Heart of a Dog, abbreviated
Which the writer published in 1925. In those years it was popular in science to cross different types animals, do different medical manipulations for the sake of improving human existence. So, main character Bulgakov, Professor Preobrazhensky, suddenly makes a discovery that astounds him while learning the secrets of human immortality. He learns a way to make an animal human through surgery.
But the result obtained is not at all what the professor wanted to see. The human brain does not function well in a dog whose heart continues to feel like an animal.
Characters
There are 5 main characters in the work:
In addition to them, the content of the story includes minor characters:
- The typist is Sharikov’s colleague, his friend.
- Cook in Preobrazhensky's house - Daria Petrovna
- The professor's maid is Zina, a young girl. Occasionally assists as a nurse.
Heart of a Dog: a short overview of the chapters
Chapter one
A homeless dog named “Sharik” suffers from the cold in a Moscow courtyard. The dog intelligently talks about his life, subtly noticing the details of human life and types of people. He especially doesn't like doormen and janitors. Here a stately, richly dressed man hands Sharik a sausage. He calmly accepts the treat and follows the master.
Second
Once in a warm room, Sharik rushes around the apartment in fear. The dog is euthanized and his sore paw is treated. Then the dog, having awakened, watches with interest how patients are received. The most people come to see Preobrazhensky different people: and an elderly lady dreaming of a party with a handsome young man; and an elderly ladies' man. They all demand one thing from the miracle doctor - to rejuvenate. And he is ready to help them for a round sum.
In the evening, Shvonder and members of the house committee will show up to the professor. They want to take away his seven rooms for other residents. Preobrazhensky complains to an acquaintance, demanding that his problem be resolved. Shvonder and company leave with nothing, accusing the professor of hating the working class.
Third
While dining, the professor philosophizes about the proletarian class, about the norms of decency. He is indignant at why this class, now praised, is so popular if they, the workers, make a living in petty theft. At the same time, they exalt each other and call themselves patriots. Preobrazhensky rightly believes that instead of empty words and the hymns sung by the proletarians, we need to get down to business. And then order will reign in the world, and not the chaos that is around now. The professor looks at Sharik and suggests when his fate can be changed. Bormenthal has pathologists who have promised to provide material for the transplant.
Sharik is still recovering from old illnesses and getting used to the apartment and surroundings. But as soon as he relaxes, the professor, having received a call, immediately rushes to begin the operation.
Fourth and fifth
Sharik is being operated on. From the freshly delivered corpse he gets the pituitary gland and testes. Bormenthal and Preobrazhensky believe that in this way they will achieve success in rejuvenating people. The professor makes the assumption that the dog in front of them will not survive - another experiment may lead to nothing.
However, Sharik survived, and the entire operation was successful. Bormenthal keeps a diary where he describes changes in behavior former dog. Sharik's skull changes shape, excess hair falls out, and his claws grow rapidly. The barking gradually turns to voice. The dog once learned to recognize letters on store signs and now reproduces what he learned. The young assistant hastily sums up: they have achieved not rejuvenation, but the complete transformation of the dog into a person. Preobrazhensky is now akin to God for him. However, the professor himself dejectedly studies the history of the person whose brain now belongs to Sharik.
Sixth
Doctors are closely involved in educating the resulting person. The ball and its tastes somewhat puzzle Preobrazhensky. He is not particularly keen on mastering etiquette. Having met the house committee, Sharik acquires a minimal set of vocabulary and asks to make him a passport. Now he is Sharikov. He also chooses the name himself.
Preobrazhensky wants to move the newly minted Poligraf Poligrafovich, but Shvonder does not allow him to buy a room because of the recent ideological sport.
A disaster soon occurs in the professor's apartment: Sharikov destroyed the bathroom while chasing the cat.
Seventh and eighth
Sharikov, like an avid drunkard, drinks vodka for lunch. The professor, observing him, concludes that this is due to the harmful influence of the person whose brain was transplanted into Sharik. Sharikov wants entertainment, and Preobrazhensky advises going to the theater. He does not give up trying to educate him and also offers books to read.
Having sent Sharikov, accompanied by Bormental, to the circus, the professor ponders whether to do something with the dog’s remaining pituitary gland...
Sharikov, prompted by Shvonder, demands that the professor give him a residence permit. Preobrazhensky threatens Polygraph by depriving him of food, and promises to shoot the house manager. Sharikov retreats, but not for long. He had already stolen a couple of coins from the doctor and tried to blame it on Zina. After which he also got drunk, bringing strangers into the house. Preobrazhensky is deprived of his favorite things.
Bormental expresses his respect to the professor and suggests poisoning Sharikov. The doctor is against, but not the idea itself, but the idea of his assistant correcting a medical error for him. Preobrazhensky bitterly lists the shortcomings of Sharikov, who is no longer destined to change. And it will only get worse further.
