siege chapters 5-6
DESCRIPTION
Summary and Analysis. Siege by Hellen DunmoreTRANSCRIPT
SUMMARY/PLOT-CHAPTER 5 Chapter 5 opens with the description of a satisfying evening for Anna and her family, though the main focus remains on Anna’s nightmare. (during the nightmare)Her father narrates an old story on General Hunter and General Winter, metaphorically significant of Hitler and Stalin, as they talk on how to outdo the human race, unpleasantly reminding themselves of how they couldn’t do it without the humans themselves. The readers understand that this chapter reveals the the course of the story, predicting war and bloodshed. The readers are greatly displeased to learn about the cruel intentions of the two generals and perceive this to be a warning . The next day, while Anna is doing her daily work, a neighbor (Darya Alexandrovna) informs Anna that the Germans have declared war and is unable to spare any honey. The chapter comes to an end as Anna fears lacking supplies, being miles away from Leningrad. The readers are saddened to further learn about the condition of the common families in the country and their deprived state during war preparations. The readers also admire Anna’s hard work to support the family and remain self-sufficient.
CHARACTERS Mikhail is seen to be a realist as he informs Anna about the
future through the narration of his stories
Anna continues to carry out daily activities without the slightest of knowledge of what to expect in the near future.
Darya Alexandrovna, a new character is introduced as Anna’s neighbor who seems to be on rocky terms with Mikhail. She informs Anna of the war and expresses her discomfort at the thoughts of her relatives being sent to fight.
STRIKING LINES It seems nothing special at the time
If only she’d known at the time how important every detail of that evening was going to become
Knows the story by heart
When the French invaded Russia
His fingers were daggers of ice
He loved them all, because he had power over them
Cheeks were rosy
He was in his element
They began to boast of what they could do to their enemies
They screw up their eyes and try to focus, but they never see me.
They don’t realize that it’s I who have changed their eyesight
Pinned to their beds
Burns up food like a stove
He melts faster then a candle, in my hands.
His muscles waste away
No one eats himself up quicker then a fit young man
If I can’t finish them off on my own, I groom them for my friends
I am closer to them than they are to themselves
They can think of no one else
My dear cousin
I seize it
I scorch their skin to red and purple, I blacken it
I freeze the seas so they cannot travel
I make them slow, and miserable, and afraid
My greatest power lies in the fact that each year they forget how strong I am
His face was dark with thought
Without the help they give us, we could do nothing
Meaty palms
Together, we will be invincible
From that time on, they have always worked together
It’s a true story
But its good to hear him whistling like that
Its war. They’ve attacked, the devils, just when we weren’t expecting them
As if to spirit away the words that have just left her lips
Of course it’s the Germans
Words tumbling out of her mouth like betrayed secrets
war doesn’t belong her, in the country. War. Everything will change.
Then she goes pale, obviously realizing that a different construction could be put to her words.
She’s dropped her guard in the panic of the moment
Fascists
Like the way old people on the village thank God every second sentence, if they haven’t been taught show backward it is
But why weren’t we? Why didn’t those ‘high-up ones’ know anything?
Writers are useless articles, in her opinion.
What a fool I am, wasting time, standing here talking to you.
SUMMARY/PLOT CHAPTER 6 This chapter mainly focuses on the accounts of Mikhail. The readers get to know more about the character of Mikhail, and his perspective about current events as he indulges himself in thought as he walks around his city. Dunmore portrays the discomfort of the people on their freedom of speech under the government, and the pain and blunder that came along with the war. The readers can sense the confusion and uneasiness felt by Mikhail as he ponders about what the future holds, foreseeing something possibly wrong and disastrous in the days to come. The chapter unleashes the weakness of the once strong city, and the anxious and sorry state of it’s people in these dark and shady times.
CHARACTERS • Mikhail Ilyich Levin- This chapter reveals Mikhail's deepest inner
thoughts to the readers as he portrays his feelings through his writing. The readers understand him to play a crucial part in the coming events of the story as he foretells the future of his beautiful city.
STRIKING LINES It never ceases to amaze me that people can hold two completely
opposed beliefs at the same time, without feeling the slightest sense of contradiction.
The bulletins may not be good, but that’s only temporary.
And we both believe this, and don’t believe it.
Prices in the market are doubling and trebling.
My poor Anna
Usually these turn out to be only rumors
To expensive for us to buy them
For once our lack of money was a blessing
Its hard enough to hold on to it
Evacuation is starting
I haven’t got the slightest faith in our ‘organization’
There’d be a quick glance round, perhaps a whispered, ‘Haven’t you heard?’
Your colleague had evaporated
But here we are, looking into the face of something even more terrifying than the misery we’ve been able to pile up for ourselves.
That’s what war means
Doing things without understanding why you’re doing them
Along time later, if you’re lucky, someone comes along and writes things down so that they make sense, and calls his story history.
So I keep on writing
No bombing so far
Are we going to get the same?
Nothing stops her
It’s nothing like the light of a June day
And yet nothing happens. We are all waiting.
Leningrad still floats in its usual sea of summer calm
That still seems like reality
War is the dream from which we could wake, if we made enough effort.
You need to be outside the experience, not caught inside it. And for once it seems I’m caught inside.
It was as beautiful as before
It seemed to be asking for our protection
You know that all my masterpieces are built on bones, but I am human, too.
And he drove it back. He played his part. He saved Russia, there’s no arguing with that.
You are stone. You are safe inside history.
The times are scared, and so are we.
If only I could forget what the human blood smells like. Hot, and rank.
Maybe that’s why you are still holding out your sword.
But you don’t do such things, unless you want to get carted away.
Black crows
Each step I took seemed to give me the strength of a hundred more.
People’s volunteers
Strange how the name of a river can suddenly turn into a defense system.
That’s where we’ll stop them
I’m still elated
It’s lying there, beautiful and naked, asking for my protection. Mine!- as if I mean anything
As I said,…
Whatever happens now, those frozen years are over.