Gooseberries

"Gooseberries" by Anton Chekhov is a short story about Ivan Ivanovich, a man who visits his brother and reflects on his own life. While picking gooseberries, Ivan compares his unsatisfied life to the abundant berries and realizes that he has been living for material wealth and social status, instead of finding true happiness and fulfillment. He also reflects on the futility of life and the inevitability of death. Through Ivan's musings and introspection, Chekhov explores themes of mortality, materialism, and the search for meaning in life. The story ends with Ivan feeling a sense of contentment and appreciation for the simple joys of life, such as the taste of ripe gooseberries. Read in English, unabridged.