Leo Tolstoy, Father Sergius

 

1. Why, according to the narrator, Prince Kasatkin’s decision to go to the monastery was natural? Do you agree with the narrator? What, if anything in Prince Kasatkin’s personality and background could motivate him to make such a choice?

 

2. What is the role of the elder in Father Sergius’ life?

 

3. How does Father Sergius envision himself, his challenges and goals in the encounter with Makovkina?

 

4. What is the biggest challenge in Father Sergius’ spiritual quest?

 

5. As a famous holy man and miracle worker, Father Sergius is surrounded by many men. Who are they? Are the encounters with these people beneficial for him and/or them? How does he view these people? What do Father Sergius’ views tell the reader about him?

 

6. How is the Church shown in this text? Does it facilitate Father Sergius’ quest for God?

 

7. What role do the protagonist’s names—Prince Kasatkin, Father Sergius, Stepa, Man of God—play in the text? Why is the short story entitled “Father Sergius”?

 

8. How would you qualify the protagonist’s life path? Is it a spiritual path/ascent, church career, degradation, path of self-discovery or else?

 

9. How is the dichotomy profane / sacred (or people vs. God, or living for people vs. living for God) realized in the text?

 

10. How is Pashenka different from other people? What is her most remarkable characteristic?

 

11. What is the short story's rationale /incentive for a happy ending?

 

 

Ivan Turgenev, A Living Relic

 

1. How do the people see Lukeria and interpret her condition? How does she view her condition herself?

 

2. What is Luker’ia’s mental state? Is her mental or existential state different from that of an ascetic?

 

3. What does the title of the story tell us about the protagonist?

 

 

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

 

1. The narrative of Solzhenitsyn’s novella, One Day, is built on a contention between a number of irreconcilable opposites. Who and what is juxtaposed to whom and what? What is the role of these juxtapositions in the narrative?

 

2. What patterns of ascetic thought and behavior are readily identifiable in Solzhenitsyn’s novella One Day? Do they reflect the classical (Hellenistic, Early Christian) ascetic models?

 

3. Could asceticism be regarded the novella’s major theme?

 

4. Why, in your opinion, does Solzhenitsyn’s One Day occupy an important place in the world literature canon?