The secret of the earth
The Secret of the Earth ( Russian Тайна земли / Tajna zemli ) is a story by the Russian writer Viktorija Tokarewa from the short story volume Летающие качели (Flying Swings), which was published in Moscow in 1987. Hartmute Trepper's translation into German was published by Ammann in Zurich that same year .
content
The poorly paid music teacher Jelena Andreevna Shuravlyova would look like Audrey Hepburn if she didn't squint. This is how the young lady is called the cross-eyed Aljona. Aljona wants a husband and children. She is fed up with Nikolayev, her 31-year-old partner who is not even taller than her, because he doesn't propose to her. Of course, Aljona has not said that so far, but now - on the day of the plot of this narrow text - she is ready. Aljona cannot tell Nikolayev the truth to her face at the moment, because she was told that her partner was sitting in the room of the director of his Scientific Research Institute for Geophysics . Almost every employee is doing a doctorate or habilitation there. Nikolayev is out of the ordinary in this regard. He is not writing a dissertation, but only works in the technical information department. In front of Aljona, however, he likes to portray himself as a free spirit and a fighter. In the opinion of the tender teacher, he is a Mamabubi who has yet to be cut off by his mother.
The institute collects facts, but there is no Einstein in sight who would succeed in making the big hit, who could wrest the next big secret from Earth. Aljona is waiting for Nikolayev in the secretariat of the institute, dressed up because she wants to represent something in the eyes of the scientists. When it turns out that Nikolayev did not attend the meeting at all, Alyona looks for him all over the city. Eventually this guy is waiting on the landing in front of Aljona's apartment. Because the teacher is happy that she has got her geophysicist back, she refrains from the intended lecture. The couple hug each other long and tight in front of the front door. Nikolayev stays until evening and doesn't propose again. After he leaves, Aljona suffers again from this severe weariness.
shape
Funny comparisons guarantee reading pleasure. For example, Nikolayev's love for Aljona is compared to the optional elementary school subject singing. Aljona cannot assert herself with her school children. They notice that immediately and don't parry. Nikolayev is also not afraid of Aljona and therefore does what he wants. Or there is the matter of Nikolayev's inferiority complex. This man needs Aljona's tenderness like a preschooler who has to be caressed by his mommy. And the third comparison: when assessing the character of a person, Aljona likes to use animal comparisons. According to this, Aljona himself is descended from a cat, Nikolayev from a horse - perhaps also from a donkey - and his director from a lion. In addition, Aljona notices a prominent character trait in the director - “chronic listlessness”.
Why is Aljona hugging her "love object" on the landing? Answer: She was worried about him. If he got under the car now! Or maybe another is involved; a younger one? In both cases, Aljona would prefer Nikolayev's stay in the hereafter to being left sitting.
Viktorija Tokareva amuses the reader with surprising phrases. When Aljona in her Sunday best is waiting for the bus to take her home, it happens. Viktorija Tokareva writes: “Suddenly Aljona felt a chill. Something was taking her breath away. Then water streamed down from her in streams. ”The explanation: Aljona was standing in the work area of a city water sprinkler vehicle rushing past. When another mishap occurs later, Aljona takes it for another case of the “law of meanness” she found. So some fun in the text is based on succinct generalizations of everyday adversities.
filming
Alexander Ivanov (Russian Александр Иванов) filmed the material in 1984.
German-language editions
- Viktorija Tokarewa: The Secret of the Earth , pp. 5–30 in: And you're out. Ten stories. Published by Elsbeth Wolffheim . German by Hartmute Trepper. Ammann, Zurich 1987. 246 pages, ISBN 978-3-250-10086-7
- Wiktorija Tokarewa: The secret of the earth , P. 53-70 in: Zigzag of love. Stories. Translated into German by Monika Tantzscher. Selected by Ursula Krause (also contains: Star in the fog. The happiest day. Corrida. The cat on the way. The old dog. Horses with wings. The talisman. Nothing of concern ). Verlag Neues Leben, Berlin 1987. 340 pages, ISBN 3-355-00389-1
- Wiktorija Tokarewa: The secret of the earth , P. 53-71 in: Russian stories of the present. Edited by Bodo Zelinsky , Reclam, Stuttgart 1992, RUB 8829. ISBN 3-15-008829-1 (edition used)
Web links
in Russian language
Individual evidence
- ↑ Edition used, p. 339 middle
- ↑ Edition used, p. 69, 5. Zvo
- ↑ Note ( Memento of the original dated November 9, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. at films.imhonet.ru
