Breaking Stalin's Nose

Sasha is alone in the hall with Stalin’s damaged statue and the banner. Sasha knows he will be labeled an enemy, arrested, and charged with an act of terrorism. The bell rings, and Sasha grabs the banner and runs for the bathroom.

In the bathroom, Sasha grapples with the realization that he will never be a Pioneer. In the hall, he hears Nina Petrovna sending the children back to their classrooms. Vovka meets him as he exits and tells him he saw everything that happened to the statue. He informs Sasha that according to their criminal code, anyone who destroys property will die by firing squad, and he then pulls Stalin’s nose from his pocket.

This chapter’s illustration shows Vovka with his hands on his hips, standing before Sasha in the bathroom.

In class, Nina Petrovna asks the students to each write down who they think broke the statue. The students say they do not know, and she tells them to print the names of the students who did not do it. Petrovna demands Sasha print a name. She first hints that everyone should be writing Vovka’s name. She then explicitly states that they should all write Vovka’s name. He stands to confront her, but Matveich enters and says they should all go to the cafeteria.