My Childhood by Maxim Gorky
An enchanting autobiography presenting the horrors, trials, and hopes of a Russian childhood
As the opening work in a trilogy of autobiographies covering the despondent, turbulent life of Maxim Gorky, My Childhood (Детство) contains more than a recapitulation of a troublesome childhood and offers a glimpse into the Russian spirit. Gorky’s raw rhetoric softens no rough edges and pulls readers into the psyche of a young fatherless boy trying to make sense of the harsh environment he’s immersed within. Itinerant visitors, mentors, and family members come and go as young Gorky grapples with abuse and the cultural fomentation occurring around him.
The work begins with the traumatic death of Gorky’s father, Maxim Savvatyevich Peshkov, which leaves his mother sobbing in agony before she leaves young Alexei (Maxim) with his grandparents. He spends much of his formative years with his two uncles and his grandparents, who present various dualities. His grandmother is endearing, resilient, and believes in a loving God, whereas his cantankerous, abusive grandfather lives in a manner comparable to the God of the Old Testament — that is angry and vengeful. When Gorky is initially beaten unconscious by his grandfather, his temperament becomes permanently altered as he develops a somber, empathetic view of the world, “During that time I seemed to suddenly grow older and develop a new quality— that of being deeply concerned about all people. It was as though the skin had been torn off my heart, making it unbearably sensitive to every injury, my own or another's.”
Beyond the brutality of his upbringing, readers are introduced to a slew of transient characters that briefly befriend Alexei and offer him advice before being ripped from his life either via death or other circumstances. Whether it’s Tsignaok advising how to handle beatings or “That’s Fine” (or “Just the Job” in other translations) exemplifying grace in the face of contempt, Alexei is able to keep his head above water and refrain from adopting a misanthropic worldview. Instead, he’s able to regain his composure and emotional rigidity, “Such moments give rise to thoughts which are particularly pure, but fragile and transparent as a spider's web, defying capture in words. They flash and fade like falling stars, searing the soul with sadness, or fondling it, disturbing it, causing it to seethe and crystallize into permanent contours. At such moments character is moulded.”
Throughout the story, like any great autobiography, Gorky depicts characters with an ambivalence labeling them neither good nor evil, but simply as they are. This allows readers to find sympathy for dishonorable individuals and casts a light on humanity’s fallibility. Woven into the prose and themes of the work is the Russian spirit — staunch resilience, meddle, and optimism even in the face of incessant torment. This is shown through his grandmother’s pride in handling punishment and also in Alexei’s ability to roll with the punches of life. By the end, Gorky makes his choice to view his childhood not for the bleak, darkness that shrouds it, but for the “bright and wholesome creative forces gleaming beneath. And the influence of good is growing, giving promise that our people will at last awaken to a life full of beauty and bright humanity.”
Paced well and packed with striking accounts, Gorky invites you into an all-too common childhood for Russian children in the late 19th century, while also speaking to universal truths about mankind. I eagerly look forward to reading the other two books within this trilogy.