Sunday, March 8, 2009
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
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Haha, your interpretation of Motherland is MOST AMUSING, Sir Lars. But i do agree with the almost parental role that russia fills as the mother -- although misha always described his mother as the forgiving one, and the 'third-wold metropolis' does not strike me as forgiving.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, I like your analogies. I agree that Misha now feels like he has outgrown Russia, yet he finds comfort there. What is the role of America then?
ReplyDeleteGood point about Russia hindering Misha's happiness.
ReplyDeleteInteresting point about Misha being comforted by his home. It does feel like if Misha does leave home he will miss it in some ways. It also feels like if he weren't in Russia this story would be much more dull.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I agree with much of what you say, I disagree with the statement. "Russia, more than anything else, keeps Misha from happiness." Russia is part of who Misha is. He loves his family in Russia and the Soviet spirit of Russia. Although New York City is a bacon of hope in the book, I don't think you can say Misha isn't happy in Russia.
ReplyDeleteFantastic! Russia is just like a parent, true. However, after some corrupt dictators tried to turn Russia into a capitalistic photocopy of the US, it would be an angry parent indeed. I guess I see old Russia as the strict parent, ruling with an iron fist and averse to democracy, then the new system as the easy-going parent who is incredibly disorganized yet well intentioned and set on change. Misha is the kid, saying "why can't you two just get along?"
ReplyDeleteGood point about Russia being the parents but to me it doesnt seem like he fears leaving russia at all. In fact it seems that he would do almost anything to leave and experience the comforts of the west that he got a taste of in college.
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