Charlene E.

Matubis
Literature 102

BSA-V
July 14, 2015
ANNA KARENINA
by Leo Tolstoy (18281910)
NOVEL INTERPRETATION

The novel Anna Karenina which is also interpreted into a movie reflects a lot of realities in life
and society. This is not just a mere love story of Ana and Vronsky, Levin and Kitty, or a story of
adultery where Anna betrayed her husband Alexi Karenina for Vronsky, but a story that people in
different situations can also relate. As a matter of fact, one can get a lot of lessons from it, and it
can also guide people on how to live their life.
The story breaks the old traditional values of Russia and putting free-thinking and liberalism
thoughts of the Westerners. The author sets a personal and psychological tale against the
historical changes happening in Russia that time. The concept of family in the story at first is
very idealistic but later became open on the difficulties of family life. Women that time is being
married off early in their lives, and must remain faithful to their families, or else society will
outcast them. This is what happened to Ana when she fell in love with Vronsky and left her
family to be with him. Vronsky advised her that she is not allowed to go out of their house to
protect her from the people, and for Annas husband to consider her dead to avoid public
disgrace. The story also opened up the topic of divorce which at that time is not very acceptable
especially for Christians like Annas husband.
In the latter part of the story, Annas suicide is quite disturbing, but if you will try to understand
her, you cannot judge her decision. She felt like she had lost everything. She sacrificed her
family, her beloved son, her great and prosperous life for her love for Vronsky. But later on,
Vronsky cannot even fight for her, kept her inside their house, and even hide things from her, like
the girl who his mother want him to marry. Indeed, not everything that starts great will stay great
till the end. Not all people who love you will stay in love with you forever. Sin has its
consequences, and the one making choices must know exactly what they are going to face
thereafter.

Charlene E. Matubis
Literature 102

BSA-V
July 14, 2015

In the story, I love Levins character because he showed that not all that glitters is gold. In the
story, Kitty at first rejected him because she is in love with Vronsky. Vronsky flirted with her a
bit but then fell in love with Anna and left her miserable. However, in the end, when Kitty finally
chose Levin as her husband, she got a trustworthy man and lives happier. The story also showed
that rushing to marriage is unwise. Anna got married to a man she does not love because she
want to live extravagantly in the upper class. However, Vronsky arrived and she cannot love him
freely because she was married. For me, divorce was really a wise option for the marriage, but
since Alexi does not want to sign a divorce because of his Christian beliefs, Anna is not free to
do what she wants.
Lastly, the story shows different realities about death. Some people, like Anna, see death as an
escape from lifes problems. Some people like Vronsky, see death as a payment, a consequence
of their sins. People like Levi, on the other hand, see death as an inescapable end of existence
and is afraid of it, because he saw how his brother slowly died. Whatever reason or way one dies,
one is true and incontestable, everyone will taste the bitterness and sweetness of death. Therefore
one must always be prepared to die. And we must always make sure that before we die; we lived
happily, lived to the fullest, and strengthened our relationships with the people we love. We dont
want to have any regrets when we leave this world. As an old saying always says: Lets all live
like we were dying.