War and Peace

Natasha loves Pierre, Andrei, and Anatole at different points in the novel. What do these romances say about her growth as a character?

The Rostovs are bad at maintaining their fortune. How do their significant financial problems shape Nikolai as a character?

Many of the characters in War and Peace search for meaning in the military. Does the Russian army give their lives purpose?

Kutuzov is mocked for his ineffective plans and his old age, yet he beats Napoleon and chases the French out of Russia. Why does the novel rehabilitate and foreground this historical figure?

The family estate at Bald Hills is home to many of the characters at various points. How are the families’ changing fortunes reflected in the building itself?

Pierre flirts with Freemasonry in an attempt to understand the world. What does his membership in the secret society say about his desperate search for meaning?

The Russian aristocrats switch effortlessly between the French and Russian languages in conversation. What does this use of language say about the uniformity of European culture against the backdrop of Napoleon’s wars?

The novel posits its own theory of history. How does Tolstoy combine the narrative fiction and philosophical essay genres?