Resurrection - Part One - June 4-24

[Faye]

Tolstoy packed most of his philosophy for War and Peace into that second epilogue.

[dely]

Silver wrote: "I thought that The Death of Ivan Illych was a very deeply philosopshical novel."

It was not bad but I had always this feeling that something was missing in the depth of the introspection of Ivan Ilych. Perhaps because I am used to appreciate the insight and depth of Dostoyevsky and I couldn't find it in Tolstoj, neither in The death of Ivan Ilych neither in War and Peace.
As if Tolstoj was able to arrive only to a certain extent but not till the bottom.

[Sarah]

Faye wrote: "Tolstoy packed most of his philosophy for War and Peace into that second epilogue."

Haha, that second epilogue killed me. (Nothing really spoilery here, but I'll put it under a cut just in case): (view spoiler)[Here I was, devastated upon reaching the end after spending so much time with characters who were like real people to me, and I wanted more but instead I got all that impersonal historical philosophy. (hide spoiler)]

Back to the topic at hand, I find myself agreeing with a lot of the social justice themes that are being brought up in Resurrection, such as in Pt. 1, Chapter 34 when Nekhlyudov is reflecting on the boy who is on trial for theft: "when...he's stupid enough to creep into a shed and steal a bit of matting that nobody wants, we, with all our prosperity, wealth and education, instead of applying ourselves to the elimination of the conditions that have brought this lad to his present pass, want to put things right by punishing him." It's sad to note how little things have changed since this was written.

[dely]

Faye wrote: "Tolstoy packed most of his philosophy for War and Peace into that second epilogue."

I must agree with Sarah, the second epilogue was something to jump from the window; it was so dragging that I wanted to cry.
The second epilogue is (view spoiler)[ only historical philosophy: the characters had disappeared, no philosophy of life, no religious thoughts, nothing that hold my attention. (hide spoiler)]