A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life

Nonfiction | Essay Collection | Adult | Published in 2021

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Prologue: “We Begin”

“In the Cart’”

“The Singers”

“The Darling”

“Master and Man”

“The Nose”

“Gooseberries”

“Alyosha the Pot”

“We End”

Appendices

Key Figures

Themes

Index of Terms

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Discussion Questions

Essay Topics

In his “Afterthought” to “The Nose,” Saunders describes the skaz-style narrator. What makes this an effective narrative voice? Can you think of any contemporary examples of this style of narration?

Saunders suggests that “The Nose” is truthful, even if it is also a fantastical. How are the experiences of the characters relatable, even if they are strange? How is the voice in the story relatable?

“The Singers” is structured in an unusual way. How does its construction strengthen the story?