Outside Reading, Week 7, Post B

Wow. Well, that was surprising. You spend the entire book building up to this point, the moment where our two plot lines intersect and Blair finally meets Ludmila, and then you throw something like Blair and all of Ludmila's family dying on us like that? What is it with writers and twisted endings. They always fail miserably and leave the reader disappointed and frustrated with the writer and characters and talk about your deus ex machina! Where did this Gnez soldiers come from? You just felt like throwing them into the equation because you weren't creative enough to think of a rational solution to the conflict, huh? Did killing everyone really solve your story line problems? You can't just go around throwing guns into the conflict, hoping that the people who are causing trouble for you get shot, and then leave with the characters who are easy to write for!

Also, while we're on this topic, your epilogue makes no sense at all. Why are Bunny, Ludmila, and Maks living together? Bunny didn't even like Ludmila in the first place, and Maks and Ludmila were estranged last time I checked. Also, why did she name her child Blair? There didn't really seem to be much of a connection between the two of them and they only met for a few hours, if that. Your whole ending is ill conceived and overall, very disappointing. What you should have done is either had a) Blair and Ludmila come in from outside and kill the two Gnez soliders. Then the two families can be friends (maybe move back to England?) or b) Blair and Bunny realize that they only really need each other to be a family and having a pseudo relationship with Ludmila doesn't constitute a family. Hmmm...maybe I should have written this for you.

Outside Reading, Week 7, Post A

Vocab
hovel (244) : a small, very humble dwelling house; a wretched hut

gestate (266): to carry in the womb during the period from conception to delivery

Figurative Language
"The twins swayed shoulder to shoulder in the back seat of the Gaz as it bounced and yawed like a cannonball across the ice, Ivan brawling with the wheel while Anya screeched oaths and clutched dramatically at things" (249).

In this passage, Pierre uses a simile to compare the way the Gaz crosses the ice to Kuzhnisk to the way a cannonball would do the same thing. It seems that the comparison exists solely to help the reader envision Blair and Bunny's situation, not to provide any hidden meaning.

"They rolled like a pair of urchins in a fight, robes and belts flying, and disappeared with a thud into a drift at the bottom of the ramp" (270).

Pierre uses a simile yet again to the way Bunny tackles Blair down the hill to the way a pair of urchins would do the same thing. While it helps the reader visualize the situation, I think that it also alludes to the fact that there is still a lot of sibling rivalry between Bunny and Blair and that even though Blair acts sophisticated, he still has a lot of base emotions.

"Ludmila didn't look at her brother. Her face broke like sunshine over cloud as the cage door creaked open, and she burrowed a hand under the sleeping kitten" (316).

In this excerpt, Pierre uses a simile to compare the way a smile broke on Ludmila's face to the way sunshine breaks over clouds. It seems that this simile is meant more to be symbolic of Ludmila's joy at last and ending her strife. Throughout the sections in Kuzhnisk, Pierre devotes many lines to describing the bleak and dreary landscape, as well as the constantly overcast sky. Ludmila's "sunny" face breaks her previous hardship in Kuzhnisk by breaking the overcast sky.

Quote
"Still a nervous flutter ran through him. It was because he felt part of nothing. He was no longer a part of the Albion community. And still not a part of any community inside it" (322).

This quote describes Bunny's attitude at the end of the book towards finding a family that loves you and community that supports you. Blair and Bunny had many struggles and quarrels over their relationship and finally ended up happy together (with the exception of Blair getting shot). Bunny now realizes that you don't have to have a family with just your blood relatives: that anyone who you love and truly care about can be apart of your family. So, he is happy giving up membership in his community because now he had Ludmila, Maks, and Madron.

Theme
There was a big change in the them over the last section. There were a lot sacrifices for others and deaths, culminating in a final showdown at Ludmila's house. Blair sacrificed himself to save Bunny, as did Kiska for the Inspector. There seems to be this new theme that you really only need to find people who love you and care about your, doing anything you can to reach that goal. Blair takes a bullet for Bunny, so that he, Ludmila, and Maks can live a normal life together. Also, Kiska takes a bullet for the Inspector, so that he can protect the family.

Outside Reading, Week 6, Post B

Now that I'm starting to get towards the end of my book, it's interesting to see how different characters are reacting or conforming to this new overarching theme of returning to your family. I discussed this in one my earlier posts, that the characters are realizing that maybe the real world isn't as great as they thought it was and that they had friends and family who loved them all along.

Blair is probably the foremost and best example of this theme. Blair had truly great and noble intents going into the world, but ended up going back to his brother and the only family he had left. Blair started out the book by chastising Bunny and giving him a lecture on how lazy and selfish he is, only to eventually fall flat on his face and come crawling back to him. Blair learned first hand that all the women that flirt with you don't always like you and that all your business partners aren't always your allies. However, a lot of good came from this experience. Blair and Bunny originally had an estranged and stressed relationship, as they could never quite fully accept each other as brothers. Now, Blair and Bunny have finally come to terms with each other and the fact that they no long have a mother or father. Blair and Bunny are now closer with each other than they ever would have been with out this sojourn.

