Breaking Stalin's Nose Coming of Age Quotes

This line just screams irony. We know that Sasha is very naive (if you haven't already done so, go check out the "Character" section on Sasha); he completely buys into the narrative that Stalin is the Greatest Man in the History of the World, and that the USSR is a perfect place to live. But as the novel progresses and we learn more about this society and how Sasha has grown up, we are smacked in the face with the fact that his childhood's been anything but happy. After all, there is that whole suspicious motherless situation. And his dad's just been arrested (thanks to Stalin).

Sasha seems to be finally buying his ticket for the Grow Up Train. He's still naive (because he can't imagine anything happening to his dad, ever), but something's starting to bother him. He's starting to wonder, which is the first step toward thinking for yourself.

We kind of get the impression that Sasha's grown up in a pretty privileged place. Sure, his apartment is pretty small, and he shares it with forty-six other people. But in a big way, since his dad's an agent for the State Security, he's been sheltered from the type of hardship he's now starting to face. It's a major rude awakening for him (literally, too) when he's crowded out of his own apartment and has to hit the streets.

The "But still" is interesting here. Even though he blindly spouts the party line about private property, it's not clear that he really understands this principle. After all, Sasha's only ten years old, and he's just seen his dad taken away and everything he's ever known destroyed. We'd "But still," too if we were in his position.

Check out the young, naive idealism. He's got it bad. He still thinks that his dad will come back and that Stalin will realize his "mistake." Still, being hopeful and optimistic are not bad traits to have, and if nothing else, it shows that Sasha has confidence in his father. Too bad he's in for one major letdown.

Whoo whoo! The Grow Up Train has left the station, and it looks like Sasha's had his ticket punched. Here, Sasha's hesitation suggests that he's starting to mature. Up until now, we've seen him blindly repeating the party line or just doing what he's told without question. This is the first time he's halfway thought for himself. It also shows the sympathy he has for Four-Eyes (he's sorry he threw the snowball at him).

Something's definitely getting to Sasha here. Remember that this comes right on the heels of Four-Eyes making a comment about Sasha's mom, the American, having been "arrested and shot" (14.13). Four-Eyes seems to have insight that Sasha lacks about what happens to some prisoners. He's also doubly disturbed when Four-Eyes unwittingly makes reference to Sasha's dad being locked up (dramatic irony, anyone?).

The Grow Up Train is now several stops down the line, with Sasha unhappily going along for the ride. He is now realizing that if the system can be wrong about Finkelstein (he doesn't deserve to have his picture blacked out), then the system can be wrong about others, too. Some major cracks are starting to mar Sasha's belief system.

If you haven't already guessed it, this is a Major Turning Point for Sasha. He's no longer sugar-coating the situation for himself. After what he's heard from both Vovka and Finkelstein about how prisoners are treated, he's pretty sure his dad isn't coming back. He repeats this to himself for good measure, just to make sure he has the message loud and clear.

And the Grow Up Train finally reaches its destination. Or at least a major destination on Sasha's route to maturity. He rejects the senior lieutenant's offer, and decides he doesn't want to sacrifice his integrity to be a snitch. It's not clear yet how heavy a price Sasha will pay for this decision, but at the very least he'll be held in suspicion since he won't be a Pioneer.