(402 words) M.A. Sholokhov in the novel "Quiet Don" reveals family relationships and their problems. The author shows their traditions and family rules using family novels as examples. It informs the reader how much you can respect your family, despite all the hardships and problems.
The main character in all family lines is Grigory Melekhov. It is very difficult to understand the life of the Cossacks and their traditions without resorting to the family life of the heroes. So, already at the beginning of the novel we see a misunderstanding between Pantelei Prokofievich and his son Grigory Melekhov - this makes it clear that the Cossacks must reckon with the opinions of elders and respect their parents in any decision. Even without love for Natalya Korshunova, Gregory obeys the decision of his and his father and marries her.
The character of Gregory is revealed in relations with Natalia and Aksinya. We see that even from strong love, the hero, although worried about the heroine, is almost not trying to protect her from her husband, because the institution of marriage in the Cossack environment is holy, and what happens in a strange house does not matter to other people. Therefore, Gregory is trying to forget his romance and after the wedding with Natalia completely gives himself to his family and fulfills his duty. But deep down he realizes that he is making a mistake, so his decision leads to negative consequences.
Despite personal problems, each hero loves his family, court, farm and is not ready to leave his native expanses. This can be seen from the conversation between Gregory and Aksinya Astakhova. Gregory makes it clear to the girl that he is not ready to abandon his family, his house and run away to foreign lands. The steppe for each hero is peace and tranquility. They leave the village only when they lose their last hope of happiness without each other.
However, the life of the Cossacks does not appear before the reader as ideal. In the episode of Stepan's return, the husband beats his wife half to death, and no one has the right to interfere in other people's problems. Also, a crowd of farmers, brutally slaughtering Prokofy’s wife, shows how evil and fearless the people are. Aksigny's father rapes his daughter, for which the wife and his son are ultimately beaten to death.
Gradually, the most important family of the novel loses its household members, because the war does not spare family values. After going through difficult trials, the Melekhovs are tempted by fate and come to a sad end.
M.A. Sholokhov shows the reader that in the family life of the Cossacks, not everything goes smoothly, as it seems at first glance. We see that heroes for the sake of love and their family are capable of a lot, but at the same time they commit terrible acts towards loved ones, thereby destroying the family hearth.
