Short Fiction · Chapter
XXXIX explained
On a long, hot, sultry day, Natasha and Boris walk together, gathering cornflowers and discussing their ideals of living lavishly and without fear, unaware that their sacrifice is in vain and that the one who sent them is a traitor.
What happens
On a long, hot, sultry day, Natasha and Boris walk together, gathering cornflowers and discussing their ideals of living lavishly and without fear, unaware that their sacrifice is in vain and that the one who sent them is a traitor.
Themes in this chapter
Innocence and Corruption
The children walk trustingly, unaware that the one who sends them is a traitor and their sacrifice is vain, highlighting the corruption behind their innocent vow.
Death and Mortality
Natasha and Boris discuss dying as a way to gather life into one knot and throw it away, reflecting a preoccupation with death and the value of life.
Characters to notice
- Natasha Ozoreva
Walks with Boris, expresses hope and resolution, desires to remember his features, and agrees with his philosophy of immoderation and lavish living.
- Borya
Gathers cornflowers for Natasha, speaks of loving bigness and immoderation, and shares his intimate thought about giving oneself wholly to a thing.
Key passages
“I love all bigness, all immoderation. In everything! In everything! If we only acted like this always! And gave ourselves wholly to a thing! Oh, how different life would be!”
Boris declares his love for grand gestures and excess, wishing people would commit fully to their actions, which would transform life.
Boris expresses his core philosophy of immoderation and total commitment.
“Yes, big things, things beyond the powers of man. To make life lavish. Only no stinginess, no trembling for one’s skin. Far better to die—to gather all life into one little knot, and to throw it away!”
Natasha agrees, advocating for grand, superhuman deeds and a lavish life without fear, even if it means dying and discarding one's life entirely.
Natasha echoes Boris's sentiment, emphasizing the willingness to sacrifice life for greatness.