But Sharikov gives his doctors a surprise: he gets a job as head of the department for ridding the city of stray animals. The polygraph brings home his fiancée, a colleague from the service. The girl is immediately told the truth about him. Sharikov is trying to keep her under threat of dismissal. Bormenthal comes to the young lady's defense.
Ninth
Preobrazhensky is visited by an old patient - a military man with connections. It turned out that Sharikov complained about him and Bormental. He accused them of planning to kill him and Shvonder, campaigning against Soviet power, illegally keep weapons, and so on. After such an outburst, the doctors demand immediate care from Polygraph. But he pulls out a gun. The men twist his arms, disarm him, put him to sleep and take him to the examination room.
Epilogue
The police show up at the professor's apartment with a search warrant. They were called by Shvonder, who decided that the doctors had killed Sharikov. But Preobrazhensky calmly explains that his experimental man is now a dog again, which happened for the most natural reasons. He shows the policeman a creature that vaguely resembles a Polygraph.
But in fact, the dog was given back his pituitary gland, and he, becoming Sharik again, continued to live in the professor’s apartment, completely forgetting about his adventure in human form.
In the story “ Heart of a Dog“Bulgakov laid down both philosophical and biological motives on the topic of human existence. He touched upon the topical issues of that time, inter-class differences, and the general tendency towards an uneducated population. According to the author, a person must, first of all, be humane, wise, and compassionate. Against the backdrop of economic devastation, some exalt themselves and belittle others, while they begin to snap back.
What is “Heart of a Dog” about, in a short answer? About laws human life. About the fact that you cannot unnaturally impose your principles and character on someone, or write out their fate in advance for them. Nature creates both people and animals to live in commonwealth. And each of her creations deserves happiness.
That's how brief retelling works of Bulgakov. To deeply understand the touching story “Heart of a Dog,” read it in its entirety.
Summary of Heart of a Dog
Chapter 1
The action takes place in Moscow in the winter of 1924/25. In a snow-covered gateway, a homeless dog Sharik, who was offended by the canteen cook, is suffering from pain and hunger. He scalded the poor fellow's side, and now the dog was afraid to ask anyone for food, although he knew that people come across different people. He lay against the cold wall and meekly waited in the wings. Suddenly, from around the corner, there was a whiff of Krakow sausage. With the last of his strength, he stood up and crawled out onto the sidewalk. From this smell he seemed to perk up and become bolder. Sharik approached the mysterious gentleman, who treated him to a piece of sausage. The dog was ready to thank his savior endlessly. He followed him and demonstrated his devotion in every possible way. For this, the gentleman gave him a second piece of sausage. Soon they reached a decent house and entered it. To Sharik's surprise, the doorman named Fedor let him in too. Turning to Sharik’s benefactor, Philip Philipovich, he said that new residents had moved into one of the apartments, representatives of the house committee, who would make up new plan upon check-in.
Chapter 2
Sharik was an unusually smart dog. He knew how to read and thought that every dog could do it. He read mainly by colors. For example, he knew for sure that under a blue-green sign with the inscription MSPO they were selling meat. But after, guided by the colors, he got into the store electrical appliances, Sharik decided to learn letters. I quickly remembered the “a” and “b” in the word “fish”, or rather “Glavryba” on Mokhovaya. This is how he learned to navigate the city streets.
The benefactor led him to his apartment, where the door was opened for them by a young and very pretty girl in a white apron. Sharik was struck by the decoration of the apartment, especially the electric lamp under the ceiling and the long mirror in the hallway. After examining the wound on his side, the mysterious gentleman decided to take him to the examination room. The dog immediately did not like this dazzling room. He tried to run and even grabbed some man in a robe, but it was all in vain. Something sickening was brought to his nose, causing him to immediately fall onto his side.
When he woke up, the wound did not hurt at all and was bandaged. He listened to the conversation between the professor and the man he had bitten. Philip Phillipovich said something about animals and how nothing can be achieved by terror, no matter what stage of development they are at. Then he sent Zina to get another portion of sausage for Sharik. When the dog recovered, he followed with unsteady steps to the room of his benefactor, to whom various patients soon began to come one after another. The dog realized that this was not an ordinary room, but a place where people came with various diseases.
This continued until late in the evening. The last to arrive were 4 guests, different from the previous ones. These were young representatives of the house management: Shvonder, Pestrukhin, Sharovkin and Vyazemskaya. They wanted to take away two rooms from Philip Philipovich. Then the professor called someone to an influential person and demanded assistance. After this conversation new chairman house committee Shvonder backed down from his claims and left with his group. Sharik liked this and he respected the professor for his ability to put down impudent people.
