Absurdistan Overview

Absurdistan is a very unique read even for someone who has read quite a bit. For some this uniqueness might be make the book a good read but for me it seemed to over complicate the reading to the point where it was hard to discern the important from the meaningless. Gary Shteyngart was so wrapped up in creating a sardonic tone and a caustic narration that he failed to make the plot convincing. Although Misha did have all the gluttonous charateristics we could relate to, and even some of the charitable ones, he remained to caustic for the reader to get close to. This was coupled with the fact that all the environments misha seems to get put in only seem to support the bizzarity of the book. At some points I would feel pity for Misha afterall his situation is a bad one, and in these moments I would feel some brief connection with his character, but it would not be long till Misha made a comment that seemed to ruin that connection. It is this inability to keep a certain feeling going or to flow smoothly into the next that makes this book a very difficult read. Perhaps if I read it again I would feel more enticed, but this first reading was not at all as entertaining as I would have hoped when I was picking out my novel. The book was a relatively funny satire of modernday Russia and its socially and economically elite class but as far as entertainment value goes Absurdistan is not up for any awards in my book.

Final Thoughts

During the past several weeks, I have been reading several different books. Some for fun, others because I had to. But I consistently found myself choosing to read Absurdistan. It was a perfect mixture of vulgarity, satire, social cometary and adventure. On several occasions on my plane ride to Arizona, I laughed out loud as I read and the other passengers would stare at me. It has been a very long time since I have laughed out loud at a book. I totally agree with Lars when he says Shteyngart was funny, and the humor was just part of the story. There weren't sections that were written to be 'funnier' then the rest. Absurdistan also acts as a mirror to the absurdity of Western culture. I'm not entirely certain what I'm supposed to think of Absurdistan's description Russia. The description of the 'grand old U.S.S.R' is completely over-the-top and overly nostalgic and proved to be one of my favorite parts of the book. The reader is forced to look at the oddities of American culture through a different perspective. Although I didn't have a problem with the vulgarity, I'm sure others did and with good reason. Every time Mr.s Jarret says we need to write a proposal our book for summer reading I laugh because there is no way Absurdistan could ever be a summer reading book. On multiple occasions, there is extremely graphic description of sex, which in some cases, should just be left to the readers imagination. The book also required a high level of knowledge of world affairs, especially regarding the United States and the Middle East. The best person to read Absurdistan would be an avid viewer of The Daily Show or The Colbert Report. In conclusion, I loved every minute of Absurdistan. From Misha crying under his bed in his hotel in Absurdistan, eating four buckets of buffalo wings and watching porn, to his descriptions of the 'bastard Professor Shteynfarb'. I look foreword reading others books by Gary Shteyngart.

Absurdistan reflection

In my opinion this book is great. It's humor and satire keeps the book interesting, funny, and fun to read. Although the book was gross and hard to read at times, like Misha's encounter with lybia, it was still a good read and the satire helps the reader stay on topic throughout the book. My favorite part of the book is not one specific part. It is the witty and satirical humor that can be found throughout the book and not just in one part. This meant that when reading a witty joke comes up here and there it is not just in one spot then it never surfaces again. The title of the book is very fitting not just because there is a country named Absurdistan in the book but because the book as a whole is absurd. All the things that happen are strange and even the main character himself is strange. Though the story line is strange and gross at times the humor shows through and really makes this book a great read. Overall Absurdstan is a great book because of its witty humor and should be recommended to all people that like satire.

And in the end....

Above all this novel caught me off balance. So many things within it were original and overcame expectations. The single element that stands out most to me is the humor. When a book read in school is described with such words as "witty" or "funny" , even " hilarious" I am hesitant. Usually those books are not funny, just someone trying to be that. But the thing about this book was it was actually funny, and didnt look like it was trying to hard. Misha was Misha and he does funny things, but he is believable. Stemming of the funniness of this novel is the satire. It was very well done, high brow yet accessible to 10th graders. One could analyze for satire as we do another book for deeper meaning. And once again, it didnt feel forced. It wasn't like the reader could be like "oh here is the satire section" it was constant and through out, with varying levels of subtly. This feat goes entirely to author who not only kept a constant voice for his characters , but also a constant satire. Its been said its harder to do comedy then drama, and for that reason we must fully acknowledge the brilliance of the author. He has created a book that , in the highest sense, earns the praise of "witty", "funny" , "hilarious", and brilliant.

This is the end...... my only friend the end.....

Overall I enjoyed absurdistan, despite it's disgusting sense of humor I genuinely laughed at some of the characters and jokes. The book provides an interesting view on the western world that was refreshing. The book unlike many of the books I have read throughout my life is original. Unlike many of the books I've read for school things happen that you didn't expect. I feel like some of the details in the book were unwelcome and unnecessary. We don't need Misha's penis personified in ten different way, and I think that the number of orgasms caused by food in a book should be limited to one or two tops. I don't have many criticism of the book other than it's too mature theme for you average person. I liked that it dealt with soviet Russia because marxism and the soviet union are funny to me. I enjoyed the characters in the book and thought they were refreshing compared to characters such as Mate. Misha is always up to some shenanigans and constantly trying to do the right thing but often fails to identify what the right thing to do is. I would give this book a 8/10 meaning that I would read the book outside of school if I knew about it.

