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Jane Doe
Mrs. Rice
World Literature
April 19, 2010
Anton Chekhov: A Russian Legend
Anton Chekhov once wrote, “It's curious that we can't possibly tell what exactly will be
considered great and important, and what will seem paltry and ridiculous.” While these words
were part of his play The Three Sisters, the meaning behind his quote can also apply to the vast
collection of world literature. With close to 200 countries, there is no telling how many writers
have put pen to paper and created works that will transcend time. Trying to determine which
works will seem both “great and important” to students, and which will seem “paltry and
ridiculous” is a dilemma that many high school English teachers face (Chekhov). These teachers
strive to select authors and texts that will engage, excite, and challenge the students who sit in
their classrooms. It would be a nearly impossible task for any teacher to incorporate the works
of all the great authors from around the world into a yearlong World Literature class, but there
are certain authors who should, without a doubt, be included in the curriculum. Anton Chekhov,
one of the most widely read writers of Russian literature, is one of those authors who should be
integrated into the curriculum. His focus on the inner-conflicts of characters rather than actionpacked plot allows students to understand life on a different level, his subtle humor opens the
door to discussions of satire, and his short stories have inspired numerous writers to imitate his
style and challenge conventional plot forms.
One of the biggest challenges facing teachers today is competing with action-packed
video games, movies with special effects, and social networking websites. It can be difficult to
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find students who enjoy reading books that do not offer that same instant gratification and
constant action. It becomes even more challenging when the book, or short story, does not have
very much action in its plot. Such is the case with many of Chekhov’s most famous short stories.
One such story, “A Problem,” focuses on the internal conflicts facing the two main characters—
Sasha Uskov and Ivan Markovitch.