After her illness, nothing seems to give Natásha any joy. She finds comfort in talking to Pierre. She decides to take holy communion at church, which uplifts her spirits.
After her illness, nothing seems to give Natásha any joy. She finds comfort in talking to Pierre. She decides to take holy communion at church, which uplifts her spirits.
Book 9, Chapter 17
After her illness, nothing seems to give Natásha any joy. She finds comfort in talking to Pierre. She decides to take holy communion at church, which uplifts her spirits.
Summary:
Recovered from her illness, Natásha’s life remains joyless. She derives no pleasure from any activities, such as singing and the theatre, which she used to very much enjoy. There was no joy in life, but her life was passing. She only felt at ease with her brother Pétya. Also, she enjoyed visits from Pierre, but attaches no significance to them. She assumes that Pierre is simply always nice to everyone. Someone suggests that Natásha fast and prepare for Holy Communion, which at that time meant church every day for a week and not once missing Vespers, Matins, or Mass. Natásha gladly welcomed the idea and seriously undertook the preparation for communion. This ritual seemed to help Natásha a lot. After taking communion, Natásha experienced a feeling new to her, a sense of the possibility of correcting her faults, the possibility of a new, clean life, and of happiness. Ironically, her doctor takes the credit for her improved condition.
quote from the chapter:
Before the end of the fast of St. Peter, Agraféna Ivánovna Belóva, a country neighbor of the Rostóvs, came to Moscow to pay her devotions at the shrines of the Moscow saints. She suggested that Natásha should fast and prepare for Holy Communion, and Natásha gladly welcomed the idea. Despite the doctor’s orders that she should not go out early in the morning, Natásha insisted on fasting and preparing for the sacrament, not as they generally prepared for it in the Rostóv family by attending three services in their own house, but as Agraféna Ivánovna did, by going to church every day for a week and not once missing Vespers, Matins, or Mass. The countess was pleased with Natásha’s zeal; after the poor results of the medical treatment, in the depths of her heart she hoped that prayer might help her daughter more than medicines and, though not without fear and concealing it from the doctor, she agreed to Natásha’s wish
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