How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph), (Chapter.Figure)
Quote #7
The float rolls by the marble mausoleum from where Stalin, our great Leader and Teacher, watches the parade with his generals. He waves at me, his eyes twinkling kindly. "This is what we are fighting for, comrades. This Young Pioneer is our Communist future." (15.6)
Sasha has quite the imagination! If Stalin's eyes ever "twinkl[ed] kindly," we'll eat our computer monitor. This scene is another example of how Sasha's admiration for his heroes blinds him to the truth of things. And we really don't like the feel we get from that "marble mausoleum" lurking in the background.
Quote #8
Sergei Ivanych is a dedicated Communist and I'm always in agreement with his speeches, but this time he's gone too far. (19.2)
Well, even blind admiration has its limits. Good for Sasha—he's starting to use his noodle and make up his own mind about things. While the principal is ranting and raving about how "conspirators, spies, murderers, and provocateurs" (19.1) have stormed the school for the express purpose of (wait for it!) chipping the nose off of a statue (so, apparently these terrorists aren't very ambitious or lack imagination), Sasha knows (nose?) that it was all just a stupid accident.
Quote #9
"My dad was never a snitch."
"What do you think your dad's job was?" [the senior lieutenant] says, surprised. (28.12-13)
This is a rude awakening for Sasha. He's idolized his dad as a great hero of the nation, and he is now discovering that he basically "tells on" people for a living. What a let down.