Point of View

In all of the stories, except for Family Happiness, the author is the omniscient narrator who assumes an ironic outlook about his material. The ironic point oif view enables the author to assume a worldly-wise tone that implies he's seen everything and nothing in human nature can surprise him. With this tone and point of view, the narrator can juxtapose the most depraved human conduct with the sweetest in a somewhat dispassionate manner. The author makes plain his feelings about each of the characters in these stories, just as he presents them with all their strengths and many weaknesses. The author shows compassion towards his broken characters, finding some good in even the most evil among them. However, the author seems to really love Alyosha, the small town simpleton who works himself beyond exhaustion and past reason just to please others and make them happy. Tolstoy's...