A Chameleon by Anton Chekhov

About the Book

Title: A Chameleon
Author: Anton Chekhov
Genre: Society
Year of Publication: 1884
Pages: often ~5–15 pages depending on edition and formatting

Summary: What the Book Is About

This story happens in a small town market square. A man says a small dog bit his finger, and a police inspector starts an investigation. But the inspector keeps changing his decision again and again after hearing new details about who the dog might belong to. The story is simple, but it clearly shows fear, status, and hypocrisy in everyday life.

Short quote (for learners): “Help me off with my coat.”

English Level

• CEFR: B1 (confident B1) to B2 (comfortable)
• Learners preparing for: IELTS 5.0–6.0 (or equivalent)

Why: the plot is clear, but you will meet older-style words and formal speech patterns in many translations.

Why this book is helpful for English learners

This story is short, so it is great for focused practice. If you read it with small daily goals (10–15 minutes), you can improve several skills without getting tired.

Skills it supports

• Reading: you practice speed reading with a complete story arc (beginning → conflict → ending).

• Vocabulary: you learn social and “power” vocabulary (authority, rules, blame, excuses).

• Idioms & set phrases: you meet repeated patterns like blame-shifting and polite address.

• Grammar in context: you see commands, short dialogues, and quick transitions in tone.

If you read inside Linguapress app, you can highlight repeated phrases and review them later with spaced repetition.

Estimated unique words: ~900–1,200 (depends on translation and edition length).
To make this practical, try a simple learner plan:

• Read once for the story (no dictionary).

• Read again and underline repeated words.

• Read a third time and retell the plot in 6–8 simple sentences.

Mini word list to notice (examples)

• rank / authority / order

• witness / crowd / complaint

• punish / fine / rules

• polite titles / formal address

If you track these inside Linguapress app, you’ll quickly see which words and patterns the story uses again and again.

Tip: After you finish, open Linguapress app and record a 60-second summary in your own words. Then listen and fix 3–5 sentences.

User Reviews

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “It’s very short, so I finished it fast. The message is strong, and the ending is sharp.”

⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Some words feel old, but the story is easy to follow. I liked the simple plot and clear irony.”

⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Great for practice, but I needed a second read to catch the tone. Still worth it.”

Average Rating: 4.3 / 5

Did You Know?

1. The story is often dated to 1884, and it is commonly listed as a short satirical piece from Chekhov’s early period.
2. The title “chameleon” works as a metaphor: the main authority figure “changes color” in his opinion depending on who might be important.
3. Many editions describe it as a very small сценка / “little scene,” meaning it was written to be quick, vivid, and punchy.

Similar Books You Might Enjoy

If you liked the social satire and the “power game” theme, try these:

1. Animal Farm — George Orwell (power, fear, and changing truth)

2. The Overcoat — Nikolai Gogol (bureaucracy and social status)

3. The Bet — Anton Chekhov (short, moral tension, simple but deep plot)

All of them help you practice reading meaning in short scenes—not only individual words.