Chekhov and Tolstoy

Realism is a style of writing that is a look into human behavior incorporating realistic mindsets and events that can be related to a problem in society. Realism takes out all the idealism in a story and relates the story to realistic reactions to a plausible situation. Tolstoy’s “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” and Chekhov’s “The Bet” are works of realism that have similar themes and calls out against czarist rule and its direct relation to Russia’s industrialization, and the corruption that fuelled it. Millions of people suffered and/or died during Russia’s attempt to compete with the rest of the worlds advancement in industry. Russia was ruled by an autocratic style government where the Czar’s word was final. The population consisted of serfs, (practically slaves); a very small middle class, and nobles. These writers use images, tones, irony, and other literary devices that further push their cry against the immoralities that are involved with Czarist rule and the growth of the industrial revolution. Without ever actually mentioning the industrial revolution, symbols are used to represent ideas that are related to the industrial revolution.

In these stories; characters, events, and settings are symbols used to relate the story to the industrial revolution. Often these symbols are not mentioned without a unpleasant tone to them. For example, in “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” the devil obviously represents temptation. Pahom states “If I had plenty of land I should not fear the devil himself.” (Tolstoy, 752) This statement is related to the ideas that fuelled the industrial revolution; the more industry we make, the more powerful we’ll be. The devil, also called the “Evil One” in the story, makes sure that Pahom is set on this track that eventual leads to his death. Pahom’s dream also had symbolic meaning. Dreams are said to be predictions of the future, especially when they are used in in story writing. Pahom had a dream about his eventual fate, and in the dream he saw everyone that affected where his adventure in seeking more land had taken him. Lastly, in his dream, he saw the devil, the real reason why he was out to seek more land. The Bashkirs represented a simpler minded people. Though they had all the land that Pahom felt was necessary to be happy, they did not need that land to survive or actually be happy. The Bashkirs were there to present an idea against the industrial age that it was not necessary. They knew that greedy people that were offered as much land as they could walk in a one day would not make it back in time or die trying. In “The Bet” there was a little less symbolism but more straight forward ideas that shunned greediness, that I felt also was a strike against the industrial revolution. The bet itself was made in a greedy state of mind, a bunch of young, rich, but not yet wise men with nothing better to do. The lawyer agreed to spend fifteen years in solitary confinement for a two million dollar prize. Through the fifteen years a great deal of the time he spent studying whatever interested him. What sticks out the most is a statement at the end of his letter that was probably a direct result of hi studies in theology, “So I marvel at you who exchange heaven for earth. I don’t want to understand you.” (Chekhov, 772) It says somewhere that if you live a good life not full of wealth on earth, you will get everything you want in heaven; something along those lines. This is Chekhov’s way of denouncing the extravagant life of the Czar and damage done by industrial growth.

Reading in between the lines is a very important skill when it comes to understanding a piece of literature. Writers use tone, and word choice to slight change the way their work is supposed to be read. The tone in “The Bet” changes greatly through the fifteen years that pass by. At first, The characters are young, powerful, rich, and arrogant. The bet is mad in vain, with no purpose but to prove something that doesn’t need to be proved. “the banker who was younger and more nervous those days,