Dreams

Dreams or ambitions play a central part of the characters’ motivations. Both Zinaida and Stepan harbor dreams of their own for a better life. The theme of dreams takes on a melancholy hue as each grows increasingly disillusioned.

For Zinaida’s part, she dreams of improving both her own lot and her lover’s lifestyle by throwing herself into the role of the domestic wife. As Orlov starts spending more time away from home, fulfilling this dream becomes unlikely: “Zinaida Fyodorovna still dreamed of her own kitchen, of a new apartment and a trip abroad, but her dreams remained dreams” (277). This sentence perfectly sums up the cooling of relations between Zinaida and her lover. Where before, Zinaida could pretend that she and Orlov wanted the same things, his increased absences make it clear that he wants little to do with her.

As for Stepan, he fantasizes...