Tolstoy

I have been reading some short stories by Tolstoy and found them fascinating. It seems that the more things change, the more they stay the same. The characters in The Death of Ivan Ilyich, and Family Happiness, could live next door. The plot lines sound like something from the latest gossip column.

In Family Happiness, an older man marries a young wife because she is beautiful and full of life, yet after their marriage, he works hard at stifling her enthusiasm, which seems at odds with all the reasons he married her. If he feels it necessary to mold her into something other than she was when he found her, why did he choose her? It all seems paradoxical to me, yet I see this kind of behavior happening all the time. The couples at work trying to change each other, are far too common.

Tolstoy explores the meaning of life through his main character, Ivan Ilyich, a man who is superficial and focused on worldly gain, to the point that he isolates himself from all who care about him. On his deathbed, he learns the importance of connecting with his loved ones, and, nearly too late, finds redemption and joy.

I am going to spend time reading more of Tolstoy's works, and believe me, I realize that War and Peace is going to be quite a commitment. If you want to join me, click on the title for a link to the Gutenberg Project, and download the complete text. Not today, but soon!