TEH ENDZORS

Misha, Timofey, Rouenna, Soooooooooviet Russia, the Absurdvani, and Beloved Papa. This novel by Shteyngart turned out to be quite a tale, although one I could do without. The novel seemed to be an attempt at weirding out half the populace of the western world. The vivid sexual scenes without actual intercourse confused me and alarmed me, and I don’t think they really added to the story any beyond pitching Misha as a gradually more sorry and pitiful character. Speaking of Misha, I thought I would be fond of the character throughout the book when I had started reading it, but as I got further into the Enigma that is Shteyngart's imagination, I realized that he is someone I would very certainly hate in real life. One instance of the unnecessary use of sex in the book, I bring the reader’s attention to the ‘play’ with a KGB officer and a prostitute talk vividly about sex… and it really doesn’t further the plot much at all in my opinion. While talking about the plot, I must mention the giant analogy that is Absurdistan. It screams “I AM AFGHANISTAN!” The satire Shteyngart uses to show the reader the ‘absurdity’ of the middle eastern situation today is so very well done. I think Shteygart’s descriptive and satiric abilities are extraordinary yet… oh, misguided and misused, shall we say?

Did anyone notice...

...That the reason Absurdvani started this civil war was for attention, and that in the modern world this is the only way to gain international fame?

...The massive numbers of references to 9/11? according to the book, Misha left the Mountain Jews on the night of september tenth, 2001, with the intent of arriving in New York by any means necessary. He could have been on the flight, or (really stretching it here) maybe he CAUSED 9/11 to distract authorities.

...That Timofey is over 60 and he still suffers so much at the hands of his employer?

...That absurdistan is a model for the failure of capitalism, which relies on at least one skill per country? (Australia has wool, We have technology, Arabia has oil, etc).

...The inside joke that no american could locate Absurdistan on a map?

Post #5: Reflection

Overall, I thought that Absurdistan was an interesting novel but certainly not one I would recommend to anyone else. I realize that the novel is a satire, but everything that was completely blown out of proportion got old quickly. Also, there were many unnecessarily graphic scenes, when those scenes could have been summed up more appropriately. I did like Shteyngart's characterization of Misha and his portrayal of the various settings. I felt like I got to know Misha and what he stands for a lot more as the novel progressed. Shteyngart's style of writing is very unique, but not enjoyable. It's mainly descriptions, one after another, which makes for a tiresome read. The novel seemed to lack color and emotions as well. I never really felt positively or negatively towards a character, character's emotions were all very distant from the reader. Overall, Absurdistan merits 2 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Blog Post 5: Overview

Absurdistan was really unlike any other book I had ever read. Shteyngart has an incredibly unique writing style, that was enjoyable at some points but after awhile it just became abrasive. This was certainly true of the unfortunately descriptive sexual scenes. Another thing that bothered me about the book was the main character. I simply didn’t like Misha. Despite his revered “American education” he came off as extremely unintelligent and uncultured. His constant self-gratification was also annoying to me, and left me with no pity for his enormous weight. Personally, I more enjoy books with characters that are smarter than me. That was not the feeling I got reading about Misha’s pathetic exploits. I was happy that he seemed to get more competent towards the end of the book. The thing I truly enjoyed about was the satire and political commentary. The satire of Haliburton was, in my mind, spot-on and well deserved. The scene of the barbeque with “laid-back Texans” was probably the funniest in the book. To be honest, I didn’t feel that strongly about the book one way or another. The storyline was interesting, but it was presented in a way that only started enjoyably, but became less and less so very quickly.

Absurdistan Reflection

Although Absurdistan can be quite disgusting and morally crude at times, the book wasn't all that bad.  Shteyngart's unique style of writing makes for a pretty interesting read.  The dark and clever humor, including the satire, provides comedic relief from the somewhat depressing book.  Another great aspect of the book was the imagery.  Shteyngart describes almost every event in the book with a vast array of vocabulary that appeals to the readers senses.  Unfortunately, I think the book would have been better if all of the profanity and dirty scenes had been left out.  These scenes, however, do help develop Misha's character and the plot of the book, but they do seem unnecessary at times.  Shteyngart incorporates politics and politicians into the book, but I didn't really understand all of the political jokes.  Besides the politics, I think I caught the main points of the book.  All in all, the book was descent.

Week Five

Welcome to Week Five, and our last week week of blogging. This week's post should be on your overall thoughts about the book. It must be a ten sentence reflection. You do not need to comment on anyone else's blog, but your post should be up here by Sunday, March 29 You should have made up any missing work by then as well.

Post 4 question

Why does Misha like America so much when he clearly prefers the Russian culture that he has lived in for so long?

Blog #4: If Julia Alvarez met Gary Shteyngart...

Let's preface this question with the fact that I've been brainwashed by ITB and Julia Alvarez's constant need to be represented by a character in her own book. The reporter... very clever.
Anyone see any connection between professor Shteynfarb and author Gary Shteyngart? I've been mixing the two names up in every one of the last blogs I'm sure, sorry for that, but it's as if it's meant to happen. The professor is a character portrayed as the evil man who steals poor Misha's girlfriend, but it seems a satirist would have fun portraying himself as such. It helps that we know little to no credible information about the man. Hmm... I've intrigued myself. Comments much appreciated.

Question (this time not an accidental copy of Charlie's)

What aspect of Misha does sleeping with Lyuba show? (eg. It shows his willingness to disregard his father...... etc.)

Question

Why does a man who wants to leave Russia so badly express so much pride in Russian culture?

Question

Does Misha's overwhelming girth change how we feel towards the character or how he is character is portrayed?

In Soviet Russia...

Why does Misha remember the 'glory' days of the Soviet Union fondly, but still seek a capitalist nation?

Is absurdistan an accurate model of capitalism in third-world or post-soviet countries?

Post 3: Thought-Provoking Question

What is the significance behind the title of the book? Why did Shteyngart choose to give the fictional Eastern Europe county this name?

WWMD? ... k that was weak.

Has Misha's character changed (from the beginning) when he starts getting involved in the civil war in Absurdistan, or has he always been that way? What were his motives?

Blog Post 4: Question

Do you think Misha is a realistic character, that is, do you think anyone like him could exist in the real world?

Post #4: Question

Do you think that Rouenna truly loves Misha for who he is, or is she just using him for his wealth?

Thought-Provoking Question

Why does Misha Vainberg, a man who treats Timofey and many other characters like dirt, decide to start an organization for underprivileged children?

