Classics Without All the Class discussion

Please keep your discussion to these chapters. Spoilers are allowed within these chapters so readers beware!

This section was the slowest for me. It took a while for me to get through it just because I kept getting impatient. The "big event" already happened in Part VII so...I sadly, got bored. I did find it interesting how Leving kept trying to rationalize something like religion/God/faith, which to a lot of people is irrational and cannot really be explained. It is more about emotion that explanation. The honey farm kept making me want to eat biscuits and honey (southern tasty treat if you haven't had it).

I was happy with Levin's ending though. he finds the prideful, loving emotion every father should have for his son. In that love, he also finds his emotional connection to God and his faith. Oh, I also have to say that I am happy Dolly and her kids have found a happy home with Kitty and Levin. Glad to know someone ends up helping take care of her. She deserves that. I still want to punch Stepan in the face.

In terms of Vronsky's love for Anna, I am of the opinion he didn't really know what he had until she was gone. I believe he does, truly, miss her. But I do not think he, actually realizes how deeply he cared/loved her until after her suicide. It was touching to hear his mom describe the events following Anna's death. It made believe there was love present. I was saddened to find that he could not keep Annie...so sad. I think that would have at least helped give him some peace.

I agree, Jessica -- this part was really slow! Levin's spiritual revelation was a good resolution for his character's struggles, but it just went on too long :-)

I also love that he takes care of Dolly, and lives by a code of conduct that is easy to respect (whether he's religious or not, which was kind of the point, I guess).

I see the Vronsky/Anna thing a bit differently. I think he always realized how much her love her. He gave up so much for her, when he could easily have carried on an affair without breaking up her marriage. But he wanted more -- even before they had a child, he wanted to marry her. By the end of the book, though, she was driving him away with her insecurity and bitterness. Yes, he was also cold, and they both acted badly, but I think he always knew he loved her.

I'd rather spend time with Levin searching for faith than hunting snipe. I almost quit Tolstoy in the bog.