“Music Lessons” by Petrushevskaya in a short summary


In a poorly furnished apartment Gavrilovy returned from prison Ivanov, a roommate of the thirty-eight-year-old Frontier. He says that he wants to see his newly born daughter Galya and live a quiet family life. The Gavrilovs do not believe him. Especially irreconcilably opposed to the drunkard Ivanova, the eldest daughter of Grani, eighteen-year-old Nina. She was forced to leave the school, now she works in a deli and nurses a small Galya. Despite Nina’s displeasure and the exhortation of Anna Stepanovna’s curious neighbor, Grany decided to let Ivanova go.

In the apartment of prosperous neighbors Kozlovy returned from the army the only son Nikolai. Parents are happy to return son. The father demands that the son play something on the piano, and complains that he never finished music school, despite all the efforts of his parents, who did not regret anything for him. Joy is clouded by the fact that Nicholas brought Nadya with him, which causes open dislike of Father

Fyodor Ivanovich and the grandmother. Mother, Taisia ​​Petrovna, is holding with an emphatic courtesy. Nadia works as a painter, lives in a hostel. She smokes, drinks wine, stays in Nicholas’s room, stays independent and does not try to please the groom’s parents. Kozlovs are sure that Nadia is claiming for their living space. The next day, Nadya leaves without saying goodbye. Nicholas rushes after her to the hostel, but she declares that he does not fit her.

Nina does not want to live in the same apartment with a drunk Ivanov. The whole day she stands on the street at the entrance. Here she sees Nicholas, who was once teased by her fiancé. Nikolai is indifferent to Nina. Hoping to save her son from Nadia, Taisiya Petrovna invites Nina to visit and offers to stay. Nina is happy not to return home. Entered behind the daughter of Grana Kozlov explains that they will have a better girl, and asks to not come again.

Three months later, Gran appears again in Kozlov’s apartment: she needs to go to hospital for an abortion, but there’s no one to leave little Galya with. Ivanov is drinking.

The edge leaves the child to Nina. By this time, the Kozlovs had already realized that Nikolai was living with Nina from boredom. They want to get rid of Nina, reproach her with their good deeds. Seeing Galya, the Kozlovs finally decide to send Nina home. But at this moment Nadia appears. She can hardly be found out: she is pregnant and looks very bad. Instantly orienting, Taisiya Petrovna announces to Nadia that Nikolai has already married, and makes Galya as his child. Nadia leaves. Nina hears this conversation.

Afraid of the sudden appearance of Nadia, the Kozlovs demand that Nikolai immediately marry Nina. It turns out that he knows about Nadia’s pregnancy and that she was trying to poison herself. Nikolay refuses to marry Nina, but his parents do not lag behind. They persuade Nina and explain to her: it is important to take the guy on a leash, give birth to his child, and then he will get used to the place and will not go anywhere – football will look on TV, occasionally drink a beer or play dominoes. After listening to all this, Nina goes home, leaving the things she gave Kozlov. Parents are afraid that now Nikolai marries Nadia. But the son makes clear: before, maybe, he would have married Nadya, but now the relationship with her was too serious and he does not want to “knit with this matter.” Calmed down, the Kozlovs sit down to watch hockey. Babka goes to live with another daughter.

Over the darkened stage swings swing, on which sit Nina and Nadia. “If you do not pay attention to them, they will fall behind,” Taisia ​​Petrovna advises briskly. Nikolai kicks off the flying swings with his feet.


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“Music Lessons” by Petrushevskaya in a short summary