How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Section.Paragraph)
Quote #4
In the early eighties, my maternal grandfather, Ivan Rukavishnikov, not finding for his sons any private school to his liking, had created an academy of his own by hiring a dozen of the finest professors available and assembling a score of boys for several terms of free education in the halls of his St. Petersburg house (No. 10, Admiralty Quay). The venture was not a success." (8.3.5)
In this family story, it's easy to see: in early twentieth century Russia rich people can choose to work outside the system, while poor ones have no choice. But for Vladimir, this isn't the objectionable part. He worries about this type of plan because it would disrupt his freedom. Even Lenski's boring slide projections are better than that.
Quote #5
They accused me of not conforming to my surroundings; of "showing off" (mainly by peppering my Russian papers with English and French terms, which came naturally to me); of refusing to touch the filthy wet towels in the washroom; of fighting with my knuckles instead of using the slaplike swing with the underside of the fist adopted by Russian scrappers. (8.4.2)
When Vladimir is finally sent to school, he sticks out like a sore thumb. After all, he's used to the international, cosmopolitan tutors, and time to be alone in the mornings, looking for butterflies. When the school administrators accuse him of "showing off," it seems like they might be saying more about his wealth (and his classmates' relative poverty) than his behavior.
Quote #6
In thinking of my successive tutors, I am concerned less with the queer dissonances they introduced into my young life than with the essential stability and completeness of that life.
(8.5.1)
For Vladimir, having tutors wasn't always just about learning a subject. Rather, being tutored was a time to be mentored, guided, and directed. His father and mother might be off elsewhere, but there were still adults around tending to his needs. Lucky.