Olesha's Envy: Kavalerov's Surrender to His Imagination

Yuri Oleshas Envy is a novel that follows a unworthy man named Nikolai Kavalerov who struggles with his transition into the new Soviet world. He believes himself to be creative and intelligent, however hindered by the post-revolutionary world. He prefers the values of the senile world, the one in which he feels he would have been successful. In the novel, Kavalerov is surrounded by those that thrive in the new community. Because he cannot ignore them, he chooses to minimize them. Kavalerov uses mirrors to distort the world into his let disfigured realm. Mirrors are used to depict three stages of Kavalerovs decline into his own fantasy dimension.
The first stage of Kavalerovs slip into his own alternative reality happens while he recalls himself changing his shirt in front of a mirror. I [Kavalerov]…was suddenly struck by my amazing resemblance to my father, (269). At this beat, Kavalerov is still living in the physical world, the world of Russia. I [Kavalerov] felt sorry for him [Kavalerovs Father]. He no longitudinal had the possibility of being handsome or famous, he was already done, completed, there was no longer any change that he might be anything other than what he was, (269). This is the only time in the novel where Kavalerov sees a legitimate reflection of himself in the mirror.



Soon after, while dreaming, Kavalerov proves himself to be within the mirrors reflection, instead of his father: No one has ever love me without being paid for it. As for whores, even they would try to watch me for all they could, (271). Kavalerov pities his father for his lack of beauty, though Kavalerov is the one that repels the worst of women. Kavalerov has become his father, though he only admits it in dreams. He is describing himself, using his fathers name in his place. This proves that Kavalerovs fade into his hallucination is already beginning. I [Kavalerov] pitied him [Kavalerovs Father] and quietly prided myself on my own advantage, (269)....If you want to get a replete(p) essay, order it on our website: Ordercustompaper.com



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