Fear.
In a society where there are no rules, no laws, no restraints on the power of the state, all is left up to fate. Everything that the characters in Grossman’s novel hold dear, everything that they posses can be suddenly taken away, leaving the citizens in constant fear. When Viktor learns that the house manager wants to talk to him, he goes into his a panic as thoughts race through his mind and his head begins to spin; “was it about their excess living space? Viktor’s out-of-date passport? Or was it a check-up by the Military Commissariat? Or perhaps some informer had told them that Yevgenia had been living there without being registered” (759). All of us would go mad, I bet, living in such world filled by constant threat.
Yet, one thing in Viktor’s unpredictable life is certain beyond a doubt. As Viktor remarks, “they already know everything” to which Lyudmila responds “of course they do. They’re all spying on us… What’s there to be surprised about?” (760). He remembers Krymov, “as pure and dedicated a Communist as anyone,” who had been arrested and no one seemed shocked. This brings Viktor “back to his student days. How he had talked!”It raises the question of whether there is any justice in the Communist system. With all the injustice seen in this novel alone, there is no need to list them.
After a few weeks of living in this constant fear , Viktor’s nerves are tested. Everywhere he went, “his feeling of terror grew more and more oppressive” (760). He must live his life with so many daily fears. At times, “Viktor looked at his wife, wondering what the two of them would be like in ten of fifteen years” (761). In such madness as this, how long could you last? Compared to life in the U.S., it would certainly be quite a contrast.
However, things turn around quickly for Viktor Shtrum. One day the phone rings while he is sitting in his living room. His wife picks up the phone, unable to recognize who is calling. But as it turns out, it is just your friendly neighborhood comrade Stalin. This alleviates Viktor’s fear temporarily. At least, until he remembers that he has to visit the house manager, then he no longer goes about his life merrily.
The section also includes a window into Viktor’s imprisoned life. Set in the prisons, it portrays his terrible strife. This section ends with a wonderful quotation about life and fate. Thinking of his dead friend he realizes “that’s my fate too… I’ve got nowhere to go… it’s too late” (788).
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Great post Adam. Lots of insightful points.
ReplyDeleteCan mine be that short?
ReplyDeleteGood thoughts, Belzburg.
ReplyDeleteI especially liked your ideas concerning uncertainty and fear, and the toll they have on the psych of the individual. When this kind of raw terror is imposed and enforced, the individual becomes lost in a maelstrom of self-doubt and inner volatility. It is no surprise that Viktor feels as though his life is descending into chaos, as though his sanity has been thrown to the dogs of totalitarianism. Quite honestly, I cannot imagine what I would do if I were trapped in this kind of an inescapable situation. The constant questioning, the constant doubt, the constant fear and anxiety, it would eat away at my personality, my identity, everything that makes me who I am. It would rip my confidence to shreds, tear my hope to shreds, and probably lead me down a dangerously self-destructive path. This, above all things, is what I fear the most. The inability to understand the idea of trust, the inability to have sincere faith in the people that affect your daily life. For in my opinion, having hope, having faith, having someone to which you can speak your mind and heart without worry or anxiousness, that is the most important aspect of the human connection, and it is essential to the happiness of each and every individual.
The Stalinist system is profoundly irrational, and it cannot be expected to pick its victims rationally. The only reasonable reason to pick Krymov out would be to create an overwhelming sense of fear in the rest of the populace, resulting in a state of panicked obedience and overall decrease in aberrant behavior… Actually, it makes a lot of sense for a totalitarian regime to occasionally arrest loyal, productive members of society like Krymov. Just don’t arrest all your generals just before a war. See, this is all much more sensible when you see things from the State’s perspective. That’s why you all have so much trouble understanding the Soviet system. Just look at it from their point of view. Now that I’m done marriage counseling, I’ll leave with one Parthian shot: there is merely one difference between democracy and totalitarianism. Whom the state serves.
ReplyDeleteAn Arousing Address, Adam.
