- War is about to break out again between Russia and France
- Natasha is recovering after the whole Andrew/Anatole situation
- Pierre loves Natasha
- Petya is about to become a soldier
Showing posts with label Book 9. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book 9. Show all posts
Friday, June 3, 2016
RECAP of Book 9
Highlights:
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Book 9, Chapters 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
CHAPTER 17
Natasha is quite changed from how she used to be as a girl. She is constantly depressed and thinks of her past as a bittersweet memory. Pierre takes care of her often and she enjoys his company. One day, she decides to fast and go to church. She enjoys listening to God's word and likes losing herself in the mysteries of the Bible. She continually asks God to forgive her of her sins and gradually starts getting better (which the doctors think is their doing).
Important Quotes
"When [Natasha] did not understand, it was sweeter still to think that the wish to understand everything is pride, that it is impossible to understand all, that it is only necessary to believe and to commit oneself to God, whom she felt guiding her soul at those moments."
CHAPTER 18
Natasha goes to church once again where she prays for all those she knows. She prays for her enemies although she doesn't have many. She prays especially for Anatole and can't bring herself to condemn him at all.
Important Quotes
"I'm pretty, I'm young, and I know that now I am good. I used to be bad, but now I know I am good," she thought, "but yet my best years are slipping by and are no good to anyone."
"Only at prayer did she feel able to think clearly and calmly of Prince Andrew and Anatole, as men for whom her feelings were as nothing compared with her awe and devotion to God."
"But she could not pray that her enemies might be trampled under foot when but a few minutes before she had been wishing she had more of them that she might pray for them."
CHAPTER 19
Pierre's love for Natasha dwindles as she gets better. He beings looking for signs that a catastrophe is coming after seeing the comet and to distract him from Natasha. He spells out his own name and somehow calculates that it adds up to 666, therefore making him the antichrist. He considers joining the army to help ward off Napoleon, but doesn't dare to because of his ties to the Freemasons and his hunch that he's the antichrist.
Important Quotes
"Natásha's health began to improve and she no longer aroused in him the former feeling of careful pity, an ever-increasing restlessness, which he could not explain, took possession of him. He felt that the condition he was in could not continue long, that a catastrophe was coming which would change his whole life"
CHAPTER 20
Pierre goes to visit the Rostovs where he hears Natasha singing after a long time of being silent. He is madly in love with her but can't let her know since he's married. Petya talks to him of joining the hussars, but his parents disapprove, saying he's too young. After dinner, Sonya reads the Emperor's manifesto, which Pierre has brought along, to everyone. As Pierre rises to leave, he promises never to go to the Rostovs again because his feelings for Natasha are too strong.
CHAPTER 21
Petya goes to see the Emperor in the square. He gets trampled on his pursuit to ask the Emperor if he could serve in the army. When he sees what a big crowd there is, he decides that it would be improper to ask the Emperor directly if he could serve. For the first time, he realizes the magnitude of this man. Later on, he and others wait below the balcony where the Emperor is dining and have biscuits thrown at them from the Emperor himself. Petya charges an old lady to get a biscuit. His father finally gives in to letting him join the army.
Important Quotes
"the old woman did not consider herself defeated though she was lying on the ground—she grabbed at some biscuits but her hand did not reach them. Pétya pushed her hand away with his knee, seized a biscuit, and as if fearing to be too late, again shouted "Hurrah!"
CHAPTER 22
Pierre and many of the senators and high-class Russian citizens are gathered to discuss the Emperor's plans for the war. The others don't dare question anything the Emperor does, but Pierre wants to know the status and size of the army so that everyone would know how much needs to be done. This starts a controversy and all the men ignore Pierre's statement and begin to quarrel.
Important Quotes
"Pierre wished to say that he was ready to sacrifice his money, his serfs, or himself, only one ought to know the state of affairs in order to be able to improve it, but he was unable to speak. Many voices shouted and talked at the same time"
Pierre: "I only said that it would be more to the purpose to make sacrifices when we know what is needed!" said he, trying to be heard above the other voices."
CHAPTER 23
The Emperor comes out and thanks all the men for doing all they can for the Fatherland. Pierre notices two men begging the Emperor to let them do anything in order to help Russia's cause. After hearing this, he feels bad for speaking out and questioning Alexander. He too wants to do anything he can for the Fatherland.
