Obesity Imagery
Misha is obese, and Shteyngart does nothing to minimize this fact; he infuses every one of Misha's thoughts and actions with hilarious references to his weight. For example, while eating, he describes the following event: “My body trembled inside my leviathan Puma tracksuit, my heroic gut spinning counterclockwise, my two-scoop breasts slapping against each other" (Ch. 1). Misha also refers to himself as "an incorrigible fatso" and makes many allusions to his weight throughout the novel.
Imagination Imagery
Misha is prone to flights of imagination, much to the chagrin of this therapist, who prefers him to stay grounded in reality. While on these flights, the imagery and landscape shift as if in a dream, and he refers to himself as a "fat beam of light." This imagery of imagination repeats in multiple passages throughout the novel as well.
Russian Imagery
Most of the action in Absurdistan takes place in Russia, either in St. Petersburg or in the fictional city of Absurdistan. Accordingly, Shteyngart includes lots of imagery (descriptions of people, foods, traditions) that evokes Russia, as well as the incorporation of several bits of dialogue in Russian. This imagery is obviously not as pronounced in Misha's flashbacks, which occur frequently and usually take place in the United States.
Mob Imagery
Misha's father was a prominent Russian gangster, and his murderous activities are the reason Misha is forbidden to return to the United States. Anytime his father is brought up, Misha thinks about him in relation to his career, complete with descriptions of violence, treachery, and duplicitousness. His death is also described in graphic detail, a fitting death for a member of the violent mob.