Week Four

Welcome to Week Four!

For this week's blog you will post a thought-provoking question that does not have only one answer. Remember that you must make 10 comments this week, not 5. Please do not leave this until the last minute, you have the whole week to get it done.

Post 3: Figurative Language and Literary Elements

In Absurdistan, Shteyngart uses figurative language almost constantly, though he only uses a handful of different kids. One of the most prominent, and frequent examples of figurative language is hyperbole. Misha often describes things to be much more extraordinary then they accurately are. Though I don't believe Misha does this on purpose, it is just how he sees the world. Another example is imagery. It is used a great deal throughout the story, most often to highlight the excess that Misha exemplifies. The most prominent literary element in the novel, by far, has been satire. Shteyngart uses Misha's larger then life personality, and the stereotypical lens through which he views the world to make cometary on a variety of topics spanning from the foreign policy of the Bush Administration to sex. Posters before me have said that the satire of Russian history goes over their head, but I don't think the book was written with the idea that the reader with an excessive knowledge of Russian history in mind. I think almost all of the satire on Russia involves the stereotypes American's have of Cold War Russia. I have enjoyed Shteyngart politically and socially charged satire so far and look forward to it being a major component of the rest of the book!

Literary techniques/ figurative language post

Shteyngart uses many literary techniques in the book Absurdistan. The most prominant technique that he uses is satire. He uses the country Absurdistan to show what happens in the world today in battles between countries over the rights to control a good source of money. Absurdistan also has oil which could be satire of the battles over oil that have gone on in the middle east for many years. Though literary techniques like satire are used throughout the book Shteyngart also makes use of figurative language. He uses figurative language to describe the land that Misha is in. This figurative language is extremely helpful to the reader in picturing the barren landscapes of Russia and Absurdistan. Absurdistan makes use of many literary techniques and much figurative language and these elements ultimately make the book much better for the reader.

The far side of the world

In the novel Absurdistan, we as the reader are taken to places unlike any we have been to. Places like Russia or even the made up nation of Absurdistan. And leading us to these new places , is the literal descriptions of the author. In Absurdistan i found myself paying more close attention to the authors language than i had to any literature i have read for a while. From descriptions of St.Petersburg's parks and strip clubs to the airport of Absurdistan, the author fills the pages with descriptions as the run through Misha's mind. And all these descriptions feel spot on two, as if they match everything i think of when i think eastern europe. While some may find this amount of descriptions cumbersome i enjoy it and feel it really adds to the novel

Blog #3: Fill-In-The-Blank Imagery

Barren landscapes in Russia with randomly scattered mosques.

More barren desert space in Absurdistan surrounded by far off oil drills.

The lack of landscape and excess of imagery on what actually exists truly makes Absurdistan the series of locations that it is. Misha gets off a plane in Absurdistan, immediately I picture heat. The kind of heat that only sun and little or no grass can bring. Like Las Vegas, the awkwardly placed and hyper-stimulating strip surrounded by unnoticeable strip malls for the locals in the first ring, residential districts of worn out southwestern style ramblers in the next tier, and finally, the distant wall-like stretch of desert that surrounds the completely libertarian and seemingly self-governed crater that houses our very own western city of lights, Las Vegas.

Absurdistan reminds me of this.

Yet, if Gary Shteyngart used that much imagery to describe Misha's place in the world at any given moment, not only would I have lost the book already but I'd be as over-stimulated while reading it as I was as a fifth grader gazing at the Las Vegas strip. By describing only those things that make an average American cringe (the tongue...the insect/iguana khui... his tree-trunk like father...the list goes on) the story is effective at bringing back the awkward post-soviet Russian feel so essential to Misha's character.

Possibly the best description of Misha yet was where he says "I'm an attractive kind of fat person..." and elaborates. Up until then, Misha was to me a disgusting creature living for nothing but food and sex. The sex was the puzzling thing to me... I hate to be the one to bring it up, but ew. Though Misha didn't rank astronomically higher on any desirability scale after his self critique, I was somewhat relieved. In addition to being less disgusted by the girls who do sleep with Misha, I was slightly happier with Misha's personality. It's as if he finally stands up for himself and admits he sees himself as deserving of something.

Way to go, Misha!

Post #3: Literary Elements

I believe that in the novel Absurdistan, Shteyngart primarily makes use of satire. Everything in the novel seems to be blown out of proportion. For example, the sad nation of Absurdistan, controlled by foreign powers and surviving only because of its oil, reflects how America and other imperialist nations have abused other areas of the world. Misha Vainberg makes reference to the "Belgian king of Congo", which is exactly what is happening in Absurdistan. The Americans in the novel don't care if many Svani and Sevo people die, they just want to protect their interests and could care less about the conflict. Another illustration of Shteyngart's satire is the depiction of post-Soviet Russia as a corrupted and wasted nation. People blow others' heads off with little consequence and everyone seems to be drunk. This may be true, I wouldn't know, but it seems to be awfully exagerrated. Russia is so bad that Misha, a proud Russian, seeks Belgian citizenship. Shteyngart also seems to have a fondness for listing off random brands and corporations. This further elevates the satire with corporations such as Kellogg, Brown and Root, which is a deviation of the Kellogg brand.

Absatirestan (Oh-ho-ho, eez fahnny 'cause eez trroo!)

ABSURDISTAN is a novel filled with, you guessed it (or at least i sure hope you did), satire. Shteyngart uses satire to ridicule the recent and current political situation in the middle east. Shteyngart is quite disapproving of the U.N. involvement, and persuades the reader to feel the same way by using Misha as a kind of feel-sorry-for-me appealer and by showing the plain rediculousness of the situation, which is crystal clear when the point of view is from the affected area itself. The imagery in the novel is substantial as well. Food and the memories (and fantasies) which it brings to Misha are all vivedly described, showing the author's talent of "show, don't tell."
I can personally account for his remarkable descriptions, as i believe most of the readers of this somewhat "dirty" book, due to lasting disturbing images brought on by reading the text of these pages.

yeah.

and i quote: "[something about looking at a green/blue colored bag between his legs] the infection set in the next day."

aaaah quit.

but not really, cuz its a sweet book.