Important Quotes
"Tears filled the thin man's eyes, and the fat otkupshchik sobbed outright like a child and kept repeating: "Our lives and property—take them, Your Majesty!" Pierre's one feeling at the moment was a desire to show that he was ready to go all lengths and was prepared to sacrifice everything."
Natasha is quite changed from how she used to be as a girl. She is constantly depressed and thinks of her past as a bittersweet memory. Pierre takes care of her often and she enjoys his company. One day, she decides to fast and go to church. She enjoys listening to God's word and likes losing herself in the mysteries of the Bible. She continually asks God to forgive her of her sins and gradually starts getting better (which the doctors think is their doing).
Important Quotes
"When [Natasha] did not understand, it was sweeter still to think that the wish to understand everything is pride, that it is impossible to understand all, that it is only necessary to believe and to commit oneself to God, whom she felt guiding her soul at those moments."
CHAPTER 18
Natasha goes to church once again where she prays for all those she knows. She prays for her enemies although she doesn't have many. She prays especially for Anatole and can't bring herself to condemn him at all.
Important Quotes
"I'm pretty, I'm young, and I know that now I am good. I used to be bad, but now I know I am good," she thought, "but yet my best years are slipping by and are no good to anyone."
"Only at prayer did she feel able to think clearly and calmly of Prince Andrew and Anatole, as men for whom her feelings were as nothing compared with her awe and devotion to God."
"But she could not pray that her enemies might be trampled under foot when but a few minutes before she had been wishing she had more of them that she might pray for them."
CHAPTER 19
Pierre's love for Natasha dwindles as she gets better. He beings looking for signs that a catastrophe is coming after seeing the comet and to distract him from Natasha. He spells out his own name and somehow calculates that it adds up to 666, therefore making him the antichrist. He considers joining the army to help ward off Napoleon, but doesn't dare to because of his ties to the Freemasons and his hunch that he's the antichrist.
Important Quotes
"Natásha's health began to improve and she no longer aroused in him the former feeling of careful pity, an ever-increasing restlessness, which he could not explain, took possession of him. He felt that the condition he was in could not continue long, that a catastrophe was coming which would change his whole life"
CHAPTER 20
Pierre goes to visit the Rostovs where he hears Natasha singing after a long time of being silent. He is madly in love with her but can't let her know since he's married. Petya talks to him of joining the hussars, but his parents disapprove, saying he's too young. After dinner, Sonya reads the Emperor's manifesto, which Pierre has brought along, to everyone. As Pierre rises to leave, he promises never to go to the Rostovs again because his feelings for Natasha are too strong.
CHAPTER 21
Petya goes to see the Emperor in the square. He gets trampled on his pursuit to ask the Emperor if he could serve in the army. When he sees what a big crowd there is, he decides that it would be improper to ask the Emperor directly if he could serve. For the first time, he realizes the magnitude of this man. Later on, he and others wait below the balcony where the Emperor is dining and have biscuits thrown at them from the Emperor himself. Petya charges an old lady to get a biscuit. His father finally gives in to letting him join the army.
Important Quotes
"the old woman did not consider herself defeated though she was lying on the ground—she grabbed at some biscuits but her hand did not reach them. Pétya pushed her hand away with his knee, seized a biscuit, and as if fearing to be too late, again shouted "Hurrah!"
CHAPTER 22
Pierre and many of the senators and high-class Russian citizens are gathered to discuss the Emperor's plans for the war. The others don't dare question anything the Emperor does, but Pierre wants to know the status and size of the army so that everyone would know how much needs to be done. This starts a controversy and all the men ignore Pierre's statement and begin to quarrel.
Important Quotes
"Pierre wished to say that he was ready to sacrifice his money, his serfs, or himself, only one ought to know the state of affairs in order to be able to improve it, but he was unable to speak. Many voices shouted and talked at the same time"
Pierre: "I only said that it would be more to the purpose to make sacrifices when we know what is needed!" said he, trying to be heard above the other voices."
CHAPTER 23
The Emperor comes out and thanks all the men for doing all they can for the Fatherland. Pierre notices two men begging the Emperor to let them do anything in order to help Russia's cause. After hearing this, he feels bad for speaking out and questioning Alexander. He too wants to do anything he can for the Fatherland.
