The Childhood of Maxim Gorky

The hot-tempered patriarch and owner of the dye shop, Vasili’s clashes over inheritance and pride destabilize the family. He teaches Alexei to read, but his outbursts contribute to the shop’s decline and the household’s turmoil. In the end, his failures and humiliations underline the fragility of wealth and status. He remains a flawed but pivotal figure in Alexei’s early moral education.

Grandmother Akulina is the enduring matriarch who keeps the family together amid hardship. She preserves stories and traditions, offering moral support and steadiness when others falter. Her strength contrasts with the male volatility around her and helps shape Alexei’s sense of Russian identity. She remains a stabilizing force as the family endures turmoil.

Uncle Mikhail is driven by resentment over inheritance and the fear of losing status. He manipulates family dynamics, aligning with jealousy to undermine the grandfather and torment Alexei. His actions embody the darker side of kinship and the corrosive power of greed. His presence intensifies Alexei’s awareness of social inequality.

Vanya is a compassionate, father-like figure to Alexei who protects him from harm and embodies empathy in a harsh world. He dies tragically while carrying a heavy cross, a death born of circumstances and someone’s malice, leaving Alexei with a deep sense of loss. His bond with the boy helps shape Alexei’s moral framework and view of the vulnerable.

An unnamed lodger who shares the household, signaling the broader social milieu surrounding the family. His presence adds a layer of interaction with outsiders and hints at the wider world of craft, labor, and education that touches the family’s life. He embodies the era’s social mix and the potential for new connections.

Alexei, the boy who will become Maxim Gorky, endures hardship, violence, and poverty while forming a lifelong love of reading and storytelling. He learns from the Grandfather and the chemist, and gradually decides to work and study to support himself and his mother. His empathy for the less fortunate and his early critical view of society set the stage for his future as a writer. He ultimately chooses independence and self-education over passive endurance.

Varvara is the mother who returns to her own life pursuit, eventually marrying and planning to take Alexei to Moscow for schooling. She embodies maternal love and the limits placed on women by social norms, choosing personal happiness over a stable family life. Her departure marks a turning point for Alexei, fueling his resolve to forge a path on his own.

Old Grigori is a poor, aging beggar whose decline mirrors the neglect of the elderly poor in society. His interactions with the family highlight the social costs of poverty and the gulf between different generations. His presence in the film underscores themes of vulnerability and the consequences of social inattention.