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Part 6, Chapter 24
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Anna Karenina, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Marriage and Family Life
Adultery and Jealousy
Physical Activity and Movement
Society and Class
Farming and Rural Life
Compassion and Forgiveness
Summary
Analysis
Vronsky and Anna continue to spend the summer and part of the autumn in the same conditions, without moving toward a divorce. Anna spends her days primping and reading books and journals of all subjects, so when Vronsky has a question for her about anything, she has the answer. Vronsky continues in his projects and knows he is making, as opposed to losing, money. However, he does feel somewhat entangled and ensnared by Anna.
Anna’s sole aim in life is to exist for Vronsky: not only does she beautify herself constantly so she can be attractive to him on the outside, she studies all the subjects that he finds interesting so that she can be fascinating to him in conversation as well. She is constantly putting on a show for Vronsky. But the result is not that Vronsky falls more deeply in love, but rather that he feels smothered by Anna.
Themes
Vronsky, Oblonsky, Levin, Sviyazhsky, and Koznyshev, among others, are all eligible to vote in the provincial elections. Vronsky and Anna come close to fighting when he goes to the elections, but they ultimately avoid a quarrel, and Vronsky is happy he has asserted his independence.
Vronsky and Anna rarely ever actually fight, though they pick at each other all the time. Even going to the provinces for the annual yearly elections, a ritual that all the men practice, threatens to launch Anna into a jealous tirade, so strong is her desire to keep her snares around Vronsky.
Themes
