Taras Bulba, and Other Tales

"Taras Bulba, and Other Tales" by Nikolai Vasilevich Gogol is a compilation of tales from the early 1800s, with the main story about Taras Bulba, a tough Cossack leader, and his sons after they come home from school. The story happens during a time of trouble in Ukraine, showing courage, being true to your people, and pride in your culture while groups fight in Eastern Europe. When the story starts, Taras Bulba meets his sons, Ostap and Andrii, with lots of energy, showing he loves them like a father but is also a fighter. Their reunion is funny but also a little rough as Taras jokes around and tests their strength. He doesn't think much of what they learned in school and wants them to be true Cossacks. The way his family acts, especially how Taras wants to be tough and strong while his wife is caring, shows how hard it is to stick to old ideas about what it means to be a man when things are changing, which makes way for the story to look into bigger ideas.