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Mrs. Arvydas
Better known to Lina as “the bald man,” Mr. Stalas is a postman who is placed in the same train car as the Vilkases when they are deported. He is an extremely pessimistic person, and throws himself from the train car in an attempt to commit suicide. He only succeeds in mangling his leg, which he uses as an excuse to lament and avoid work for the rest of the novel. Lina has an intense dislike for Mr. Stalas, as he says crude things that only succeed in frightening the deportee children. Yet despite his rude nature, Lina’s mother Elena is kind to Mr. Stalas and frequently brings him food. He reveals later on in the novel that he is Jewish, which likely contributes to his pessimistic attitude, since Jews were one of the main groups targeted during World War II. Mr. Stalas functions as a foil to the little hope that the deportees inspire in each other, and often serves to bring together members of the deportees in retaliation to his flippant remarks. However, he unfortunately also often acts as a rude awakening to the reality of the grim situation of the Baltic genocide.
Mr. Stalas (The Bald Man) Quotes in Between Shades of Gray
The Between Shades of Gray quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. Stalas (The Bald Man) or refer to Mr. Stalas (The Bald Man). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 4 Quotes
The truck stopped in front of the hospital. Everyone seemed relieved that they would tend to the bald man’s injuries. But they did not. They were waiting. A woman who was also on the list was giving birth to a baby. As soon as the umbilical cord was cut, they would both be thrown into the truck.
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After they are arrested, Elena, Jonas, and Lina are thrown into a truck that spends hours rounding up people around Kaunas who are also being arrested by the NKVD. The bald man throws himself from the truck in an attempt to commit suicide, but only succeeds in breaking his leg. In this quote, the passengers on the truck hope that they have arrived at a hospital so that he can receive treatment. Instead, they learn that a woman who is currently in labor and her newborn infant will soon join them. This quote is the first evidence of the absolute Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta imp
Chapter 6 Quotes
“Sir,” said Jonas, leaning around me. He held out his little ruler from school. The old woman who had gasped at my nightgown began to cry.
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On the truck, the passengers quickly realize that there will be no chance for the NKVD to help the bald man with his leg injuries. This becomes overwhelmingly evident when they rip Ona and her newborn child out of the hospital, despite the doctor’s desperate pleas to leave the baby, since there is no chance that it will survive. In this quote, ten-year-old Jonas, who is still very sweet and naïve, offers up his school ruler to use as a splint for the bald man’s broken leg. An old woman on the truck, shocked by the innocence of this boy Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non
Chapter 64 Quotes
“The Jews are the scapegoat for all of Germany’s problems,” said the bald man. “Hitler’s convinced racial purity is the answer. It’s too complicated for children to understand.”
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After the deportees are relocated, they are put on trains again. No one knows where they are going, but many hope and speculate they are going to America. While on the train, Janina asks the bald man if it is true he is a Jew. The bald man says he is, and Janina asks whether he thinks Hitler is killing the Jews. The bald man replies that he knows Hitler is killing the Jews. In this quote, he explains that Germany uses the Jews as a “scapegoat,” or symbol of blame for all of Germany’s problems. Hitler is convinced that Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi q
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Mr. Stalas (The Bald Man) Character Timeline in Between Shades of Gray
The timeline below shows where the character Mr. Stalas (The Bald Man) appears in Between Shades of Gray. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 4
A bald man starts moaning and saying that they are all going to die. Elena insists this is...
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Chapter 5
...the NKVD, pass by in the trucks. One man notes that it’s nearly three a.m. The bald man asks Jonas to help suffocate him so he can succeed in committing suicide. Appalled, Elena...
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Back in the present in the truck, the bald man tactlessly says that if Kostas worked at the university, then he was surely “long gone.”...
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Chapter 6
...that her husband, Vitas, was taken by the NKVD. Ona wails for her baby, while the bald man cries of the pain in his leg. No one on the truck has medical training,...
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Chapter 7
...off the truck. When the man from the bank demands medical assistance for Ona and the bald man , he is marched away at gunpoint without his luggage. A woman hears them, tells...
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Chapter 12
...ring, she begins to cry. Lina tries to give Elena the piece of ham, but the bald man —who Lina learns is named Mr. Stalas—demands to know where the rest of the food...
