SELF-SACRIFICE AS THE HIGHEST FORM OF GOOD IN K. G. PAUSTOVSKY'S SHORT STORY "THE SCRUFFY SPARROW"

The article examines the problem of self-sacrifice as the highest moral value in K. G. Paustovsky’s short story “The Scruffy Sparrow.” The analysis focuses on the artistic system of the work, in which the motifs of kindness, gratitude, memory, and fidelity form an integral moral and philosophical space. Special attention is paid to the image of the sparrow Pashka as a bearer of the idea of selfless service to others, as well as to the symbolism of the crystal bouquet, which unites the themes of love, promise, and spiritual continuity. It is demonstrated that self-sacrifice in the story manifests itself on different levels — human and “natural” — allowing the author to affirm the universal nature of good as the foundation of a harmonious world order. The article concludes by emphasizing the significance of a child’s perception of the world and of art (theater) in the formation of moral values and in the artistic concept of the work.