The French continue to weaken and are forced to retreat.
Main topic: Greed
---The search for riches and goods are what hinder the French and make them lose. They were to greedy that their own greed set them back.
(This also happens with the Russians when they try to capture Murat and Napoleon---their greed hinders them).
Showing posts with label Book 13. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book 13. Show all posts
Monday, July 4, 2016
Book 13, Chapters 16, 17, 18, 19
CHAPTER 16
Bolkhovitinov travels to Litashevka to relay a message to Konovnitsyn.
CHAPTER 17
Kutuzov sits thinking about the war. He isn't like the youth who readily believe and accept rumors that Napoleon is moving out of Moscow. He believes that Russia has fallen too far down. In the middle of the night, though, a messenger tells him that the rumors of Napoleon moving out are true.
Important Quotes
"With his sixty years' experience [Kutuzov] knew what value to attach to rumors, knew how apt people who desire anything are to group all news so that it appears to confirm what they desire, and he knew how readily in such cases they omit all that makes for the contrary. And the more he desired it the less he allowed himself to believe it."
CHAPTER 18
Napoleon and his army have no choice but to retreat and are ashamed of themselves.
Important Quotes
"The members of what had once been an army—Napoleon himself and all his soldiers fled—without knowing whither, each concerned only to make his escape as quickly as possible from this position, of the hopelessness of which they were all more or less vaguely conscious. "
"If the Cossacks did not capture Napoleon then, what saved him was the very thing that was destroying the French army, the booty on which the Cossacks fell. "
"That Napoleon agreed with Mouton, and that the army retreated, does not prove that Napoleon caused it to retreat, but that the forces which influenced the whole army and directed it along the Mozhaysk (that is, the Smolensk) road acted simultaneously on him also."
CHAPTER 19
The French retreat to Smolensk and despite Kutuzov's attempts to stop the Russian army from continuing to attack them unnecessarily, they fight on anyway.
Important Quotes
"A man in motion always devises an aim for that motion. To be able to go a thousand miles he must imagine that something good awaits him at the end of those thousand miles. One must have the prospect of a promised land to have the strength to move. "
Bolkhovitinov travels to Litashevka to relay a message to Konovnitsyn.
CHAPTER 17
Kutuzov sits thinking about the war. He isn't like the youth who readily believe and accept rumors that Napoleon is moving out of Moscow. He believes that Russia has fallen too far down. In the middle of the night, though, a messenger tells him that the rumors of Napoleon moving out are true.
Important Quotes
"With his sixty years' experience [Kutuzov] knew what value to attach to rumors, knew how apt people who desire anything are to group all news so that it appears to confirm what they desire, and he knew how readily in such cases they omit all that makes for the contrary. And the more he desired it the less he allowed himself to believe it."
CHAPTER 18
Napoleon and his army have no choice but to retreat and are ashamed of themselves.
Important Quotes
"The members of what had once been an army—Napoleon himself and all his soldiers fled—without knowing whither, each concerned only to make his escape as quickly as possible from this position, of the hopelessness of which they were all more or less vaguely conscious. "
"If the Cossacks did not capture Napoleon then, what saved him was the very thing that was destroying the French army, the booty on which the Cossacks fell. "
"That Napoleon agreed with Mouton, and that the army retreated, does not prove that Napoleon caused it to retreat, but that the forces which influenced the whole army and directed it along the Mozhaysk (that is, the Smolensk) road acted simultaneously on him also."
CHAPTER 19
The French retreat to Smolensk and despite Kutuzov's attempts to stop the Russian army from continuing to attack them unnecessarily, they fight on anyway.
Important Quotes
"A man in motion always devises an aim for that motion. To be able to go a thousand miles he must imagine that something good awaits him at the end of those thousand miles. One must have the prospect of a promised land to have the strength to move. "
Sunday, July 3, 2016
Book 13, Chapters 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
CHAPTER 9
The pillaging in Moscow had gone too far and Napoleon tries to put a stop to it. Decrees are written, encouraging the people to return to Moscow and work again. Napoleon even gives out forged Russian money for the Russian people to buy food instead of rob it.
CHAPTER 10
None of the decrees Napoleon ordered have come to pass. None of the Russians want to return to Moscow and the French army continues to misbehave and loot. Napoleon has no control over his own men and the French army starts to deteriorate more.
Important Quotes
"That army, like a herd of cattle run wild and trampling underfoot the provender which might have saved it from starvation, disintegrated and perished with each additional day it remained in Moscow. But it did not go away."
"The plight of the whole army resembled that of a wounded animal which feels it is perishing and does not know what it is doing."
CHAPTER 11
Pierre inquires as to what is happening with the French army. He is told to talk to the educated Monsieur Kiril. Nearby, a French soldier asks Pierre's friend, Platon, to sew him a shirt.
CHAPTER 12
Pierre comes to the conclusion that happiness means going through struggles and suffering. His happiest months are in captivity.
