Parent University
Contact  us:
  • 2016-17 Parent Course Offerings
    • Educating in Humility through the Book of Wisdom
    • Virtue, the Key to Leadership on the Gettysburg Battlefield
    • Uplifting the Mind, Heart and Soul through Cultural Beauty

Tolstoy's Anna Karenina: Timeless Wisdom about Marriage and Family Life

Course Overview: 

“Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” 

So begins what is regarded as the greatest novel of all time, Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina.  It is a story that follows closely the relationships of three couples.  It is a story that leaves readers in awe of the author’s understanding of human nature.  And it is a story that offers profound insights about decision-making in marriage and family life.

Register
About our Speaker: Mr. Robert Barder has been a teacher and counselor at Northridge Prep since 2011.  He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and American Literature from Northwestern University.  He also holds a Master of Arts degree in Marriage and Family Counseling.  In addition to his course on Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, he has taught a course at Parent University entitled “Temperament Dynamics in Marriage and Family Life.”
Download course flyer

Session 1:  Will cover Part I of the novel.  Among the questions to be discussed will be:  Why is one character, for Tolstoy, the image of evil and another character the embodiment of goodness?  What two moral exercises are absolutely essential for married couples to practice and teach their children?
Session 2:  Will cover Part II of the novel.  Among the questions to be discussed will be: How does this section of the novel emphasize the absolute importance of honesty in marriage relationships?  If we wish to improve – ourselves, our marriages, our families – in a way that will last, what critical lesson do we need to learn from the experiences of one of Tolstoy’s most remarkable characters?
Session 3:  Will cover Parts III & IV of the novel.  Among the questions to be discussed will be:  What would Tolstoy say are the happiest moments of our lives?  How are work and forgiveness prominent themes in the novel, and similarly, how are they significant for today’s married couples and their families?
Session 4: Will cover Parts V & VI of the novel.  Among the questions to be discussed will be:  What is one critical component for the success of any marriage?  Through a marvelously crafted section of the novel, how does Tolstoy encourage the patience and perseverance of parents in their vocation?
Session 5:  Will cover Parts VII & VIII of the novel.  Among the questions to be discussed will be:  What is the deep significance of the novel’s epigraph?  What are we to do if our lives do not seem meaningful?
Home
Copyright © 2015 Northridge Preparatory School
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.