The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary

7/27/2019 The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary

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By

Abhishek

and

Aarushi

XA

.


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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


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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.


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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


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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


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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


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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


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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


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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


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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


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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


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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


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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.


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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


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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


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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



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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



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The Siege Chapters 1-2 Summary