Chapter 3
Immediately after the guests left, a luxurious dinner awaited Sharik. Having eaten his fill of a large piece of sturgeon and roast beef, he could no longer look at the food, which had never happened to him before. Philip Philipovich talked about old times and new orders. The dog, meanwhile, was dozing blissfully, but the thought still haunted him that it was all a dream. He was afraid of waking up one day and finding himself again in the cold and without food. But nothing terrible happened. Every day he became prettier and healthier; in the mirror he saw a well-fed dog happy with life. He ate as much as he wanted, did what he wanted, and they never scolded him for anything; they even bought a beautiful collar for the neighbors’ dogs to make them jealous.
But one terrible day, Sharik immediately sensed something was wrong. After the doctor’s call, everyone began to fuss, Bormental arrived with a briefcase filled with something, Philip Philipovich was worried, Sharik was forbidden to eat and drink, and was locked in the bathroom. In a word, terrible turmoil. Soon Zina dragged him into the examination room, where, from the false eyes of Bormental, whom he had previously grabbed, he realized that something terrible was about to happen. A rag with a nasty smell was again brought to Sharik’s nose, after which he lost consciousness.
Chapter 4
The ball lay spread out on a narrow operating table. A clump of hair was cut off from his head and stomach. First, Professor Preobrazhensky removed his testes and inserted some others that were drooping. Then he opened Sharik's skull and performed a brain appendage transplant. When Bormenthal felt that the dog’s pulse was rapidly falling, becoming thread-like, he gave some kind of injection to the heart area. After the operation, neither the doctor nor the professor hoped to see Sharik alive.
Chapter 5
Despite the complexity of the operation, the dog came to his senses. From the professor’s diary it was clear that an experimental operation to transplant the pituitary gland was carried out in order to determine the effect of such a procedure on the rejuvenation of the human body. Yes, the dog was recovering, but he was behaving rather strangely. The hair fell out of his body in clumps, his pulse and temperature changed, and he began to resemble a person. Soon Bormenthal noticed that instead of the usual barking, Sharik was trying to pronounce some word from the letters “a-b-y-r”. They concluded that it was a “fish”.
On January 1, the professor wrote in his diary that the dog could already laugh and bark happily, and sometimes said “abyr-valg,” which apparently meant “Glavryba.” Gradually he stood on two legs and walked like a man. So far he managed to hold out in this position for half an hour. Also, he began to swear at his mother.
On January 5, his tail fell off and he pronounced the word “beerhouse.” From that moment on, he began to often resort to obscene speech. Meanwhile, rumors were circulating around the city about strange creature. One newspaper published a myth about a miracle. The professor realized his mistake. Now he knew that a pituitary gland transplant does not lead to rejuvenation, but to humanization. Bormenthal recommended taking up the education of Sharik and the development of his personality. But Preobrazhensky already knew that the dog behaved like a person whose pituitary gland was transplanted to him. It was the organ of the late Klim Chugunkin, a conditionally convicted repeat thief, alcoholic, rowdy and hooligan.
Chapter 6
As a result, Sharik turned into an ordinary man short, began to wear patent leather boots, a tie of poisonous blue color, made an acquaintance with comrade Shvonder and shocked Preobrazhensky and Bormental day by day. The behavior of the new creature was impudent and boorish. He could spit on the floor, scare Zina in the dark, come drunk, fall asleep on the floor in the kitchen, etc.
When the professor tried to talk to him, the situation only got worse. The creature demanded a passport in the name of Polygraph Poligrafovich Sharikov. Shvonder demanded that a new tenant be registered in the apartment. Preobrazhensky initially objected. After all, Sharikov could not be a full-fledged person from the point of view of science. But they still had to register it, since formally the law was on their side.
The dog’s habits made themselves felt when a cat sneaked into the apartment unnoticed. Sharikov rushed after him into the bathroom like crazy. The safety latched. So he found himself trapped. The cat managed to escape out the window, and the professor canceled all the patients in order to save him together with Bormental and Zina. It turned out that while chasing the cat, he turned off all the taps, causing water to flood the entire floor. When the door was opened, everyone began to clean up the water, but Sharikov used obscene words, for which he was kicked out by the professor. Neighbors complained that he was breaking their windows and chasing after the cooks.
Chapter 7
During lunch, the professor tried to teach Sharikov proper manners, but all in vain. He, like Klim Chugunkin, had a craving for alcohol and bad manners. He did not like to read books or go to the theater, but only to the circus. After another skirmish, Bormenthal went with him to the circus so that temporary peace could reign in the house. At this time, the professor was thinking about some kind of plan. He went into the office and looked for a long time glass jar with the pituitary gland of a dog.
Chapter 8
Soon they brought Sharikov's documents. Since then, he began to behave even more cheekily, demanding a room in the apartment. When the professor threatened that he would no longer feed him, he calmed down for a while. One evening, with two unknown men, Sharikov robbed the professor, stealing from him a couple of ducats, a commemorative cane, a malachite ashtray and a hat. Until recently he did not admit to what he had done. By evening he felt bad and everyone was treating him like he was a little boy. The professor and Bormenthal were deciding what to do with him next. Bormenthal was even ready to strangle the insolent man, but the professor promised to fix everything himself.
