The 20th-Century Russian Novel: Revolution, Terror, Resistance

Envy 77-86

Anwyn Urquhart

pg. 77 — Ivan Babichev
The brother of Andrei Babichev. He tells stories from his youth of the shenanigans he got into. An inventor and a bit of a drunk. He had an engineering job and now he does bar tricks for beer. He has been mentioned before but isn't formally introduced until this point. He comes to represent the envious with Kavalerov. Ivan, however, seems to be more consumed by this emotion and eggs on Kavalerov to take action against Andrei.

pg. 79 — Galileo
Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) was an engineer and astronomer. He is most famous for his theory about how all the planets orbit the sun, not the Earth. This theory earned him an enemy in the Pope, who went on to put him under house arrest and ban all his works. In Envy Ivan is compared to Galileo whilst being beaten by his father. It might be implying that Ivan was in the right, and his father is in the wrong, yet Ivan is still punished.

pg. 81 — Ernest Vitollo
Aeronaut who flies a hot air ballon over the city. A made-up character inspired by Olesha's fascination with aviation. He is the only thing that Babichev's father fears.

pg. 84 — clod
A lump of dirt or clay

pg. 86 — patresfamilias
The oldest man in the family who had full authority over the family. Originally from ancient Rome.

This page has paths:

This page references: