Class and Social Contrast

Where it surfaces

• VI

  The Markovitch household includes a mix of characters from different social backgrounds, such as the chinovnik Ivan Petrovitch and the socialist Grogoff, highlighting class tensions.

• Chapter VII

  Bohun's fine luggage and polished appearance contrast with the Markovitches' modest, chaotic household.

• Markovitch's Confidences

  Markovitch's impoverished background and his resentment of those who despise him highlight class tensions in Russian society.

• XII

  Contrast between the comfortable lives of the partygoers and the revolutionary ideals of Grogoff, who lives well despite preaching socialism.

• XIII

  Semyonov's arrival disrupts the party, highlighting the underlying class tensions and the contrast between his stern demeanor and the earlier gaiety.

• XIV

  The Rat's primitive existence and the narrator's relative luxury highlight the vast divide between rich and poor in Petrograd.

• Chapter XVIII

  The luxurious dinner at the Wilderling home contrasts sharply with the poverty and unrest of Petrograd, highlighting the divide between the ruling class and the masses.

• XIX

  The contrast between the elegant shops of the Morskaia and Nevski and the chaotic, Eastern Jews' Market highlights class and social divisions.

• XX

  The contrast between the market and the mean streets of Petrograd underscores the class divisions and social decay in the city.

• V

  The Rat's resentment of the rich and his justification for looting highlight class tensions; the narrator, as a foreigner and 'barin,' is both protected and targeted.

• The Rat's Transformation

  The Rat, once a criminal, now claims authority as 'the people,' highlighting the inversion of social roles.

• Part III: Markovitch and Semyonov

  The chapter contrasts the intellectual idealism of Markovitch with the practical survival instincts of Semyonov, reflecting class divides.