Chapter 2
Basically in chapter 2, Asher fails as a student and his parents ignore him. Since he gets no attention, he goes almost everyday to see Yudel Krinsky. Reb Yudel talks to Asher and answers all of his questions without sweeping him away like dust. Asher appreciates that and keeps going back for more. I feel that Asher is going to do something that he’s never done before to get his parents attention. He deserves it because he’s only eight years old; he needs all the stimulation he can get. Because once he does something, his parents will realize that they’ve been ignoring him all this time.
If nobody cares about Asher, he’s not going to care about his schoolwork. He’s not going to think anything matters any more and continue to fail all his tests and quizzes. He’s not happy any more, and I have a feeling that that he’s going to make himself happy. To do that, he’s going to start drawing again and show everyone what he’s capable of doing. It’s the one thing in the world where he excels at, and he’s going to show everyone now. That’s one way that he might go to get the attention he wants.
The events of Russia are going to come to a climax. I think that Asher’s father might be going there if the Rebbe asks him to. I read the beginning of Chapter 3 and it says Stalin dies. Now I definitely believe he’s going to go. It’s as if all the danger has been erased. If he goes, he’ll save so many more people. But then what’s probably going to happen is he’ll get hurt. It doesn’t seem like a happy book. The mood is so dark and glum and it’s always winter! That just adds to the depressing ambience of the entire book.
How did Stalin really die? I don’t think the book it correct.
Anyway, Asher’s mom. She is so unpredictable. One day she’s in the worst mood, another day happy. One day she’s yelling at Asher and another day she’s saying what a terrible mother she is. I think the pressure she’s putting on herself to finish her brother’s work in his name is stressing her out completely. She’s so scared things aren’t going to go her way and to some extent she should be worried, but not that much. She’s going to have a break down if she continues expecting so much from herself, because one day it’s not going to be there.