The Language of Absurdistan

I think that it is Gary Shteyngart's use of descriptive language that is the most important aspect of the books feel. He always points out the most bizzare almost humorous aspects of anything to create the sarcastic attitude of the book. This attitude comes through particularly strong when Misha is in the middle of a particularly intense emotion, such as anger or rejection. A perfect example of the figurative language brought on by an intense emotion is the reaction Misha has to Rouenna leaving him for professor Shteynfarb. He immediately begins by describing a rather normal looking man and picking out every bizzare thing about how he looks and thus making him seem to be very odd looking, almost comical, in our heads. He quotes "I could see him now: an ugly little man, dry lips, a mowhawk of black hari carved out by teenage alopecia, dark lizzard puches beneath his eyes.." This type of brutally sardonic description is what gives the book its unique feel and caustic nature. Another of the more importan pieces of figurative language employed by Shteyngart is his use of metaphors and similes. " She was more like a modern day Anna Karinina..." it is similes like this that give the reader an insight into what Misha is really getting his views from. Both the similes and the descriptive language are the most important parts of the language of Absurdistan.

Figurative...?

I hate to say this, but other than the political/obesity jokes, I don't see this as anything other than what it is. Misha is dumb as a tree when he tries to understand something, but (and this is because I'm late in the book) other politicals in the book seem to be smarter. For example, when he visits his new girlfriends house, the owners allude that they do not want the UN, but America. This is obviously a reference to their ultimate goal. I would say what it is, but that'd be telling, wouldn't it?
Anyway, I do get the satire and the political jokes, but I don't see anything that requires very much thought. Well, anything above a basic "Oh.".

Literary Elements

In Absurdistan Shteyngart is constantly making observations and comparisons between American and Russian culture. Often times these comparisons are subtle and aren't easily noticeable. Like when Misha is talking to the Absurdi whore who refuses to sleep with him, she will only work with people from "Golly Burton". This could be a reference to the forced prostitution of the middle east's natural resources to the western world. Of course many of these observations could just be a result of over analyzing. One thing I find interesting about the comparisons in the book only the small things seem to be different in New York and "St. Leninsburg", like how many pieces of bread you put on a sandwich or the name for the urban poor. Overall throughout the book New York and St. Petersburg are very similar which seems to be one of the main points of the book, how westernized Russia fails. The use of allusions between the cultural powers in the book shows how westernized Russia is both similar and different from the United States.

Blog Post 3: Satire

In my opinion, it is impossible to talk about Absurdistan without a reference to Shteyngart’s use of satire. Unfortunately, the satire about Russian history and writers goes almost entirely over my head. The satire that surfaces when MIsha arrives in Absurdistan, however, is pertinent to almost any American who pays at least a little attention to global news. I believe Shteyngart’s satire of Absrudistan has more than one level. Most obviously, Absurdistan is satirized as an ex-Soviet republic. The country is depicted as a political football, with the Russian, EU, and American forces all trying to control it, and it is therefore unable to actually govern itself. In this instance of satire, it seems Shteyngart does not so much have a commentary on the situation; he is merely illustrating the ridiculousness of it. I think the deeper level of satire shown in the book is when Shteyngart uses Absurdistan to comment on the involvement of America in the Middle East. The fact that Halliburton, or Golly Burton as the local call it, is really the ruling class of the country is obviously a reference to the Bush administration possibly unethical use of the corporation in Afghanistan. Other similarities between Absurdistan and countries like Afghanistan and Iraq, other than complete American control, is the vast availability of oil and warring religious factions. In this satire I think Shteyngart certainly is expressing his disapproval of our country’s foreign policy for the past eight years. Not wanting to offend any other politically inclined individual reading the book, I have to say I think Shteyngart is spot on.

Figurative Language

Shteyngart constantly uses figurative language in Absurdistan.  One prominent type of figurative language that is repeated throughout the book is imagery.  Shteyngart writes with descriptive words and makes odd comparisons that create a good sense of imagery.  Unfortunately, Shteyngart uses imagery in almost every event in the book, which seems to be unnecessary at times.  One particular instance where Shteyngart uses imagery is at the beginning of chapter 11, when Lyuba invites Misha over for "tea".  The lamb's tongue sandwich is described as, "very tasty and juicy, with extra horseradish and spicy mustard and garnished with a dollop of gooseberry preserve.  She (Lyuba) even prepared it in the American manner for me, with two pieces of bread instead of one."  This excerpt from Absurdistan describes the sandwich so that the reader can get a visual conception of what the sandwich looks like, and even what the sandwich may taste like.  Although not really relevant to the plot, this example of Shteyngart's use of imagery proves how descriptive and appealing to the senses the imagery is in Absurdistan.    

Week Three

Welcome to Week Three of the Discussion! This weeks discussion will run from Monday, March 9 to Sunday, March 15.

This week's discussion will be on figurative language and literary elements in your book. Please find an example of these in your book and POST a 10-sentence comment on it. Don't forget to comment on 5 other posts on this blog. You have all week to complete this assignment, please don't wait until the last minute.

The Motherland -- Strong Like Bull

The time period of the book is a little while after the fall of the soviet union. The mindset has gone from 'we must harvest the grain to make the young mans strong like bull to fight for the motherland!' to a kind of pro-crime 'for my own good, not the greater good' mindset. that last sentence probably made no sense to you, DEAR READER, but i liked it. and this post is for my own good, not the greater good. the setting impacts misha by how it brings out different characteristics in Misha -- he feels more comfortable with the peoples of the bronx than he does with the russian elites -- he sees them as uptight and possessing a sheltered mindset. I see crumbling buildings and stone faces in the setting. I understand the message being sent across quite well. the book could be set in say the mountains of afghanistan or something like that, but the character could live in a jewish farming and herding village in close proximity to a muslim village of equal condition, and i think the author could pull it off.

i am rambling now and not making sense.

