Epilogue 2 RECAP

Tolstoy analyzes many philosophical theories and questions.

• Are we totally free?
• Does free will determine historical events?
• Is our mind the cause of our lack of freedom?
• How are astrology and history alike?
• What is free will's relation to things like fate and inevitability? 

In the end, he concludes that we are not totally free and merely accept the unknown factor that causes us to do the things we do and makes us believe that we have free will.

RECAP of Epilogue 1

Important Parts:

• Natasha: has outgrown her youthfulness and is now a changed, aged woman. She lives only for Pierre, her husband, and her family. She has lost her sense of self and her spirit.
• Pierre: Has become a respected figure, but disagrees with Nicholas Rostov on government issues. Pierre wants to revolt against a government he's dissatisfied with.
• Nicholas: Has grown cold towards little Nicholas (who is not his own son) and only cares about farming and interacting with the serfs.
• Mary: One of the smartest women in the book--she is revered by Nicholas and may even be smarter than him (at least spiritually)
• Little Nicholas: He is as Pierre was at the beginning. He has no parents and people don't appreciate of love him like they should. He sees Pierre as a father figure, replacing Andrew. He will probably end up growing up like Pierre (The cycle of life continues).
• Countess Rostova: She has grown so old that nobody cares for her anymore. Her grandchildren avoid her and she longs to die.

Book 15 RECAP

Highlights:

1. Petya's death: young, blind bravery is killed off-- innocence is killed
2. The fall of the French army: the once strong have fallen (whose fault is it, the people or the commanders or fate itself? How has history been re-written)?
3. Pierre's change of attitude-- once cynical and shy, now an intelligent and speculative man
4. Pierre and Natasha's love for each other-- a suppressed love now blossoms. Each had grown after facing death and the war.

RECAP of book 14

The French continue to retreat and the Russian army follows them menacingly, making it known that they want them off their turf.

Highlights:

1. Petya-- he wants to prove that he's a man and dies without even being able to show his true strengths. He dies a little boy, still.
2. Pierre-- he ignores his friend, Platon, when Platon gets sick. He is afraid that his mentor and source of happiness is not immortal. 

RECAP of Book 13

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).

RECAP of book 12

Highlights:

Pierre- he is captured after trying to plot to kill Napoleon and tried for arson. He again loses faith in God and humanity and hates the world because he cannot fix it.

Andrew- At the end he dies, but before he recognizes death and life as love. He is a particle of love in the universe and this thought helps dying feel better.

Mary and Natasha- they are bound together by their worry and love for Andrew. (Their love is exactly what Andrew thinks that our existences are made up of).

----The French continue to overtake Moscow which is up in flames.----

Book 11 RECAP

The war between the French and the Russians escalates. Moscow has been overtaken and abandoned and is now in flames.

Pierre: he is trying to kill Napoleon to prove his own bravery to himself. (longing to fight his enemies and be a hero)

Andrew: Almost dies in battle, but is rescued and recovering from his wounds. He wishes to meet Natasha again and forgive her, which he does (longing to forgive his enemies)

Pierre and Andrew have changed roles since the beginning of the story. Now, Pierre is more aggressive and Andrew is more in tune with his feelings. 

Book 10 RECAP

The war against Russia and France begins.

• Napoleon: Thinks he's invincible, but when his army fails for the first time, he understands the severity and sadness of battle 
• Andrew: Thoughts of death plague him and he is shot at battle
• Pierre: He decides to join the army without knowing a thing about war. He doesn't understand how men fight without fearing death constantly

Important Theme: Blame
                            The French loss is blamed on Napoleon's cold- everyone has an impact on the way an event unfolds. Are things pre-destined or do we forge our own paths? Our actions surely have consequences and lead to the next path we will take.

RECAP of Book 9

Highlights:

• 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

RECAP of Book 8

Highlights:

Natasha's engagement with Andrew:

Natasha is finding it difficult to stay in love with Andrew at the end of the year. She falls for Anatole who sweet-talks her into thinking they're in love. The engagement with Andrew is broken off after Natasha and Anatole try to elope, leaving everyone confused, angry, and astonished.

Pierre: Upset at Anatole and his wife for leading Natasha astray. (Also in love with Natasha, though).

Natasha: Confused about who she loves and goes mad, poisoning herself, after she hears that Anatole was already married.

Sonya: Astonished that her friend would leave Andrew like that.