Outside Reading, Week 6, Post A

Vocab
enmity (171) : a feeling or condition of hostility; hatred

maudlin (203) : tearfully or weakly emotional; foolishly sentimental

Figurative Language
"No sooner had Lamb stepped out to summon help on his telephone, than a polished man emerged from the club's twilight like a lily breaking the surface of a lake" (165).

Pierre describes Truman, the new American CEO, as a sort of arrogant brute who completely messes up the Heath's current situation. In this passage, he uses a simile to compare the way Truman intervenes into the Heath's life to "a lily breaking the surface of a lake". This gives the reader a good visual image, as Truman, like a lily, seems to be not a big deal at first, but causes huge changes over time.

"Ludmila huddled in the station's shadows. Her pupils swam after the light on the back of the Kropotkin train as it swayed into the mist" (194).

In this excerpt, Pierre uses personification to allow Ludmila's pupils to swim. Obviously, they cannot, but it allows the reader to picture Ludmila's expression and feelings at this time. One can almost see her chasing after the train car with her eyes, as it was her last chance to succeed.

"The the weight and colour of their mood became clear. The moment was as breathtaking, as intimate, as the moment a jungle butterfly emerges for its fortnight of sweet life" (199).

In this passage, Pierre uses a simile to compare the intimacy of the moment that Blair and Bunny leave the dance club to the intimacy of "the moment a jungle butterfly emerges for its fortnight of sweet life". It seems that this was done primarily for comedic effect, as Blair is big fan of the Discovery Channel and the obscurity of the allusion made sounds like something from the Discovery Channel.

Quote
"Blair's eyes hit the last word of the letter and stopped, hanging glazed for some moments. Then he lowered the page and took his brother into his arms, sniffing softly on to his shoulder. Bunny sniffled in return, and brought a hand to Blair's back". (203)

This quote really defines the evolution of Blair and Bunny's relationship. As a reader, we are able to see it progress from the beginning of the book to it's current state, as well as all the little ups and downs in between. In this quote, we are able to see Blair and Bunny fully embrace each other as brothers, which is something they have never been able to do before. It also echoes back to the theme a little bit, as Blair is finally coming back to this family.

Theme
The theme hasn't really changed much since last time. Blair is still realizing the theme and is coming to terms with his brother and his family. Ludmila, on the other hand, is still a little delusional. She continues to believe that she will make it without her family and is making one last effort for her independence on a mail order bride website.

Outside Reading, Week 5, Post B

Mmmm...yes. Your tears sustain me. How deliciously ironic. You, Ludmila Ivanova, the poster child for oppressed women everywhere, the epitome of women running away for a better life, now has to face the dismal truth that you were not cut out to run away. You thought you were the big man (or woman) on campus back at the house, the cock of the walk, if you will, but now that you actually have you fend for yourself, you realize that perhaps you weren't all the great after all. It turns out that your friend only was nice to you because she wanted to sucker you into a mail-order bride scam, and you're left with nothing. You thought you were better than the mail-order bride system; you weren't that petty, that trashy. You thought that there was so much demand in the job market for a woman like you, that you didn't have to resort to selling yourself on the Internet, but now, it turns out that you were wrong. Dead wrong.

Well, maybe not dead wrong, but still pretty wrong. There are no jobs in Kuzhnisk, Misha hasn't come, and you are starting to get homesick. Maybe you just weren't cut out for being the independent woman you strive to be. Maybe you are more dependent on your families and your community than you thought you were, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. If only you knew the troubles your family faced at home, you would see how much they care for you and need you. That could be your true calling: to care for your family and community. These people you are meeting don't seem to care for you at all, or, at least, not like your family would.

Outside Reading, Week 5, Post A

Vocab
mottle (155): a diversifying spot or blotch of color

protuberant (124): bulging out beyond the surrounding surface

Figurative Language
"Like a fat mother and child, the lorry and tractor waddled some grey hours over ice to the outskirts of Kuzhnisk" (109).

This passage uses a simile to compare the way the lorry hauled the tractor to Kuzhinisk, to the way a fat mother and child would waddle the same way. While this helps the reader picture what this scenario might look like, it also hints at Ludmila's homesickness, in that she longs for her "fat mother" to waddle home with her.

"A broad, moustachioed man leant beside a stuffed weasel at the farthest end of the bar" (111).

In this excerpt, Ludmila enters a bar in Kuzhinisk to look for Ivan. She sees him, but claims that she sees a "stuffed weasel", showing a hyperbole (as she actually saw Ivan, not a stuffed weasel). This helps the reader see how Ludmila views Ivan, what Ivan looks like, and Ludmila's sarcastic wit.

"Around them flashed the naked circuitry of London: tail-lights splashing down glycerine roads, figures bustling like great-coated trolls past sand-and-soot structures daubed wet on to the night" (116).