Important Quotes
"Tears filled the thin man's eyes, and the fat otkupshchik sobbed outright like a child and kept repeating: "Our lives and property—take them, Your Majesty!" Pierre's one feeling at the moment was a desire to show that he was ready to go all lengths and was prepared to sacrifice everything."
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Book 9, Chapters 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16
CHAPTER 11
Andrew goes to a meeting regarding the plans for the upcoming war. He listens to what all the generals have to say, pitying Pfuel because no one listens to him. He admires Pfuel because he's the only one that care about the general outcome of the war plan, not just himself. Andrew asks the Emperor to serve in the army at the end.
Important Quotes
"Of all those present, evidently [Pfuel] alone was not seeking anything for himself, nursed no hatred against anyone, and only desired that the plan, formed on a theory arrived at by years of toil, should be carried out."
" Not only does a good army commander not need any special qualities, on the contrary he needs the absence of the highest and best human attributes—love, poetry, tenderness, and philosophic inquiring doubt."
CHAPTER 12
Nicholas' parents write to him, telling him to come home after Natasha's illness. However, he decides to stay with the hussars, especially since he was promoted to captain. He now has Ilyin, a young soldier, who looks up to him. As he and Ilyin ride in the rain to find shelter, they come across Zdrzhinski who elaborates some story of a battle he witnessed. Rostov knows he's exaggerating and remembers how he used to do the same years ago.
Important Quotes
"Rostóv knew by experience that men always lie when describing military exploits, as he himself had done when recounting them; besides that, he had experience enough to know that nothing happens in war at all as we can imagine or relate it."
CHAPTER 13
Ilyin and Rostov make their way to where the other soldiers are. Inside, they see their sleeping doctor as well as his wife, Mary Hendrikhovna. All the men are taken by Mary and flirt with her, including Rostov.
CHAPTER 14
Rostov and Ilyin ride out to battle the next day. Rostov has changed much, not scared of war, but ready and excited to fight with ease. Ilyin, he can tell, is nervous for fear of dying. In the distance, gunshots are heard which excites Rostov.
Important Quotes
"Formerly, when going into action, Rostóv had felt afraid; now he had not the least feeling of fear. He was fearless, not because he had grown used to being under fire (one cannot grow used to danger), but because he had learned how to manage his thoughts when in danger."
CHAPTER 15
Nicholas decides to charge into battle without asking anyone. His troops follow and he charges into the sea of French soldiers. There, he rides after one of the Frenchmen, cutting his arm and scaring him. The man surrenders, but Rostov doesn't understand why he had been so aggressive since there was no need for it. For days, he asks himself why bravery must be being unnecessarily aggressive and regrets how he charged the French soldier.
Important Quotes
Rostov: "He acted as he did when hunting, without reflecting or considering."
CHAPTER 16
Back home, Natasha is still ill. Everyone tries to find some cure for her and several doctors are called. However, her illness is more mental than anything else, after all that happened with Anatole and Andrew, and the doctors are only there to make everyone else feel as if they are doing something to help.
Important Quotes
"they were useful, necessary, and indispensable because they satisfied a mental need of the invalid and of those who loved her—and that is why there are, and always will be, pseudo-healers, wise women, homeopaths, and allopaths. They satisfied that eternal human need for hope of relief, for sympathy, and that something should be done"
Andrew goes to a meeting regarding the plans for the upcoming war. He listens to what all the generals have to say, pitying Pfuel because no one listens to him. He admires Pfuel because he's the only one that care about the general outcome of the war plan, not just himself. Andrew asks the Emperor to serve in the army at the end.
Important Quotes
"Of all those present, evidently [Pfuel] alone was not seeking anything for himself, nursed no hatred against anyone, and only desired that the plan, formed on a theory arrived at by years of toil, should be carried out."
" Not only does a good army commander not need any special qualities, on the contrary he needs the absence of the highest and best human attributes—love, poetry, tenderness, and philosophic inquiring doubt."
