the siege chapters 1-2 summary
TRANSCRIPT
-
7/27/2019 The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary
1/18
By
Abhishek
and
Aarushi
XA
.
-
7/27/2019 The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary
2/18
In these chapters Dunmore is able to give us the back story.
We find out all the important information about the family,
and are told of the awful situation in Stalins Soviet Union
even before Nazi aggression brought it into the War. Dunmore
makes the horrors of Stalinism as concrete as she can.
Annas father, Mikhail, seems to have a tough time and Anna
on the other hand gives up everything to help run household.
Time has come a long way and now Anna seems to learn to
change with it , experiencing new people and feelings all
along.
DEVELOPMENT OF STORY
-
7/27/2019 The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary
3/18
Anna- The protagonist
Kolya- Brother of Anna
Vera- Mother of Anna
Mikhail- Father of Anna
Marina Petrovna- A friend of Mikhail
Oyla- Mothers protge
Elizaveta Antonova- Annas boss
CHARACTERS INTRODUCED.
-
7/27/2019 The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary
4/18
Realistic
Reasonable
Hardworking: tries to do the best for her family so
they can make-do Adaptive
Efficient
Strong
Thinks ahead
Knows the effects of Stalinism but manages to push
away her fear by immersing herself in her work.
Very attached to Koyla
ANNA
-
7/27/2019 The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary
5/18
He is a representation of the life of a child in
a war situation.
He draws the pity of the readers.
Small attention span
Innocent
Lazy
Stubborn
KOYLA
-
7/27/2019 The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary
6/18
Dedicated
Realistic
Calm
Intelligent
Understanding
An expert in her field- but also manages to look out
for Anna.
She is used to describe Annas upbringing andcurrent situat ion, to show how the protagonist came
to be and to introduce the presence of Koyla. She is
also used to introduce other characters that depict
the flaws of Stalinism.
VERA
-
7/27/2019 The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary
7/18
Unable to support himself
Claustrophobic
Stubborn
He is a testament to the way Stalinism was crushingpeople.
He is idealistic and is unable to accept the changing
times, the rejection of his good stories.
He is scared of Stalin and accepts the situation butis unable to change, and in that was is impractical.
Slowly under the iron fist of Stalin, he is breaking
down.
MIKHAIL ILYICH
-
7/27/2019 The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary
8/18
Mikhails friend who also wishes to befriend
Vera but is rejected.
She is slightly self-obsessed and is an actress
in every fiber of her being- striving to make
everyone like her.
She is another representation of talent
crushed by fear.Despite her social nature, circumstances force
her to recede from society.
MARINA PETROVNA
-
7/27/2019 The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary
9/18
Oyla is the personification of talent oppressed
by the fear that follows in the wake of
Stalinism.
She is highly intelligent and was a promising
radiologist.
She lost her job, that meant everything to her
due to Stalins general orders.
OYLA
-
7/27/2019 The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary
10/18
She is a portrayal of all the superiors in this
situation, helpless and living in fear.
She is unable to deal with the pressure and is
constantly worried as there is no one to stop
her from making a mistake.
Thus she does her job for the sake of it, ready
to comply to any of Kobas orders.
ELIZAVETA ANTONOVA
-
7/27/2019 The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary
11/18
The scene seems to open as winter lifts from Leningrad,
describing the joy of the people, along with the fear of
vaporization. Anna has travelled to a dacha where she is
staying with her brother and father. We are drawn back into
time as it presents how they all ended up here. Mikhailsfather , failing as a writer , publisher, and Anna quitting
learning to draw to be here, still an amateur. The plot revolves
around the case of the family as death of Annas mother is
dramatically brought in. With a sadden ing tone to it , life now
seems to go on and Anna seems to adjust to it bluntly, having
no choice. Thus with a moving and yet beautifully written plot,
the first two chapters come to an end.
PLOT
-
7/27/2019 The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary
12/18
The first two chapters of The Siege give a backgroundto Leningrad, some of the main characters, the generalsituation and act as a prologue, introducing the readerto the scene of the story. It begins with an outline of the
harsh climate there, the almost never -ending winter witha spring that gives false hopes. The s tory then depictsthe general situation in that time, the fear ofvaporization and the difficulties that peoplelived with. That is followed by an introduction to Anna,
Koyla and their father, depicting how they came to theircurrent situation, living in a dacha, Anna doing all thework for the family. Annas mothers death is explained,after a description of their relation and an insight intoher mothers character, as well as an interaction withMarina, who Vera, Annas mother, clearly dislikes. There
is also tension in Annas parents relat ionship before
SUMMARY
-
7/27/2019 The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary
13/18
Veras death. The father's character is also introducedand it is seen that he is too idealistic to change withtime. His character also represents how Stalin is slowlyleeching the life out of his own people, through fear and
false hopes. Annas life is looked into, an amateur artistforced by situation to leave college, a nursery assistantand the support system of the family. , l iving in constantfear she takes care of Koyla and her father,. Another
presentation of the way Stalins control was ruining thel ife of the people is brought up through the descriptionof Marina, an actress who was shunned for her contacts
and Oyla, Veras promising protg who lost her job dueto his orders. The chapters end with Anna leaving to visi tMarina, for reasons still unknown.
SUMMARY CONT.
-
7/27/2019 The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary
14/18
The climate of Leningrad is severe, months of winter followedby a spring that makes one question how they could havebared the winter.
There is an atmosphere of fear, a fight for survival with thevaporizations going on, that leaves one to feel a twisted reliefif their neighbor is taken instead of them, that contrasts withthe companionship that the people generally feel in thesummer months, the feelings of joy and excitement that leadsthem to recklessness, when in the fear they can barely crossthe road.
There are frequent food shortages in the area, and manypeople losing their jobs due to the evaporation fear as well. The entire population is focused, like Stalin, on making
everything appear to improve, though in reality the people areslowly dying off, situations worsening behind the masks theyput up.
THE SURROUNDING
-
7/27/2019 The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary
15/18
Page 1: hallucinationgiven up expecting, murky
and doubtful, spring hurts, bear whatbeen,
cant trustyourself
Page 2: roads are too wide, so manymuch fear,black vans, sweat of relief, shamefully, birds had
no doubts, drink the light, cant bear to part,
their baptism,
Page 3: understand how they feel, cant stay
indoors, promise and recklessness, getting ready
to fly, no greater possible happiness, doesnt
belongcelebrating, overworked mothersback
again, crush them, no good letting herself dream
STRIKING LINES- CHAPTER 1
-
7/27/2019 The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary
16/18
Page 4: food shortages all the time, cant get hiswork published, dangerous assets
Page 5: tone was pessimistic, life has... Morecheerful, not what people want
Page 6: what hasanything?, expected to bethanked, scouring him out from the inside, littleworldmade sense
Page 7: gets it wrong on her?, someone clamped
a handwell-fed hand, Kobas, wouldnt come off Page 11: change in weather, not beforeme
Page 14: instead offher arms, Im here
STRIKING LINES- CHAPTER 1
-
7/27/2019 The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary
17/18
Page 15: habit ofeasier, never knewhouseperfectly well himself
Page 16: Anna isenough, failing to denounce,strong, stick at the job maybe its worthspring
Page 17: growing by magic
Page 18: losing interest, as long ascomethrough, take offhis too
Page 19: capableare unpublishable actually
released, disappeared, along with her name Page 20: brilliantly intelligent lost my job
Page 21: ripping offflesh, sees yourshadowhim
Page 22: wrong-unnatural saying goodbyego
STRIKING LINES- CHAPTER 2
-
7/27/2019 The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary
18/18