Author: Leo TolstoyAuthor: Leo TolstoyBook: A ConfessionBook: A Confession

•Born in Yasnaya Polyana, Tula, Russian Federation September 09, Born in Yasnaya Polyana, Tula, Russian Federation September 09, 18281828

•Died on November 20Died on November 20thth, 1910, 1910

•Primarily wrote novels and short storiesPrimarily wrote novels and short stories

•His novels His novels War and Peace War and Peace and and Anna KareninaAnna Karenina, are acknowledged , are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist fiction.fiction.

•Known for his complicated and paradoxical persona and for his Known for his complicated and paradoxical persona and for his extreme moralistic and ascetic views.extreme moralistic and ascetic views.

•A fervent Christian anarchist and anarcho-pacifist.A fervent Christian anarchist and anarcho-pacifist.

•Ideals of non-violent resistance expressed in Ideals of non-violent resistance expressed in The Kingdom of The Kingdom of God Is Within YouGod Is Within You, were to have a profound impact on figures as , were to have a profound impact on figures as Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.

• Some of his famous novels were Some of his famous novels were War and Peace War and Peace , , Anna Anna KareninaKarenina, , Hadji Murad Hadji Murad and and The Death Of Ivan IlyichThe Death Of Ivan Ilyich..

• His autobiographical novels His autobiographical novels ChildhoodChildhood, , BoyhoodBoyhood, and , and YouthYouth, , tell of a rich landowner's son and his slow realization of the tell of a rich landowner's son and his slow realization of the chasm between himself and his peasants. chasm between himself and his peasants.

• His fiction His fiction The CossacksThe Cossacks (1863) describes the Cossack life  (1863) describes the Cossack life and people through a story of a Russian aristocrat in love with and people through a story of a Russian aristocrat in love with a Cossack girl. a Cossack girl. 

•Anna KareninaAnna Karenina (1877) tells parallel stories of an adulterous  (1877) tells parallel stories of an adulterous woman trapped by the conventions and falsities of society and woman trapped by the conventions and falsities of society and of a philosophical landowner who works alongside the of a philosophical landowner who works alongside the peasants in the fields and seeks to reform their livespeasants in the fields and seeks to reform their lives

•A Confession" -- an essay by Leo A Confession" -- an essay by Leo Tolstoy on his religious thoughts.Tolstoy on his religious thoughts.

•"What will come of my life?" and "What "What will come of my life?" and "What is the meaning of life?“ were the is the meaning of life?“ were the questions Tolstoy wanted to answers questions Tolstoy wanted to answers for.for.

•Tolstoy shows different attempts to Tolstoy shows different attempts to find answers on the examples of find answers on the examples of science, philosophy, eastern wisdom science, philosophy, eastern wisdom and the opinions of his fellow novelistsand the opinions of his fellow novelists..•Found no workable solutions in any of Found no workable solutions in any of them.them.

•Tolstoy recognizes the deep religious Tolstoy recognizes the deep religious convictions of ordinary people as convictions of ordinary people as containing the key to true answers.containing the key to true answers.

• In this book, Tolstoy discusses a kind of intellectual crisis that In this book, Tolstoy discusses a kind of intellectual crisis that he suffered late in his life, and his recovery from it.he suffered late in his life, and his recovery from it.

• He began feeling plagued by concerns of meaninglessness. He began feeling plagued by concerns of meaninglessness.

•Before his crisis, he was able to find satisfaction in caring for Before his crisis, he was able to find satisfaction in caring for his family, and in pursuing his love for writing.his family, and in pursuing his love for writing.

• But there was also a point where he started feeling that why But there was also a point where he started feeling that why should he care about his family ?should he care about his family ?which was precisely the same which was precisely the same situation with regard to his meaning for life.situation with regard to his meaning for life.

• In the end, he observes that he came to believe that faith In the end, he observes that he came to believe that faith alone could provide meaning to human life.alone could provide meaning to human life.

