The war (Metaphor)
The Argounov family stayed in Crimea during the Revolution, hoping – in vain – that everything would be fine. During that time, Crimea “changed hands six times,” the course of the war was rather unpredictable. The White Army and the Red Army were ready to fight till the very end, for Crimea was the last outpost of the White Army. The battles for the South were one of the most terrible, because everyone understood that to get it meant to put an end on the war.
Not her responsibility (Metaphor)
Galina Petrovna was blessed with two daughters. One of them, Lydia, was an example of feminine purity, the one who dreamt of a life of a nun. The second one, Kira, was a complete opposite of her sister. She always managed to get the things done the way she wanted. As soon as Galina Petrovna realized that Kira wasn’t going to follow her advice, she “washed her hands of Kira’s future.” It wasn’t her responsibility anymore.
Victims (Metaphor)
Kira had an idealized opinion on the Revolution. Of course, she knew that it was a cruel period of time, that people died, that some of her family’s friends were shot without a trail, but she was sure that it wasn’t necessary, that there was some other way to do that. Her ideas were destroyed in the “Petrograd Headquarters of the G.P.U.” She was explained that one couldn’t “make a revolution with white gloves on.”
Joy (Simile)
When Kira was a little girl, she learned that a life could be meaningful, joyful, unrepeatable. That strange and barely noticeable feeling of “a profound joy of life” was “as light as a dancer’s feet.” One had to strain his/her ears to be able to hear that wonderful sound. That ability made her exceptional, unlike anyone else.
Home (Simile)
Although the Argounovs were not newcomers in Petrograd, they could barely recognize their home city, the capital of their Motherland. When they turned into the Nevsky Prospect, they appeared before “the long, broad avenue” that was “as straight as if it were the spine of the city.” Of course they knew that place, but the numerous changes that had happened during their absence made them feel as if they were strangers.
Different (Simile)
Students were always associated with freedom. Their youth, courage, curiosity made them stand out in the crowd. However, the Revolution changed that and divided the students into two different groups: the communists and non-communists. The first group wore leather jackets, red kerchiefs, the second group wore green caps and the line between them was “as precise and merciless as a sharp knife.”
