Comments on: A Bit Of Literature – The Bet

By: Vivien

Vivien — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:46:57 +0000

Ina, thanks for your insightful comment and… for making me laugh at your last one :-) But I do see what you mean – I don’t want to be a nun, just give me the same time luxury that nuns have, so I can do some things other than work and running the house.

Barbara (bkawalec), I’m really pleased to read that after reading one of Kate Chopin’s stories here you got interested in reading more of her stories. This made my day.

By: Ina

Ina — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 01:08:39 +0000

actualy, one last thing, I kind of envied him a bit to have had sooooo much free time to get stuck into books, contemplation and meditation, and from a pure ‘materialist” turn 180 degrees into a dervish (no I DO NOT want to be a dervish!!! NOWAY or a nun) but would love some alone time during which all was provided for and the only thing expected of me is read and reflect and then turn into a much better version of myself whatever it is (excluding beeing a dervish or nun! ) :):):)

By: Ina

Ina — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 01:01:03 +0000

Thank you for this Vivien!

Read it when you posted it but haven’t commented yet. Sorry…too hot in here and spend much time outdoors and little with PC:):):)

I have read Chekhov as a teen but can’t quite recall much from then…But surely, my existance and beeing has been infuluenced by it…:)

Actually I loved the ending!

Sure, it is somewhat extreme from a “modern” and “materialistic” point of view we use today but it proves so very perfectly and poetically the point made in the beginning about the dead penalty. Was that man to have undergone the dead penalty he would have never had the opportunity to achieve such personal growth, knowledge and understanding on life and of himself….

Sure, his “path” could be different to the one me or you have chosen but it is his unique *path* and should he have been dead already, he wouldn’t have even remotely suspected or found this path…

There is soooo much I love about this story that can’t even began to express it!

Thank you for “digging it out” and sharing it!!! :):)

By: Vivien

Vivien — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 01:14:04 +0000

I see you do read some of the lit bits after all ;-)
I don’t know if Chekhov read about Ecclesiates. But isn’t it interesting – there’s always seems to be someone before us writing/doing similar things…

By: LaurenMarie - Creative Curio

LaurenMarie - Creative Curio — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 17:08:46 +0000

This was a very compelling read, Vivien. Thanks for sharing!

This story reminds me of Ecclesiates; I wonder if Chekhov was thinking along the same lines. The young man is Solomon and what he wrote in his letter sums up what Solomon talks about in Ecclesiastes (yes, Bible stuff here). He is the wisest man that ever lived and he comes to the conclusion that “everything is meaningless” and gives the secret to the meaning of life in Ecclesiastes 12:13.

By: bkawalec

bkawalec — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 11:22:53 +0000

Thank you for visiting my portfolio. I’m glad you liked my works.

“A Bit Of Literature” is a great way to find interesting writers. Reading “A Pair Of Silk Stockings” made me look for other Kate Chopin’s stories at http://www.gutenberg.org. I especially liked “Beyond the Bayou”. It’s the most optimistic thing I have read in a long time.

By: bkawalec

bkawalec — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 09:27:31 +0000

Thanks for visiting my website. Other people have also remarked that my oil paintings look a bit like watercolours. Strange, because I have never been good at real watercolours.

“A Bit Of Literature” is a great way of finding new writers. Reading “A Pair Of Silk Stockings” made me look for other Kate Chopin’s stories at http://www.gutenberg.org. I especially liked “Beyond the Bayou”. It’s the most optimistic thing I have read in a long time.

By: Vivien

Vivien — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:21:20 +0000

Hi Barbara, thanks for taking time to express your thoughts here. You know, it’s very interesting what you said – who in his right mind would volunteer to lock himself up for 15 years (he actually did change the bet from 5 to 15 years himself)? It does look that he wasn’t happy with life to start with.

Btw, I love your paintings, very beautiful! Even though you’re using oil on canvas your art looks so airy and delicate, with a watercolour feeling to it.

By: bkawalec

bkawalec — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 11:46:42 +0000

Perhaps this young man was already dissatisfied with life and these 15 years of reading and learning made him realize that even being rich can’t change that.