August Boards Book Club Discussion - Death And The Penguin!!

turgon · 02-08-2009 11:03AM #1

August so time to discuss Death and the Penguin!

What did Boardsies think? And specific parts or themes that you loved?

What did ye all think the (adorable) penguin Misha symbolized??

raah! · 02-08-2009 11:06AM

(cough) Hah hah! I was just about to bring this up. As for me I am at somewhat of a loss it's fairly clear that he's a reflection of the main characters moods and situation but if his having the same name as "misha non-penguin" has any significance then I don't know. The kind of lonely interdependence between viktor and misha I think could also be used to describe nearly all the relationships in the novel.

I really liked the relationship between viktor and the woman and the child. Seems to me to be a very accurate depiction of how relationships often are, people being together "just for the sake of it" and abandoning any sort of meaningful life other than that of just living with a family... etc.

Gah! I feel like reading over some bits to find some information about the penguin.

The difference in the old man and viktor's perception of death was explored fairly well too I thought. I think people l ike this old man would be less likely to enter into the sort of relationship that viktor entered into.

turgon · 02-08-2009 11:10AM

Well talking about the Penguin, perhaps it will help us to know that Misha is a term Russians apply to Bears. We all know that Russia as a country is usually referred to as "The Bear" so perhaps Misha is representing Russia somewhat.

The novel is set in Post-Cold-War Russia so is Misha symbolic of the fallen empire? Considering that Mishas mood swings are caused by him being where she doesn't want to be.

raah! · 02-08-2009 11:19AM

Being massively ignorant of russian history and the like, I'll leave that type of discussion to the other ones of ye. I perceived only the existential themes and the like, but I'm really looking forward to hear these other things discussed.

One of the excerpts posted is very relevant to this book:

Oh that I had for ever remained in my native wood, nor known nor felt beyond the sensations of hunger, thirst, and heat!
Of what a strange nature is knowledge! It clings to the mind, when it has once seized on it, like a lichen on the rock. I wished sometimes to shake off all thought and feeling; but I learned that there was but one means to overcome the sensation of pain and that was death.

Vicktor often expresses sentiment like this, changing between absurd ecstacy and depression depending on whether or not he considers his situation.

turgon · 02-08-2009 11:29AM

That quote (from Frankenstein) is actually very relevant to the way in which he deals with the gang. As he find out more about what is actually happening the worse his case gets.

Obviously the Soviet Union broke up in 1990. Before that it would have been a "superpower," prestigious in terms of the world stage. After the break up it lost this, and for a few years was probably in an unsure place. TedB might be able to elaborate. As I said, Misha is in an unhappy place because it is too warm.

I think the book is an examination of post-soviet Russian life. In a direct way we have the mafia gangs running amuck. The lack of a government/solid state appears to underly the narrative. Also, can we read something from the fact that the only (?) policeman we knows goes away only to later die?

Why do you think they had to attend the funerals??

raah! · 02-08-2009 11:42AM

It certainly does examine post soviet life. However I thought that the situation here, even though you could attribute all the confusion and lack of purpose to particular circumstance, is reminiscent of your archetypal existentialist novel where this lack of purpose is inherent in life itself.

This may have prevented me somewhat from seeing the novel as an examination of a particular time or place. But I see that that was a massive part of the novel now, with all this evidence.

As for the funerals I put alot of thought into them but still haven't come to any solid conclusions, so I look forward to other peoples interpretations of them.

turgon · 02-08-2009 12:05PM

Well obviously the fact that you took it in the general sense is a complement to the author. The "lack of purpose" pervades throughout the text. In fact there is no future planned/described as such until the very last page. Everything from his writing career to having a partner and a child lacks any planned progression. As you said, "for the sake of it."

He is very closed off from society. Most of the action takes place within solid confines such as his apartment. Even when he is on holidays the action outside the home takes place in the black dark, which gives the same feeling of isolation and/or entrapment. I think this gives the sense of a lack of community to the portrait of post-cold war Russia.

The funeral thing is certainly interesting. I'm trying to pester ilovenerds to comment, she had a good theory as regards the funerals asfaik.