ReplyDeleteWe have never really talked about the inter-workings of a mind on edge, one driven by fear of death, the fate of their lives. In such an instant, we are privileged to observe the true nature of Victor's character. There is an interesting dynamic here between Strum and the State. No doubt, Strum is feeling his life slowly leaving his grips as his fate is left the maelstrom of totalitarianism. Here, we see one of Grossman's greatest fears, the death of optimism. This is also what I think Berlin talks about in "The Pursuit of the Ideal." For society to progress, man must evaluate his current situation and strive to make it better how he sees fit. In a totalitarian state, all since of individual hope is lost, the drive behind modern societies is taken away. The root of happiness is perverted with the material effects of totalitarianism. This moment the book encapsulates the spirit of the era: bit by bit, inch by inch, the human condition becomes no more than a variable in a rigid, parametric function destitute of hope, of individualism, of creativity, or love, or of optimism.
Obviously the absolute power of the state lead to an absolute uncertentity, which as it turns out, lead to more power for the state. This self perpetuating cycle should be expected as i believe a vast majority would devote themselves entirely to the state in hopes of achieving some semblance of security, as Viktor does when he sees the chance. I do, however, understand why one might reason that this is acceptable. If one truly believed that communism was the answer, and that communism could only be forced upon a nation by a totalitarian state, then, as uncertainty gives power to the totalitarian state, it makes sense that, though there is a price to pay for such uncertainty, it is worth it. After all, who is it that said, "What price could be to high for eutopia?" Again, it all boils down to, as Berlin says, the fact that we must be wary of such a promise.
ReplyDeleteWhile Adam's post is obviously intelligent, as pointed out by Mr. H himself, I must admit that I don't like it when he posts. This is because I enjoy reading his clever alliterations, which, I hate to say are NOT PRESENT IN HIS POST!
ReplyDeleteBut I still love you Belz. Now, to the intellect, or lack thereof...
What this post does is really explore the tools used to destroy individuality. Obviously, we keep mentioning this loss and destruction committed by the Totalitarian regime. However, the fear serves as an example of a method. Individuality does not just go away. There is a process. And fear is the first step, as Grossman indicates. We see a man slowly being driven to the point where he can fear no more. Fear makes people do/not do things. In other words, it drives them to act in a way that will please the state....thus forfeiting any individuality.
Near the beginning of Chapter 41 on page 761 where Viktor is feeling extremely depressed, Grossman writes "After each new humiliation, after each new blow of fate" clearly implying that all of Viktor's misfortunes are simply that, hands of fate. But in actuality, his life is simply determined by those men in power, not abstract, godly concepts. This is particularly clear in Stalin's call to Viktor in which he wishes Viktor success in his work. All of the sudden, Viktor's life completely changed, just from a phone call from a man - (not a god). This is exactly how messed up this system is, that fate, life and death, misery and prosperty, can all be controlled by the whim of one man - and nothing else matters.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, it's amusing how Viktor immediately says "My working conditions are perfectly satisfactory." even when they blatantly aren't "with a sincerity that he himself found astonishing." (763). He is after all, talking to the all powerful provider and creator Stalin himself. He can't be honest with someone of such mythical importance. (That's dripping with sarcasm by the way).
Wonderful post, Adam.
ReplyDeleteViktor’s constant fear reminds me of Winston Smith’s constant fear in 1984. Because the totalitarian government of Stalin so closely mirrors that of Big Brother, Grossman’s work is even more terrifying. Grossman writes: “Viktor was haunted by the thought that he was about to be arrested. His feeling of terror grew more and more oppressive. But when at last the end seemed quite inevitable, he would feel a sense of joy and relief” (760). Thus, Viktor is self-imprisoned because he believes he could be arrested at any second for his anti-Party sentiments. At this juncture in the novel, Viktor has developed many anti-Party feelings and constantly fears mentioning something in the wrong tone to one of his coworkers or making an anti-Party remark. Furthermore, I believe that none of us could endure the madness that Viktor and his fellow Party academics endured during Stalin’s era. Since many of us take free speech and independent thought for granted, living in the Soviet Union would be, as you said, a stark contrast from living in the United States. Personally, I do not think I could endure the constant trepidation of being arrested. Furthermore, Krymov’s arrest illustrates the corruption of the Communist system. Even the most faithful Communists can be punished if their actions and words are not in line with the Party’s agenda. Essentially, no one is above the Party.