GOOD NIGHT.

AND GOOD CLUCK.

LIKE A CHICKEN.

MMMMM.

CHICKEN.

Absurdistan: Setting

In Absurdistan, the setting is of utmost importance. This is so because it affects the main character, Misha, so much. He does not like the place where he lives in Russia and wants to go to America but he can't. This affects him in a very negative way making Russia his worst nightmare because he gets no joy from living there. Misha is haunted by the bleakness of his homeland and longs for America which affects many aspects of his character even happiness. Money also plays a big part in this novel. This is shown by the fact that Misha's father is only referred to as the twelve hundred some richest man in Russia and not by his real name. In the novel America symbolizes the happiness inside of Misha. Visualizing the setting of this book is not hard because it is portrayed as a desolate landscape with poor neighborhoods. If this book had a different setting it would make no sense at all because Misha's character is based so much on the blandness of Russia.

Blog Post 2: Setting

So far I have seen two main settings in Absurdistan. Misha splits his time between his home country Russia and New York City where he attended college. A stark contrast between the two places is evident early on. When Misha first arrives in New York City, he describes the Twin Towers as being like a Soviet socialist dream of his childhood. Misha loves and hates certain things about both American and Russia. He hates the capitalistic ideals of America, but loves America because it is the home of Rouenna and because he sees it as a land of opportunity. Misha hates the dreariness of Russia and the fact that it is only a relic of Russia's former glory, yet loves the Soviet spirit that is part of Russia. It seems strange that Russia's failed system of socialism, beloved by Misha, is a major factor in the dreariness of Russia which he despises. The relationship between Russia and New York seems to symbolize Misha himself. I look forward to learning more about, and gaining a better understanding of Misha's relationship with these two cities.

Absurdistan both Name and Setting

The settings in Absurdistan all have one thing in common. They are all the extremes of the normal. Here is what I mean; every setting in this book is in a place, that with no stretch of the imagination, could exist. In fact many of the places that are referrenced do exist. However, due to the narrative of this book all of the abnormal and unusual aspects of these settings is brought to light. This theme of abnormality in the settings of Absurdistan add to the overall bizzarness of the novel itself. For example when Misha is in Russia everything is narrated as though it is some relic of communist russia, a ghost of its former glory. I'm sure that if any of us decided to visit St. Petersburg, although it would look different than an american city, without the aid of Misha's narrative it would appear to be just another city. With these little details and side notes it become a whole nother story. What could have been described as a boring landscape takes on a unique emotion of its own and creates a whole different dynamic for the reader. It takes Misha's unique narrative to bring out all the little details that bring out that feeling of Communism and Soviet Russia. This type of altering of the setting by the narrator is definitely used as a tool to create the specific type of emotion that Gary Shteyngart is looking for at the time.

Mother Russia

In Absurdistan the importance of the setting can not be stressed enough. The setting , oddly enough, plays a duel role in the story. On role is a parent , someone whos tradition misha has lived with his entire life, and despite wanting to break free from their rule, he will always be comforted by his home. And in contrast to the parental role the setting is also the antagonist. Russia, more than anything else , keeps misha from happiness. Misha longs for the life of an american, in the country where that life is nigh impossible. Almost all of mishas struggles are with russia , because everything russian goes against some of his desires for happiness. It is called mother russia for a reason, it is mishas parent. He has grown and is at the figuritave age where he wants to leave his troubled parent, yet he is afraid to go into a world far away from the comforts of home

Dasvadania..isn't russian fun to say?

I know I haven't posted much, but EWWW!!! now that that's out of way I've noticed some interesting tidbits about the setting. From where I'm reading, Misha has just arrived in Absurdistan, which is a formally Soviet country floundering in Capitalism, as foreign corporations take advantage of cheap labor and large pockets of oil. But even in the flash-backs, there are other things t see, such as how the decrepid lifestyle of Misha and his father before he joined the Russian mob showed that the only way to escape the dreary post apocalyptic nightmare and post-soviet russia was in crime. The way he has described New York hails it as the promised land of sorts (I JUST realized the Jewish reference while writing this), especially a promised land of capitalism. Russia is represented as a "third world metropolis" and a bad example of capitalism thrown onto the masses. Absurdistan is even worse, but shows small pockets of improvement, such as the skyscrapers in Svani City. The atmosphere in general could be described as a modern wasteland trying to mimick the golden example of capitalism.

Blog #2: Welcome to Lovely Russia

Silly Russians, capitalism is for Americans.

The awkwardness of the fallen soviet empire is so prominent, it just happens to be one of the biggest reasons I haven't lost this fantastic book yet. Even from the first few pages, Misha talks about the skinny Russian boys with concave asses in skin tight calvin klein jeans. Sure the whole picture made me laugh, copycat Russian emo boys juxtaposed against old mosques and old women still wearing babushkas. In fact, the perfect word to describe this old world empire turned communist dictatorship turned post-communist dictatorship would seem to be awkward. The ghettos that Rouenna desperately wants to visit, still so far from Misha's exclusive spot on the social ladder, seemed closer to the real America where Misha can't live. He still doesn't seem to like the ghettos, and obviously doesn't like being as lonely as he is in his out-of-touch social rank. The most interesting part about the setting, is that Misha actually fits into post-soviet Russia better than he would anywhere else in the world. Since he only attended the very exclusive private Accidental College in the US, he was still so out of touch with the life of the average American. The streamlined American life is just so normal to someone like Rouenna. But Misha's fat Jewish Russian self would stick out like none other. The only country awkward enough to accommodate such a sore thumb is dear Russia. So thank god Misha's father killed that man from Oklahoma. An awkward country such as Russia would be just a little less awkward without poor Misha.

