# Vladimir Ivanovich Schavinsky — Short Fiction character guide

> Vladimir Ivanovich Schavinsky in Short Fiction by Aleksandr Kuprin.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Schavinsky, Vladimir Ivanovich

**First appearance:** 0002-the-river-of-life

## Snapshot

A well-dressed, sharp-tongued Petersburg painter and newspaper aristocrat who lends half sovereigns to reporters and watches the world with a frowning, appraising eye.

## Who they are

Schavinsky moves easily between the drawing rooms of society and the dingy back room of 'The Glory of Petrograd,' where reporters scribble and drink and trade unprintable gossip. He is generous, amused, and quietly fastidious — he thinks 'Swine!' at a spitting officer — yet he keeps coming back to the rough company. His painter's eye and social ease make him the natural lens through which the story's overlapping worlds of art, journalism, and violence come into focus.

## In the story

### [Captain Ribnikov](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/chapters/captain-ribnikov)

A journalist who becomes obsessed with observing and uncovering Ribnikov's true identity.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/chapters/i)

A journalist on a large Petersburg paper who meets Ribnikov at the end of the chapter.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/chapters/ii)

Visits the 'Glory of Petrograd' restaurant; observes Captain Ribnikov with growing suspicion.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/chapters/iii)

A journalist and collector of human types, he obsessively shadows Captain Ribnikov, suspecting him of being a Japanese spy.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/chapters/iv)

Schavinsky initiates a rude game of calling Ribnikov by Japanese generals' names, but later feels remorse and offers a peace-offering rose.

### [Mechanical Justice](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/chapters/mechanical-justice)

The lecturer and inventor of the mechanical flogging machine, who becomes the victim of his own device.

### [The Laestrygonians](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/chapters/the-laestrygonians)

Obsessed with collecting human types and observing the absurdity of fate.

### [A Legend](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/chapters/a-legend)

The host, dressed in a red dressing-gown, pretends to be overwhelmed by creative inspiration and begins improvising a story to the violinist's music.

### [The Army Ensign](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/chapters/the-army-ensign)

A journalist who observes and interacts with Captain Ribnikov, fascinated by his psychological state.

### [The Piebald Horses](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/chapters/the-piebald-horses)

Not present in this chapter.

### [Roach Hole](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/chapters/roach-hole)

The narrator, who recounts his encounters with the Black Roach over many years, visiting him in his squalid room and later receiving his final letter.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/chapters/ii)

The student, referred to as Drzhevetzky, observes the three Jews and their behavior on the steamer.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/characters/schavinsky
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/characters