This master thesis is thematically treating three short stories of Andrey Platonov: Bessmertie, Fro and Vozvraščenie. The purpose is to examine how Platonov presents the Soviet family and to what extent it fits the Soviet family politics. The family portraits are analysed in comparison with the guiding principles of the doctrine of Socialist Realism with the trends of Socialist Realism and family policy of the time into consideration.       The first part describes Platonov’s life, the Socialist Realism, and the family policies of the Soviet Union. It also discusses how the influences of the time could have affected the author’s later works. The second part consists of an analysis of the three short stories mentioned above.      The conclusion is that there is an opposition between the task of working and family life in the stories. Despite the fact that Platonov problematizes this opposition, there are few signs that he writes with an intended direct opposition towards the Soviet power or censorship. The themes of his stories are instead in fact following the development of contemporary family politics, and that is a development with a Soviet family that is “withering away”. / <p>Min examen är från Masterprogrammet i språk. Programmet finns inte med under kategorin "Utbildningsprogram".</p>