How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
In short he was a ridiculous-looking man and not even the supreme power of life and death had bestowed upon him any gravitas. (2.7.10)
This perfectly highlights the absurdity of the MGB. The organization isn't headed by the smartest, toughest, and most intelligent agents—it's headed by the dude most willing to throw his peers under the bus. These guys aren't Bond-worthy super-villains—they're just tattle-tails.
Quote #5
She glanced at Leo. He was standing with his hands in front, his head dropped in order to avoid eye contact. (3.15.2)
Leo knows enough about the MGB to know that submission is mandatory. His knowledge of the MGB's tactics actually comes to be quite useful, helping him navigate through situations that would land most citizens in the Gulag.
Quote #6
Having lost his authority, having lost the power to arrest whoever he wanted, he was choked with sentimentalism (3.16.3)
Raisa might be oversimplifying things, but she's got a point. Leo didn't have to do much self-examination when he was a high-ranking MGB agent; in fact, he probably avoided it at all costs. Now that he's just a regular guy again, he's forced to come to terms with the man he has become.