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Book Club: Anna Karenina

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#1 Jun 9 - 8PM
Susan32
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Book Club: Anna Karenina

I have to hand it to Chicago's own Oprah Winfrey for having this classic on her TV show. It's a classic more people should read, ESPECIALLY those who have dealt with NPD. Anna Karenina is depicted as a Narc, she sees herself as a heroine of a romance novel (not unlike her French contemporary Madame Bovary)... but one wonders if her NPD is a result of marriage to the cerebral Narc Alexei Karenin. Originally, Leo Tolstoy planned to write Alexei as a sympathetic character, heartbroken by his wife's adultery. But he rewrote Alexei as a heartless, passionless, condescending cerebral Narc, who treats his son with the same cruelty as he does his wife. He gets called a machine, with a soul of a bureaucrat. During the final D&D 11 years ago, I was reading "Anna Karenina", and the ex-Psych prof was so much like Alexei it was chilling. Alexei cares more about propriety than morality. He gets hung up on appropriate behavior, he doesn't mind that his wife is having an adulterous liaison. His cold lack of affection towards Anna drives her into Vronsky's arms.

While Anna is often considered the Narc, what about the philosopher farmer Constantine Levin, whom Tolstoy considered his authorial alter ego? Levin has an idealized view of women, fluctuating between going to brothels&living as a celibate monk. He is attracted to Princess Kitty... because she's childlike. He doesn't see his future wife as a fellow adult. He remembers that he was a teenager when she was born. Kitty is the Narc's Ideal Spouse- she's ditzy, docile, a doll. Levin has pretensions of being a philosopher-but he only writes agricultural manuals. He has a morbid fascination with death. Even on the verge of getting engaged, he's fascinated with his own mortality, contemplating his silver hairs&the decay of his back teeth (the ex-P's teeth were even MORE decayed) Levin considers Kitty&her sisters interchangeable. He doesn't differentiate between them... and settles for Kitty. He considers marriage to a peasant disgusting... because Kitty is a princess, and loaded.

"Anna Karenina" is a great book for studying NPD, especially in the character of Levin.
As Tolstoy says in Levin's whirlwind courtship of Kitty (mirroring Leo's weeklong courtship of Sofia)-
"He did not put himself in her place."

Jun 12 - 7AM
Susan32
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Ns as Father Figures

In Tolstoy's short story "Family Happiness" (inspired by Leo Tolstoy's rejection by a younger woman who found him too controlling, he had also been her guardian, she was his ward), the younger woman feels *OBLIGATED* to marry the older Sergei because he made toys for her when she was a child. In "Anna Karenina",BOTH Alexei Karenin&Constantine Levin are old enough to be their wives' fathers. One wonders if history will repeat itself with Levin&Kitty, since Levin shows a lack of empathy during the whirlwind courtship. "Kitty was still a child when Levin finished at the University... Moreover, his former relation to Kitty had been that of a grown-up towards a child whose brother's friend he was, and this seemed to be an obstacle to love's path... When he thought about her he could vividly picture to himself her entire person&especially the charm of her small, fair-haired head, so lightly poised on the shapely girlish shoulders, and the childlike brightness&kindness of her face. In that childlike look, combined with the slim beauty of her figure, lay her special charm." I wrote an essay during the final D&D about how Levin&Alexei are not only old enough to be their wives' fathers, but act that way too. After all, the ex-Psych prof replaced me with a woman who was merely 5 years his junior- I was 15 years younger. The final D&D looked more like a parent dealing with a hysterical child- imagine when you're at a supermarket and a parent is dealing with a crying toddler- and that's what it looked like. NOT like a normal breakup between adults. The ex-P acted more like a father who was at wit's edge because his child lacked self-control... than an adult who gives closure with "I love you","I hate you",or "I'm not interested."
Jun 13 - 4PM (Reply to #4)
Susan32
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The D&D feels like parental abandonment...

ESPECIALLY when the Narc is the considerably older partner. Levin doesn't appreciate Kitty's care&support for him when he's depressed&suicidal. He doesn't turn to her when he TRULY needs help. He thinks she lacks the smarts to understand his philosophizing (the ex-Psych prof was the same way) A normal breakup between adults involves the hashing out of issues, even the standby "I'm not interested." As Kitty says of Levin, after they're married&have become parents "He is always so alone."
Jun 9 - 10PM
wiserwoman
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excellent comments

It's funny - Anna Karenina has been on my mind lately, since I've joined this site - and I actually suggested to my own book club last week (!)that we read this classic and discuss it. I've always felt that I could I identify strongly with Anna - but it's interesting...I never thought of her as a narc...Surely, she's just frustrated by her husband's indifference and refuses to see herself as second rate? Well, it's been about 10 years since I've read it. But I'm definitely getting it out from the library again and look at it with fresh eyes. Thanks for your interesting comments.
Jun 10 - 5AM (Reply to #2)
Susan32
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Constantine- Leaven for Thought

With Anna Karenina, I think she could be seen as what Sam Vaknin calls a "narcissistic curtain call"-that as a result of narcissistic abuse, Anna becomes as much a Narc as her heartless husband. There's an amazing scene in which Kitty (Levin's future wife) talks about the humiliation&shame of declaring one's love to someone who is *INDIFFERENT.* Since this was happening during the final D&D, it was surreal reading that. Kitty's friend tells her that Levin isn't worth her tears. Alexei Karenin is an OBVIOUS Narc.... but Constantine Levin, the wannabe farmer philosopher, not so much. Like Anna, Levin is suicidal, even after his wife has borne their first child. Like Anna, Levin sees himself as living a romantic novel. Levin sees himself as a philosopher-but has NOTHING to show for it. Kitty is excited at the prospect of marrying a philosopher (as was the ex-Psych prof's girlfriend) Levin has potential as a philosopher, he reads Schopenhauer... but he writes agricultural manuals. Go figure.