This Is How Scatterbrained He Is

The poem "This Is How Scatterbrained He Is" was published in 1930. In terms of the number of reprints, it is the most popular work of Samuel Marshak. The prototype of the main character was the Soviet physical chemist I.A. Kablukov, who was renowned for his impracticality and absent-mindedness. However, some contemporaries of Marshak saw in the "scatterbrained" traits of the author himself.

The plot of the book is well known: a scatterbrained man from Leningrad's Basseinaya Street puts on completely unsuitable clothes, then goes to the train station and sits for two days in a detached carriage, believing that the train is taking him to Moscow. Unlike other characters of Marshak, who shave, saw, deliver mail, and put out fires, this one is not assigned to any task.

The image of the "scatterbrained" is rather satirical, but thanks to the illustrations by Aminadav Kanевский, he appears as a cute and charming oddball. Moreover, his "scatterbrained" personality closely resembles the author – this is exactly how Marshak looked in the thirties of the last century; he walked to work with such a briefcase filled with manuscripts.

The educational value of the book is undoubted. The intentional distortion, the "inversion" amuses the young reader. After all, he already has modest life experience and knows that a frying pan is not clothing, and gloves are not worn on the feet. Essentially, "The Scatterbrained Man from Basseinaya Street" reinforces the child's correct understanding of the norm, teaches composure, calmness, and prudence; otherwise, one might make a hundred foolish mistakes. It is also important to listen to those around you, and sometimes one can consult with someone. After all, the main character received answers to his questions, but he only heard himself.