A. Tolstoy's "How Much Land Does a Man Need?"

1. ch. I--What are some clichés about the differences between country life and city life?

2. II--Can you relate this chapter to life in the suburbs now?

3. III-How should we see Pahom, critically or sympathetically?

4. IV, V, +before--What parallels are there to US history?

5. VI + VII--Find parallels to Mérimée regarding culture.

6. VIII + IX--Find parallels to "Death of II."

7. " + "--Find the most dramatic passages in this prose account.

8. In music, the piece ends on the tonic, the home base. Does everything come out even here?

9. Gen--How might one simplify this story into a folk tale? i.e., "Once upon a time there was a peasant..."

B. Study Questions--Tolstoy's "The Death of Ivan Illych." 38-63]

13. 39-40] How is I's life changing?

14. 42-43] Is I. paranoid, or is he seeing things clearly?

15. 44-45] The reader is being allowed to get closer to I. now. How is this done? Why?

16. 48]f How can "health" be "offensive"? Should people lie to I.?

17. 54] Why would Vasya be "the only one besides Gerasim who understood and pitied him"?

18. 53]f What might be the purpose of including this theater outing in the story? After all, I. doesn't go along.

19. chapter beginnings--e.g. III, V, VIII + more to the end--contain expressions of time. How might they support the author's story-telling plan?

20. 56-60] How has his view of his own life changed?

21. ch XII Note expressions of time again. Think of possible biblical references.

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Last updated 6 February 2001