Both the Zamyatin and the Ginzburg stories describe the role of food during starvation in relationships between men and women, but the two stories depict the role of men and women during these periods of starvation very differently.

Although the Zamyatin and Ginzburg stories take place in very different venues, the Ginzberg in an urban setting and the Zamyatin in a remote setting, they both focus on the roles of men and women during extreme rationing. The Ginzburg story discusses siege queues in great detail. Though there are no enforced rules about the queue, Ginzberg tells us that it is mostly a woman’s job. She says that “men cope particularly badly with queues, since they are used to the idea that their time is valuable… A man considers that after work he is entitled to rest or amuse himself; when a working woman comes home, she works at home” (39). Ginzberg begins this thought by just saying that men tend to be more frustrated in siege cues, but ends it with a more broad social commentary about difference in how men and women value time. In times of conflict it seems that these values are exaggerated. She argues that men feel like “a stray individual, a woman is the representative of a collective” (39). Because it is normal for women to spend hours on end in queues, it is no longer considered inconvenient, whereas a man is incredibly inconvenienced by this hardship.

The Zamyatin story focuses on one specific couple, Martin and Masha, rather than a starved population. Martin and Masha are living in a very remote setting without easy access to food or resources. Masha is very unwell and she is unable to contribute to gathering and preparing food and wood. The story begins one day before Masha’s birthday, which Martin is preparing for by stealing wood in order to please her. When he boils water for tea, they realize that there is not enough for both of them to have some: “She saw. A moment shot through and through with clear, naked, cruel electric light… ‘Mart, darling! Give it to me!’ Martin smiled distantly. ‘But you know, Masha, there’s only enough for one” (101). Although he considers taking the tea for himself, Masha argues that she’s “not living any more. This isn’t me any more, anyhow, I’m going to… Mart you understand, don’t you? Mart, have pity on me! Mart!’ … Martin Martinych slowly rose from a kneeling position. Slowly working the crane with an effort, he took the blue little bottle from the desk and handed it to Masha” (101). Unlike the Ginzburg story, Martin is the one who is constantly working. Masha is unable to help provide, yet she expects all of the fruits of Martin’s labor.