A parabolic character of “Moscow tales about the poor” by M. N. Makarov

The article is dedicated to the study of the impact of the Evangelic parable on the flash fiction of M. N. Makarov in the early 1840s. Since he was young Makarov cared for national history, everyday life and religious faiths of common people. He also envisages the Evangelic parable as a meaningful narration that Jesus used to represent a spirit of his teaching. The writer’s “Moscow tales about the poor”, published under the pen-name of Makariy Bystroretsky, had an instructive character of the Evangelic parable. Following the parabolic type Makarov writes about home and family, richness and poorness, Salvation through Jesus Christ. By their themes his stories are similar to the evangelic parables of the Unjust Judge, of the Lost Sheep, of the Pharisee and the Publican, of the Good Samaritan, of the Rich Man and Lazarus, of the Rich Full. The tales contain the motives of mercy, love for one’s neighbor, humiliation, responsibility to people and God, declared in the Sermon on the Mount of Jesus. A parabolic character of the narration allows the writer to demonstrate “modern miracles” that happen to those who walk with God. Makarov’s tales teach to rely on Divine Providence, to take gratefully the ordeals and the prizes of life. The episodes representing Russian everyday life in the tales serve as a symbolic embodiment of spiritual and physical happiness of Man who made his approach to Jesus Christ. The storylines of Makarov’s tales traces their origins to the texts and motives of the parables in the New Testament. Putting Christian wisdom into a simple narrative the writer’s stories make people’s faith grow.