Reading Journal 1: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Anna Karenina by Tolstoy is composed of an intricate series of parallels, and it is this parallel structure that helps raise the work to a level much above that of a mere “novel,” as Tolstoy humbly called it. This parallel structure sets up striking comparisons that lead the reader to draw much deeper conclusions than a merely entertaining novel would generally invoke. For example, the work starts off perfectly with the tale of Stepan Oblonsky’s affair and his wife Dolly’s reaction to it. Stepan takes his philandering quite lightly, exhibiting no deep emotional distress, and seems only concerned with the fact that he got caught, not with the affair itself. Anna K. of all people comes to calm the distressed Dolly into forgiving Stepan and returns their marriage to normal as evidenced by their quick return to routine bickering. Thus the affair is settled relatively easily and things go on, at least for the time being. Tolstoy then moves on to his main story, that of Anna K.’s affair with Vronksy, and as every reader can guess by reading the cover jacket, this affair will end badly and result in the tragic ruin of Anna K. Thus, early on in the work we are presented

Many other such parallels exist, but for now onto presumably the major one of the work which comes to light in Part II and III. Levin is set up to be the male counterpart to Anna Karenina. If one had to choose the two main characters of the work thus far, they would have to be Anna and Levin as they are by far the most dynamic characters, possibly even the only dynamic characters in the work thus far. They share a similar rugged independence toward life- Levin with is farm life, Anna in her city life and her dealings with her husband. They also share a similar degree of passion, which so far greatly exceeds that of any other character. They also are deeply entangled in troubling romantic affairs which are yet to be resolved.

with two affairs- one that is settled easily, and one that ends disastrously. A key distinction must be made- that is, it seems that when a man cheats on his wife in their society it seems to be much easier to get away with. Tolstoy, perhaps inadvertently but present nonetheless, uses a parallel structure to exhibit a double standard present in male dominated Russia at the time.

Some topics in this essay:
Anna Finally, Stepan Oblonsky, Levin Sergei, Simaltaneously Kitty, Levin’s Nikolai, Anna Levin, Anna K’s, Stepan Oblonsky’s, Karenina Tolstoy, Tolstoy Levin, anna karenina, share similar, parallel structure, anna finally, scene levin, anna levin, dynamic characters, affair anna, labor theory, physical labor,