The Motherland

In Absurdistan there is a stark contrast between the idealistic capitalism of America and the dreary reality of poor mildly capitalistic Russia. There are many similarities between the two countries which Misha for some reason seems to love, such as a strong social hierarchy and the presence of ghettos. Russia is painted as a fallen country that was in it's prime during the soviet era but is now just another third world country. America however is supposed to be a beacon of light for Misha's life that will solve all of his problems. I am willing to bet that if Misha ever makes it to New York City again he will realize that it isn't what he thought it was. Misha seems to love all the wrong things about these countries though he was overjoyed at meeting his comrades in the Absurdistan air port who were in the process of taking advantage of him and everyone else on the plane. He enjoys the dreary slums of the places he goes and only sees what he wants to see. Europe will be odd in the book and I bet that it will be a very foreign area for Misha to romp around in. It seems like everything in this book revolves around money and where to get it, and who has it. They only speak of capitalism and communism but never anything about how governments are run when talking about them, Misha's father is referred to as the twelvehundreth something richest man in Russia.

Absurdistan: Setting

Alright, I haven't read a whole lot of this book, but the settings so far are New York City and various places in Russia. The main character, Misha Vainberg, seems to hate American ideals and values but is attracted to the actual country itself. He enjoys certain things in America, such as going to the laundromat and being with Rouenna. In a sense, Russia is the exact opposite as a setting. Vainberg loves Russian values but hates the condition of Russia. Russia is portrayed as a desolate, lawless area where people cope with their problems by drinking, doing drugs, and using prostitutes. Sadly, Vainberg is stuck in this setting and can't get a visa to go to New York City. Although America has some impoverished areas, such as the neighborhood where Rouenna grew up, it is seen as a symbol of education and hope in the novel. While Vainberg is a rich man rotting away in Russia, Rouenna is a poor girl building a future in America. Personally, I'd much rather be in Rouenna's position.

Blog Post 2: Setting

I am about halfway done with the book and the only three settings so far in the book have been New York City, Russia, mostly in the area around St. Peter/Leninsburg, and the fictional country of Absurdistan. The relationship between the settings of America and Russia are very interesting because, while the countries themselves are total opposites, the settings are somewhat similar. The poverty of the Bronx ghettos seems to be comparable to the poverty Misha sees in the children who inspire him to form “Misha’s Children”. The affluence of Misha’s New York City loft is similar to the restaurant The Noble’s Nest and his Russian home that has a room created specifically to replicate the office of his psychiatrist. Even the “ttity bar” where Misha found Rouenna has its Russian counterpart in Club 69. That these similar settings describe two very different, in fact complete opposite places, is very strange. However, the setting in Absurdistan is certainly even more interesting. It is in this country where Shteyngart’s clever satire is truly revealed. The country seems to be a humorous cross between an ex-Soviet republic and an American influenced Middle Eastern country. The constant references to the oil rigs and Haliburton’s complete control of the country seems to be a harsh criticism of the Bush Administration’s global policy. The conflict between the Svanis and the Sevos is also reminiscent of the foolishly destructive rivalries between Islamic sects. Whether or not you agree with Shteyngart’s criticisms, he presents them in a very entertaining way.

Setting

"Absurdistan" is set in both Russia and New York City in modern day time.  Misha lives in Russia until he is sent off to college in New York.  The bustle and modern mentality of New York felicitates Misha and discourages him from returning to Russia.  At the time "Absurdistan" takes place, Russia is experiencing an major influential culture shift.  This change alone, however, is not enough to keep Misha in Russia.  Now that Misha has experienced the diffused culture in New York City, he wants nothing more than to return to Rouenna and New York City itself.  Russia's outdated culture proves to be too depressing and boring for Misha, despite Russia's transition into a more modern society.  Misha truly desires the "ghetto life" that Manhattan has to offer, and not Russia's old, strict social class.  But maybe Misha's real desire for New York City is more than the culture, and really just a way out of his corrupted Russian life.

Week Two

Welcome to Week Two of our discussion. This discussion will last from Monday, March 2nd to Sunday, March 9th.

This week's discussion is on Setting. Please POST a 10-sentence comment on setting. Don't forget to comment on 5 other posts on this blog. You have all week to complete this assignment, but waiting is not recommended!

Misha Vainburg

Misha Vainburg is a character that represents the parts of all of us that we are ashamed to admit we have. He has all our darkest traits, gluttony, hatred, sadness, despair, cynicism, the list goes on. Although he does seem to have moments of extreme generosity, sadly they can only be attributed to his want for a sense of self fulfillment, and he seems to only care for those that cross his immediate path. Even these moments of generosity are punctuated by his biting sarcastic narrative that seems to find the darker parts of everyone. That being said it is this dark narrative that highlights the very few good things he has to say to people. It is almost as if he is waging some kind a light vs dark war for his soul. The dark is the atmosphere and depression of russian life fighting against his natural good. Sadly from what I have read it would seem that the dark is winning in his life. Misha Vainburg is obviously a metaphor trying to show the rest of the world what life in russia does to the people and how it turns them into the self serving people they are portrayed to be in his book. But I see a message of hope in him. For all his downfalls he is at least trying, however little it may be, to save what is left of his natural good.

