One of the central novellas included in the "Pechorin Journal" is "Taman". The novel ends with the philosophical story "Fatalist". Such a construction of a work of art is determined by the logic of the development of the character of the protagonist.
A summary of the story "Taman" from the novel by M. Yu. Lermontov "A Hero of Our Time"
Pechorin arrived in Taman (a city in the Krasnodar Territory) late at night. There was no government apartment, and Pechorin was settled in a hut on the seashore.
An old woman, a girl and a blind boy, an orphan live in the house. At night Pechorin followed the blind man who walked to the seashore. There the girl told the blind man that Yanko would not be there, because there was a storm at sea. But all the same, Yanko arrives.
The next day, Pechorin asks the girl where she went at night, and threatens that he will tell the commandant everything. The girl begins to flirt with Pechorin, kisses him and makes a date at night on the seashore.
Pechorin goes to the sea, takes a pistol with him. The girl invites Pechorin into the boat, then hugs him, pulls out a pistol and tries to drown him. Pechorin throws the girl overboard. Then Pechorin swims to the shore and watches as a girl appears and Yanko swims. They talk about something and tell the blind man that they are leaving. Yanko throws a few coins to the blind man, and he and the girl swim away, leaving the blind man behind. The blind man is crying.
Pechorin ponders why fate wanted him to interfere with the life of the smugglers.
Conclusions on the story "Taman"
1. Pechorin in the story is active, decisive and courageous, but his activity is directed at himself.
2. Pechorin does not believe in love.
3. "Taman" opens Pechorin's magazine, which allows the reader to understand what the hero thought and felt.
A summary of the final story "Fatalist" from the novel by M. Yu. Lermontov "A Hero of Our Time"
In the Cossack village, officers talk about the Muslim belief that the fate of every person is predetermined from above. Pechorin claims that there is no predestination.
Lieutenant Vulich, a Serb, offers to try his luck with the help of Russian roulette. Vulich puts a pistol to his temple, shoots and misfires. Pechorin says that Vulich will soon die, because he has the imprint of imminent death on his face. Pechorin explains his confidence by the fact that in the war he saw many soldiers who soon died, and they had the same facial expression.
At night, Pechorin sees a pig on the road, chopped up by a drunken Cossack, who is being caught by his comrades. This drunken Cossack hacked to death Vulich, whose last words were: "He is right." The killer locked himself in an empty hut, and no one can lure him out of there. Pechorin decides to take him alive (to tempt fate, as Vulich wanted). Comrade Pechorin distracts the Cossack, Pechorin jumps out the window, the Cossack shoots, but misses. Pechorin grabbed the Cossack.
