The Secret City · Chapter
VI explained
The narrator reflects on his time with the Russian Red Cross during the war, his subsequent illness and recovery in Petrograd, and his growing attachment to the Markovitch household.
What happens
The narrator reflects on his time with the Russian Red Cross during the war, his subsequent illness and recovery in Petrograd, and his growing attachment to the Markovitch household. He describes the family members—Vera Michailovna, Nina Michailovna, Ivan Petrovitch, and the frequent visitor Boris Grogoff—and his eventual decision to accept their invitation, despite his earlier resolve to avoid past connections.
Themes in this chapter
Identity and Self-Discovery
The narrator struggles with his past losses and his current role as a passive observer, gradually re-engaging with life through the Markovitch family.
Class and Social Contrast
The Markovitch household includes a mix of characters from different social backgrounds, such as the chinovnik Ivan Petrovitch and the socialist Grogoff, highlighting class tensions.
The Role of the Observer
The narrator describes himself as a 'mere spectator of life,' watching the family dynamics and the city's atmosphere without active participation.
Characters to notice
- Vera Michailovna
Described as a fine, strong woman with dark eyes and black hair, who offers the narrator friendship and understanding.
- Nina Michailovna
Vera's younger sister, a pretty, childish girl with brown hair and a love for bright, clashing clothes and sweets.
- Boris Nicolaievitch Grogoff
A handsome, energetic internationalist Socialist who spends much time at the Markovitch flat, often gesticulating and expressing opinions loudly.
- Ivan Petrovitch
The uncle of Vera and Nina, a short, fat chinovnik with a love for cosmopolitanism and a terror of his brother Alexei.
- Nicholas Markovitch
The host, a thin, anxious man with thinning hair and a reddening nose, who invites the narrator to his home.
- Alexei Petrovitch Semyonov
Mentioned as Vera's uncle, serving on the Galician front; the narrator knew him well from the war.
- M. Durward
The narrator, who recounts his war experiences, his lameness, and his gradual integration into the Markovitch family.
Key passages
“I had succeeded during all these months in avoiding any contact with the incidents or characters of the preceding year.”
The narrator had deliberately stayed away from people and events from his past.
Reflects his emotional withdrawal after the war and personal losses.
“They nicknamed me 'Durdles,' after many jokes about my surname and reminiscences of Edwin Drood (my Russian name was Ivan Andreievitch).”
The family gave him the nickname 'Durdles,' inspired by his surname and Dickens' novel.
Shows his integration into the family and their playful dynamic.