The Characters of Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina
By examining the character list, one immediately notices the value
Tolstoy places on character. With one hundred and forty named characters
and several other unnamed characters, Tolstoy places his central focus in
Anna Karenina on the characters. He uses their actions and behavior to
develop the plot and exemplify the major themes of the novel. Tolstoy
wishes to examine life as it really is. Tolstoy gives us a lifelike
representation in Anna Karenina by creating characters, both major and
minor, that contribute to the sense of realism.
The most striking feature of Tolstoy's minor characters is that
although they may only appear briefly, they still possess a sense of
lifelikeness. When a character is introduced, Tolstoy provides the reader
with details of the characters appearance and actions that give a sense of
realism. For example, the waiter that Stiva and Levin encounter at their
dinner, although a flat character is definitely presented in a manner which
allows him to have a sense of lifelikeness and fullness. From the speech
patterns the waiter uses to the description of the fit of his uniform, one
is presented with the details that allow the waiter to contribute to the
novel in means beyond simply the presence of a minor character. His
description and actions provide the novel with a sense of "real life".
Another way in which Tolstoy gives the minor character a sense of
life is by making them unpredictable. One sees this in the character of
Ryabinin. When initially discussed, the reader is told that upon
conclusion of busines...
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...esponse to the same situation. It is this contrast of the
three characters that allows Tolstoy to take full command of the life novel.
He achieves a sense of real life in all of his characters.
Although the reader may wish to, and can, draw distinctions in
Tolstoy's characters such as a major or minor character that is either
flat or round, the central focus of the character should be the
contribution that they make to the reality of the novel. Although one can
classify each of the characters in Anna Karenina as a major, minor, flat or
round character, Tolstoy presents each of his characters, whether they be
major minor flat or round, so as to convey a sense of reality and
lifelikeness in his novel.
Work Cited
Tolstoy, Leo, Anna Karenin, translated by Edmonds, Rosemary, Penguin, London, 1978.
Viennese Jews proportionally did have more representatives in the cultural sphere. This can be because they had the means, ways and opportunity to exploit their situation to pursue the arts. Steven Beller states quite unequivocally "Whether it be Freud, Schoenberg, Schnitzler or Wittgenstein, the number of individuals at the top level of Viennese culture - or rather that type of culture for which Vienna is today so famous - who are of at least partly Jewish descent is so large that it cannot be ignored." (2) And indeed it has not been ignored, rather it has been used to create myth.(3) with many of the authors who write on the Jews of fin-de-siecle Vienna depicting a golden age and of a homogenuous Jewish culture with a shared common identity.(4) Yet Ernst Gombrich recently controversially asserted, whilst giving a lecture on the topic of, "Fin de siecle Vienna and its Jewish Cultural influences", "I am of the opinion that the notion of Jewish Culture was, and is, an invention of Hitler and his forerunners and after-runners. (5) There is then a controversy centered around Jewishness which likewise examines the individual and their level of faith, secularisation or assimilation.(6) For indeed what at this time did it mean to be a Jew? What also was the Cultural life in this Vienna? (7)
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People read for many reasons, some of which are to pass the time, to seek out new experiences, for the sheer pleasure of the language and for the quest of knowledge. Literature is an art, and like art can be very subjective. What one person or society values as good literature may not be looked upon in the same light by another person or society. Some literature transcends time, and will continue to be relevant hundreds of years after it is written, and some literature is relevant at the time it is written, however later may be largely forgotten. For literature to be considered great it must stand the test of time and be captivating, able to elicit an emotional and/or intellectual response. It should also enlighten
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Jewish ghettos: The basic history of the formation of the Jewish ghettos, including the everyday life and economic hardships faced by the communities.
To begin with, during the early years of World War I, Wilson tried his best not to interfere in European affairs and to keep America neutral with the opposing countries at war (Clements 151). Wilson’s desire was to keep his nation safe from the horror, bloodshed and troubles of the war. In an effort to establish peace between the fighting European countries, Wilson offered help in settling matters with the opposing power alliances, to negotiate an agreement that would end the violence (Cooper 363). Wilson, the peacemaker tried his best, but he failed in getting the nations to end their brutal hostility. As an act of neutrality, Wilson wanted America to continue trading goods; food, cl...
Sands, Raphael . "The Jewish Diaspora." by Rafael Sands. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2014. .
Ackerman is able to detail the life of the Żabiński’s and their Guest by backing it up with historically accurate information. The use of historically accurate information allows for the reader to dive into an accurate depiction of what people of Poland experienced during World War II. Hitler's seizure of the Sudetenland in 1938 brought real worry over the borders of Poland. The author details the worries the Poles faced during this time because of this event. This sets the time setting for the reader––it allows the reader to further look into the life the Żabiński’s and those living in Poland. This aspect of the book was done well. The author would not have been able to accurately explain the worries individuals faced without stating these details.
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A. The Epic of Russian Literature. New York: Oxford University Press, 1950. 309-346. Tolstoy, Leo. "