A Nation Trapped in Time

Abstract

This thesis explores the complex interplay of time and national identity in Soviet and post-Soviet Russia through the metaphor of a house. Structured around the elements of a house—floor, walls, windows, doors, and roof—this paper examines how time operates as the framework for constructing and containing identity. Drawing on literary and cinematic works, the study reveals how the floor symbolizes the past, the walls represent the present, the windows and doors signify transitions and possibilities for the future, and the roof encapsulates stagnation and unresolved trauma. By analyzing Yevgeny Zamyatin's We, Andrei Tarkovsky's Solaris, Natalya Baranskaya's A Week Like Any Other, and Svetlana Alexievich's Chernobyl Prayer and Secondhand Time, the thesis investigates the tension between historical memory and cultural evolution. Zamyatin’s We critiques the manipulation of historical foundations under totalitarian control, while Tarkovsky’s Solaris portrays the haunting of the present by unresolved pasts. Baranskaya’s works highlight the constrained opportunities for societal transition, particularly for women. Alexievich’s oral histories delve into the weight of collective trauma, depicting the roof of the house as a site of stagnation, where unresolved crises impede forward movement. The metaphor of the house of time offers a fresh perspective on Russian identity, emphasizing the necessity of confronting historical ghosts and engaging with cultural diversity to foster a more dynamic and inclusive future. This study demonstrates how the intersections of time, memory, and identity shape a nation’s struggle to navigate its past while envisioning new possibilities for growth and transformation.