The Bird-Cherry by Leo Tolstoy
This work is a novella that explores the themes of love, family, and social class through the story of a young woman's marriage to a wealthy man. The narrative follows her struggles with her new role in society and her relationships with her husband and his family.
By Leo Tolstoy · Genre: Literary Fiction, Nature Writing, Short Story · 417 words
First lines
A bird-cherry grew out on a hazel bush path and choked the bushes. I deliberated for a long time whether I had better cut down the bird-cherry, or not. This bird-cherry grew not as a bush, but as a tree, about six inches in diameter and thirty feet high, full of branches and bushy, and all besprinkled with bright, white, fragrant blossoms. You could smell it from a distance. I should not have cut it down, but one of the labourers (to whom I had before given the order to cut down the bird-cherry) had begun to chop it without me. When I came, he had already cut in about three inches, and the sap splashed under the axe whenever it struck the same cut. "It cannot be helped -- apparently such is its fate," I thought, and I picked up an axe myself and began to chop it with the peasant.
What this Textopian page supports
The Bird-Cherry is listed on Textopian as a short story by Leo Tolstoy, dated Date unknown.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Leo Tolstoy
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Nature Writing, Short Story, Philosophical Fiction, Realism
- Length: 417 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Bird-Cherry by Leo Tolstoy
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Bird-Cherry?
- How does this short story by Leo Tolstoy fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Literary Fiction — The work explores deep emotional and philosophical themes through a simple narrative, characteristic of literary fiction.
- Nature Writing — The vivid descriptions of the bird-cherry tree and its environment highlight the connection between nature and human emotion.
- Short Story — The concise narrative structure and focused plot align with the conventions of a short story.
- Philosophical Fiction — The internal conflict regarding the tree's fate reflects broader existential questions.
Tags
Russian Literature · 19th Century Novel · Realism · Social Commentary · Family Drama · Marriage · Love · Class Conflict · Morality · Ethics · Philosophy · Psychological Insight