Totalitarian regimes use fear not only as a means to an end but as an end in and of itself. It forces the people to obey the regime, but it that is al it accomplishes. The society cannot thrive under such circumstances.
ReplyDeleteJustice has no meaning in such a society. Punishment is dispensed according to what benefits the party the most. Likewise with rewards. The fact that Viktor got a call from Stalin is a validation of everything he has been doing, and there should be no more need to fear. He is associated with the big man himself, so he is an instant celebrity. All the other Party officials will look on him with respect because he has been without a doubt party-approved
To me, this section is a small example of how the Soviets would mentally break dissenters and make them love and rely on their government. As we see with Viktor, the Soviets basically scare the crap out of him. They let him know that the subversive ideas floating through his head, which he shared with close friends, are not going unnoticed by the regime. They come on strong at first, letting him know that they are present, and then they back away to let Viktor waste away in paranoia. Once Viktor becomes afraid of everything and everyone, the Soviets extend their hand as if to show that they are not malicious, and that Viktor has overestimated the wrath of the party. Stalin's friendly phone call to Viktor is an exaggeration of the final step in this process. After Stalin's call, Viktor becomes pathetically reliant on the Soviets.
ReplyDeleteAdam, I like the layout of your post and its concentration on Fear and its affects. at what point does fear become part of life (living under the Soviet regiem) and what does this mean for the people (in this case, Victor). Lyudmila has already had her jarring experience that sedated her, but she was always relatively down to earth and it is not surprising that she can approach the issue of them being spied on with such calm. Victor, on the other hand, has not adapted to this type of living at all and is therefore in a constant state of fear. Is this attitude more human? If so what happens when he accepts his fate and the fact that he will always live at the whim of the regiem? does he lose his humanity? I believe so, and I believe this to be the true "shot to the soul" that totalitarian regiems deliver, because, given enough time, everyone under the regiem will either have to adapt or rebel, and those that rebel will be killed leaving only those whose human nature has been broken, leaving them empty and incapable of original or natural thought.
ReplyDeleteNicely done Belzy, fear is certainly a major part of the stability of any nation led by a single ruler. This post reminds me of two things: First of all, Machiavelli. He said that a ruler must divert from traditional christian morals in order to establish fear and protect the general population from the nature of man. Fear is essential when the population isn't happy. The second is The Lives of Others - "of course they are spying on us... whats there to be surprised about?" The Russian government establishes fear by spying and making examples of people, innocent or guilty.
ReplyDeleteAdam’s right to emphasize a critical word in Grossman’s story: fear. But it’s important to note that the fear is combined with terror tactics. As we learned from Arendt and Berlin, one of the key ways a totalitarian state keeps power is by using terror against its own people. It’s important to remember that the fear in the people exists exactly because the State is using terror against them. It is the terror that creates the fear. If the people can ever be strong enough to rise up and prevent the State from terrorizing them, they can escape the environment of constant fear. But this is a permanent struggle and Grossman is not sure the people will prevail.
ReplyDeleteIn response to your first two lines: hence why the book is called life and fate. The life of fate lives through fear and the fate of life is making a choice of allowing that fear to permeate our lives. In the context of the story and the time period, the purpose of totalitarianism was too make that very real fear inescapable and have it guide the lives of the people into hopeless obedience as we talked about in previous chapters. Though it is a rather intelligent use of one’s own inhibitions and phobias against them, it is rather immoral and sickening. As evidenced through Viktor’s life, once the fear permeates the lives of individuals, the only work of the government is to watch people wallow in their oppressive stages of self-doubt and mistrust. The only thing the people could have faith in was the government’s ability to control, any and everything that went on in their lives.
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