Pierre Discovers What It Means To Live...As A POW

Pierre Discovers What It Means To Live...As A POW

At the beginning of Book Six, Tolstoy makes a distinction between the events of the war and the events of "real life". He writes:

"Life meanwhile - real life, with it's essential interests in health and sickness, toil and rest...went on as usual, independently of and apart from political friendship or enmity with Napoleon Bonaparte and from all the schemes of reconstruction." (Book Six, Chapter One, pp. 457). 

When reflecting upon historical events, it is easy to assume that the event in question deeply affected the lives of those people living during or throughout its occurrence (It made an impact on people. That is why it is a "historical event"). In the quote above, Tolstoy reminds us that our individual lives are not about wars or elections, ect.; they are about us. "Real life" is comprised of the routines and concerns and relationships that we cycle through everyday. 

Then again, in describing to us Pierre's experience as a POW, Tolstoy begins to outline define for us a new definition of "real life". This life is not made up of the dull, self centered concerns of society life. Rather, this new "real life" is vivid and real. Pierre feels the wind and sees the sunset, ect. Tolstoy writes: 

"...he felt the contact of fresh air and heard the noise of the crows flying from Moscow across the field, and when afterwards light gleamed from the east and the sun's rim appeared solemnly from behind a cloud, and the cupolas and crosses, the hoarfrost, the distance and the river, all began to sparkle in the glad light - Pierre felt a new joy and strength in life such as he had never known before." (Book Thirteen, Chapter Two, pp. 1123). 

So what is real life for Tolstoy? What does it mean to actually live? What do we think of the fact that Pierre begins to "live" only when he has been stripped of his freedom and his ability to make his own choices?