, after which Voinovich was banned from publishing his books in the Soviet Union.
Ivan Chonkin, a combination of a Russian folk hero Ivan the Fool and the "Good Soldier" Švejk, is now a widely known figure in Russian popular culture.
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[edit] Book 1: Plot summary
Chonkin, the most dispensable soldier, was sent to guard a landed disabled military plane, right before the outbreak of the WWII. Forgotten by his command, he earns favors of a nearby kolkhoznik woman Nyura and moves to live with her. Nyura's cow eats an experimental potato patch of the local mad genius agronomist Gladyshev, and in a retaliation the latter sends an anonymous note to NKVD that Chonkin is a deserter.
When NKVDists come to arrest Chonkin, he, being a Good Soldier, refuses to leave the post, and arrests the NKVDists himself. Only after several days the fact of missing secret police is noticed, and the raion Party leader is told via phone that they have been arrested by "Chonkin and his baba (woman)", which he mishears as "Chonkin and his banda (bandits)".
A regiment is sent against "Chonkin's gang", but Chonkin successfully fends them off until they use artillery. When general Drynov incredulously learns that Chonkin single-handedly (with his baba) was holding off the whole regiment, he declares Chonkin a hero and awards him an order taken off his own chest. When the NKVD lieutenant shows the order for Chonkin's arrest, Drynov shrugs and tells them to carry out their duty...
[edit] Film
In 1994 the book was made into a film by the famous Czech director Jiri Menzel (filmed in Russian language, subtitled in Great Britain, France, Italy and Serbia).
Other language titles of the film:
- Život a neobyčejná dobrodružství vojáka Ivana Čonkina (Czechia)
- Les Aventures d'Ivan Tchonkine (France)
- Soldato molto semplice Ivan Chonkin (Italy)
- Život i priključenija vojnika Ivana Čonkina (Serbia)
[edit] Cast
- Gennady Nazarov - Ivan Chonkin
- Zoya Buryak - Nyura
- Vladimir Ilyin - Golubev
- Aleksei Zharkov - Gladishev
- Valery Zolotukhin - Kilin
- Zinovy Gerdt - Moisei Stalin
- Sergei Garmash - Milyaga
- Maria Vinogradova - Granny Dunia
- Yuri Dubrovin - Volkov
- Marián Labuda - Opalikov
- Aleksandr Garin - Svintsov
[edit] External links
- Plot summary from sovlit.com, "for those unable or too lazy to read in the original" (English)
- Full text at voinovich.ru (Russian)
[edit] References
- Voinovich, Vladimir The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Private Ivan Chonkin
- ISBN 0-224-01328-9 (1977, Vintage/Ebury (A Division of Random House Group, hardcover)
- ISBN 0-8101-1243-4 (1995, Northwestern University Press, reprint, paperback)
