Grusha Sacrifice Herself to Michael

Grusha goes through ten developmental steps. Each of these steps requires that she sacrifice a part of herself to Michael. She does this financially, emotionally, in terms of her promises to Simon, and in terms of her life.

1. The first step occurs when she gives up her money for the child, paying two piasters for milk.
2. The second is when she decides to go back for Michael after leaving him with the peasant woman.
3. The third is when she hits the Ironshirt over the head.
4. Four is when she adopts Michael, "the helpless girl adopted the helpless child."
5. Five is when she is offered the chance to leave the baby with the merchant woman so that she can cross the bridge and save herself.
6. Six is when she risks her life and Michael's life to cross the bridge.
7. The seventh step is when she gets denies to Lavrenti that she is cold. This allows her to stay in her brother's house for a while longer.
8. Eight is when she gets married, thus breaking her promise to Simon.
9.  Nine is when she agrees to have sex with Jussup, thereby losing her virginity.
10. Ten is when she is confronted by the Ironshirts and must choose between claiming Michael as her child and losing Simon or disclaiming Michael and getting Simon. She chooses Michael, thereby sacrificing Simon. At this point she has given away everything that she has to give in order to keep Michael.