Count Rostov: Unaware of the full truth--just knows that Natasha hastily broke off her engagement.

Marya: Upset at Natasha for acting so lowly (keeps the truth from the count, Andrew, and Nicholas for fear that they'd try and fight Anatole).

Andrew: Seems unaffected by Natasha's choice, but grows more bitter anyway, not willing to forgive her.

Mary: Happy that the engagement is over since she didn't get along with Natasha anyway.

Anatole: Not caring. He leaves Moscow after Pierre threatens him.

Book 7 RECAP

Highlights:

• The hunt for the wolf (Nicholas)
• Natasha's love for Andrew
• Nicholas' proposal to Sonya

-The Hunt: The wolf hunt represents how Nicholas is chasing after something that he can't catch. It brings out his manly sense of power (perhaps he finds what he sought when, later on, he realizes he'd marry Sonya).

-Loss of Childhood: Natasha has not kept in mind what Andrew had told her about finding herself while he is gone. While he is finding himself, she grows more and more dependent on him and his love that she actually begins to lose her happy self.

-Childhood love: Nicholas realizes that he does love Sonya after all this time after they all play dress up. A childlike activity brought out love in both of them-- both are still young and seek spontaneity (unlike what Natasha is becoming).
  

RECAP of Book 6

Main highlights:

• Pierre and Andrew change places in that Andrew becomes happier as he finds love in Natasha and Pierre becomes depressed with the brotherhood and living with Helene again
• Andrew proposes to Natasha, who seems to be scared of him

Main themes:

1. Natasha growing up and getting to know herself
2. Depression v. happiness
3. Finding a life worth living for

RECAP of Book 5

Some main highlights of this book include:

• Dolokhov and Pierre's duel
• Pierre's transition into the brotherhood of free masons
• Denisov going to the hospital after trying to feed his troops
• Emperor Alexander and Emperor Napoleon's alliance

RECAP BOOK 4

This book is concerned mostly with the boys and their return from war.

highlights include:

• Andrew coming back from battle after being pronounced dead or lost
• Lise dying in childbirth
•  Pierre and Dolokhov's duel
• Sonya turning down Dolokhov's hand in marriage 
• the intense card game between Nicholas Rostov and Dolokhov

The boys think they are men but still act like boys in impulsive manners. 

RECAP of Book 3

The boys are all excited for battle. Andrew wants to prove his valor and Rostov wants to prove himself worthy to his beloved Emperor. However, none of them are ready for the horrors that the war brings. Andrew is badly hurt and is questioning what is important in life. Rostov feels like a coward to himself as he cannot prove himself to the Emperor in times of need. (Loss of innocence/ youth).

Back home, Anna Pavlovna and Vasili are setting Vasili's daughter up with Pierre. Everyone now respects Pierre after he gained the inheritance. (Greed).

RECAP of Book 2

The war has begun and the French seem to be dominating the Russian troops. The boys in the war are excited to prove their strength and valor, but slowly begin to realize that war is no joke.

A highlight is when Rostov accuses a high in command soldier (Telyanin) of stealing his commander Bogdanich's wallet.

Another highlight is when Andrew realizes that those in higher command don't care about small victories in the war--they care more about the final outcome.

Book 1 RECAP

Napoleon and the French are taking over Europe. Russia is now at unrest... for many reasons.

Reason 1) Russia is scared of a French takeover

Reason 2) The wealthy Count is dying and everyone in the family is after his will

Reason 3) Young men are going to war

Pierre eventually inherits everything the Count left behind, upsetting everyone (especially Vasili and Mary Mikhaylovna who were expecting part of his fortune). Pierre seems incompetent, boyish, and clumsy... not qualities of an important count-to-be.

In terms of relations, Sonya loves her cousin, Nicholas, but he loves Julie. Boris (Mary Mikhaylovna's son) is in love with little Natasha. The brutish Anatole (Vasili's son) is supposed to marry the meek Mary who is fearful of everything, including her strict father, Nicholas.

The boys are eager for war while the women like their gossip. There is a clear divide in the way that men and women see things. However, both women and men are manipulators-- especially when it came to The Count's will.

Nobody really cared about the Count's death, it seemed. They seemed to just be after his will and money and were pretending to care deeply about him and the family.

It also seems that boys are trying to be men by going to war and inheriting estates. But, they are still just inexperienced children, really. (In fact, all the children are expected to act like adults, even if they don't understand the grown-up world around them).