Essay Questions

In what ways does the nature imagery weave its way through the story, and what is its importance?

The book opens by discussing a thistle (a small thorny plant) trying very hard to survive in a harsh climate. This accurately represents the main character, Murat, and his struggles as the book progresses, and his desire to self-actualize. The mountains are a literal barrier between the rich and the poor in this novel, with the Russians living grandly on one side and our main character living in poverty on the other. On that note, the physical landscape presents its own challenges for safety. While the rich and successful have the best land, the most fertile, our main character flees from a barren desolate land in order to pursue an oasis. A nightingale sings as the main character meets his end, a sort of “swan song” for a character that just wanted to survive and thrive. Finally, the thistle returns at the end of the novel, once again defeated and alone, meant to represent the end of Murat’s struggle with life.

What are some of the most prevalent separations between Murat and the life he desires?

First, there is the physical landscape distinction between him and the Russians, where a mountain separates them and makes it impossible for him to physically access them. The war they fight also puts them at odds– the war between the Russians, who want to fight for their right to rule, and the Chechens, who do not want to be ruled. There is also a clear language barrier between the Russian language and the French. The French is meant to represent higher-class, more westernized ideals and those who spoke French put them at a clear distinction to the poor lower-class citizens like Murat, who barely spoke or read at all. Finally, the class barrier between Murat and those he wanted to be like separated him from an idealized lifestyle. He was born into poverty and had no idea how to escape. This is why he becomes a spy, because he is tempted by the great gifts and promise of money that he is given. This alienates him further by putting him in a “no man’s land” of a spy, which inevitably leads him to a lonely death.

Is Murat more selfless or selfish?

Murat is more of a selfish character, although he does try to make things right. Murat begins the story by hiding from those who have captured his family. When the town finds out who he is and what he has done, he is exiled. We then find out through a flashback that Murat is the reason that his family was exiled. His impetuousness caused him to challenge a man to a duel, and the man waged war against him and his people. This caused the death of his brother and when Murat refused to defer to the man, he caused the capture of his family. Murat then decides to become a spy, but doing so puts his family’s life in danger once he is found out. He is finally killed for evading his fate.