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Second-Hand Time: The Last of the Soviets
Second-hand time is a book by Svetlana Alexievich which is a compilation of stories of the people of Russia. The book documents the lived experiences of the people and the compilation forms a collective narrative of the people. These narratives are broadly inclusive of the promises of the Gorbachev and Yeltsin eras and ones which were broken. These are narratives of betrayal. The people were presented with thuggish capitalism instead of opportunity and tolerance that they were promised. They were divided into categories which they had never known to exist before. These were based on money and power rather than knowledge, abilities and well being. Secondhand time is, therefore, the authentic narrative of the people of Russia over generations. It is "A magnificent tapestry of the sorrows and triumphs of the human spirit woven by a master."

Narrative Style:
The narration of the book is itself a narrative of the common men and women of Russia. Through this narrative, the larger narrative of history, society and country is formed. This is a peculiar manner of writing that Alrievich had undertaken in the secondhand time. Especially considering the historical aspects that the stories depict through the narratives.

Alexievich says that “In writing, I’m piecing together the history of ‘domestic’, ‘interior’ socialism. As it existed in a person’s soul. I’ve always been drawn to this miniature expanse: one person, the individual. It’s where everything really happens.”

She interviews ordinary citizens and shapes their testimonies into coherent narratives. According to popular sentiments, as is apparent from the narratives, there can be no judgement of the ways under Stalin, which were times when citizens were persuaded to inform on their neighbours to the NKVD (Soviet police).

There appears to be a clear divide in the book between those born in the USSR and those born after its fall in 1991 come. The author explores this aspect and concludes to the understanding that the two generations belong to “different planets.”

The author draws from the classic Russian literature which is of great relevance to the narratives of the common man. It provides her work with psychological intensity and political insight. These characteristics of her style of writing have led to an association with Fyodor Dostoevsky, who like Alexievich also favours the use of polyphony in his writing.

Additionally, Alexievich’s writing depicts elements of self-sacrifice which are often seen in the lives and work of Russia’s best journalists.

There are few interpolations from the author. When she does insert a comment, it’s in brackets and often unbearably moving, like “She no longer wipes her tears” or “She’s practically screaming” or “And both of us cry.” However, it is in an attempt to preserve the authenticity of the narrative. Therefore, one may note no analysis or comments by the author in the narratives; which may tamper with the original narratives or reflect on the narratives in a biased light.

Perestroika:
Perestroika was a political movement for reformation within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during the 1980s and 1990s and is associated with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and his glasnost(meaning "openness") policy reform.

However, after the initial infatuation with this policy was over, the repercussions led to a drastic shift in the society of Russia from being a Socialist to a Capitalist country. The people of Russia were not happy with this sudden change. There were soon voices of dissent and grave inconvenience at this shift in the societal setting.

Space:
Space plays a very important role in this narrative. While the book is itself a space for popular opinions and narratives to foster, there are seemingly mundane spaces in these narratives which are symbolically loaded.

For instance, the Kitchen. In the earlier narratives, there is reference of the Kitchen to be the only safe space for voicing dissent. This space signifies the safety to voice dissent and talk about that which would not be ideally acceptable in the setting of the prevalent societal setting. The Kitchen is the space where the changing political system and the government could be openly criticized. These kinds of dialogue would have had dire consequences otherwise.

You can open this document anywhere; it’s a kind of enormous radio. It offers a flood of voices: doctors and writers, deli workers and former Kremlin apparatchiks, soldiers and waitresses. Ms Alexievich gives these people space.

Freedom
Freedom is an important theme in the book. While it is of importance to human nature in general, It is not only a characteristic of grave importance to the people of Russia but also an idea which is contested among the people themselves. While some find liberty in the shadow of books, ideas and knowledge; there are those which seek freedom in capitalism, industrialism and revolution. Most of the narratives in the book, however, seek freedom from capitalism and industrialism than in them. This has direct associations with the societal setting that Russia has historically had, which has always been socialist.

Longing/ Nostalgia:
Nostalgia and longing form one of the central themes of the book. The narratives all reminisce the time which has passed, which were times which were relatively happier and the changes that have come about since have not done much good to make the lives of the narrators better. It has, in fact, had a contrary effect. The narratives are thick with longing even about the seemingly terrible times, like that of the war. The people of Russia, as one of the narrator mentions, are militarily inclined and not capitalistically gifted. They, therefore, prefer the times of conflict than those of peace through mundane and routine capitalism.

Part of the longing is for Russia’s old intellectual life. One woman says: “In one arm, my baby is dying, and with my free hand, I’m holding Solzhenitsyn. Books replaced life for us. They were our whole world.

Collective Memory :
The book, therefore, through individual narratives, depicts the collective memory of the people. These memories are connected very peculiarly in the lens of culture, folklore and tradition. While the roots of the people of the same land connect them in a manner which provides them with similar interpretations; their lived experience which come from similar political situations, especially suffering play a very important role in creating a sense of solidarity among the people. Therefore, while the narratives and political stances of the narrators may be different, all these narratives form a part of the memory of generations and nations.