The next day Sharikov disappeared with the documents. The house committee said that they had not seen him. Then they decided to contact the police, but this was not necessary. Poligraf Poligrafovich himself showed up and announced that he had been hired for the position of head of the department for cleaning the city from stray animals. Bormenthal forced him to apologize to Zina and Daria Petrovna, and also to not make noise in the apartment and show respect to the professor.
A couple of days later a lady in cream stockings came. It turned out that this is Sharikov’s fiancee, he intends to marry her, and demands his share in the apartment. The professor told her about Sharikov’s origins, which greatly upset her. After all, he was lying to her all this time. The insolent man's wedding was upset.
Chapter 9
One of his patients came to the doctor in a police uniform. He brought a denunciation drawn up by Sharikov, Shvonder and Pestrukhin. The matter was not set in motion, but the professor realized that he could not delay any longer. When Sharikov returned, the professor told him to pack his things and get out, to which Sharikov responded in his usual boorish manner and even took out a revolver. By this he further convinced Preobrazhensky that it was time to act. With Bormenthal's help, the head of the cleaning department was soon lying on the couch. The professor canceled all his appointments, turned off the bell and asked not to disturb him. The doctor and the professor performed the operation.
Epilogue
A few days later, the police showed up at the professor’s apartment, followed by representatives of the house committee, led by Shvonder. Everyone unanimously accused Philip Philipovich of killing Sharikov, to which the professor and Bormental showed them their dog. Although the dog looked strange, walked on two legs, was bald in places, and covered in patches of fur in places, it was quite obvious that it was a dog. The professor called it an atavism and added that it is impossible to make a man out of a beast. After all this nightmare, Sharik again sat happily at the feet of his owner, did not remember anything and only sometimes suffered from a headache.
To get acquainted with the most important details We suggest reading the works of M. Bulgakov “Heart of a Dog” brief content stories by chapters.
Chapter 1
The action takes place in Moscow in the winter of 1924/25. In a snow-covered gateway, a homeless dog Sharik, who was offended by the canteen cook, is suffering from pain and hunger. He scalded the poor fellow's side, and now the dog was afraid to ask anyone for food, although he knew that people come across different people. He lay against the cold wall and meekly waited in the wings. Suddenly, from around the corner, there was a whiff of Krakow sausage. With the last of his strength, he stood up and crawled out onto the sidewalk. From this smell he seemed to perk up and become bolder. Sharik approached the mysterious gentleman, who treated him to a piece of sausage. The dog was ready to thank his savior endlessly. He followed him and demonstrated his devotion in every possible way. For this, the gentleman gave him a second piece of sausage. Soon they reached a decent house and entered it. To Sharik's surprise, the doorman named Fedor let him in too. Turning to Sharik’s benefactor, Philip Philipovich, he said that new residents, representatives of the house committee, had moved into one of the apartments and would draw up a new plan for settlement.
Chapter 2
Sharik was an unusually smart dog. He knew how to read and thought that every dog could do it. He read mainly by colors. For example, he knew for sure that under a blue-green sign with the inscription MSPO they were selling meat. But after, guided by colors, he ended up in an electrical appliance store, Sharik decided to learn the letters. I quickly remembered the “a” and “b” in the word “fish”, or rather “Glavryba” on Mokhovaya. This is how he learned to navigate the city streets. The benefactor led him to his apartment, where the door was opened for them by a young and very pretty girl in a white apron. Sharik was struck by the decoration of the apartment, especially the electric lamp under the ceiling and the long mirror in the hallway. After examining the wound on his side, the mysterious gentleman decided to take him to the examination room. The dog immediately did not like this dazzling room. He tried to run and even grabbed some man in a robe, but it was all in vain. Something sickening was brought to his nose, causing him to immediately fall onto his side. When he woke up, the wound did not hurt at all and was bandaged. He listened to the conversation between the professor and the man he had bitten. Philip Phillipovich said something about animals and how nothing can be achieved by terror, no matter what stage of development they are at. Then he sent Zina to get another portion of sausage for Sharik. When the dog recovered, he followed with unsteady steps to the room of his benefactor, to whom various patients soon began to come one after another. The dog realized that this was not an ordinary room, but a place where people came with various diseases. This continued until late in the evening. The last to arrive were 4 guests, different from the previous ones. These were young representatives of the house management: Shvonder, Pestrukhin, Sharovkin and Vyazemskaya. They wanted to take away two rooms from Philip Philipovich. Then the professor called some influential person and demanded assistance. After this conversation, the new chairman of the house committee, Shvonder, retreated from his claims and left with his group. Sharik liked this and he respected the professor for his ability to put down impudent people.
