Speaking just personally, I would say that I'm most satisfied with any piece (whether an essay or a short story, or a novel) if I perceive some sort of meaning, or at least some kind of insight into the human experience. I don't necessarily like moral lessons, which can feel heavy handed (and sometimes, also, attached to a particular rel…
Speaking just personally, I would say that I'm most satisfied with any piece (whether an essay or a short story, or a novel) if I perceive some sort of meaning, or at least some kind of insight into the human experience. I don't necessarily like moral lessons, which can feel heavy handed (and sometimes, also, attached to a particular religious view, which may or may not appeal to me). But I do want to have a sense of meaning, and generally, the lighter the better. I'm not an expert on Tolstoy, but it does seem to me (from the little I know about his life) that in his later years he became a highly religious Christian and his writings -- including "Master and Man" -- reflect that. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)
Great food for thought. Thanks, Kimmen. I'm having a hard time pinning myself down on this one. I don't know if I need an understory or not. Sometimes I love heavy handed stories (like a Marvel movie) and other times if I feel the story trying to preach to me, I'm instantly turned off. Will keep thinking.
P.S. No idea re: Tolstoy being religious. All I know about him is what George wrote in A Swim In A Pond In The Rain.
Speaking just personally, I would say that I'm most satisfied with any piece (whether an essay or a short story, or a novel) if I perceive some sort of meaning, or at least some kind of insight into the human experience. I don't necessarily like moral lessons, which can feel heavy handed (and sometimes, also, attached to a particular religious view, which may or may not appeal to me). But I do want to have a sense of meaning, and generally, the lighter the better. I'm not an expert on Tolstoy, but it does seem to me (from the little I know about his life) that in his later years he became a highly religious Christian and his writings -- including "Master and Man" -- reflect that. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)
Great food for thought. Thanks, Kimmen. I'm having a hard time pinning myself down on this one. I don't know if I need an understory or not. Sometimes I love heavy handed stories (like a Marvel movie) and other times if I feel the story trying to preach to me, I'm instantly turned off. Will keep thinking.
P.S. No idea re: Tolstoy being religious. All I know about him is what George wrote in A Swim In A Pond In The Rain.