Chapters 3 and 4 Summary

In Chapter 3, Sasha's father works for the State Security or Secret Police. Their job is to uncover enemies infiltrating across the borders. Sasha's father is one of the top officers. He was awarded the Red Banner by Stalin for "purging the vermin from our midst." (10) A neighbor, Marfa Ivanovna, gives Sasha a carrot to eat because his father doesn't come home all evening. He tries to make the carrot last. He figures that kids in capitalist societies aren't fortunate enough to have good food like carrots to eat.

In Chapter 4, everyone at the commune seems to be afraid of Sasha's father but they are just respectful. One neighbor, Stukachov, asks him how many spies he caught that day. But he can't say because it's a state secret. But Sasha's father catches enemies every day.

Sasha's father tells him to follow anyone...