"Anna Karenin" 6b

The ending to this novel shocked me incredibly. I couldn't believe that Anna truly went through with her suicide, although it had been foreshadowed during the novel. The earlier suicide obviously was pointing to something similar in the following novel, and Anna impetuousness had been shown before, in her abandonment of her life for Vronsky and previous mood swings. I felt that the author did a really good job portraying her state of mind and her feelings leading up to her jump off the station, and then removing the reader's perspective from inside Anna gradually as she jumped: "And exactly at the moment when the space between the wheels dew level with her she threw aside the red bag and drawing her head down between her shoulders dropped her hands under the truck, and onto her knees. At the same instant she became horror-struck at what she was doing... She tried to get up, to throw herself back; but something huge and relentless struck her on her head and dragged her down on her back... A little peasant muttering something was working at the rails" (802). This is a decision that Anna cannot back out of, and is so unfortunate that she felt compelled to take this step. Looking back, a reader might be confused as to why she needed this dramatic finish to her life simply to punish Vronsky. He had never abused her, had given up his career for her, cared for her and loved her; she may have had her doubts about his fidelity, but that often doesn't warrant throwing herself under the train. However, their inability to discuss their differences lead to increasing resentment and even hatred for the other, as their behaviors became incomprehensible to the other. They also had different priorities in the relationship; Vronsky loved Anna but wished for his "freedom", and Anna wanted to make sure that he did not stray, as her position was compromised enough already. However, neither explained themselves fully: their reconciliations were temporary only. The author contrasts this well by ending with Levin, although this section confused me a little. Accepting unfair business practices does not seem to fit with Christianity, and simply living the way you are living because you are living that way just seems a stretch to fit in with the rest of the book. However, I enjoyed that Kitty completely understood Levin's thoughts and was at peace with them, showing how the two as a happy couple could have conflicting interests and still achieve harmony.