Chapter 3
Immediately after the guests left, a luxurious dinner awaited Sharik. Having eaten his fill of a large piece of sturgeon and roast beef, he could no longer look at the food, which had never happened to him before. Philip Philipovich talked about old times and new orders. The dog, meanwhile, was dozing blissfully, but the thought still haunted him that it was all a dream. He was afraid of waking up one day and finding himself again in the cold and without food. But nothing terrible happened. Every day he became prettier and healthier; in the mirror he saw a well-fed dog happy with life. He ate as much as he wanted, did what he wanted, and they never scolded him for anything; they even bought a beautiful collar for the neighbors’ dogs to make them jealous. But one terrible day, Sharik immediately sensed something was wrong. After the doctor’s call, everyone began to fuss, Bormental arrived with a briefcase filled with something, Philip Philipovich was worried, Sharik was forbidden to eat and drink, and was locked in the bathroom. In a word, terrible turmoil. Soon Zina dragged him into the examination room, where, from the false eyes of Bormental, whom he had previously grabbed, he realized that something terrible was about to happen. A rag with a nasty smell was again brought to Sharik’s nose, after which he lost consciousness.
Chapter 4
The ball lay spread out on a narrow operating table. A clump of hair was cut off from his head and stomach. First, Professor Preobrazhensky removed his testes and inserted some others that were drooping. Then he opened Sharik's skull and performed a brain appendage transplant. When Bormenthal felt that the dog’s pulse was rapidly falling, becoming thread-like, he gave some kind of injection to the heart area. After the operation, neither the doctor nor the professor hoped to see Sharik alive.
Chapter 5
Despite the complexity of the operation, the dog came to his senses. From the professor’s diary it was clear that an experimental operation to transplant the pituitary gland was carried out in order to determine the effect of such a procedure on the rejuvenation of the human body. Yes, the dog was recovering, but he was behaving rather strangely. The hair fell out of his body in clumps, his pulse and temperature changed, and he began to resemble a person. Soon Bormenthal noticed that instead of the usual barking, Sharik was trying to pronounce some word from the letters “a-b-y-r”. They concluded that it was a “fish”. On January 1, the professor wrote in his diary that the dog could already laugh and bark happily, and sometimes said “abyr-valg,” which apparently meant “Glavryba.” Gradually he stood on two legs and walked like a man. So far he managed to hold out in this position for half an hour. Also, he began to swear at his mother. On January 5, his tail fell off and he pronounced the word “beerhouse.” From that moment on, he began to often resort to obscene speech. Meanwhile, rumors about a strange creature were circulating around the city. One newspaper published a myth about a miracle. The professor realized his mistake. Now he knew that a pituitary gland transplant does not lead to rejuvenation, but to humanization. Bormenthal recommended taking up the education of Sharik and the development of his personality. But Preobrazhensky already knew that the dog behaved like a person whose pituitary gland was transplanted to him. It was the organ of the late Klim Chugunkin, a conditionally convicted repeat thief, alcoholic, rowdy and hooligan.
Chapter 6
As a result, Sharik turned into an ordinary man of short stature, began to wear patent leather boots, a poison-blue tie, made an acquaintance with comrade Shvonder and shocked Preobrazhensky and Bormental day by day. The behavior of the new creature was impudent and boorish. He could spit on the floor, scare Zina in the dark, come drunk, fall asleep on the floor in the kitchen, etc. When the professor tried to talk to him, the situation only got worse. The creature demanded a passport in the name of Polygraph Poligrafovich Sharikov. Shvonder demanded that a new tenant be registered in the apartment. Preobrazhensky initially objected. After all, Sharikov could not be a full-fledged person from the point of view of science. But they still had to register it, since formally the law was on their side. The dog’s habits made themselves felt when a cat sneaked into the apartment unnoticed. Sharikov rushed after him into the bathroom like crazy. The safety latched. So he found himself trapped. The cat managed to escape out the window, and the professor canceled all the patients in order to save him together with Bormental and Zina. It turned out that while chasing the cat, he turned off all the taps, causing water to flood the entire floor. When the door was opened, everyone began to clean up the water, but Sharikov used obscene words, for which he was kicked out by the professor. Neighbors complained that he was breaking their windows and chasing after the cooks.
Chapter 7
During lunch, the professor tried to teach Sharikov proper manners, but all in vain. He, like Klim Chugunkin, had a craving for alcohol and bad manners. He did not like to read books or go to the theater, but only to the circus. After another skirmish, Bormenthal went with him to the circus so that temporary peace could reign in the house. At this time, the professor was thinking about some kind of plan. He walked into the office and spent a long time looking at a glass jar containing a dog’s pituitary gland.
