War and Peace Group Read 2011 - Vol 2, Part III

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War and Peace Group Read 2011 - Vol 2, Part III

1Deern
Modifié : Mar 2, 2011, 3:33 am

New thread for Vol 2, Part III

Thread for Part IV: http://www.librarything.com/topic/111217

2Deern
Mar 3, 2011, 3:07 am

The strangest thing happened... I just noticed that after finishing Part II, the next day I went straight to Part IV, leaving out Part III completely (and wondering all through Parts IV and V about information gaps).
I set bookmarks to the beginning of new parts through volume 2, so I just skipped 68 pages. Can't believe it...

3Deern
Modifié : Mar 4, 2011, 5:56 am

Okay, now posting while catching up - 25 pages into part III.

1. Wow - Andrei has feelings. But is it bad if I say the oak as a symbol is a bit too obvious?

2. We learn that Liza used 'terrible words' against Andrei. Interesting. Or does he mean the silent accusation in her dead face?

3. In part II we had the discussion of Pierre and Andrei and now Andrei - without talking about it - does all the good things Pierre unsuccessfully tried to do. I am impressed.

4. I didn't read up on Tolstoi and freemasonry (I don't want to get plot-spoiled), but I wonder if he got into trouble with the real freemasons for publishing their secrets via Pierre's diary.

4kac522
Mar 8, 2011, 1:11 am

It's interesting how both Pierre & Andrei have reversals to their former lives--Pierre goes back to his wife, and Andrei back to public service. And they end up both disillusioned. And by the end of this section, Andrei is the happy, optomistic one, and Pierre is the pessimist.
Speransky--there's a real chameleon. Reminds me of many politicians today.
Why is Andrei's father so cranky? Is he just old? And Princess Marya--what's up with her and wanting to be the "wanderer"--can someone tell me how Tolstoy really felt about Christianity--is he mocking fervent religious feelings, or does he truly admire them? I'm having a hard time getting his point of view.

5Deern
Mar 9, 2011, 5:50 am

Sometimes I can't believe how modern this book is. And it's interesting that people 'with too much leisure at their hands' (which applies to some of the characters in this book and to most of us nowadays) always have the same problems.

When I read Pierre's diary entries this reminded me so much of some self-help stuff I went through some years ago, all this 'dear God/ Universe/ ... - let me be a better person', all this mantra-like stuff and constant visualizing. At one point Pierre lists his daily duties - and there aren't any real ones. No wonder he spends so much time looking for the sense of it all!

And Marya's reaction reminded me of all those people I know who either take a sabbatical and then do something challenging and spiritual like hiking the Jakobsweg (leo translates this into 'way of St James'?) or at least dream of doing it. Being tired of their normal life where they often feel like an externally controlled puppet, they start dreaming of some grand escape and (again) of finding the true meaning of life.

I also noticed Andrei's black-and-white perception. People are perfect at first, but then do something which makes them fall from his grace and he can't tolerate them anymore. There is no grey. I wonder if it was the same with Lisa? And what will happen when he finds the first defects in Natasha? And how does he deal with Pierre and his many flaws? Why is he the exception?

I liked the whole 'falling in love' bit. That was quite believable.

6EMS_24
Juin 5, 2021, 10:21 am

#3 'but I wonder if he got into trouble with the real freemasons for publishing their secrets via Pierre's diary.'

I am reading P&W now, (in mid part 3), that's a question I asked myself too.