SLAV 117H Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Omen
Document Summary
First sentence of novel, central setting of story. Deals with the family, and its individual and collective issues. Stiva"s dream, but wakes up and becomes angry. Dream consists of him getting caught in an affair. Assumed his wife already knew, but in fact, she didn"t. Becomes confused because she already has a house and children. Shows the type of person stiva is in society. Lost her beauty through bearing and caring for seven children. Stiva does not have his own views - conforms to other views of society and people (7) Getting ready for work: looks are important (18) Doesn"t do much, merely sits there to look pretty. Contrast between levin and vronsky (kitty"s suitors) Vronsky"s mother had many public male affairs. Vronsky does not realize that courting without the intent to marry was common. Thought he was a genius for creating some kind of trend. Vronsky is not interested in family life. Vronsky is usually unimpressed about most things.
