Maybe the fact that Herman is German and was described as having 'the profile of Napoleon' could suggest that the relationship between the countess and Hermann reflects that of different countries during the time? Not really sure, hope it helped though. The tale opens in the "present" (about 1830) during a card game in the St Petersburg rooms of a Horse Guards officer named Narumov. Among the assembled guests is a young officer of engineers, Hermann, who is of German origin, and who never gambles, but observes the play keenly. Tomsky, another member of the company, remarks that his octogenarian grandmother, the Countess Anna Fedotovna, also does not "punt" despite the circumstances of an anecdote, which (summarised as follows) he then proceeds to narrate: Sixty years before (i.e. about 1770) the Countess was the rage of Paris, known there as la Vénus moscovite. Having lost a considerable sum at cards (at the game of faro) to the Duke of Orleans,
profit out of war while other people suffer. ,,Big Money" shows the development of American society after the war. The tone here is much more optimistic. The war is over but people are not happy, the central figure is Charlie Anderson, who comes back from war as an aviation ace. Very good pilot, has killed many enemies. He starts aviation company and suddenly becomes rich but doesn't know what to do with his money. Popular idea that money doesn't make happiness is showed here. Marries a girl, gambles on a stock market, finally is driven out of his house, family, business and loses everything. Finally commits suicide in car crash. The last novel is all about greed, the governing emotion. Dos Passos beocme less radical in the end of his life. Became almost a right wing activist. He is remembered for his USA trilogy and the way he shows human disintregation. The Body of American. Richard Roe and John Doe-if the identity is unknown. Polysyndeton,
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