Childhood
The central theme of the story is the one in the title. The main purpose of the story is to depict the complex process of forming the spiritual world of a child. Childhood is a period of happiness and light-heartedness, and these are main features Nikolenka’s childhood are filled with, but he experienced at the same time many disappointments in the people around him, including those closest to him. Nikolenka Irteniev is a boy from a noble family, he lives and is brought up according to the established rules, makes friends with children from the families of the same social position. An important place in the story is occupied by a description of the feeling of love for people, and this ability of a child to love others delights Tolstoy. But the author at the same time shows how the world of adults destroys this feeling. Nikolenka was attached to the boy Seryozha Ivin, but did not dare to tell him about his affection, did not dare to take his hand, say how glad he was to see him, did not even dare call him Seryozha, but certainly Sergey, because every expression of sensitivity proved that the one was still a child.
The attitude of Nikolenka to Ilinka Grap reveals yet another feature in his character, which also reflects the evil influence of the world of the adults on him. Ilinka Grap was from a poor family, and he became the subject of ridicule and bullying by the boys of the circle of Nikolinka, and Nikolenka also participated in this. But then, as always, he felt a sense of shame and remorse. Nikolenka Irteniev often deeply repents of his bad deeds and is acutely worried about his failures. This characterizes him as a thinker, capable of analyzing his behavior and starting to grow up.
Love of and to a mother
The central image of the story is Nikolenka’s mother, and the theme of love to mother is developed with sincerity and tenderness. About his mother Nikolenka Irteniev recalls with tenderness, love and gratitude, as about something that was the brightest in his life. From childhood, the sounds of her voice, sweet and affable, a gentle, affectionate look, wonderful, tender hands of his mother, are engraved in the boy’s memory. Nikolenka guessed the mother’s presence even in a dream. The tenderness of the nature of the mother is also manifested in her relationship to her nanny and housekeeper Natalya Savishna. A kind, sensitive, caring, gentle and loving woman, the mother of Nikolayenko, embodied all the features of a perfect mother.
Tenderness and goodness of a soul
Nikolenka Irteniev gives an impression of a cheerful, kind, well-mannered boy. The kindness of a boy can already be judged in relation to his mother, as he so passionately confesses to his mother in love. He could wrap his arms around her neck say: “Ah, dear, dear mother, how much I love you!” The kind nature of the boy manifests itself during games with other children. Though, he is trying to suppress his sympathy for weak Ilenka Grap all the time, in order to be like his idol - Seryozha Ivin. But we still notice this sympathy, as he does not turn it into wrath. Nikolenka Irteniev cannot be called an outstanding boy. His behavior is not different from that of his friends of the same age. On the contrary, he looks like many boys of his age, but his resentment does not turn into malice, rudeness is immediately replaced by affection. And he naively dreams of what seems good to him: "I meant to become a general, to marry a beautiful woman, to buy chestnut horse, to, build myself a house of glass, to invite Karl Ivanich’s relatives to come and visit me from Saxony.”
