One Act play
The story begins when a police superintendent Ochumelov wearing an over coat and carrying a parcel, with his fellow police man, Yeldrin walking across the market square. The silence is spread everywhere. All the shops and taverns are closed, those which are opened looks like hungry open mouths. Suddenly Ochumelov sounds of dog yelping nearby. Ochumelov looks toward that direction, he sees a dog hoping there and a man karuikin with a cotton shirt and unbutton waist coat. The man was chasing the dog and trying to seize her. “Don’t let it go,” someone cried from the crowd.” It looks like row”, said yeldrin.
Ochumelov moved toward the crowd, there is a man who is holding his right hand and showing it to the crowd his bleeding finger. Ochumelov recognizes karuikin, the goldsmith. This wound was caused by a small puppy with sharp muzzle with yellow patch on her back. Ochumelov gets to the goldsmith by pushing the crowd and inquires what has happened to him. He said sir I walking on my own way without any interference and this little beast cut my finger. I am a working man sir; how would I work with this injured finger. I should get paid for a week from its owner. And you should punish her, if everyone is going to be bitten life will be worth living.
“Very good, whose dog is it “, said ochumelov. I teach lesson to the owner; next no one will dare let their dogs free. It is mad dog; I am going to kill him in no time“I fancy it’s General Zhigalvos dog “, someone cried from the crowd. “Surely, this little puppy couldn’t reach to your finger, then how could this puppy bite you,” said Ochumelov. You must have injured your finger to get charged. “It’s a lie sir”, said goldsmith. “Don’t argue “said ochumelov. Here comes the Generals chef, policeman asked him about the dog owner. No, it is General’s dog replied prokhor, the cook. There is no time to waste. It is stray dog, it must be destroyed. “It belongs to the General’s brother. Our master doesn’t care for hounds”. “Delighted to hear it. Take it. It’s not a bad pup. A lively creature”, said the Ochumelov. Prokhor calls the dog and walk away. Ochumelov threatens the goldsmith and goes on his way across the square.
Stream of consciousness:
Stream of consciousness is a continuous flow of thought, views and feelings of character through his proceedings, which let the readers to get into the psyches of characters. It is most innovative technique used by Chekov.
By carefully observing the characters of the story we came to know about mental situation of characters because their views and feelings are continuously overflowing e.g. as we know Humalog is an opportunist and also psyche of common man is that not to stand with victim but with the majority doesn’t matter whether it’s right or wrong.
Chekov’s style has a specialty that he always used a simple language in his stories such as The Chameleon. He used simple words that are easy, understandable and digestible.
