Andrei Platonov

“Twentieth-century Russian literature has produced nothing special, except perhaps for one novel and two stories by Andrei Platonov, who ended his days sweeping streets.”

– Joseph Brodsky 

Today, there is great interest in Andrei Platonov’s work. But in his lifetime this outstanding writer was dubbed by critics to be “a harmful phenomenon in literature.” His work was not officially sanctioned and his major works were not published. 

Platonov (real name – Andrei Platonovich Klimentov) lived in dramatic and interesting times: the birth of the Soviet regime, devastation, revolution and war. He was born on September 1, 1899 (August 20, old style), in Voronezh, the eldest son in a large, poor family. His father was a metalworker in a railway machine shop. Platonov studied at the Voronezh city school and railway vocational school, but also started working at a young age, running errands for an insurance company and working as an assistant railway engineer. He began writing in school, as many writers do, with poetry. His first publication was a collection of verses, The Blue Depth (1922). In the author’s foreword, we come to understand the emotions of Platonov’s younger years: “We hate our squalor. We are forcing our way out of dirt. And this is the point we are making. From our ugliness, the soul of the world will grow.”

Platonov worked hard in “normal jobs” all his life, but still found time for writing. In the 1920s, he traveled extensively, working as a specialist in land improvement, building electric power stations, writing scientific works and gaining patents for his inventions. In the late 1920s, when the general feeling was that the country was triumphantly advancing towards socialism, Platonov wrote The Town of Gradov. Published in 1927, it was one of his few works published during his lifetime. The satirical novel portrayed the red tape that could strangle life as it was known. In 1929, his story “The Inner Man” appeared. In the story, the main character concludes that it would be ideal to resurrect both the communists and the enemies they killed in the Civil War, so that justice could prevail. This blasphemous story led to Platonov’s work being banned from publication for nearly 10 years, broken only by the publication of his collection of stories, The River Potudan (1937).

All of Platonov’s works contradicted the “general line” of Soviet literature. The novel Chevengur (1927) concludes that happiness cannot be invoked by decree, without work and creating real values. The Trench (1930) argues that anything created by slave labor is pointless. It is no wonder his work was banned as anti-Soviet and not published until the era of perestroika.

So what makes Platonov a great 20th century writer? According to Platonov expert Natalia Kornienko, “he preserved that valued feature of Russian classic literature of the 19th century: the wish to go beyond literature, the belief that there exists a mystery of life that can be discovered with the writer’s pen. Platonov developed this tradition of the non-bookish attitude towards life.” 

Platonov’s work differed from anything we know. For an “inexperienced reader” his works may seem difficult. There is no standard plot, no minutely-portrayed characters, no clear-cut drama. In 1920, writers of the young Soviet Republic were presented with a questionnaire. Among others was the question: “What literary trend appeals to you?” Andrei Platonov, then only 21, answered “None. I have a trend of my own.” One of the most characteristic features of his “trend” is his famous style, blending colloquial speech and literary language to present the different voices of the author and characters.

As is often the case with artistic innovators (particularly in the Soviet Union), Platonov’s life was tragic. Though he himself was never imprisoned, in 1938 his only son, 15-year-old Platon (Tosha), was arrested. He was released in 1941, after the writer Mikhail Sholokhov intervened on his behalf in a private talk with Stalin. But Tosha died a few years later of tuberculosis, caught while working in Gulag mines. An immense guilt haunted Platonov for the rest of his life – he realized that the arrest of his son was an awful revenge invoked by Stalinist authorities for his anti-Soviet works.

From 1942-1945 Platonov worked as a war correspondent, toured the front lines on many fronts and was badly wounded. After the war, he worked as a yardman and wrote. In 1947-49, he published two collections of tales, including the famous Magic Ring: Russian Fairy Tales. He was also allowed to publish literary criticism and some of his war stories. By this time, however, he had realized that he would not live to see any of his major works published. He died on January 5, 1951, after a long bout with tuberculosis, having been bedridden for much of his last few years of life.

Platonovisms

Notes from Platonov’s Notebooks 

Wisdom lacks only time – eternity. It sees everything in a moment. Thus, even the full length of history offers insufficient wisdom.

Work is conscience.

The highest expression of a people’s drama is their battle with a foe for existence.

The truth is a mystery, always a mystery. There are no obvious truths.

Don’t confuse yourself with humanity!

Man learns nothing from pleasure.

Children are all intelligent persons. The great lie is to look down on them; they are shrewd, amazing, observant folk.

When I see someone on the tram who looks like me,
I get off.

It’s easy to love a woman, for it means loving yourself.

A man doesn’t know himself, he must be discovered
by the writer.