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Part 7, Chapter 18
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
Before Oblonsky leaves, Anna’s son, Seryozha (now called Sergei Alexeich), comes in; Karenin says that the boy was very ill after seeing his mother and tells Oblonsky not to mention Anna. Seryozha has been at school for the year, and he has repressed memories and emotions of his mother, so he finds it uncomfortable to see Oblonsky, whom he associates with Anna. Oblonsky eventually does ask Seryozha if he remembers Anna, and although he says no, it’s obvious that he does. After Oblonsky leaves, Seryozha’s tutor finds the boy angry and crying, demanding everyone to leave him alone and stop asking him about his mother.
Seryozha has grown up enough to be called by his real name, not a childish nickname. After Seryozha’s extremely emotional and extremely brief reconnection with Anna, he has spent the past year trying to suppress all memories of his mother, as they always bring him to tears; instead, he wants to lead a stoic, manly, life. When he shed his nickname, he also shed his dream world and his rich imaginary life. However, Oblonsky has triggered many of the passions Seryozha has worked so hard to forget. Emotions may lie fallow in characters in Anna Karenina, but they never fully disappear
Themes
