Short Fiction · Character

Lelechka

A child whose name recurs like a refrain through Sologub's stories, her small world of samovars and rooms standing in for all the tenderness and neglect of childhood.

supporting

Also known as III The samovar, III Lelechka, VII Lelechka, V Lelechka

First appearance: Short Fiction

As a supporting figure in Short Fiction, Lelechka is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Appears in a vignette involving hide and seek with her mother.

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Lelechka is a girl — sometimes a very young one — whose days unfold among adults who are distracted, tired, or absorbed in their own dramas. The recurring samovar in her scenes is telling: she is often near the warm, domestic objects of a household without being fully held by the people in it. Her vulnerability and her watchfulness make her one of Sologub's most affecting figures, and her early appearances set the emotional register for the stories she inhabits.

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Character Web

23 connections

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Relationship types

Psychological
Family
Other

Character groups

Focal and household figures
Recurring domestic characters
Diverse recurring and allegorical figures
Minor story arc characters

+18 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This is the story's dramatic climax because the old man undergoes a profound psychological reversal, abandonin…

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Relationships

White Mother Easter
psychological · ambivalent
Lelechka appears to be under the spell or close guardianship of White Mother Easter,… How this plays out →
Serafima Alexandrovna
family · positive
Serafima Alexandrovna
family · positive
White Mother Easter
psychological · ambivalent
Lelechka appears to be under the spell or close guardianship of White Mother Easter,… How this plays out →

White Mother Easter
Lelechka appears to be under the spell or close guardianship of White Mother Easter, suggesting a controlling or obsessive bond.
Serafima Alexandrovna
Lelechka and Serafima Alexandrovna are probably mother and daughter, with Serafima acting as a protective or strict parent.
Serafima Alexandrovna
Lelechka and Serafima Alexandrovna are probably mother and daughter, with Serafima acting as a protective or strict parent.
White Mother Easter
Lelechka appears to be under the spell or close guardianship of White Mother Easter, suggesting a controlling or obsessive bond.

Relationship notes

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In the story

Lelechka appears across 17 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Short Fiction
Appears in a vignette involving hide and seek with her mother.
Light and Shadows
Mentioned in a fleeting image of childhood games, representing lost innocence.
III
Lelechka is mentioned as 'III The samovar' in the excerpt title, but does not appear in the text.
Hide and Seek
Lelechka is central to the chapter, playing hide and seek with her mother, which symbolizes the innocence and vulnerability of childhood.
I
A charming, lively child who delights her mother with her sweet voice and playful nature.
II
The young lady who plays hide-and-seek with her mother
III
The sleeping child at the center of her mother's thoughts and Fedosya's ominous warning.
IV
The obedient child repeatedly plays hide-and-seek, crying 'Tiu-tiu!', which triggers her mother's dread.
V
Falls asleep in her little bed, whispering 'tiu-tiu' as she drifts off.
VI
Dies of fever after three days of illness.
VII
The dead child, dressed and placed in a little coffin.
VIII
The deceased child, lying pale and smiling pathetically in her coffin.
The White Mother
Associated with innocence and childhood, possibly in relation to the White Mother's protective or transformative role.
The Sweet-Scented Name
The little peasant girl who lies ill and remembers the angel's name in a dream.
The Kiss of the Unborn
Appears as an unborn or deceased child, central to the chapter's theme of innocence and death.
The Herald of the Beast
Lelechka's innocence is contrasted with the herald's ominous presence, highlighting the theme of innocence and corruption.
The Tiny Man
The tiny man is identified as Lelechka, a small child-like figure who embodies innocence and fragility.

Chapter companion notes

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