Chapter 8
Soon they brought Sharikov's documents. Since then, he began to behave even more cheekily, demanding a room in the apartment. When the professor threatened that he would no longer feed him, he calmed down for a while. One evening, with two unknown men, Sharikov robbed the professor, stealing from him a couple of ducats, a commemorative cane, a malachite ashtray and a hat. Until recently he did not admit to what he had done. By evening he felt bad and everyone was treating him like he was a little boy. The professor and Bormenthal were deciding what to do with him next. Bormenthal was even ready to strangle the insolent man, but the professor promised to fix everything himself. The next day Sharikov disappeared with the documents. The house committee said that they had not seen him. Then they decided to contact the police, but this was not necessary. Poligraf Poligrafovich himself showed up and announced that he had been hired for the position of head of the department for cleaning the city from stray animals. Bormenthal forced him to apologize to Zina and Daria Petrovna, and also to not make noise in the apartment and show respect to the professor. A couple of days later a lady in cream stockings came. It turned out that this is Sharikov’s fiancee, he intends to marry her, and demands his share in the apartment. The professor told her about Sharikov’s origins, which greatly upset her. After all, he was lying to her all this time. The insolent man's wedding was upset.
Chapter 9
One of his patients came to the doctor in a police uniform. He brought a denunciation drawn up by Sharikov, Shvonder and Pestrukhin. The matter was not set in motion, but the professor realized that he could not delay any longer. When Sharikov returned, the professor told him to pack his things and get out, to which Sharikov responded in his usual boorish manner and even took out a revolver. By this he further convinced Preobrazhensky that it was time to act. With Bormenthal's help, the head of the cleaning department was soon lying on the couch. The professor canceled all his appointments, turned off the bell and asked not to disturb him. The doctor and the professor performed the operation.
Epilogue
A few days later, the police showed up at the professor’s apartment, followed by representatives of the house committee, led by Shvonder. Everyone unanimously accused Philip Philipovich of killing Sharikov, to which the professor and Bormental showed them their dog. Although the dog looked strange, walked on two legs, was bald in places, and covered in patches of fur in places, it was quite obvious that it was a dog. The professor called it an atavism and added that it is impossible to make a man out of a beast. After all this nightmare, Sharik again sat happily at the feet of his owner, did not remember anything and only sometimes suffered from a headache.
Usually, schoolchildren read the works of M. A. Bulgakov with pleasure, because this author invariably manages to interestingly tell an extraordinary story about something that, it would seem, cannot happen. This is the beauty of his books. However, before the lesson there is no time to reread the entire story, so a brief retelling of “The Heart of a Dog” chapter by chapter becomes a necessity. And to fully understand the book you read, you can take note .
The stray dog Sharik gets burns from the canteen cook. This is not the first time that an animal simply looking for food in a garbage dump has encountered the cruelty of this person. The dog complains about his difficult fate - they beat him with a boot, pour boiling water on him, and hit him in the ribs with a brick.
Sitting in the gateway, the dog sees a certain gentleman. And this gentleman gives Sharik a piece of Krakow sausage. Filled with gratitude, the dog follows the man. Together they come to the house, where Philip Philipovich (that is the name of this kind passer-by) is greeted by the doorman. And, lo and behold, no one drives the animal away from a warm home.
Chapter 2
While they go up to the apartment, Sharik remembers how he learned to read different letters. “M” is from the sign of a butcher shop, “A” and “B” are from Glavryba.
The dog and Philip Philipovich are met by the maid Zina, and, literally from the threshold, they want to take him to the examination room. Sharik doesn't like this idea and tries to escape. He is caught by Zina, F.F., and another gentleman (Dr. Bormental). The animal's wounds are treated and bandaged.
While Sharik comes to his senses, he observes an unusual visitor in this apartment - with green hair, wrinkled pink face. His legs were also strange - one jumped like a child’s nutcracker, and the other did not bend. He tells Philip Philipovich about his extraordinary success with the ladies and thanks him.
After the man comes a lady who stubbornly hides her age. She receives some kind of miraculous injection and talks about her great passion for one man. F.F. tells the lady that he will insert monkey ovaries into her.
The visitors change one after another, Sharik falls asleep.
Waking up, he sees that four people from the new building management have arrived - Shvonder, Vyazemskaya, Pestrukhin and Zharovkin. They are trying to convince Professor Preobrazhensky (Philip Fillipovich) that seven rooms for him alone is too much, and the house management wants him to give at least two. In response to this, the scientist calls his friend and patient, Pyotr Alexandrovich. After a short conversation with the authorities, the applicants no longer want to take extra rooms.
Finally, they try to sell the professor magazines in favor of children in Germany, but nothing works.
The company, calling the owner a hater of the proletariat, leaves.
Chapter 3
Preobrazhensky and Bormenthal are having lunch. Sharik sits right there and gets a piece of sturgeon and roast beef as lunch.
