4-6 (Apricot Soda)

These 3 chapters, well Ivan in particular reminded me vaguely of the Gogol stories because of the absurdities and the nonchalant reactions to these absurdities. For instance, after seeing the professor's prophecy about Berlioz's death, Ivan isn't instantly shocked by the carrying out of the prophecy. Instead, his first reaction is the he had just been speaking to the head that is now detached from Ivan's body. It takes a while before for he even reacts to the most shocking part of Berlioz's death. Then, when the huge tom cat is walking about, no one is really appalled, curious or doubting about a huge tom cat walking on its hind legs and trying to get a ride on the train. In fact, the only reason the tom cat is kicked off the train is because of the fare. Why are our versions of absurd and the characters versions of absurd different?
What is happening to Ivan? Perhaps the trinity (the professor, the checkered apparition and the tom cat) is messing with Ivan's head because he honestly sounds crazy. He keeps getting distracted and having random ideas pop into his head. For example when the professor he's chasing after disappears, "he suddenly knew that the professor must be in No.13 and in no other apartment but 47" (55). Then when he gets there he thinks, "'He naturally hid himself in the bathroom" (55). Then Moskva River and then no he must be hiding at Gribyedov's. The whole chapter is the pursuit of the professor and his retinue, (haha SAT word) but he's not really chasing after them, but just looking in random places with no grounds to believe they're there.
Chapter 5 is the first time we really see the presence of the narrator. It's really subtle at first all he says is "But what the devil, who knows" (59). He, too, has fallen under the influence of saying, "what the devil" as Ivan and Berlioz does. What's that about anyway? Later in the same chapter, the narrator isn't as subtle and becomes intrusive, saying "But enough, you are digressing reader! Follow me!" (63). How strange of the narrator to show up so late in the book, and with lots of personality already. He is very enthusiastic and so far objective about the story, almost indifferent to it and only really trying to get the story out there.
The description of Griboyedov's was quite interesting. I didn't really understand the different sections of MASSOLIT, which is a literary association, yet there's a fishing and vacation section, a one-day creative trip section, perelygino? I also liked the esteem and luxury that writers had in the MASSOLIT, which was exclusive and the mansion was luxurious with its own restaurant and visitors were always jealous. Bulgakov put writers on the top, and it was almost a shout out for the respect and esteem that writers perhaps should have, or the way Bulgakov wanted it to be especially in a society where a lot of written work was censored and power of writers diminished.
I caught another reference to The Death of Ivan Ilych! Stupidly, after hearing of Berlioz's death the writers rejoiced "But we--we are alive!" as did everyone surround Ivan Ilych rather than taking his death as a warning (67). Does the saying, eyes are the window into the soul apply generally to this story? Or is there too much deception in this story to be so. There is one instance where Ivan looks into the professor's face and finds that "it did not bear and had, indeed, never borne any marks of madness" (52). However, this is the moment where the professor pretends to be foreign and innocent, like he's never met Ivan. There's another instance where Ryukhin looks into Ivan's eyes at the hospital and "there was no trace of madness in his eyes" (74). Then, I almot believe he hasn't gone crazy because his clotheslessness makes sense, for someone had stolen in his clothes. For a moment, I believe his eyes, before he starts diving into windows.
-Apricot Soda