TedB · 02-08-2009 01:03PM

Let me start by saying that I absolutely adored this book. Misha was pure and utter genius - after reading this the idea of adopting a Penguin is very appealing

Misha is a Penguin with severe depression and someone who is reliant on Viktor for sustenance. However on the other hand, for Viktor, it is like having an extra limb about the place. he cannot imagine losing it. He too has an emotional attachment with his penguin. It is like Misha is a part of him that he can't do without. Misha depresses him, makes him worry about him. When he falls ill and lies on his side the emotional impact was simply devastating on the reader! The poor penguin!

At the same time, its a more compelling attachment than mere fondness or childishness in the eyes of the reader. Misha is a part of Viktor, a man who leads a lonely existence and someone who has things 'happen' to him. He doesn't have any friends - he suddenly makes a friend by virtue of his penguin. He is a struggling writer - he falls into the writing of obituaries for people who aren't dead yet. Again, his relationship with the girl is an accident borne from his writing of obituaries. The Penguin diffuses the natural tensions and adds some brilliant comic relief to what would have otherwise been an extremely dark book.

The climax was fantastic. Talk about getting a taste of one's own medicine. I'm still unsure what the very last page was getting at - when he comes to the airport and declares that he is the Penguin who requires transportation to the Antartic. Anyone else have any idea's about this? I obviously 'get' what he's saying but I feel the symbolism is a little lost on my telelogically inclined brain.

P.S- I should also echo the thoughts of the Penguinologist (Another genuis character construction) that the reasons for the Penguin being so depressed were climatic in nature. This would imply that the Penguin was a prisoner of his environment - he does not belong in Ukraine, he belongs to the other side of the world. It is simply un-natural for him to be living in that environment. Whereas Viktor is a prisoner of his own angst and inability to be the person he wants to be (He mentions his aspirations for novel writing several times) Both creatures are prisoners of some sort. Viktor is working for the mafia - he must have known this but preferred not to dwell on it. Concurrently, I believe that he must have known that he was not fit to be a novelist but he also repressed this thought, or at least pretended otherwise.

Its a bit similar to his occassional hankering for getting a house in the countryside. A move to a different environment may have been able to help Misha (IE, a move to the Antartic) but it would not likely have helped Viktor fix the problems in his life. At least Misha has a problem that potentially can be fixed - can Viktors problem ever be fixed?

P.P.S- I would like to hear from people who actually didn't like the book. That might enliven this a bit!

ilovenerds · 02-08-2009 01:24PM

turgon wrote: »

The funeral thing is certainly interesting. I'm trying to pester ilovenerds to comment, she had a good theory as regards the funerals asfaik.

Hmm..I wasn't aware that I had any such theory. I've probably just forgotten it:o

Anyways it’s very astute of you to realise that Mischa symbolises the Russian state in its existing condition. Once having been a dominant superpower it has been reduced to the sad despondent penguin depicted throughout the novel. The penguin’s bleak and aimless existence mirrors the empty lives of the proles on the street as they live without purpose or pleasure.

I found it pretty interesting that despite Mischa’s situation Kurkov still managed to give a poignant portrayal of its calm dignity. Was he trying to suggest Russia’s overlooked yet ever-present moral prowess?

Oh and by the way if anyone’s interested there’s actually a follow up novel called ‘Penguin Lost’.:D

ilovenerds · 02-08-2009 02:14PM

raah! wrote: »

(cough) Hah hah! I was just about to bring this up. As for me I am at somewhat of a loss it's fairly clear that he's a reflection of the main characters moods and situation but if his having the same name as "misha non-penguin" has any significance then I don't know.

