Vladimir Galaktionovich Korolenko in his story “In a Bad Society” reveals the topic of friendship quite deeply. It shows how much friendship helps heroes survive such a difficult time for them. The touching story of the friendship of Vasya, Valka and Marusi is most clearly shown in the story. Friendship helps the good qualities to unfold more strongly in them, and the bad ones to fade. With the help of friendship, these children try to cope with all the hardships in their path.
The friendship of Vasya and Valka is very interesting and instructive for the reader. Besides the fact that they are one-year-old boys, there are no similarities between them. Vasya is a boy from a wealthy family, from high society. His father is a judge and a respected person in the city. The boy has always lived in abundance, does not know what hunger is and has never been responsible for someone else's life, except his own. He is cheerful and frisky, a fidget and a tomboy, not without childhood, in the best sense of the word. However, he has serious problems in relations with his father, they do not understand each other, and the boy is sorely lacking in fatherly love.
Valyok, in turn, is almost the exact opposite of Vasya. He is a poor street kid who lives in an abandoned chapel. His adoptive father - pan Tyburtius - endlessly loves him and this is the mutual love of his father and son. Valyok is constantly in search of food, he is always hungry and dirty, forced to steal in order to feed himself and his younger sister Marusya. He is tall and thin, developed more physically and mentally than his peers, but gloomy. Valyok is famous among the “dungeon children” for his quick wits, but outside this “bad society” he is feared and no one wants to get involved and deal with him.
However, as soon as this friendship is established, we see that there is not much different between these boys. Both spent a lot of time on the street, independently exploring the world. They are kind, sympathetic, sensitive boys. Vasya through Valka studies and becomes a witness of that life, about which he knew absolutely nothing - he sees hunger and devastation face to face. He learns compassion, mutual assistance. Helps friends, grows older and more serious. And they also help him in return - give him the love, support and care that Vasya is so lacking at home. A new friend helps him to look at his strict father differently, not only as a stern person, but also as a respectable and fair one. This helps Vasya in his reconciliation with his father.
As for Valka and Marusya, they are very happy about the appearance of Vasya in their life, because he brings at least some glimpse of the lost childhood in their life. Valyok lost his childhood in the constant pursuit of food, with a burden of responsibility for his sister. Therefore, it’s very valuable for him that makes him feel Vasya. This is the forgotten taste of the carefree, joyful childhood that he needed so much. Vasya treats them with apples from the garden, gives Marusa the doll of his younger sister Sonya, which leads the girl into a wild delight.
We see how friendship has transformed these children, how they have become more mature, wiser and kinder. People can be completely different, live in different countries or social statuses, but friendship will always bring into life any bit of joy and optimism, improve it for the better. Despite the fact that the ending at the friendship of Vasya, Valek and Marousi is quite sad, in itself it is very valuable and beautiful.
Metamorphoses