Important Quotes
"[Pierre] had long sought in different ways that tranquillity of mind, that inner harmony which had so impressed him in the soldiers at the battle of Borodino. He had sought it in philanthropy, in Freemasonry, in the dissipations of town life, in wine, in heroic feats of self-sacrifice, and in romantic love for Natásha; he had sought it by reasoning—and all these quests and experiments had failed him. And now without thinking about it he had found that peace and inner harmony only through the horror of death, through privation, and through what he recognized in Karataev. "
"The absence of suffering, the satisfaction of one's needs and consequent freedom in the choice of one's occupation, that is, of one's way of life, now seemed to Pierre to be indubitably man's highest happiness."
" The very qualities that had been a hindrance, if not actually harmful, to him in the world he had lived in—his strength, his disdain for the comforts of life, his absent-mindedness and simplicity—here among these people gave him almost the status of a hero. And Pierre felt that their opinion placed responsibilities upon him."
CHAPTER 13
The French soldiers that captured Pierre are on the move to retreat. One of the sickly soldiers asks Pierre what is to be done with him and Pierre asks a corporal who tells him to forget about the sick. One the way out, they all gaze at a dead man they found on the road.
Important Quotes
"in the stirring and deafening noise of the drums, he recognized that mysterious, callous force which compelled people against their will to kill their fellow men—that force the effect of which he had witnessed during the executions."
CHAPTER 14
The soldiers make their way past Moscow and Pierre and the other captives see the destruction and pillaging taking place. The French threaten to beat and kill anyone lagging behind. At the campsite, Pierre laughs at the fact that he's mortal and yet the French care so much about keeping him a prisoner although he is destined to die.
Important Quotes
"All that [Pierre] now witnessed scarcely made an impression on him—as if his soul, making ready for a hard struggle, refused to receive impressions that might weaken it."
Pierre: " They hold me captive. What, me? Me? My immortal soul? Ha-ha-ha! Ha-ha-ha!..." and he laughed till tears started to his eyes."
CHAPTER 15
The Russians hear of the French retreat in Moscow and want to take action. The less than capable Dokhturov and a small detachment, is sent out with the mission of attacking Broussier.
The pillaging in Moscow had gone too far and Napoleon tries to put a stop to it. Decrees are written, encouraging the people to return to Moscow and work again. Napoleon even gives out forged Russian money for the Russian people to buy food instead of rob it.
CHAPTER 10
None of the decrees Napoleon ordered have come to pass. None of the Russians want to return to Moscow and the French army continues to misbehave and loot. Napoleon has no control over his own men and the French army starts to deteriorate more.
Important Quotes
"That army, like a herd of cattle run wild and trampling underfoot the provender which might have saved it from starvation, disintegrated and perished with each additional day it remained in Moscow. But it did not go away."
"The plight of the whole army resembled that of a wounded animal which feels it is perishing and does not know what it is doing."
CHAPTER 11
Pierre inquires as to what is happening with the French army. He is told to talk to the educated Monsieur Kiril. Nearby, a French soldier asks Pierre's friend, Platon, to sew him a shirt.
CHAPTER 12
Pierre comes to the conclusion that happiness means going through struggles and suffering. His happiest months are in captivity.
Important Quotes
"[Pierre] had long sought in different ways that tranquillity of mind, that inner harmony which had so impressed him in the soldiers at the battle of Borodino. He had sought it in philanthropy, in Freemasonry, in the dissipations of town life, in wine, in heroic feats of self-sacrifice, and in romantic love for Natásha; he had sought it by reasoning—and all these quests and experiments had failed him. And now without thinking about it he had found that peace and inner harmony only through the horror of death, through privation, and through what he recognized in Karataev. "
"The absence of suffering, the satisfaction of one's needs and consequent freedom in the choice of one's occupation, that is, of one's way of life, now seemed to Pierre to be indubitably man's highest happiness."
" The very qualities that had been a hindrance, if not actually harmful, to him in the world he had lived in—his strength, his disdain for the comforts of life, his absent-mindedness and simplicity—here among these people gave him almost the status of a hero. And Pierre felt that their opinion placed responsibilities upon him."
CHAPTER 13
The French soldiers that captured Pierre are on the move to retreat. One of the sickly soldiers asks Pierre what is to be done with him and Pierre asks a corporal who tells him to forget about the sick. One the way out, they all gaze at a dead man they found on the road.
Important Quotes
"in the stirring and deafening noise of the drums, he recognized that mysterious, callous force which compelled people against their will to kill their fellow men—that force the effect of which he had witnessed during the executions."
CHAPTER 14
The soldiers make their way past Moscow and Pierre and the other captives see the destruction and pillaging taking place. The French threaten to beat and kill anyone lagging behind. At the campsite, Pierre laughs at the fact that he's mortal and yet the French care so much about keeping him a prisoner although he is destined to die.