Sounds are heard from another floor general meeting, and the professor is very upset about this. He recalls that until March 1917 there was a shoe shoe in the house, and not a single pair of shoes was lost from it, but now there is no shoe shoe, and everyone walks up the marble stairs in dirty shoes. He is also upset that the flowers have been removed from the sites, and the electricity now goes out regularly.
Lunch ends, Bormenthal leaves, and Preobrazhensky is going to the Bolshoi Theater to see Aida.
For a second, it seems to the dog that he is in a magical dream, where he is taken care of, fed, and is about to wake up and find himself on the street again.
Chapter 4
But the gateway already seemed like a dream. Sharik gained weight, grew taller and looked at himself in the mirror with interest. Philip Philipovich became his master and God, the dog greeted him joyfully, chewed his jacket and was invariably present at dinners. He was not even punished for chewing his galoshes and only slightly for tearing up a stuffed owl. They bought a collar for Sharik, and he quickly got used to it and was already proudly walking past stray dogs.
At some point, he decided to visit Daria Petrovna’s kingdom - the kitchen. The first couple of times he was chased away, but then he was already lying next to the basket of coals and watching how it worked.
But one day Sharik seemed to be struck with a premonition and was overcome with melancholy. I didn't feel like eating. After the walk with Zina, everything seemed to be going as usual. Exactly until the professor got a call.
Dr. Bormenthal arrived with a foul-smelling suitcase. Sharik was locked in the bathroom and left without lunch. The dog rushed about in the dark and howled. Then he was dragged into the examination room. They put a collar on him, poked him in the nose with cotton wool and his legs suddenly stopped holding Sharik.
The dog lies on the table, with its belly and head trimmed. The professor and the doctor are discussing the upcoming operation. Preobrazhensky admits that it will be a pity to lose the dog, but he is already accustomed to Sharik.
First, the animal's seminal glands were replaced with human ones. And then they opened the skull and replaced one of the parts of the brain - the pituitary gland. The operation is completed, the dog is alive. But the professor is sure that it won’t last long.
Chapter 5
Bormenthal's diary. He describes the details of the operation and the days after it. First the dog is in a dying state, with high temperature. A few days later, improvements appear - the pulse and pupil reaction normalize. On December 29, Bormental notes hair loss on the dog’s forehead and sides. Then - the first bark, which looks like moans. The fur continues to fall out, and the dog itself grows by about 30 cm. On December 31, at noon, Sharik clearly pronounces “abyr”, and on January 1 he laughs. In the evening he pronounces the word “abyrvalg”. January 2 – gets up. Then he scolds Preobrazhensky for his mother’s sake and says the word “beer house.” The tail falls off. Sharik’s vocabulary is replenished with the words “cab driver”, “no seats”, “evening newspaper”, “the best gift for children” and swearing.
The fur remained only on the head, chest and chin. The genitals are like those of a developing man.
On January 8, the professor realizes that his theory was wrong: replacing the pituitary gland does not rejuvenate, but humanizes.
Sharik walks around the apartment on his own and swears. The professor asks him to stop, but it has no effect.
He is forced to wear clothes. The patient begins to eat at the table, deliberately swear and carry on a conversation.
The professor is sitting over the medical history of the man from whom Sharik received a pituitary gland transplant. Klim Chugunkin, 25 years old – drunkard, thief. The former dog is finally shaping into a human being – small, poorly built, smoking and independent in everything.
Chapter 6
At the door to the reception area hangs a sheet of paper with notes from all the residents of the apartment. There are bans on seeds and a “moratorium” on gambling musical instruments, and the question of when the glazier will come, and the correspondence that Sharik has gone somewhere, and Zina should bring him.
Preobrazhensky reads a newspaper article written by Shvonder. He accuses the professor of having an illegitimate son and being too large quantities rooms.
Sharik arrives wearing a tie, a torn jacket and patent leather boots. Preobrazhensky reprimands him for appearance and because Sharik sleeps in the kitchen, disturbing women.
During the dialogue, it becomes clear what the interlocutor is like - he throws cigarette butts, is careless with the urinal, is rude to women.
Sharik also makes a claim that he did not ask to be turned into a human, and can sue the professor. He also wants to get a passport and other documents. He plans to be named as Poligraf Poligrafovich Sharikov.
Together with Shvonder, Philip Philipovich issues a passport for the new person.
Suddenly a cat appears in the apartment, Sharikov drives it into the bathroom and locks himself there, accidentally twisting a pipe along the way. To get him out of there, an entire rescue operation has to be launched - the doorman Fyodor climbs through the dormer window into the bathroom. Sharikov was saved, the apartment was slightly flooded.
Fyodor says that the residents of Sharikov’s house no longer like him very much - sometimes he threw stones at one, sometimes he hugged someone else’s cook. And Philip Philipovich has to pay for the damage caused.
