29-32 (Apricot Soda)

I just have to say HAHA I love the way chapter 29 opened with the title being about Master and Margarita, so we think that the two on the beautiful building are the Master and Margarita, and then it turns out to be Woland and Azazello. I laughed really loudly. Other than that I'm curious to figure out what Woland's sword is or what it means and its shadow which lengthens. It's at his hip like Pontius Pilate's sword/dagger which is on his belt at his hip. When Woland does talk about shadows, he seems to say that it is impossible to live without shadows (darkness, for Woland is the "ruler of the shadows"). It sounded like a ying yang proverb, where we need to have darkness in this world to have life at all. Without shadows means without trees and other living beings who make shadows. It goes with the idea that good and evil, God and the devil need each other to come alive, or have a purpose. "What would your good be doing if there were no evil?" Woland claims (368). Even though they (good and evil/ God and the devil) seem to working toward the same end, they are not on the same side. Matthu Levi, Christ's disciple, who seems to be immortal or something, is antagonistic toward Woland, not wanting to wish him a good evening, while Woland mocks him as a slave and a fool. We also see that God and the devil as they are somewhat different departments have different jobs so that when God wants to reward the Master with peace, but not exactly with light, he asks Woland to carry out such task. i wonder why He is not able to reward the Master with peace, or is he simply delegating tasks? I found another God-like thing to do that is parallel to Woland, well Azazello. FIRE=WATER...burning is like flooding in that clears out what was there. Azazello says, 'Fire, from which everything began and with which we end everything.' (377). The retinue seems to be burning everything down, MASSOLIT, Apartment 50, the basement. As if to cleanse, to clean and start over. I thought it also characteristically uncharacteristic that Woland assure Margarita, 'Everything will turn out right. That's what the world is built on' (386). It's so strange to see him saying all these positive, hopeful things.
-Apricot Soda