Given the interpretation proposed by Turgon of the name Mischa , what do you think the character of Mischa-Non-Penguin represents? Does Mischa-non-penguin become a reflection of the attitudes(and indeed corruption) of the Soviet Union prior to its dissolution? He certainly displays a callous merciless streak when he sacrifices the first victim (I forget his name and I don’t have the book) just so that Victor can see his favourite obituary in print!:eek:

TedB · 02-08-2009 02:34PM

I like the interpretation that posits Misha the Penguin as a representation of Russia's finest qualities and Misha Non-Penguin as her worst. It certainly offers a distinct perspective from which we can gain a new appreciation of the narrative. I shall think that one over.

raah! · 02-08-2009 02:48PM

ilovenerds wrote: »

Given the interpretation proposed by Turgon of the name Mischa , what do you think the character of Mischa-Non-Penguin represents? Does Mischa-non-penguin become a reflection of the attitudes(and indeed corruption) of the Soviet Union prior to its dissolution? He certainly displays a callous merciless streak when he sacrifices the first victim (I forget his name and I don’t have the book) just so that Victor can see his favourite obituary in print!:eek:

Yes I think mischa-non-penguin's name would invite us to take him to represent the opposite .... or at least something in contrast to whatever we are going to interpret misha-regular to symbolise.

It paints a bleak picture of russia however, if post soviet misha is depressed and mopy and out of place and pre soviet misha is a murderer. But I guess that ties in with the general theme of the book.

MissRibena · 03-08-2009 09:23AM

I've just finished this book - my first online bookclub read.

I seem to be in a minority of one in not falling in love with it. A lot of the historical/political metaphors escaped me and I found it very infuriating because I knew the author was trying to get at something but I didn't have the key to break the code. So I spent a lot of the book wondering what was 'really' going on and not having that resolved until I read some of the more informed posts here. I wonder if this take on a post-USSR world is still relevant; even I know there has been a lot of water under the bridge in both Russia and Ukraine since 1996.

My reading of it was on the basis of the existential themes too and the mood of the book reminded me a lot of Atomised by Houellebecq. I found the characters difficult to warm to (even the penguin) but was putting it down to that being part of the construct: nobody feels much for anyone in the book so the reader is hardly meant to feel too much for the characters either. In the end, didn't Viktor just abandon Mischa to the gangster funerals?

I also found some of the translation very awkward, particularly in the beginning but I got used to it as it wore on.

There were some aspects I liked. It is funny in lots of places and the pace is really lively and feels like a (bewildering) thriller. It is also mercifully short so that even if you're struggling like I was, it's not difficult to stick it out to the end.

So overall, a lukewarm experience for me. Hope Dead Souls is more my cup of tea but reading the blurb, I have my doubts!

ally2 · 03-08-2009 01:36PM

I'm still halfway through so prob shouldn't have read these posts as I have an idea of the ending now!

I'll reserve judgement on the book until I finish except to say that it's def. more of an existentialist read for me at the moment than anything else. Will probably have a different pov now after reading this.

raah! · 03-08-2009 01:46PM

MissRibena wrote: »

I seem to be in a minority of one in not falling in love with it. A lot of the historical/political metaphors escaped me and I found it very infuriating because I knew the author was trying to get at something but I didn't have the key to break the code.

Well we will benefit most from this book club discussion then

.

But even if the book was supposed to be a historical/political allegory it wasn't its only aim. It was based in the ukraine, and there was certainly an amount of "oooh, this place is all backwards and surreal" etc but the other themes were more than prominent, and it wasn't a waste of time if you focused only on them.

Some of the stuff I'm looking forward to hearing other peoples interpretations, but sometimes I think that it doesn't go any deeper than the base value. At the end for example when viktor says "I'm the penguin", it would be very difficult for me to translate this into an allegorical statement about russia.

Poppy78 · 03-08-2009 06:39PM

turgon wrote: »

Well talking about the Penguin, perhaps it will help us to know that Misha is a term Russians apply to Bears. We all know that Russia as a country is usually referred to as "The Bear" so perhaps Misha is representing Russia somewhat.

All the same this book is hardly pure political allegory. Although there are times that we get the authors dissatisfaction with the state of his country at the time of writing. For example one of the very few times we see Viktor engaging with his emotions is when he tries to stifle his rage at how the penguinologist is being treated in hospital.

That said I mostly felt Misha was a reflection of Viktor himself. He literally says it a few times. Every time Viktor bends down and looks into the penguins eyes we are really looking at the emotionless eyes of Viktor. The penguin is also loyal. One of the only facts Viktor knows about penguins is that the father brings up the young and that they are faithful husbands. This would remind us of his relationship with Sonya who “he had been too good-natured to take her where dumped children get taken.” He has a sense of duty and loyalty to her and to Nina in a way.

