Find today’s 3356 word story here: http://www.chekhovshorts.com/stories/150.html

Travis review

Chekhov’s 150th story deals with a man reminiscing about his two encounters with perfected human beauty and effect that it has on himself and men. At this point in Chekhov’s writing, he puts in many details about the environment including clothes, the weather and the minute feelings at a given moment. What I found interesting was the depression that hit the men after reflecting on an encounter with a beautiful woman and how it made their lives emptier. A funny moment happens when the crude peasant driver says:  “A fine wench, that at the Armenian’s.” Like breaking ice, the driver cracked the mental hold of the minds trapped in despair over beauty. Overall the stories were a way to show the psychological effects more than plot, engaging for the moment, but not memorable.

Rating: 5