One important concept that emerges in both Valentin Rasputin’s “Baikal,” as well as Aleksandr Petrov’s “The Mermaid,” is the duality of nature as a mystical force of both good and evil. Both works highlight the tranquility associated with serene bodies of water, but also how one can be fooled into thinking that serenity is the only possible state for these natural settings. In Rasputin’s “Baikal,” the narrator describes Lake Baikal as sacred for its” spirit of age-old grandeur and power preserved intact” (189). The narrator’s colleague, who accompanies him on a visit to the lake, claims that “[his] spirits have been lifted, and that comes from out there, from Baikal,” which underscores how the lake’s mythical power positively impacts individuals who respectfully relish in its beauty (191). The colleague however only saw “the tiniest edge of Baikal… on a marvelous summer day when everything around was showing its appreciation for the tranquility and sunshine,” leaving him without the impression that “Baikal can rage for no reason… as if whipped from inside” (191). While the lake on the surface appears tranquil, the sudden thrashing of the lake water and “winds that can instantly swoop down” reveal a darker side of the lake’s mystical force that go unseen by infrequent observers (191). The lake not only can raise peoples’ spirits, but also poses great danger for reasons only known to itself.

“The Mermaid” also focuses on the duality of nature’s mystical force. While the earlier portions of the film beautifully depict both the water and mermaid, the sudden storm that brews at the end, as well as the mermaid’s attempt to pull the boy underwater, complicate this beautiful depiction. It leads one to believe that beauty may only conceal evil intent, especially seen as the mermaid’s ultimate goal is to knock the boy off the boat and presumably drown him. Just as seen with Lake Baikal, both the mermaid and water appear serene on the surface, but are subject to change at any moment and reveal a dark side concealed by the outward beauty.

It would be interesting to further discuss in class whether one can classify acts of nature as inherently good or evil, especially given Rasputin’s writing that “[n]ature by itself is always moral; only human beings can make it immoral” (193).