«I'm just an ordinary person»: two women's diaries from Soviet times

The article presents a study of diaries written by two women, N.S. Lashina (1906-1990) and M.S. Suslova (1926-2008). Both diaries can be defined as «diaries of everyday life», «diaries of ordinary women». The comparison of a self-reflective diary with a naive routine diary makes it possible to specify the differences in the understanding of «ordinariness» as well as in verbal strategies of its representation. On the other hand, the comparison helps to find common features in behavioural tactics of relations with the authorities, since the situation of double marginality (social and gender) allows one to keep distance from the «games of the authorities», at least to some degree. At the same time, both diaries demonstrate strong dependence of the authors on dominant opinions on a woman's role - as a sacrificial mother and a responsible wife who controls the life of her husband and family. These matriarchal practices are present in the diaries (purposefully in Lashina's diary and unintentionally in Suslova's diary) as unavoidable and essential elements of survival.