The other fact he knows about penguins is that they have an innate sense of community. Misha is dislocated from his community as is Viktor. Although he tries to build a new micro community with people he meets throughout the book.

I also feel that Misha represents a kind of redemption for Viktor. He cares so much for this lost and lonely animal. This might partly explain why the penguin is present at the funerals of those who Viktor has callously marked for death.

That’s my ten cents. Loved the book, read it in a single sitting.

Poppy78 · 03-08-2009 07:05PM

MissRibena wrote: »

I found the characters difficult to warm to (even the penguin) but was putting it down to that being part of the construct: nobody feels much for anyone in the book so the reader is hardly meant to feel too much for the characters either.

I thought the bare sketching in of nearly the entire cast and also the limited descriptions of locations added to the poignant isolation and loneliness of the novel. It actually gave me more sympathy for the flawed anti-hero.

raah! · 04-08-2009 10:55PM

Poppy78 wrote: »

I also feel that Misha represents a kind of redemption for Viktor. He cares so much for this lost and lonely animal. This might partly explain why the penguin is present at the funerals of those who Viktor has callously marked for death.

This would be the intepretation of the penguin attending the funeral that makes the most sense for me (although I haven't heard any others

)

nc6000 · 06-08-2009 09:34PM

What was the point of the casino at the end (if any)? It seems he already had plenty of money with the bundle left by Misha non-penguin and from Misha attending the funerals.

Did I miss something?

ilovenerds · 07-08-2009 11:21PM

TedB wrote: »

I like the interpretation that posits Misha the Penguin as a representation of Russia's finest qualities and Misha Non-Penguin as her worst. It certainly offers a distinct perspective from which we can gain a new appreciation of the narrative. I shall think that one over.

What do people think is the significance (if any) of Mischa-non-penguin entrusting Victor with the care of his young daughter in taking this approach? I found the relationship between the girl and Mischa rather curious. It altered considerably from her initial total fixation on the penguin to casual concern at the end (diverting her interest toward the television). Even Victor notes how her initial constant stream of inquiries into the penguins well become increasingly sporadic. Is Kurkov suggesting that the new Russian generation will lose interest in their history?

ally2 · 08-08-2009 04:56PM

raah! wrote: »

This would be the intepretation of the penguin attending the funeral that makes the most sense for me (although I haven't heard any others )

The only interpretation seemingly offered in the book is when Viktor thinks about the irony of it being he who writes the obituary and then attends the funeral 'in the role of inspector to check that burial was indeed taking place'. It seems that he is the witness of his own acts here? And isn't Lyosha linked to the Chief?

Honestly, this book can have dozens of meanings. I like that about it although it is a bit irritating too. I found it a bit turgid up until halfway through. It wasn't until the second half of the book that I began to see Viktor as a real character worth the reader's emotional investment. Before this he is just a cardboard cut-out for me. But after the penguinologist's sad death and funeral he starts to really develop and you want him to do whatever he needs to keep the few people he sort of cares for in his life.

Some of the writing was beautiful and there are some really unusual thoughts and reflections that Viktor expresses. But - and this could be to do with translation - it read a little clunky in parts and some of the adjectives seemed a little misplaced. Did anyone else feel this?

turgon · 08-08-2009 05:01PM

Yeah I did but I had that down to the translation. The translator might of wanted to preserve the spirit of the original which might lead to less than flowing sentences.

That reading of the funeral sounds good. It may just be used to bring home the reality of Victors actions home. Although there is the issue that the penguin was often the spectator.

ally2 · 08-08-2009 08:46PM

Yep, the penguin gets in the way. Has anyone read or heard of any interviews with the author? Would love to hear his explanations, but then again, he may not give anything away. Maybe it's up to us to decide?

Pollythene Pam · 09-08-2009 07:53PM

I did not like the book.

turgon · 09-08-2009 09:13PM

Any, erm, reasons?

August Boards Book Club Discussion - Death And The Penguin!!

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