Mrs. Yaworsky

Comments

• Ryan Foley

  People have a natural instinct to conquer land. The more land you have the more successful you can become.

  5/16/2012 8:40:08 AM
• Jose Orellana

  Many people today only care for materialistic possessions, much like a peasant back in the 19th century only sought his piece of land. Both are working towards an empty motive.

  5/16/2012 6:51:39 PM
• Brady Moore

  The peasant worked so hard at getting more land that he never enjoyed what he had, and, eventually, died trying to get more land. People living in the United States today are very much the same. They work many hours and exhaust themselves in an attempt to get ahead in life and to accumulate wealth. In the attempt to have everything, they forget to enjoy the simple things and to enjoy the people in their lives. When thay have everything they want, they are often too old or too sick to enjoy the things they have accumulated.

  5/16/2012 8:59:13 PM
• Robert Phillips

  The people of the United States strive for wealth and material things

  5/16/2012 9:20:48 PM
• Ryan Foley

  The main character started with little but expanded. The problem is that he kept wanting more and more. This is because he fell into temptation from the Devil and became greedy, which eventually killed him. People now-a-days fall into temptation by wanting more and more of something and becoming greedy. For example many people strive to get more and more money. People will do bad things to get money and it can come back and bite you. Some people will even risk death for what they desire and just like the main character in the story, they can die.

  5/17/2012 5:49:42 PM
• Enes Gorpe

  I believe the story is somewhat relevant to today. It's relevant because there are a lot of people who start out with very little land and work their way into larger land but I've never heard of someone dying because of a dream they had.

  5/17/2012 7:09:09 PM
• Melanie Pfitzner

  I guess the most relevant thing at the moment that's related to this is the [illegal] immigration. Most of the people moving to America are looking for better lives, or money to support their poor families.

  5/17/2012 7:24:35 PM
• Tim Sullivan

  Tolstoy's 19th century story about a Russian drive for land can be relevant to people living in the United States since from what I have seen land is everything for America. At the beginning of the story the elder sister basically brags about the town life compared to the village life... Saying how comfortably they lived there, how well they dressed, what fine clothes her children wore, and all these good things compared to the village life. The village sister responds "I would not change my way of life for yours." "We shall never grow rich, but we shall always have enough to eat." Those are some powerful words to me, to not complain or be upset about how your life turned out is really brave. Some Americans try to "one up" other Americans and I don't think that is right. Some can afford acres and acres of land. Some can only afford a couple hundred square feet. It doesn't matter we all live in the same Country. As for the Russia situation Pahom hears( of a place where free land was given to any man who joins the Commune. Immediately the many acres of land that he does own seem unbearable and barren compared to the promise of better land. He asks himself, "Why should I suffer in this narrow hole, if one can live so well elsewhere"? Through the story we are shown that human nature pushes us to want more and more. We are never content with our lives, no matter how well off we may be, and , while trying to better out standard of living, we put ourselves in danger of ending up with nothing.

  5/17/2012 8:06:17 PM
• Julianne Agudo

  In the story, the Russian peasant was a very hard working man. Since he had to save up money for his new land, he had to work very hard to buy himself and family the land. He tried to work extra hours and had some of his family help too. In the end, he ended up getting the land and becoming a landowner. In the United States today, the situation is very similar. You can't just get a job that has good pay within a snap. You would have to work to get it! An example is college. Without college, there wouldn't be very much opportunity for whatever you're searching for. The main similarity is that in order to get what you have been dreaming or wanting to get, you're going to have to work to get it.

  5/17/2012 8:26:42 PM
• Kristen Merrifield

  In Tolstoy's story, the peasants are arguing that their way of life is better than those of townspeople. They say it is simple and satisfying. They do not get caught up in small things. The townspeople are surrounded by temptations that are against God. The townspeople often earn more than they need, and one day it could all be lost. A woman who is married to a tradesman and lives in a town, argues that she lived extremely comfortably in the town. The people there dressed well, her kids wore fine clothes, they ate good foods, and she could go to entertainments. She states that the life of a peasant is grody and rough. Peasants do not have have much. The woman from the town believed that the peasants had nothing in life. She did not think they lived a good life. This correlates with the fact that people today are so greedy. Many are not satisfied with the simple things in life. They always want more than they have.

  5/17/2012 9:19:16 PM
• Colleen ferlotti

  In Tolstoy's depiction of people in the 19th century, there is a direct comparison to 21st century people living in the United States. Comparingly, both groups are searching for something they do not have. It is human inclination to want to achieve more and the best for yourself, but in both the 19th century and the 21st century, people are not satisfied with what they have and have a major focus and even an obsession with achieving more.

  5/17/2012 10:18:16 PM
• Elisabeth Lamas

  It is relevant today because the servant got so caught up in his desire for land that it became all that was important to him. He forgot the big picture and in the end he dies because of his greediness. He is buried in a 6 ft grave showing that that was all the land a man really needs. Even today people get so caught up in their desire for worldly goods and don't realize what is really important in life. We are dust and to dust we shall return.

  5/17/2012 10:22:59 PM
• stephanie samad

  his drive is just like many people today who strive to become richer and have alot of drive for the things they want. now people have drive for even greater things but the two are still alike

  5/18/2012 5:55:38 AM
• Alex Kelley

  Toystoy's 19th century story about a Russian peasant's drive for land is relevant to people in the United States because there is a very relevant situation going on today. Throughout history, everyone has wanted land, and how they acquire it has been interesting and the source of stories throughout history.

  5/18/2012 6:21:46 AM
• Ben Sansaver

  Tolstoys 19th century story about a Russian peasant's drive for land is relevant to the United States in the 21st century because of the poor economy and al the foreclosures that occur. The people are angry at the governemnt and blame them for the economic outfall and feel that having land taken away from them is unfair.

  5/20/2012 1:11:18 PM
• Marcus Adkison

  It is relevant to people living in the U.S because somepeople started out poor or didn't have enough money to start there own business but later on in life they met people along the way.

  5/20/2012 4:51:11 PM
• Taylor Brinkley

  Just like Tolstoy wanted the land so much even after he had enough land, we are just like that in that we want even more when we already have what we need.

  5/21/2012 4:12:33 PM
• alice rowley

  I think people today are focused on getting more and more and more. They all strive for success and riches. Like Pokhom, I think people today, especially in this area, try to get as much as possible.

  5/23/2012 6:53:18 AM
• ilia Pavlov

  In the story it talks about a man who connately wants more land, and in the end he comes to the conclusion that you only need a little bit of land to be happy. i don't believe this is the case today in the United states. The US is fueled by greedy executives and CEO's who want more and more. this is how we ended up in this horrible economic situation in the first place.

  5/23/2012 4:01:59 PM