New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

A Chameleon

“The Chameleon” (1884)

Anton Chekhov

Anton Chekhov (born January 29 [January 17, Old Style], 1860, Taganrog, Russia—died July 14/15 [July 1/2], 1904, Badenweiler, Germany) was a Russian playwright and master of the modern short story. He was a literary artist of laconic precision who probed below the surface of life, laying bare the secret motives of his characters. Chekhov’s best plays and short stories lack complex plots and neat solutions. Concentrating on apparent trivialities, they create a special kind of atmosphere, sometimes termed haunting or lyrical. He is known for the principle in drama called "Chekhov’s gun," which asserts that every element introduced in a story should be necessary to the plot, and he frequently illustrated the principle by using a gun as an example of an essential element. Chekhov described the Russian life of his time using a deceptively simple technique devoid of obtrusive literary devices, and he is regarded as the outstanding representative of the late 19th-century Russian realist school.

“The Chameleon” Discussion Questions

What is the theme of the story?

Which character in the story is the chameleon?

Why does the police superintendent change his decision and speaks against Hryukin?

Why does the police superintendent change his decision once again and speaks for Hryukin?

Easy Reader

When Spring Comes