Her suspicions are gone and replaced by warm positive feelings—proud, impressed and loving.
4.2.1.5. Pelagea Accepts the Movement and for the First Time is Involved in It
Gorky shows in the novel that a common person like Pelagea can increase her affinity towards a new and revolutionary idea. As Pelagea gets accustomed to the
comrades, she reacts more and more positively by being attached to their discussions. She even queries herself, after some time, as to why such talks that Pavel and friends
have are forbidden. “They [the talks] sounded like fairy tales, and the mother kept glancing at her son, wanting to ask him why such stories should be forbidden [by the
authority].” 32 Furthermore, she is willing to help the cause by being able to pass important
notes to the printing factory—a very dangerous move 67. During Pavel’s arrest, she makes up her mind to continue Pavel’s work to distribute leaflets to the factory 80-
1. She is courageous now. She feels thrilled at being able to contribute something and being needed by the cause. She is indeed excited and proud of her job. She
realizes that “…little by little I too am beginning to understand what good people are trying to do” 92. She is even eager to learn to read again with Andrei’s assistance
103. By this time she has accepted Pavel’s friends and been accepted and needed by them. Her progress is shown in her conversation with the khokhol:
“[Now] I speak up and listen to my own words and scarcely believe my own ears. All my life I only though of one thing—how to get rid of
each new day, how to live it unnoticed, so that nobody would touch me. But now I’m filled with thoughts of other people. Maybe I don’t
quite understand your cause, but all of you are dear to me, I feel for all of you and want all of you to be happy. Especially you, Andriyusha.”
99
4.2.1.6. Pelagea has been Internalized in the Movement but Still has a Problem with Regards to God
In the first part of the novel, Pelagea has started to get interested in and, little by little, to comprehend the cause which is to pursue the justice for working people.
Also she has started to be involved in the actual struggle spreading leaflets and passing “forbidden” notes, yet there is one thing that keeps her puzzled, namely,
Pavel and friends’ being disbelievers. None of Pavel’s friends nor Pavel himself, believes in God, a stance which is contrary to Pelagea’s. She is particularly sad with
their stance, which somehow makes her still feel hesitant about the cause, as shown in following passage:
“And my heart’s different because my soul has opened up the eyes of my heart, and it looks out and feels sad, but glad. There are lots of
things I don’t understand, and it’s a bitter thing to me that you don’t believe in God. But what can I do about it? I see that all of you are
truly good. … And now I understand your truth: as long as there are rich people, the common people will never be able to get anything…
Now I’m living among you… But it’s easier for me to live now. Little by little I can see myself as I am.” 98
As a traditional mother who highly endorses religious traditions, her being sad and perplexed is not surprising. She is uneducated mother whose life is wearisome
and who finds relief in God and religion. Although she can accept Pavel and his PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
comrades stance, deep in her heart she senses a strong believe in them. Not infrequently, she argues with Pavel about God, but she always draws herself from the
debate. She does not want to be more hurt while arguing with Pavel. At this moment, Pelagea is still confused. On the one hand, she has
understood that what Pavel and his comrades’ are doing is for the sake of the suffering people, an idea that Pelagea is agreed on. She is also proud of her son and
begins to get close to and affectionate with his friends
.
But on the other hand, she is sorry for them because of their disbelief. In addition, although she gets acquainted
with the movement, she is still skeptical about the success of their work, since, as seen from Gorky’s description of Pelagea’s mind, “[e]veryone was bent on filling his
belly today; nobody wants to postpone it until tomorrow” 122. However, unquestionably, she feels “important to this new life” 122, and she
indeed feels pleased at being called “comrade” by Pavel’s friends. The contradiction is also shown when she longs to celebrate the May Day rally which is organized by
Pavel and his friends. She is indeed excited about it and is very proud of Pavel’s great speech at the rally 159. And the peak of Pelagea’s development in the first part of
the novel is when she assures other participants in the May Day event that even though their sons are arrested by the authority, they have to be proud since they are
for truth. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Those are the reactions of Pelagea that appear in the first part of the novel. In the second part of the novel, Pelagea has accepted the idea that is brought by Pavel,
and has joined and been an important part in the movement. Therefore, the changes and developments in the second part of the novel are not as many as in the first part.
But there is one highly significant change that happens to Pelagea, namely her being less and less religious. And finally her reaction about this contradiction is positive, by
being calmer and firmer in dealing with religious matter, especially about God.
4.2.1.7. Pelagea Becomes Less Religious and has been an Important Part of the Movement