CHAPTER 12
Nicholas' parents write to him, telling him to come home after Natasha's illness. However, he decides to stay with the hussars, especially since he was promoted to captain. He now has Ilyin, a young soldier, who looks up to him. As he and Ilyin ride in the rain to find shelter, they come across Zdrzhinski who elaborates some story of a battle he witnessed. Rostov knows he's exaggerating and remembers how he used to do the same years ago.
Important Quotes
"Rostóv knew by experience that men always lie when describing military exploits, as he himself had done when recounting them; besides that, he had experience enough to know that nothing happens in war at all as we can imagine or relate it."
CHAPTER 13
Ilyin and Rostov make their way to where the other soldiers are. Inside, they see their sleeping doctor as well as his wife, Mary Hendrikhovna. All the men are taken by Mary and flirt with her, including Rostov.
CHAPTER 14
Rostov and Ilyin ride out to battle the next day. Rostov has changed much, not scared of war, but ready and excited to fight with ease. Ilyin, he can tell, is nervous for fear of dying. In the distance, gunshots are heard which excites Rostov.
Important Quotes
"Formerly, when going into action, Rostóv had felt afraid; now he had not the least feeling of fear. He was fearless, not because he had grown used to being under fire (one cannot grow used to danger), but because he had learned how to manage his thoughts when in danger."
CHAPTER 15
Nicholas decides to charge into battle without asking anyone. His troops follow and he charges into the sea of French soldiers. There, he rides after one of the Frenchmen, cutting his arm and scaring him. The man surrenders, but Rostov doesn't understand why he had been so aggressive since there was no need for it. For days, he asks himself why bravery must be being unnecessarily aggressive and regrets how he charged the French soldier.
Important Quotes
Rostov: "He acted as he did when hunting, without reflecting or considering."
CHAPTER 16
Back home, Natasha is still ill. Everyone tries to find some cure for her and several doctors are called. However, her illness is more mental than anything else, after all that happened with Anatole and Andrew, and the doctors are only there to make everyone else feel as if they are doing something to help.
Important Quotes
"they were useful, necessary, and indispensable because they satisfied a mental need of the invalid and of those who loved her—and that is why there are, and always will be, pseudo-healers, wise women, homeopaths, and allopaths. They satisfied that eternal human need for hope of relief, for sympathy, and that something should be done"
Monday, May 30, 2016
Book 9, Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
CHAPTER 1
year 1812
In this chapter, the events of future wars are described. The free will of leaders like Napoleon and Alexander are also mentioned. How much of history is a person's free will and how much of it is predetermined?
Important Quotes
"Each man lives for himself, using his freedom to attain his personal aims, and feels with his whole being that he can now do or abstain from doing this or that action; but as soon as he has done it, that action performed at a certain moment in time becomes irrevocable and belongs to history, in which it has not a free but a predestined significance."
"There are two sides to the life of every man, his individual life, which is the more free the more abstract its interests, and his elemental hive life in which he inevitably obeys laws laid down for him."
"Every act of theirs, which appears to them an act of their own will, is in an historical sense involuntary and is related to the whole course of history and predestined from eternity."
CHAPTER 2
Napoleon is tired of having so much attention from all his admirers. He thinks it is distracting and wants to be left alone to plan out his next moves in the war. All the men around him try and impress him, but he pays no mind.
Important Quotes
"Those whom (God) wishes to destroy he drives mad."
CHAPTER 3
Boris, Helene, and Alexander all attend a ball where the emperor finds out that the French have crossed on to Russian territory. He is very upset and writes to Napoleon telling him to leave his turf or else another war will break out.
Alexander: "It still depends on Your Majesty [Napoleon] to preserve humanity from the calamity of another war."
CHAPTER 4
Balashev, Emperor Alexander's general, rides to where the French reside with the letter from Alexander telling them to retreat. On the way to see Napoleon, he encounters hostility from the French. He meets with Murat (who is now called "King of Naples") who insists that Napoleon isn't trying to start a war and that Alexander is the violent one for threatening to begin one is they don't move. Balashev and Murat clearly disagree on who is about to begin the next war and part their separate ways. Balashev is escorted to the French Marshal Davout.
CHAPTER 5
Balashev meets with Davout who is very stern and mean to him. He tells Balashev that he will give Alexander's letter to Napoleon himself, sending Balashev to wait at Vilna to see Napoleon.