Chapter 7
Dinner. Sharikov sits with a napkin behind his collar. But this does not affect his behavior. He drinks vodka, and the professor and Dr. Bormental understand that this is the legacy of his donor, Klim. They are planning the evening. The hero, as always, wants to go to the circus. The scientist invites him to visit the theater, but he refuses, saying that “this is all just counter-revolution.”
Sharikov begins promoting the idea of “dividing everything.” Otherwise, someone lives in seven rooms, and someone rummages through garbage dumps. In response, he is offered to chip in to help eliminate the consequences of the flood. The professor did not accept 39 people, which means that the tenant of the apartment should pay for it. He is indignant. They remember that he killed someone else's cat, grabbed a woman by the chest, and then bit her. They are trying to explain to him the need for education and socialization. But the only book that Sharikov is ready to read is the correspondence between Engels and Kautsky.
After lunch, Bormental goes to the circus with Sharikov. Left alone, Preobrazhensky takes out a jar in which a piece of the dog’s brain is floating.
Chapter 8
Sharikov received his documents. But Bormental and Preobrazhensky refuse to call him by his first name and patronymic. And the hero, in turn, does not want to be “Mr. Sharikov,” because “the gentlemen are all in Paris.” The professor understands that Shvonder’s influence is becoming stronger. And he invites the victim of the experiment, in this case, to move out of the apartment. In response, he shows papers from Shvonder that Preobrazhensky is obliged to provide him with living space. The situation is becoming increasingly tense.
The tenant behaves more and more cheekily - he steals money, comes drunk and with strange comrades (who steal the professor’s hat, cane and ashtray), accuses Zina of theft. After this story, the professor and the doctor finally understand - to make Sharikov standing man it won't work. And there is no point in this whole operation and discovery. Because they can create geniuses simple women and evolution, albeit from tons of all kinds of scum. It is the pituitary gland that creates personality, and that is why they got Klim Chugunkin - a thief and a drunkard.
Bormenthal offers to poison the resulting nonentity, but Philip Philipovich refuses.
Daria Petrovna appears with a drunken Sharikov. He climbed into the women's bedroom.
Chapter 9
The next morning Sharikov disappears - he is neither in the house nor in the trade union committee. It turns out that he left at dawn along with all his documents. The day before, he took money from the trade union committee and borrowed it from Daria Petrovna. Three days later, the hero appears and reports that he has accepted the position of head of the department for clearing Moscow of stray animals.
A few days later, Sharikov brings the typist Vasnetsova, his fiancée, to the house. The professor opens her eyes to the origins of her fiancé, and she refuses to marry him. In response, he threatens to fire her. Bormenthal takes the matter under personal control and promises to find out every day whether the girl has been fired.
One of his patients comes to the professor and shows Sharikov’s complaints and accusations against Philip Philipovich. When the former dog arrives from work in the evening, the scientist orders him to get out of the apartment. The tenant shows a shish and takes out a revolver. An enraged Bormenthal rushes over and begins to strangle him.
All the doors in the apartment are closed, there is a note at the entrance stating that there is no reception, and the bell wires are cut.
Epilogue
The police come to Preobrazhensky and accuse him, Bormental, Zina and Daria Petrovna of killing Sharikov.
He replies that he did not kill anyone, the dog is alive and well. The police are trying to insist that there was a person, Poligraf Poligrafovich. A dog with a purple scar on his forehead, bald in places, appears in the hallway and sits down in a chair.
He hardly speaks anymore and mostly walks four legs. Preobrazhensky reports that all this was a bad experience, and science has not yet learned to turn animals into people.
Later in the evening, the dog lies next to the professor's chair, watches him work and thinks about how lucky he is to get into this apartment.
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Title of the work: Heart of a Dog
Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov
Year of writing: 1925
Genre: story
Main characters: professor Preobrazhensky, doctor Bormental, Evgraf Sharikov- former dog Sharik
Plot
A medical scientist conducts a bold experiment: he transplants the endocrine glands of Klim Chugunkin, a criminal and a slacker, into a dog picked up on the street, in order to determine their functions. The dog does not die, but gradually begins to turn into a person.A few weeks later he is a fully formed person with a disgusting character and terrible habits. He torments the professor by constantly getting into some unpleasant situations: breaking glass, tearing off a faucet, strangling neighbor cats, is rude, gets drunk and makes friends with inveterate scoundrels.
But Sharikov finds support in the person of Shvonder, who hates the professor, and he helps him get a job as the head of the cleaning department (they kill stray cats).
A few days later, Sharikov writes a denunciation against the professor to the GPU. This turned out to be the last straw in the patience of the doctors, and they, after desperate resistance and a fight, again performed an organ transplant operation. And soon the unpleasant person again turns into an affectionate and obedient dog.