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December 17, 2005
WAR_AND_PEACE
So, what's my Actually, though, I
favorite scene think I could pick
from "War and another "scene": when
Peace"? Pierre meets Andrei
again after their
I would probably have to various travails
pick the same scene that (Andrei's near death at
Freeman Dyson did: the battle of
Austerlitz, Pierre's
duel and divorce).
DERANGEMENT
They find that each
But really I think other has moved roughly
it's a silly in opposite directions:
question. "War and Pierre has moved
Peace" is a novel of outwards, toward the
ideas, of character realm of ideals and
portraits, far more spirit, and Andrei has
than a collection of retreated, become
scenes. focused solely on the
concerns of his family.
A better question
might be "what is As they argue these
your favorite issues -- huge and
character portrait"? insoluble, though
perhaps we're in a
But even that... position to push them a
why pick one? How little further now, over
are you to choose? a century hence -- both
are conscious that
Andrei is much more
Prince Andrei is a intelligent than Pierre,
very impressive and though Andrei
hero in a book that listens carefully, it
almost undercuts seems impossible he
the possibility of could be swayed by
heroism. Pierre's simple
assertions...
But isn't Pierre a
more interesting And yet, something
portrait in a way? happens in Andrei
His general weakness, because of this
his good intentions discussion. He
and his inability to catches a glimpse of
follow through on his old vision of the
them; the way he grandeur of the sky.
continually gets
blocked or For no good reason,
manipulated by the this encounter is a
people around him... turning point.
Or then, there's
General Kutozov...
a great leader
that doesn't take
the idea of being
a Great Leader
excessively
seriously.
KUTUZOV
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