Levin, your signature is a perfect example of what I'm saying about Tolstoy's Levin. Insufferable. I guess that's a measure of Tolstoy's genius, that he creates a fully realized insufferable person.

That's my favorite quote from the entire book; it's the culmination of the entire book, as well, and the achievement of what Tolstoy accomplished. Sorry you don't like it.

There are several fully realized insufferable persons on this board, I might add.

I guess that's God's genius.

Wrong. Note the Guardian didn't even mention Levin.

I know; that's what made me mention Anna Karenina in the first place. The book is always described as a love story, as a romantic tragedy, and I think everyone is missing the point.

I think people do a great disservice to the book, and miss out on a lot of pleasure, by ignoring Levin, whose story is actually half of the book. I don't think Tostoy generally "uses" his characters to make points, but I know he was aware of the contrast between Anna's descent and Levin's ascent, and purposefully contrasted the two. "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."