Communism

I really enjoyed learning about the philosophy and history behind the book. Learning the history of Stalin and the USSR take over of the eastern world. Stalin's policy of totally orthodoxy (and normalization later) makes sense in the novel. These policies are reflected when Tomas is asked to write a retraction letter or lose his job. He ultimately loses his job because he refuses to bow down to communism. Later, when the petition is published, the press focuses on its negatives rather than what the petition actually stated. This is an example of how to government censored and controlled the press. I like learning about the history behind the novel because it helps us better understand the setting.