The Secret to Finding Joy in Life: 'Anna Karenina'

One of the greatest depictions of joy in world literature is found in Leo Tolstoy’s 1873 novel, Anna Karenina. A work that runs to about 800 pages in most English translations, it is a pity that, at a time when many Americans express disappointment, frustration, and pessimism in life, so few know it. For if we can learn how to find joy in life, or at least to enhance the prospects that joy will find us, and thereby enjoy life to the fullest extent possible, surely there are few guides more trustworthy than Tolstoy.

Rembrandt, Two Women Teaching a Child to Walk, c 1635

Source: Wikimedia Commons / public domain

Dolly

One of the most important characters in the novel, often ignored or nearly ignored by cinematic portrayals of the novel, is Dolly, the unloved wife of an unfaithful husband and sister-in-law to the title character, Anna, who allows herself to be seduced by the rich and dashing Vronsky, abandoning her husband and son in the process. Many readers of the work regard Dolly as a minor character, or worse, a doormat, who fails to stand up to her husband’s philandering and spendthrift ways.

Yet, there is a scene in the third part of the novel that reveals Dolly not only not to be a doormat, but to be someone who, despite the cares that constantly beset her, really knows how to enjoy what in life is most worthy of rejoicing in. She is not famous, she wields no special power, and her property is being frittered away. By most accounts, she never amounts to much. Yet in her capacity to revel in the beauty of others, and especially her children, she surpasses nearly everyone else.

Dolly has taken her children to the country, in part to reduce household expenses. Upon her arrival, the situation appeared a little short of desperate, the country house in disrepair and the locals proving far less than helpful. Yet her maid comes to the rescue and soon has everything in reasonable order. Dolly’s life is anything but unremitting bliss, and she has many things to worry about, yet she also has much in which to rejoice.

Gold in Sand

In short, her life is not peaceful. One of her children might fall ill, another might be about to fall ill, a third needed something, and a fourth was exhibiting signs of bad character. And yet, writes Tolstoy, “The children were even now repaying her sorrows with small joys. These joys were so small they passed like gold in sand, and in bad moments she saw only the sorrows, only the sand; but there were good moments, too, when she saw only the joys, only the gold.”

Example: Dolly has taken the children to church fitted out in their Sunday best to take communion. Lily, the youngest, had been enchanting with her naïve amazement at everything, and it was difficult not to smile when, after communion, she said, “Please, some more.” Once they returned home, the children could sense that something solemn had taken place, and they were uncharacteristically very quiet. A golden day.

Yet the peace was soon disrupted when Grisha, the youngest son, whistled at dinner and was sent away without his dessert pie by the governess. Dolly would not have punished a child on such a day, but she felt she had to back up the woman’s authority. Grisha wept, complaining that his brother had whistled, too, yet he had not been punished. Shortly thereafter, Dolly encountered a sight that filled her heart with such joy that tears came to her eyes.

Tanya, the oldest girl, asked if she could take some pie to her doll, but had in fact brought it to her brother. When Dolly walked by, she saw Grisha sitting with his sister, still crying over the unfairness of the punishment, yet eating the pie that she had brought to him and through his sobs saying, “You eat some, let’s eat it together . . . together.” Tanya had been moved by pity, then amazed by her own good deed, and she, too, tears in her eyes, was eating her share.

When they first saw their mother, their lips and faces smeared with pie while still dressed in their best clothes, the children were frightened. Yet, when they looked in her face, they saw they were doing a good thing, and they began laughing. “My goodness! Your new white dress! Tanya! Grisha!” exclaimed Dolly. Tears in her eyes, she smiled a blissful, ecstatic smile. At no point in the novel does the reader encounter greater joy.

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What is Dolly’s secret? It is quite simple, really. She loves her children, and in their health, happiness, and goodness she finds a world to rejoice in. Her life is not easy, and she knows many heartaches, yet more so than any of the novel’s more cultured, dashing, and wealthy characters, Dolly knows where true joy is to be found. Her life is not pure gold, but she notices and savors what grains of it she encounters, and her dedication ensures that not even shovelfuls of sand could ever corrupt them.