Anwyn Urquhart

pg. 96 — Obvodny Canal
The Obvodny Canal is the longest canal in St. Petersburg, Russia. It runs 8 km between the Neva river and a sea port. 

pg. 96 — three letters to Comrade Stalin
Sofia Petrovna writes three letters to Stalin asking him for information about Kolya. This is demonstration of Sofia's continued dedication to the State that put her son in jail. After reading about all the grueling things she went through to find out any sort of information about her son she is given nothing, yet she still has faith. She still has faith that her Comrade Stalin will help her out. This scene also highlights the relationship many people had with Stalin at the time. It shows the people recognized him as someone in a place of power (he would know what happened to Kolya), but at the same time he is approachable (Sofia feels like he would help her even though they have never met).

pg. 97 — “people are being released”
A moment of hope for Sofia Petrovna that allows her to imagine and to be optimistic. It is news that comes to her via a friend which is to say Sofia herself has no proof of this. It could have been rumor, thus a method of self preservation so that all hope isn't lost, or it could have been true, but we never find out.

pg. 98 — cluttered house
We see Sofia Petrovna literally falling apart in her house/room as she is trying to find out what happened to Kolya by herself. The other members of the house then threaten to use her messiness as rational for reporting her as a "saboteur" and getting her deported so they can have her space. This is an example of the paranoia and the fear that existed in the State. People were able to report people for illegitimate things and the police/government were likely to arrest that person.