How Much Land Does a Man Need? Post-Reading Discussion

Reading Check How much land does Pahom acquire in his first purchase? 40 acres For what crime does Pahom attempt to prosecute a pesant named Simon? Chopping down a clump of 5 lime trees Who interrupts Pahom and a peasons just as Pahom is about to purchase 1300 acres of land? Passing dealer How much distance does Pahom hope to cover in his bid to acquire land from the Bashkirs? 35 miles What does Pahom’s servant see when he lifts Pahom from the ground on the hillock? Blood running from Pahom’s mouth

Identifying Facts Pahom buys his first 40 acres of land from an aristocrat. How does he raise the money? Sells colts and bees, hires out son, borrows from his brother-in-law After buying his first farm, why does Pahom quarrel with the neighboring peasants? Continually trespass on land What happens when Pahom attempts to purchase land from the Bashkirs? Tries to get so much that he dies from exhaustion According to Tolstoy, how much land does a man really need? How is the question in the story’s title answered? 6 feet Length of Pahom’s grave

Interpreting Meaning What is the theme of the story? How does the resolution of the story’s conflict support the theme? Unchecked ambition brings a person neither happiness not health Pahom’s death proves the harm of striving for material gain

Interpreting Meaning How does the two sisters’ discussion, at the beginning, foreshadow Pahom’s end? What other events foreshadow the ending? “Loss and gain are brothers twain,” References to death on the land and the Devil’s temptations Pahom’s dream

Interpreting Meaning Contrast Pahom’s attitude towards land with the attitude of the Bashkir chief? What do you think accounts for the difference in their values? The more land Pahom acquires, the more he wants The chief is content with what he has, he’s willing to share Nomadic/feudal backgrounds

Interpreting Meaning What tone does Tolstory use when describing Pahom? Cite examples from the story that best reflect the author’s attitude toward his main character. Restrained, objective Pahom is thrilled, Tolstoy reports the scene (section 2, last paragraph) Pahom’s death Bashkirs’ display of pity

Interpreting Meaning How does this story serve as a parable that reflects Tolstoy’s beliefs about private ownership of property? Pahom’s bids for ownership fails to bring contentement The Bashkirs’ communal ownership is portrayed as a superior system

Applying Meaning Discuss how the desire to have material goods and status in 19th century Russia and 20th century America are comparable.

Writing Prompt: Please answer both prompts. Have you ever “grasped too much and ruined the whole affair” – that is, lost something because you were too ambitious? In a paragraph, describe one such example, applying it to the message of Tolstoy’s story. Can you think of examples of people from current events, history, or other fictional stories who have failed by being greedy or attempting too much?