Galina

Well, it was first time since I saw any book by Alexander Serafimovich. Writer attracted me de to his Russian name. Alexander Serafimovich is also a very great Russian writer such as his contemporaries Gorky, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekhov, Gogol, Solzhenitsyn and many others. He was much praised by almost all of his contemporaries. Lenin, Tolstoy, Sholokhov and many other notable Russian people praised literary work of Serafimovich greatly.

So, here we are talking about Serafimovich' long story or rather it can be called a novel titled "Galina" which is a character-driven story of pre-revolution country side of Russia. Based upon social realism, the novel is an account of a female character named "Galina" who is transferred to a remote village in Russia. 

Galina observes backwardness, submission of people in fate, helplessness, family dynamics, tragedy, student enrollment issues, heath issues, debt of farmers, exploitation of farmers by landlord, inhuman human conditions, inflation, deteriorating condition of roads, young-old relationship, human sufferings and over-population among others. Apart from Galina, a church clerk and a doctor are also main characters in this novel. 

Key theme of novel is "Teacher as a Social reformer". The account narrates unexpected difficulties and challenges faced by Galina in the village. During her interaction with teachers appointed at other schools in neighbouring villages, she feels they do not care much about children and human lives over there. She clearly realises her colleagues' insensitivity. However, Galina strongly realises her morality and ethics to perform her duty honestly. With her spark and hard work she seems a positive change in her students' academic activities. 

As the author has strived to portray pre-revolution Russia, therefore, he has mainly focused on Russian villages, condition of education, identity, class struggle, social change, personal growth, transformation, the human condition, existential crisis, the search for meaning which, collectively altogether when achieved, pave the way for revolution. The story invites dispersed human beings to be collective and united f they want to achieve something greater for the society. This is not necessarily a revolutionary y novel yet it invites collective human thinking to bring revolution for a greater good. 

I don't know why but I have always been fascinated by Russian literature. Perhaps, it always reflects my own country. It is true.. Whenever, I read any Russian novel of 19th or 20th century I always see the reflection of my own homeland in that piece of literature. Russian values, traditions, behaviours and attitudes of people always remind me that we people are still at the behest of those issues which were faced by Russians in 19th century. 

This novel, though short in length, speaks volumes of conditions of millions of people still today in many developing countries. My homeland is one of them. This novel wholly reflects many developing countries where education and village reforms have never been part of any government's plan. Many Western people may find this novel irrelevant in 21st century. Yet it is still very much relevant for almost half of the globe. 

Russia developed after the revolution, perhaps it seems, many other nations are still looking forward to the path of revolution as well. Only revolution can lead to getting our identities by bringing a social change.