Children Quote by Leo Tolstoy
““Stepan Arkadyevitch was a truthful man in his relations with himself. He was incapable of deceiving himself and persuading himself that he repented of his conduct. He could not at this date repent of the fact that he, a handsome, susceptible man of thirty-four, was not in love with his wife, the mother of five living and two dead children, and only a year younger than himself. All he repented of was that he had not succeeded better in hiding it from his wife. But he felt all the difficulty of his position and was sorry for his wife, his children, and himself. Possibly he might have managed to conceal his sins better from his wife if he had anticipated that the knowledge of them would have had such an effect on her.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, 1877
A man struggles with self-deception and marital fidelity, feeling guilt for hiding his lack of love while caring for his family.
In simple terms: He hides his true feelings, causing inner conflict.
Key Takeaway
Confront personal truths rather than conceal them.
Themes
marriage
self-deception
guilt
family
Mood
reflective
somber
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- marital counseling
- self-reflection
- family discussions
Key Concepts
psychology
morality
honesty
Questions to Reflect On
- What prevents him from being honest with his wife?
- How does self-deception affect his family?
A Different Perspective
Self-awareness can be painful and disruptive.
![“I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to [when I started my career], because so many things are on the road. I just don't want to be away from my husband, my dogs and my home. I don't sing that much any more because that also takes you on the road.” quote by Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/07c/jane-powell-36243_away_i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s_278.jpg)