CHAPTER 6
Balashev meets with Napoleon who is in a bad mood and threatens to wipe out Russia and its allies if war is declared. He keeps on saying that Alexander had much potential to be a great ruler, but he allied himself with his enemies and, therefore, was not great. Balashev doesn't even have a moment to speak because Napoleon keeps talking over him.
Important Quotes
[Napoleon]: "Evidently only what took place within his own mind interested him. Nothing outside himself had any significance for him, because everything in the world, it seemed to him, depended entirely on his will."
CHAPTER 7
Napoleon invites Balashev to dine with him. He treats Balashev like one of his admirers, not thinking that Balashev would disagree with his point of views. Napoleon keeps on talking badly of Alexander and, when Balashev returns home with news of his meetings, Alexander declares war.
Important Quotes
"It was evident that [Napoleon] had long been convinced that it was impossible for him to make a mistake, and that in his perception whatever he did was right, not because it harmonized with any idea of right and wrong, but because he did it."
"Napoleon did not notice this expression; he treated Balashev not as an envoy from his enemy, but as a man now fully devoted to him and who must rejoice at his former master's humiliation."
CHAPTER 8
After some time of trying to find Anatole and challenge his to a duel, Andrew returns to Bald Hills where he notices a divide in the old house. His father is still having an affair with Madame Bourienne and they have both turned against Mary. Mary begs Andrew to stay longer, but he feels that he must go because he can't bear his father and the Frenchwoman and not even his son brings him joy. Mary tells Andrew not to blame men for his misfortunes and that everything is in God's hands, but Andrew still looks forward to finding and killing Anatole.
Important Quotes
"It was as if that lofty, infinite canopy of heaven that had once towered above him had suddenly turned into a low, solid vault that weighed him down, in which all was clear, but nothing eternal or mysterious."
Andrew: "If I were a woman I would do so, Mary. That is a woman's virtue. But a man should not and cannot forgive and forget," he replied"
Mary: "Good-bye, Andrew! Remember that misfortunes come from God, and men are never to blame," were the last words he heard from his sister when he took leave of her."
CHAPTER 9
Andrew decides to rejoin the army under Barclay where he notices some divisions forming. There are nine divisions, people for or against the war or people for or against certain generals. However, the biggest group is that which is self-centered and only out to better themselves, not caring about the war itself.
Important Quotes
"his eighth and largest party of those preoccupied with personal interests imparted great confusion and obscurity to the common task. Whatever question arose, a swarm of these drones, without having finished their buzzing on a previous theme, flew over to the new one and by their hum drowned and obscured the voices of those who were disputing honestly."
CHAPTER 10
Barclay tells Andrew that Alexander wishes to meet with him. On arriving at Alexander's house, he is greeted by Chernyshev, the aide-de-camp, as they wait for Alexander to return. He sees the German, Pfuel, who he concludes is self-confident in his ability to theorize using science. Andrew proceeds to categorize men from different countries, saying how each one derives their confidence from different things.
Important Quotes
"A Russian is self-assured just because he knows nothing and does not want to know anything, since he does not believe that anything can be known. The German's self-assurance is worst of all, stronger and more repulsive than any other, because he imagines that he knows the truth—science—which he himself has invented but which is for him the absolute truth."
year 1812
In this chapter, the events of future wars are described. The free will of leaders like Napoleon and Alexander are also mentioned. How much of history is a person's free will and how much of it is predetermined?
Important Quotes
"Each man lives for himself, using his freedom to attain his personal aims, and feels with his whole being that he can now do or abstain from doing this or that action; but as soon as he has done it, that action performed at a certain moment in time becomes irrevocable and belongs to history, in which it has not a free but a predestined significance."
"There are two sides to the life of every man, his individual life, which is the more free the more abstract its interests, and his elemental hive life in which he inevitably obeys laws laid down for him."
"Every act of theirs, which appears to them an act of their own will, is in an historical sense involuntary and is related to the whole course of history and predestined from eternity."
CHAPTER 2
Napoleon is tired of having so much attention from all his admirers. He thinks it is distracting and wants to be left alone to plan out his next moves in the war. All the men around him try and impress him, but he pays no mind.
Important Quotes
"Those whom (God) wishes to destroy he drives mad."