Post 1: misha

The main character of Absurdistan, Misha Vainberg, is a very peculiar character because of his immense love for food and American hip-hop. He can be viewed as a funny character because of these weird traits but also because of the strange things he says. His personality can also be viewed as a mix between a wealthy Russian man and an American which just adds to his strangeness because it is hard to tell which he is more of. I cannot really relate to Misha partly because I am not 325 pounds and partly because I am not the 1,238th richest man in Russia. Because of his quirky personality I believe that he will continue to be funny and bring surprises throughout the rest of the book. Though the book includes parts that don't need to be there, like chapter 11, it is interesting and easy to read because of the humor about American hip-hop and Misha's strange body shape. So far this book has been fun to read mostly because of the funny things that Misha says and does and I hope that it will continue to be as funny and strange as it has been so far. Thought Misha is interesting and funny by himself his servant/butler just adds to his hilariousness because of his loyalness and the weird things that he does for Misha.

Misha Motherland!

The main character of Absurdistan, Misha Vainberg, is quite the odd one. He is very fat and thinks he is very phat. His obsession with food and American hip-hop and rap are very bizarre. The food obsession is almost a fetish in the way flashbacks occur and senses climax, and the Music interest is very odd for a rich Russian. Both could be summed up as a need for overstimulation, concentrating on the tastes of the food so much that his eyes roll back in his head and reveling in the blatant shiny 'blingity-bling-bling' and coarse language. I do not relate to this fellow, because I do not relate my father's nether regions to a turtle nor do i think fondly of memories of seeing it in the bath tub, mostly because it has never happened, and also in part by the fact that it is just very creepy to me. It could be a cultural difference, but who knows? But his wealth and privelige is much greater than that of myself, and that distinguishing factor is what makes us different. that, and i dont max out the bathroom scale. and i can see it. But in all seriousness, Misha needs to learn that he must learn to fend for himself because since he has grown up with people managing the little things in his life for him, he hasn't learned to do that himself, and i personally think he is socially crippled. Misha is heavily influenced by the sense of companionship taught to him by his father, who undoubtedly formed a strong sense of sodality in his brotherhood of criminals and felons of the USSR. He always refers to his father as Beloved, capitalized. He has learned pride from this man, although he was not the one to 'earn' the pride through Glocks and blackmail. He has a sense of entitlement, a phrase that you dearest readers will hear me say quite often, and that is what i think is a fatal flaw.

Blog #1: Oh Misha...

As if there aren't enough connotations attached to a filthy rich 325 pound Russian Jew with already insecure tendencies and a "khui" that can somehow be described as either a crushed insect or an abused iguana... Misha has it tough. Oddly enough, one should be inclined to feel sorry for this oddly shaped man, but I can't feel much sympathy for him. His situation is, in simplest terms, pathetic. Here he has more money than all but 1,280 or so of the slightly-richer-than-himself Russians. His manservant to whom Misha is close seems to be a fantastic servant, notably tucking napkins in his tent-like puma sweatsuits for when he is expected to make a mess, but Misha seems to treat him like a slave. Sure Misha can't go back to the US because his father is a criminal, but he could have it much worse. After all, he sees no importance in traditional Russian values and chooses to shock any native with his more American ways of life, such as rapping at the fish restaurant and making out with Rouenna at the art museum. It's as if he has the best of both worlds. Now, if he were for example... a Russian noble, I might have more sympathy. If he had to comply with the ideals of his country and had to live up to something, It would be like he was living a lie. But Misha isn't living a lie, and he isn't living up to anything anymore. After his dad, though he misses both his parents dearly, he has nothing to live up to and he does what he wants. He's like a spoiled child. And if he were in America, he wouldn't be any less overweight, rich, or insecure. He would be just as lonely and out of touch as any other person such as himself would be... Except, there is only one Misha.

HOWEVER, though I have no sympathy for Misha, he's as likable as can be. And that is what makes this book so fantastic already.

Misha Vainberg

Misha Vainberg is quite a character. He is an overweight Russian Jew who loves ghetto tech, eating, and sleeping (with Rouenna, his Latina girl from the South Bronx). He doesn't appear to have many friends, just Alyosha-Bob, his fellow ghetto tech fan. Vainberg loves his Papa very much and is devastated when Papa's head gets blown off. However, he doesn't seem to have much courage because instead of getting back at the murderers, Oleg the Moose and Zhora his siphylitc cousin Zhora, he simply accepts payment for the act. Vainberg does have good intentions though. With the money received in exchange for the death of Papa, he plans to start an organization to help children, appropriately named Misha's children. Vainberg's main problem in the novel is getting a visa so he can get to New York City and Rouenna. However, Vainberg's Papa killed an important Oklahoma businessman, so the American INS refuses to grant him one. As of where I left off, Vainberg is still stuck in Russia. Oh, I forgot to mention that he gets circumsized at the age of eighteen by a bunch of Jews giving him onion vodka.

Blog Post 1: Misha

The defining characteristic of the main character, Misha Vainburg is without a doubt his obesity. Most of his characteristics in one way or another appear to contribute or relate to his massive size. A disturbing portrait of Misha is painted during his first meal in the novel. The ferocity at which Misha eats and the extreme pleasure he gets from eating establishes early on the role of food in his life. He also seems to connect food to his childhood, especially moments spent with his parents. Both Misha's love for his parents and childlike personality are demonstrated by him still calling them 'Mommy' and 'Daddy'. Misha’s sexuality plays a major role in his life and is related to his size. Misha has a sexual relationship with food that is demonstrated by his fondling of his own breasts a meal. It makes sense that someone who likes food this much is obese. One of the funniest and strangest quirks of Misha is his constant reference to his “khui” (meaning penis). Misha also has regular sexual desires, most of which are for his New Yorker girlfriend, Rouenna. I think a major reason that Misha likes Rouenna so much is not just because she is physically attractive, but because she is from the United States. We know that Misha likes the United States very much, and to Misha, Rouenna represents the U.S.A. My favorite part of the book so far was when Misha and Bob were rapping the restaurant boat. Fat, rich, white, Misha in his giant track suit, trying so hard to be ‘gangster’ because it is cool showed the kind of person he is.

