A Trifle from Real Life

Name: A Trifle from Real Life
Author: Anton Chekhov

"A Trifle from Real Life" is a short story written by Anton Chekhov in 1886. The story follows the life of a young woman named Liza, who is struggling to come to terms with her own identity and purpose in life. Liza is torn between her desire for independence and her love for her family, particularly her father, who she feels is holding her back. As she navigates this internal conflict, Liza begins to question the societal expectations placed upon her as a woman and the limitations placed on her by her gender. Ultimately, Liza comes to realize that true happiness and fulfillment can only be achieved through self-discovery and independence.

By Anton Chekhov · First published 1892 · Genre: Short Stories, Drama, Psychological Fiction · 2,396 words

First lines

Nikolai Ilitch Belayeff was a young gentleman of St. Petersburg, aged thirty-two, rosy, well fed, and a patron of the race-tracks. Once, toward evening, he went to pay a call on Olga Ivanovna with whom, to use his own expression, he was dragging through a long and tedious love-affair. And the truth was that the first thrilling, inspiring pages of this romance had long since been read, and that the story was now dragging wearily on, presenting nothing that was either interesting or novel.

Not finding Olga at home, my hero threw himself upon a couch and prepared to await her return.

What this Textopian page supports

A Trifle from Real Life is listed on Textopian as a short story by Anton Chekhov, dated 1892 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Short story
Author: Anton Chekhov
Date: 1892 CE
Language: English
Genres: Short Stories, Drama, Psychological Fiction, Social Realism, Literary Fiction
Length: 2,396 words
Structure: 1 section, 75 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for A Trifle from Real Life by Anton Chekhov
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Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Short Stories — Checkov's 'A Trifle from Real Life' is a brief narrative unit, falling under the category of short stories.
Drama — The story is also a Drama because it depicts a conflict among the characters, particularly emotional conflicts.
Psychological Fiction — Checkov deeply dives into the psychological aspect of the characters, offering profound insights into their thoughts and emotions.
Social Realism — The story encapsulates the ordinary life and society of times, reflecting the theme of Social Realism.