•Leo Tolstoy baptized Orthodox into a life ofLeo Tolstoy baptized Orthodox into a life of privilege and privilege and wealth in Czarist Russia in 1828.wealth in Czarist Russia in 1828.

•Some of his words from ‘ A Confession’: I cannot recall those Some of his words from ‘ A Confession’: I cannot recall those years without horror, loathing, andyears without horror, loathing, and heart-rending pain. I killed heart-rending pain. I killed people in war, challenged menpeople in war, challenged men to duels with the purpose of to duels with the purpose of killing them, and lost at cards; I squandered the fruits of the killing them, and lost at cards; I squandered the fruits of the peasants toil and then hadpeasants toil and then had them executed; I was a fornicator them executed; I was a fornicator and a cheat. Lying,and a cheat. Lying,stealing, promiscuity of every kind, drunkenness, violence, stealing, promiscuity of every kind, drunkenness, violence, murder - there was not a crime I did not commit...Thus Imurder - there was not a crime I did not commit...Thus I lived lived for ten years." for ten years."

• Later in life, Tolstoy formulated a unique ChristianLater in life, Tolstoy formulated a unique Christian philosophy philosophy ..

•Tolstoy also gave a strong plea for Christians to reject theTolstoy also gave a strong plea for Christians to reject the State when seeking answers to questions of morality andState when seeking answers to questions of morality and instead to look within themselves and to God for their instead to look within themselves and to God for their answers. answers.

• Tolstoy considered himself an intellectual and an aristocrat Tolstoy considered himself an intellectual and an aristocrat of noble blood.of noble blood.

• Only the man whose knowledge of Reality is shallow, can Only the man whose knowledge of Reality is shallow, can arrive at the shallow conclusions as did Tolstoy and his kind.arrive at the shallow conclusions as did Tolstoy and his kind.

• Tolstoy could only see two choices, that of believing in the Tolstoy could only see two choices, that of believing in the atheist view of the universe or to choose the second choice of atheist view of the universe or to choose the second choice of believing that the universe could have only arrived into believing that the universe could have only arrived into existence by the cause of a religion’s interpretation of existence by the cause of a religion’s interpretation of doctrines and dogmas.doctrines and dogmas.

• The elegance of Tolstoy’s sophism was in how he was able to The elegance of Tolstoy’s sophism was in how he was able to continue within his denial of all things related to religion, continue within his denial of all things related to religion, somehow gave him a knowing of religion. somehow gave him a knowing of religion.

• Tolstoy reasoned upon what knowledge he possessed, which Tolstoy reasoned upon what knowledge he possessed, which was an incomplete knowledge that was based upon a lack of was an incomplete knowledge that was based upon a lack of experience.experience.

•Tolstoy’s faith began as a self-willed and self-convinced Tolstoy’s faith began as a self-willed and self-convinced belief, rationalized through a faulty self-serving logic. belief, rationalized through a faulty self-serving logic.

•It appears that in the end, his faith became one based upon It appears that in the end, his faith became one based upon the belief that an emotional interpretation of a dream was a the belief that an emotional interpretation of a dream was a true interpretation, and it was within the self-experienced true interpretation, and it was within the self-experienced sensation of belief of not falling that his faith might have sensation of belief of not falling that his faith might have become a true type of faith.become a true type of faith.

•The pseudo-intellectualism and pseudo-science of The pseudo-intellectualism and pseudo-science of A A ConfessionConfession was but one link in a chain that began thousands  was but one link in a chain that began thousands of years before, and continues unbroken today with other of years before, and continues unbroken today with other books like books like The God DelusionThe God Delusion..

•Observe the words of Tolstoy’s, that illustrate how men Observe the words of Tolstoy’s, that illustrate how men without first-hand experience are prone to invent a self-without first-hand experience are prone to invent a self-destructive belief that their life is as meaningless as is their destructive belief that their life is as meaningless as is their knowledge. It is a wise and useful thing to use Tolstoy’s words knowledge. It is a wise and useful thing to use Tolstoy’s words as the example to not follow.as the example to not follow.