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Chapter 16
...board and wiggles it open. Jonas peers through and sees men approaching the train. Though the bald man thinks they are partisans who might be able to help them, they are really men...
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Chapter 19
...Russian soldiers rolls away. Ona screams in anguish over the death of her child, but the bald man rudely tells her it is better off dead. Andrius yells at him, and tells him...
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Chapter 21
...buys all the candy, matches, and cigarettes she can and gives them to the passengers. The bald man chastises her for wasting money, but Elena replies that it is what they all needed....
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Chapter 22
...six weeks, the passengers are left without food or an open door for three days. The bald man guesses they are in the Altai region just north of China. Lina longs for food...
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Chapter 24
As the hours pass, only two groups remain, including Lina’s. The bald man complains that they would be better off dead, and Mrs. Arvydas points out that they...
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Chapter 25
...a truck, and eventually brought to a bathhouse. Men and women are separated. Lina hears the bald man declare that Jonas must help him bathe since he is injured. The guards tell everyone...
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Chapter 27
...dream of their home and of Kostas alive in order to persevere. The group reconvenes. The bald man complains they are now just clean dead men, but the older man says they wouldn’t...
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Chapter 35
Elena insists that Lina take a bread ration to the bald man . Jonas finds straw for the family to sleep on. Lina brings the beets to...
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Chapter 38
...keep quiet so Ulyushka won’t take them for rent. While Elena brings some food to the bald man , Elena hides her writing and drawings in the lining of her suitcase. Suddenly Lina...
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Chapter 39
Lina refuses to bring food to the bald man each day. Eventually Jonas agrees to do it, and Elena insists they go together. Andrius...
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Chapter 41
...sign. People who sign are allowed to go to the village and thus post letters. The bald man speaks unkindly of Mrs. Arvydas and calls her “whore,” saying that she could perhaps find...
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Chapter 46
...signed the documents. They hear rumors that men might be in a prison near Tomsk. The bald man warns their letters could lead to their deaths. They speculate what the Germans are doing...
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Chapter 50
...raised only by the thought of their impending Christmas celebration, Kucios, to be held in the bald man ’s shack. With no actual food to share, they trade descriptions of the food they...
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Chapter 51
...food they have been hoarding and stealing, including chocolate sent from Andrius and his mother. The bald man reveals he is Jewish, but doesn’t mind the Kucios celebration since he keeps his worship...
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Chapter 58
...presents. While Lina is in line for her ration, Jonas tells her to hurry to the bald man ’s shack, since Mrs. Rimas had received a thick letter from Lithuania.
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Chapter 60
Rumors fly around the camp. One day everyone gathers in the bald man ’s shack to discuss the changes to come. Mrs. Rimas is on the list, but...
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Chapter 63
...truck with them. They then stop at a train station and are loaded onto cars. The bald man instructs them to stand at the opening and look uncomfortable so the car appears full....
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Chapter 64
...they share it with others as well. Lina draws to pass the time. Janina asks the bald man if he is a Jew, and if Hitler might kill the Jews. The bald man...
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Chapter 67
...because she can’t name a single accomplished American artist. Back on the barge, Lina draws the bald man despite his complaining. She asks him why he was deported, and he says it’s none...
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Chapter 73
...people have died inside. They must walk three kilometers to gather firewood for the NKVD. The bald man demands that Lina give him her mittens in exchange for information. He tells Lina that...
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Chapter 74
...the Soviets and searched their house, revealing Kostas’ hand in the matter. Elena is angry the bald man told Lina, since she had trusted him with the secret. Lina is angry at Joana...
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Chapter 80
...saying everything they loved about Elena. They all promise to bury her body. For once, the bald man is silent.
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...sky like a kite. Jonas wonders if Grandmother found the kite. Back in the hut, the bald man reveals that he almost worked for the Soviets, confirming people’s occupations. However, he changed his...
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Chapter 81
...the loss of her mother. She lies down next to Elena’s body, and contemplates what the bald man said about it being “hard to die,” but finds that she is determined to survive...
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Chapter 82
Lina paints a map to the gravesite so that she may remember where it is. The bald man continues to complain that he wants to die, and Lina tells him to shut up—they...
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Chapter 84
...is shocked at the state they are in. He demands fish from an NKVD officer. The bald man agrees to help prepare food as long as Janina and Jonas are the first ones...
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