My Elder Brother

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The main characters are Nicky and Valodya. Nicky is the narrator and younger brother. Valodya is his elder brother and is better in lessons, arguments, behaviour, and popularity.

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Nicky is younger than Valodya by one year and three months. This age difference is important because it makes Nicky feel the gap between them very keenly.

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Nicky felt inferior because Valodya was better than him in lessons, cleverer in arguments, better behaved, and more popular. This made Nicky feel tormented and unhappy.

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Valodya was generous and large-hearted during quarrels. Even when there was conflict, he did not openly boast about his superiority and later took the first step toward reconciliation.

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'Large-hearted' means generous and kind. Valodya shows this quality when he forgives Nicky and starts the reconciliation himself after the quarrel.

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'Mania' means a strong craze or excessive enthusiasm for something. Valodya had short-lived intense hobbies such as pictures, painting, curios, and novels.

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Valodya kept changing his hobbies. He became interested in pictures, then painting, then curios, and then novels. Each interest lasted only for a few weeks.

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The quarrel began when Nicky accidentally knocked Valodya's scent bottle off the table and it broke. Valodya accused Nicky of doing it on purpose, and the argument began.