Misha Vainberg

Poor poor Misha, Misha is a tragic character disguised as a simple fool. He is in many comical and risque situations in this book and sadly he is not allowed to go to the one place he loves: America. Misha isn't allowed to enter the United States or for that matter the EU so he is stuck in a country that has nothing for him. His father brought this fate upon poor Misha by killing a Oklahoman business man. I wonder if the reader is supposed to feel sorry for Misha more than laugh at him, he finds himself at the mercy of other people often whether it is the "kindness" of Oleg the Moose or seduced by his father's widow Lyuba. Rouenna, Misha's girlfriend appears to be his only beacon of hope but even that relationship appears to be going south with the introduction of Professor Shteynfarb. The professor appears to be a slimy antagonist who is a leech upon society, he obviously convinces Rouenna to leave Misha by trashing him (which you can see in the letter involving throwing a shoe at Misha's servants) and he also according to Misha just tries to play the immigrant card to gain the sympathy and money of other people. Through Misha's eyes. Misha is an idealistic character who wants to change the way things are for his own satisfaction by alluding to the creation of a charity called "Misha's Children". He obviously is ignorant to the way the world works because he barges into the U.S. consulate and expects to be allowed into the states. Misha is also a very silly character this is shown by his love for American popular culture and his habit of rapping with Aloysha-Bob. I also think that Misha is in love with both Soviet Russian and America but hates the current Capitalist Russia, he seems to be stuck in between the poles of Capitalism and Communism but he hates the economic system that is between the two.

One thing that I don't really like about this book is Misha is constantly depressed about something, his depression leads to much of the comedy but I hope that the whole book doesn't have to do with him munching an Ativan.

Misha

The character of Misha Vainberg is unlike any character I have read in recent memory. He is funny and yet he is not just an object of humor there are some moments when as a reader you pity him. What makes Misha very funny is just the crazy things he says and does but his attitude about them. For example early on in the book Misha and his friend Aloysha-Bob decide to break into rapping at a resturant. While the image of a 325 pound old russian jew rapping is already comedic it is even funnier because Misha actually loves doing it whenever possible no matter what it may look like. This childish side of Misha also makes him a character you pity and care about. He is really a big child, he acts like one and expresses like one, and you want nothing to happen to Misha. He is so care free and removed from trouble that if something bad were to happen to him i would feel bad because i have been caught up in the unique persona of Misha Vainberg

Blog Post 1: Misha Vainburg

Obviously Misha’s most defining characteristic is his massive girth. This trait colors everything he does, though personally I find it difficult to imagine to imagine someone who is 325 pounds. His obsession with food is actually a little disturbing. He even seemed to have an orgasm while eating on page 7 and the beginning of 8. Sex also plays a large in his life and therefore in the book. I would even venture to say his “khui” could be a sort of symbol. Misha also seems to be somewhat stuck in between America and Russia, not just literally. He also seems to be in between the sensuality of America and the duty and orthodoxy of his home country and religion. I think the book will be partially about his passing from the tradition of Russia to modern American in both body and soul. I think certainly his relationships with his father and with Rouenna certainly represent this. His father was a chain to Russia and Rouenna is his hope for a future in America. I also think Misha is definitely a character who is pitiable. He seems to be somewhat childish, still calling his parents Mommy and Daddy, and almost completely helpless. I look forward to see if he is able to grow and mature in some way throughout the book.

Misha Vainburg

Misha Vainburg, the main character in "Absurdistan," is a wealthy and overweight Russian man.  Misha lives in his home country until he is 18, when he is sent off to Accidental College in New York City.  While in New York, Misha experiences the ugly American culture, but he seems to adapt well.  He hooks up with a bartender in an unpleasant bar and their relationship immediately takes off.  Although some of Misha's thoughts and actions may be foul and inappropriate, the soft side of Misha shows up several times.  An example of Misha's soft and caring side is when he sees some kindergartners walking across a street in Russia.  Misha instantly feels bad for the lower class children because he realizes how fortunate he really is. The father and girlfriend of Misha are well cared for too, as Misha constantly purchases goods for his loved ones.  Misha's vile but seemingly affectionate personality makes for an amusing character in "Absurdistan."

Week One!

Welcome to Week 1 of our Discussion. This discussion will last from Monday, February 23rd to Sunday, March 1.

This week's discussion is on Character. Please POST a 10 sentence comment on character. Don't forget to comment on 5 other posts on this blog. You have all week to complete this assignment, but don't wait until the last minute!!!

ARE YOU GOING TO READ THIS BOOK?

ARE YOU GOING TO READ THIS BOOK?

If so, please comment on this post with your name and hr and answer the following 2 questions by Monday, February 2nd.

1. Why do you want to read this?
2. How are you going to acquire the book?

Welcome!

Welcome to 3rd quarter OR! On this blog we will be discussing Absurdistan by Gary Shteyngart. Here is a brief summary of the book.

"Set in Russia in the summer of 2001, this riotously original novel stars one Misha Vainburg, the dissipated, American-educated, 325-pound son of Boris Vainburg, a Russian Jewish dissident-turned-oligarch after the fall of the Soviet Union and the "1,238th richest man in Russia." After spending some time in St. Petersburg, Misha longs to return to America to join Rouenna, his streetwise New York girlfriend. Barred from getting a visa because his father killed an American businessman, Misha journeys to the Caspian republic of Absurdistan, from which he hopes to emigrate after getting Belgian citizenship. Upon his arrival, he faces a phony civil war, concocted to gain American economic support. With the borders closed, and stuck in the midst of a war that's increasingly real, Misha finds himself growing up in unexpected ways. Richly satiric and filled with trenchant one-liners, this tale often reads like a Russian version of A Confederacy of Dunces (with a bit of The Idiot and The Mouse That Roared thrown in)."

Courtesy of:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Absurdistan/Gary-Shteyngart/e/9780812971675/?itm=1