Tolstoy and bears

[Laura Goering]

A French colleague asked me this. I don't know the answer, but I'm sure
some of you do.

 >I read/heard that Tolstoy had written something about the ability or
necessity of a writer to BECOME the person or animal he was describing -
to get into the bear's head, as it were.  I found Tolstoy's "Bear-Hunt,"
and indeed the author almost literally gets into the bear's head (or at
least mouth)... and he does describe the psychology involved in
understanding the bear's antics - but he doesn't articulate the writerly
qualities involved.  Do you know if Tolstoy said wrote such a thing
directly? Or has the rumor been started by his treatment of the bear in
this story?

Reply off-list to lgoering at carleton.edu

Thanks.


**************************
Laura Goering
Professor of Russian
Chair, Dept. of German and Russian
Carleton College
Northfield, MN 55057
lgoering at carleton.edu

Office: (507) 646-4125
Dept. office: (507) 646-4252
Fax: (507) 646-5942
Home: (507) 663-6142

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