Pierre uses several hyperboles to describe Blair and Bunny's first venture into the big city. He uses phrases like "great-coated trolls" and "sand-and-soot structures", which are obvious exaggerations (as there are no great-coated trolls nor structures made of sand and soot) to show how isolating the city seems to Blair and Bunny. Everything seems so big and new, yet at the same time, so hostile and unwelcoming.

Quote
"'[...] Better still, take my advice and get back on the train yourself, while you still have clear eyes. Take the advice from an old woman from Kuzhnisk'" (161).

I felt that this quote exemplifies the emerging theme of being frightened by new places that is driving the story forward. In both plot lines, characters attempted to be brave and leave home in search of success, but are now realizing that maybe the grass isn't greener on the other side. Now, they have to decide whether or not to go back, which is where this quote plays into Ludmila's decision.

Theme
The theme hasn't really changed much since last week, it is just more pronounced. Ludmila is now being fully thrust into an unfamiliar and hostile world and now longs to return home more than ever. In addition, Blair is now completely confused by the London social life and doesn't understand how to interact socially. He, too, now wants to return home.

Outside Reading, Week 4, Post B

Now that I think about it, I may have been wrong about Ludmila being such a strong and independent character. It seems she was just acting the part while she knew that there was always a safety net to catch her if she fell. However, now that she is out on the road by herself, she seems to be more to be more cautious and afraid to venture out from the things she knows. For instance, while back at her house, she always talked about escaping with her boyfriend to Kuhznisk. However, now that she has a ride to get her there, she tries to create issues that will delay her departure and let her remain close to home. I really hope she snaps out of it or this is going to be a very boring section of the book.

Bunny is facing a very similar situation. Up until this point, Bunny has been bragging about how superior he is to Blair and how Blair is wasting his time trying to get a solid job. This was most likely a way for Bunny to hide is insecurities about himself, seeing as now that an inspector has arrived and is taking them off of welfare, Bunny has to fend for himself and is frightened at the thought. Bunny, like Ludmila, keeps trying to create issues and delay the inevitable, while Blair is working hard at his job and creating a life for himself. This fear of moving forward could be an emerging theme in the book, seeing as it is determining of the future of two main characters. I wonder it Pierre is trying to show that people can be fickle or fake, as Ludmila and Bunny both acted like strong characters earlier in the book.

Outside Reading, Week 4, Post A

Vocab
settee (100): a seat for two or more persons, having a back and usually arms, and often upholstered.

juniper (91): any evergreen, coniferous shrub or tree of the genus Juniperus, esp. J. communis, having cones that resemble dark-blue or blackish berries used in flavoring gin and in medicine as a diuretic.

Figurative Language
"'You get to stay while they investigate your status. We almost definitely would get through - me a deserter, from a place raining bombs'" (80).

In this passage, Misha, Ludmila's boyfriend, is talking about how their potential escape West. He uses a hyperbole to describe Ublisk and the current war situation. He claims that the place is "raining bombs", meaning that it seems that the war is everywhere and is non-stop, not that it is literally raining bombs.

"A radio hit blared across the road, featuring an electric guitar that plinked and plonked like a handful of bullets tossed into a pond" (85).

Ludmila arrives at Pilo's house and hears his radio before she enters the house, the first time she's gone outside her land in quite awhile. She compares the electric guitar to the sound of "a handful of bullets tossed into a pond" using a simile. Her choice of a comparison shows how much her wartorn country has affected that way she thinks. It would seem abnormal for someone in a more developed nation to think of this sound and compare it to bullets falling into a pond, but unfortunately for Ludmila, war is apart of her everyday life.

"'I meant to say.' Bunny stiffened like an old lady at a slight. 'Now me portal vein's throbbing.'" (99)

Pierre compares the way Bunny tenses up and complains to the way an old lady would do the same thing using a simile. I suppose this line is a kind of ironic in that Bunny is usually the more outgoing of the two twins, yet now, he appears to be more conservative and wants to stay home instead of going out. This hints that Bunny is actually enjoys living off of welfare and mooching off of his brother and is rather scared at the possibility that he may be forced to move out soon.

Quote
"Blair stood up slowly from his settee. He gazed down at Lamb, then up through the window, to the street outside. 'Bunny' he said softly,'opportunities wafting through that door is what we discussed earlier. Opportunities for my independence.'(100)

I felt that this quote is pretty significant and helps sum up the new feel of the book. Blair is responding to Bunny's fear of moving forward and making it clear that he is going to be his own man, whether Bunny comes with him or not. Blair finally seems to be realizing his dream and taking action now that Bunny is being legally forced to separate from him and the welfare system.

Theme
The previous theme has been modified now that the oppressed are breaking out of their origins. Ludmila moves out with her brother to go to work in a factory town, but actually intends to sneak off with her boyfriend. However, once she gets outside of her hometown, she starts to realize that the world is a scary place and has seconds thoughts. Bunny, likewise, is starting to come to the realization that his support may be cut off and he will have to stop suckling on his brother's teat. Bunny, up until this point, has acted as the big man on campus, pretending that he is better than Blair. Now, Bunny has to but his actions where is mouth is and fend for himself, but is scared that he will fail.