Verdun

Verdun is the rock that Fyodor hands to Charlotte when he approaches her during the victory parade in Moscow. Later, Charlotte falls in love with and marries Fyodor, always treasuring the Verdun as the scrap of metal that brought them together. Later, when her grandchildren are playing with her rock collection, they throw the Verdun out the window, thinking it to be a worthless scrap of ugly metal.

Izba

An izba is a crowded dwelling where classic Russian babushkas live. The dwellings are usually dark, laden with a bitter, heavy, but not entirely unpleasant smell. The smell of the izba reminds the narrator of death, birth, love, and grief.

Western Glade

Western Glade is the building in Saranza where Charlotte lives. This area is characterized as trying to replicate the architectural fashion from a century ago. The building itself had been redecorated during the October Revolution, when...