Important Quotes
"All that [Pierre] now witnessed scarcely made an impression on him—as if his soul, making ready for a hard struggle, refused to receive impressions that might weaken it."
Pierre: " They hold me captive. What, me? Me? My immortal soul? Ha-ha-ha! Ha-ha-ha!..." and he laughed till tears started to his eyes."
CHAPTER 15
The Russians hear of the French retreat in Moscow and want to take action. The less than capable Dokhturov and a small detachment, is sent out with the mission of attacking Broussier.
Saturday, July 2, 2016
Book 13, Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
CHAPTER 1
year 1812
Tolstoy explains how men perceive history. Do we attribute it to one man or to many?
Important Quotes
"Man's mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man's soul."
CHAPTER 2
The tension build-up between the Russian and French armies is described.
CHAPTER 3
There is tension still between Kutuzov and Bennigsen. The Emperor advises Kutuzov as to how to act against the French, but Kutuzov is ready to attack at all costs.
CHAPTER 4
Kutuzov talks to Ermolov about how to proceed with the attack on the French. Later on, Ermolov disappears and nobody can find him. (Apparently he didn't want to deal with staging an attack).
CHAPTER 5
Kutuzov grows mad at the fact that no one is taking orders and taking this battle so slowly.
CHAPTER 6
Denisov speaks to a Polish soldier who tells him that Murat is close and can be captured. At first, Denisov feels that the Polish man is lying, but one his troops are together, he feels more stable and ready to attack the French. The Russian troops capture a French camp along the way, but are so blinded by capturing the soldiers and goods that they fail to capture Murat. Everyone points fingers at each other, blaming one another for not capturing Murat.
Important Quotes
"Had the Cossacks pursued the French, without heeding what was behind and around them, they would have captured Murat and everything there. That was what the officers desired. But it was impossible to make the Cossacks budge when once they had got booty and prisoners."
CHAPTER 7
Kutuzov becomes angry with Ermolov again because they had been so slow in attacking the French that the French themselves got news of their plans. On their way to capture Murat, many Russians died unnecessarily, although the Russian troops were able to expose how weak the French are.
Important Quotes
"That's how everything is done with us, all topsy-turvy!" said the Russian officers and generals after the Tarutino battle, letting it be understood that some fool there is doing things all wrong but that we ourselves should not have done so, just as people speak today. But people who talk like that either do not know what they are talking about or deliberately deceive themselves."
CHAPTER 8
Tolstoy speaks of Napoleon's bad management of his strategic position in Moscow. Instead of camping out in Moscow or taking over Petersburg, he let his troops loot and burn the city. The trrops may have been stronger in order to fight the Russians, but they lost strength. He does mention, though, that Napoleon never lost sight of trying to find peace, the welfare of the Russian people, and diplomacy.
year 1812
Tolstoy explains how men perceive history. Do we attribute it to one man or to many?
Important Quotes
"Man's mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man's soul."
CHAPTER 2
The tension build-up between the Russian and French armies is described.
CHAPTER 3
There is tension still between Kutuzov and Bennigsen. The Emperor advises Kutuzov as to how to act against the French, but Kutuzov is ready to attack at all costs.
CHAPTER 4
Kutuzov talks to Ermolov about how to proceed with the attack on the French. Later on, Ermolov disappears and nobody can find him. (Apparently he didn't want to deal with staging an attack).
CHAPTER 5
Kutuzov grows mad at the fact that no one is taking orders and taking this battle so slowly.
CHAPTER 6
Denisov speaks to a Polish soldier who tells him that Murat is close and can be captured. At first, Denisov feels that the Polish man is lying, but one his troops are together, he feels more stable and ready to attack the French. The Russian troops capture a French camp along the way, but are so blinded by capturing the soldiers and goods that they fail to capture Murat. Everyone points fingers at each other, blaming one another for not capturing Murat.
Important Quotes
"Had the Cossacks pursued the French, without heeding what was behind and around them, they would have captured Murat and everything there. That was what the officers desired. But it was impossible to make the Cossacks budge when once they had got booty and prisoners."
CHAPTER 7
Kutuzov becomes angry with Ermolov again because they had been so slow in attacking the French that the French themselves got news of their plans. On their way to capture Murat, many Russians died unnecessarily, although the Russian troops were able to expose how weak the French are.
Important Quotes
"That's how everything is done with us, all topsy-turvy!" said the Russian officers and generals after the Tarutino battle, letting it be understood that some fool there is doing things all wrong but that we ourselves should not have done so, just as people speak today. But people who talk like that either do not know what they are talking about or deliberately deceive themselves."
CHAPTER 8
Tolstoy speaks of Napoleon's bad management of his strategic position in Moscow. Instead of camping out in Moscow or taking over Petersburg, he let his troops loot and burn the city. The trrops may have been stronger in order to fight the Russians, but they lost strength. He does mention, though, that Napoleon never lost sight of trying to find peace, the welfare of the Russian people, and diplomacy.
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