The Grandmother's Pin Rule
White NightsThe blind grandmother's practice of pinning Nastenka to her dress to control her movements, and its impact on Nastenka's life.
increasing
Bearing strength in each event
decreasing
Bearing strength in each eventdecreasingThe Invention of the Pin
The Invention of the Pin
A Strict Punishment
When Nastenka was fifteen, she played a prank that led her grandmother to pin her dress to her own. The grandmother, blind and fearful, decided Nastenka would sit beside her forever.
Life Pinned to Grandmother
For two years, Nastenka has been forced to sit next to her grandmother, sewing or reading aloud. She cannot go anywhere without permission.
A Prison of Love
Though she loves her grandmother, Nastenka feels trapped. The pin is a symbol of her confinement, and she dreams of escape.
The Failed Escape Attempt
The Failed Escape Attempt
A Deception with Fekla
Nastenka once persuaded the deaf charwoman Fekla to sit in her place while she went to visit a friend. The grandmother woke up and discovered the trick.
The Consequences
When Nastenka returned, she was scolded and forced to return to her seat. The pin was made even tighter.
A Lesson Learned
After that, Nastenka rarely tried to deceive her grandmother again. She resigned herself to her fate, until the lodger appeared.
two years ago
some time after the pin rule began
