Within Ghodsee’s depiction of life after Socialism, she fictionalizes the bittersweet transition to post-Socialism through the eyes of an elderly couple. She details the fall of Socialism, and with it the collapse of socially constructed caste systems, more specifically, the fall of the Communist party. Upon the expansion of westernization and the collapse of Socialism, Ghodsee states, “How much of their savings had they lost when the banks collapsed and were unable to pay our deposits? They were lucky at first because she had always kept some money in cash between the mattresses” (2011, p. 147). In other words, Ghodsee allows her readers a view of the desperation that transitioning post-Socialist citizens experienced. Furthermore, Ghodsee notes the lack of assistance from the government to provide for their citizens, as they once did under Socialism. However, to note that not all was bad within the transition and that it was bittersweet, Ghodsse states, “No, the Changes had not been easy on them; they barely survived on their little pensions. But after fifty-two years they were still together. Surely there was something worthy in that. Not everything had been a failure,” (2011, P. 148). Ghodsee details that struggles within the transition that individuals face, but also notes a factor within the transition that made it bearable: family.
Strong familial ties are depicted within Good Bye, Lenin! The depiction of family within the film supports Ghodsee’s interpretation of familial bonds being needed to make the transition to a post-Socialist society …show more content…
Within the work of Funk, she argues that women in the East did not place as high of an importance on feminism as women of the West did, and therefore patriarchy ruling was not as challenged (1993, p. 321). Within her work, Funk states the following