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

The Aviator 225-252

pg. 229 — Muromtsev 
Professor Muromstev manages the cryogenics laboratory that Innokenty is frozen in. He is genuinely concerned for Innokenty's well-being and tries to make the time before he is frozen as manageable as possible in a labor camp, although they both know that he will be frozen regardless. 

pg. 231 — Zheltkov
Zheltkov is a government official who approaches Innokenty and Nastya to offer his help. After a fairly aggressive and formal tea for press purposes, he leaves Nastya and Innokenty some pastries. Zheltkov is representatives of many interest groups (government, industrial, media) that approach Innokenty to selfishly capitalize on his suffering and resultant fame.

pg. 235 — money
Money is initially a large component of Innokenty's and Nastya's life. As Innokenty becomes more famous and Nastya attempts to search for additional sources of income for their new life together, money is a source of tension and blatantly criticizes commercialized modern-day life. Time and again, Innokenty is used as a tool to market products and capitalize off of his frozen history. Not only do the advertisement deals and public appearances undermine his intellectual curiosity, cultural capital, and unique perspectives as someone who lived through Russian societal turmoil, but they also taint his marriage with Nastya. While Nastya is understandably pleased by how easily companies offer money in exchange for her husband's appearance or endorsement, she is distracted by the fame and mere association to her husband. Nastya's view of money, compared to Innokenty's, is particularly interesting to see develop throughout the novel, as earning money is a way for each of them to show their love for each other. In the beginning, Nastya does her best to act like a "pragmatic wife," finding potential tenants and arranging company meetings for her new life with Innokenty. He recognizes her proactiveness as an expression of life, only slightly tainted by personal motivations for fame and attention. However, as Innokenty's health deteriorates, Nastya recognizes that the best way for her to express her love for Innokenty is naturally and intimately without money's influence while Innokenty, knowing he will die soon, throws away his pride in hopes of leaving his family some money to live off of. 

pg. 236 — Zayatsky Island 
One of multiple Solovetsky Islands special purpose camps (SLON), the Zayatsky Island was a camp where victims of rape and sexual assault were sent to be punished for "sexual debauchery," according to Innokenty (Vodolazkin 236). Other islands that made up the large SLON labor camp system included Bolshaya Muksalma, Malaya Muksalma, Anzer, Bolshoy Zayatsky, Maly Zayatsky and Popov islands.  

pg. 236 — Smolny Institute
The Smolny Institute was created to educate young noblewomen, compared to the Novodevichii Institute that served the daughters of commoner. It operated as an educational institution from the early 19th century until the 1917 revolution, after which it became a government and administrative building. In the context of The Aviator, the young noble women that once attended the esteemed Smolny Institute were violated and degraded by state representatives, officials, and soldiers. 

pg. 238 — Motherland LLC
Motherland LLC is a company advertised during Innokenty's press conference. The LLC means that Motherland LLC is a limited liability corporation, meaning that reduces the financial and debt obligations of a corporation's owners. A reporter's joke about liability leads into a deeper discussion of individual responsibility and control over one's life. Innokenty does not criticize how LLCs reduce the amount of responsibility company owners must take on in managing a company, but he focuses on his life experience by concluding that each person is responsible for their own fate and actions. Liability is an important theme throughout The Aviator and Motherland LLC is one of many mechanisms Vodolazkin uses to highlight the importance of unlimited personal liability. 

pg. 251 — Mother Heroine
Mother Heroine was a title given to mothers of large, healthy families in the Soviet Union. Women who had more than ten children received recognition from the state and were also given pensions and other forms of financial assistance. From its period of issuance (1944 - 1991) some 430,000 women received the award. 

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