How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
There were months at a time when the town had had no meat, no milk, no bread. The peasants were being forced to give up their farms, their cattle. (1.7)
When the Soviets took power in Russia, they promised to put their citizens' needs above all else. Didn't quite turn out that way, huh? It's one thing to be going through a small economic downturn—it's a whole different deal when the government is actively making life harder for regular people.
Quote #2
"Here […] give them these crusts from our luncheon. But make them say thank you. They must learn some manners if they are to advance at all." (2.27)
Of course, not everyone is broke. Although the Soviet Union claims that all citizens are equal, it's clear that there are a handful of folks who are getting along just fine. What's with that? Plus, it makes things much worse when those wealthy people are such big jerks to the less fortunate.
Quote #3
Meanwhile he watched the first-class passengers leisurely exercising themselves, chatting, drinking their tea from their own china cups. (2.29)
To put this into context, Alex and the other second-class passengers basically have to brawljust to make it to their seats. This is yet another example of the vast economic inequality that exists in the Soviet Union, with poor people being treated like second-class citizens in just about every way.