My grandmother on my father's side is Russian

The narrator's grandmother on their father's side is Russian, and their mother made an effort to learn Russian to communicate with her. However, the complexity of the language led their mother to give up. The narrator discusses the impact of both Napoleon and the Mongols on Russia, as well as the country's vulnerability due to its flat geography. The lack of natural boundaries makes it difficult to retreat during battles. The narrator wonders how much geography influences the Russian mindset.