The Soviet Novel, Third Edition: History as Ritual

The novel had a special place within Soviet culture. It was an important means of entertainment as well as indoctrination. The authors also had to walk a fine line of properly appealing to the sensibilities of the current leadership. From Lenin to Stalin to Khrushchev, the leader in power caused different interpretations and sensibilities to become more important. The novels would stress the current sensibilities, sometimes acknowledging the faults of the past. There was still some space for independence and subterfuge, yet most novels adhered to a standard formula. Gorky's Mother seemed to be mentioned over in over. After the downfall of the Soviet Union, the novel's importance waned in independent Russia.