Ukrainian Maria Reva's Novostroïka

Tethered to global, everyday life are a myriad of political ideologies constructing many individuals’ identities and experiences. These ideologies--Anarchism, Conservatism, Fascism, and Communism to name a few--have reshaped as time has progressed to suit the plights and desires of humanity’s dynamic existence. But many times, unfortunately, these systems fail to serve any beneficial purpose; they exploit the population, and they destroy. Especially notorious for the exploitation of its citizens is Communism, which has endured much hatred and failed implementation. Within her piece “Novostroïka,” native Ukrainian Maria Reva satirizes the inadequacy of this particular ideology through the lens of Daniil Blinov and his family struggling to exist in the collapsing Soviet Union. With the use of literary devices throughout the story, Reva articulates--both outwardly and subtly--the strife of citizens under Communist reign. Specifically, her motif of a lack of identity within Daniil, his family, and his apartment emphasizes “Novostroïka”’s theme that Communism suppresses individuality and freedom. Specifically with Daniil, Reva exemplifies the lack of identity--the hopelessness--of the individual under Communism, which justifies Daniil’s importance as the core of the story. In the exposition of his character, Daniil …show more content…
Largely based on genitalia, a man’s most basic identity, his sense of masculinity, typically serves as the foundation for the other pieces of identity. Thus, Reva utilizes this to transform Daniil’s grandfather’s missing testicles into a representation of the true issue: an overwhelming lack of identity, even in the most fundamental sense. And this lack of identity within Daniil’s family once again perpetuates the motif to show the theme--Communism suppresses any individuality, as uniformity is the ultimate