Chapter 39 Summary and Analysis: Andrius's Painful Secret
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Lina struggles with her anger toward Andrius, whom she believes is willingly cooperating with the Soviets while she, her mother, and brother suffer. She refuses to take food to Mr. Stalas for several days because she cannot bear to see Andrius. Eventually, Jonas goes, and Lina accompanies him at their mother's request. Outside the shack, Andrius confronts Lina about her hostility. He reveals the devastating truth: the NKVD has threatened to kill him unless his mother sleeps with them. Every day his mother prostitutes herself to the men who murdered her husband. Andrius admits he hates himself for being the cause of her suffering, but they use their position to help others. Lina is stunned into silence. Earlier in the chapter, Lina works in the beet fields, learning from Miss Grybas that the guards sawed off hoe handles to prevent workers from resting. That evening, Lina also argues with her mother about Andrius. Mr. Stalas tells Lina that anger does not look good on her.
Key Events
- Lina refuses to deliver food to Mr. Stalas for several days because she cannot face Andrius.
- Jonas eventually goes, and Lina reluctantly joins him.
- Andrius confronts Lina outside the shack, revealing his mother's forced prostitution to the NKVD to save his life.
- Lina learns the truth behind Andrius's apparent privilege and feels ashamed of her judgment.
- Earlier, Lina works in the beet fields with a sawed-off hoe handle, understanding the difficulty of stealing beets under guard.
- Miss Grybas warns the women about the pace of work.
- Mr. Stalas rebukes Lina for her anger, telling her it does not suit her.
Character Development
Lina undergoes a significant emotional shift. At the start, she is consumed by bitterness, labeling Andrius a traitor and refusing to acknowledge his help. Her encounter with Andrius forces her to confront her own selfishness and lack of perspective. She realizes that survival forces people into impossible choices.
Andrius is revealed as a deeply burdened character. He carries the weight of his mother's sacrifice, hating himself yet using their situation to help others. His outburst shows his pain and frustration, as well as his maturity in understanding that judgment is naive.
Mother shows quiet wisdom throughout. She tries to make Lina see Andrius's courage, encouraging gratitude instead of suspicion.
Mr. Stalas offers blunt advice, telling Lina that anger does not look good on her. He also expresses his own exhaustion with NKVD harassment and hints at a deeper understanding of Stalin's methods.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Sacrifice and moral compromise. Andrius's mother gives her body to save her son. This extreme sacrifice forces readers to consider the limits people will go to for family. Andrius and his mother turn their misfortune into a means to help others, as seen when they provide food for the prisoners.
Judgment vs. understanding. Lina's initial judgment of Andrius is based on surface appearances. The chapter teaches that without knowing others' full struggles, one cannot judge their actions. Mr. Stalas's comment that "it doesn't look good on you—anger" reinforces this.
The beet field as a symbol of dehumanization. The sawed-off hoe handles represent the Soviet regime's cruelty—preventing even a moment's rest. The armed guards' indifference highlights the prisoners' powerless state.
Selfishness vs. community. Lina's refusal to help Mr. Stalas is a selfish act that isolates her from the group's survival network. Andrius reveals that he and his mother use their position to keep others alive, contrasting with Lina's self-absorption.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a turning point in Lina's understanding of the brutal realities of survival under Soviet occupation. It shifts her perception of Andrius and forces her to examine her own flaws. The revelation about Andrius's mother deepens the novel's exploration of moral compromise and the cost of resistance. It also reinforces the theme that appearances are deceptive—those who seem to cooperate may be making the greatest sacrifices. The chapter prepares Lina for more mature decisions in future chapters.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Lina initially refuse to take food to Mr. Stalas?
Lina refuses because she cannot stand to see Andrius, whom she believes is a traitor working with the Soviets and living comfortably while she and her family suffer.
2. What truth does Andrius reveal about his mother?
Andrius reveals that the NKVD threatened to kill him unless his mother slept with them. She prostitutes herself to save his life, and he lives with the guilt of being the cause.
3. How does Mr. Stalas respond to Lina's anger?
Mr. Stalas tells Lina that anger does not look good on her and dismisses her sour mood, implying that she is not the only one entitled to anger.