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

Sofia Petrovna 8-14

Faith

pg. 9 — Anna Grigorviena  

The chairman of the Mestkom. She has dirty nails, a trait that annoys Sofia Petrovna.

pg. 11 — Komsomol
The Komsomol was a political youth organization active during the Soviet Union. Koyla applied and was admitted. He was an avid supporter of the Soviet regime and often explained to his mother its greatness. Natasha tried to join but was continuously rejected because her family was too linked to the resistance when the Soviet Union was coming to power. This had an immense emotional impact on her because she did actively support the regime and wanted to be a part of the organization. Her disappointment may also have been heightened because she and Koyla had a romance together, and she may have wanted to join more as a way of closer unison with him.  

pg. 11  Marya Ivanovna
The elevator woman. Originally quite insignificant, doing her job or serving as a tray hostess at work holiday celebrations. After the widespread fear and accusations though it becomes clear she takes this power to her head. As seen on pg. 65 she accused Natasha of being too close to the director because they stood too close to one another on the elevator or that she was dirty. This exemplifies how widespread suspicion was and how quickly someone could change their views of someone else due to a simple word mistake from "Red" to "Ret."

pg. 12  Alik Finkelstein
Koyla’s best friend, he comes from a poorer background and lives with his aunt. He was becoming an engineer alongside Koyla until Koyla was arrested under an accusation of being against the Soviet Union by a previous classmate, Sasha Yartzev. When questioned on Koyla's innocence, Alik chose to stick by the truth and was taken to prison for suspicion as well instead of confirming lies against Koyla as a resistor of the Soviet Union. This scene can be seen as an opposing honorable martyrdom in comparison to Soviet Realism's idea of martyrdom for the betterment of the state. 

pg. 14  Degtyarenko
A policeman who lives with his family in Fyodor’s former study. The wife often comforts Sofia Petrovna after Koyla is taken away and ultimately convinces Sofia Petrovna to not help Koyla in his call for help in his letter. However, she did this to protect Sofia Petrovna and her son despite that it may have influenced Sofia to give up on her son coming up. 

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