CHAPTER 3
Boris, Helene, and Alexander all attend a ball where the emperor finds out that the French have crossed on to Russian territory. He is very upset and writes to Napoleon telling him to leave his turf or else another war will break out.
Alexander: "It still depends on Your Majesty [Napoleon] to preserve humanity from the calamity of another war."
CHAPTER 4
Balashev, Emperor Alexander's general, rides to where the French reside with the letter from Alexander telling them to retreat. On the way to see Napoleon, he encounters hostility from the French. He meets with Murat (who is now called "King of Naples") who insists that Napoleon isn't trying to start a war and that Alexander is the violent one for threatening to begin one is they don't move. Balashev and Murat clearly disagree on who is about to begin the next war and part their separate ways. Balashev is escorted to the French Marshal Davout.
CHAPTER 5
Balashev meets with Davout who is very stern and mean to him. He tells Balashev that he will give Alexander's letter to Napoleon himself, sending Balashev to wait at Vilna to see Napoleon.
CHAPTER 6
Balashev meets with Napoleon who is in a bad mood and threatens to wipe out Russia and its allies if war is declared. He keeps on saying that Alexander had much potential to be a great ruler, but he allied himself with his enemies and, therefore, was not great. Balashev doesn't even have a moment to speak because Napoleon keeps talking over him.
Important Quotes
[Napoleon]: "Evidently only what took place within his own mind interested him. Nothing outside himself had any significance for him, because everything in the world, it seemed to him, depended entirely on his will."
CHAPTER 7
Napoleon invites Balashev to dine with him. He treats Balashev like one of his admirers, not thinking that Balashev would disagree with his point of views. Napoleon keeps on talking badly of Alexander and, when Balashev returns home with news of his meetings, Alexander declares war.
Important Quotes
"It was evident that [Napoleon] had long been convinced that it was impossible for him to make a mistake, and that in his perception whatever he did was right, not because it harmonized with any idea of right and wrong, but because he did it."
"Napoleon did not notice this expression; he treated Balashev not as an envoy from his enemy, but as a man now fully devoted to him and who must rejoice at his former master's humiliation."
CHAPTER 8
After some time of trying to find Anatole and challenge his to a duel, Andrew returns to Bald Hills where he notices a divide in the old house. His father is still having an affair with Madame Bourienne and they have both turned against Mary. Mary begs Andrew to stay longer, but he feels that he must go because he can't bear his father and the Frenchwoman and not even his son brings him joy. Mary tells Andrew not to blame men for his misfortunes and that everything is in God's hands, but Andrew still looks forward to finding and killing Anatole.
Important Quotes
"It was as if that lofty, infinite canopy of heaven that had once towered above him had suddenly turned into a low, solid vault that weighed him down, in which all was clear, but nothing eternal or mysterious."
Andrew: "If I were a woman I would do so, Mary. That is a woman's virtue. But a man should not and cannot forgive and forget," he replied"
Mary: "Good-bye, Andrew! Remember that misfortunes come from God, and men are never to blame," were the last words he heard from his sister when he took leave of her."
CHAPTER 9
Andrew decides to rejoin the army under Barclay where he notices some divisions forming. There are nine divisions, people for or against the war or people for or against certain generals. However, the biggest group is that which is self-centered and only out to better themselves, not caring about the war itself.
Important Quotes
"his eighth and largest party of those preoccupied with personal interests imparted great confusion and obscurity to the common task. Whatever question arose, a swarm of these drones, without having finished their buzzing on a previous theme, flew over to the new one and by their hum drowned and obscured the voices of those who were disputing honestly."
CHAPTER 10
Barclay tells Andrew that Alexander wishes to meet with him. On arriving at Alexander's house, he is greeted by Chernyshev, the aide-de-camp, as they wait for Alexander to return. He sees the German, Pfuel, who he concludes is self-confident in his ability to theorize using science. Andrew proceeds to categorize men from different countries, saying how each one derives their confidence from different things.
Important Quotes
"A Russian is self-assured just because he knows nothing and does not want to know anything, since he does not believe that anything can be known. The German's self-assurance is worst of all, stronger and more repulsive than any other, because he imagines that he knows the truth—science—which he himself has invented but which is for him the absolute truth."
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