My Confessions by Leo Tolstoy - Part 1 (PowerPoint w/ Link for Reading)

This 25-slide presentation was created and used in a University classroom. Leo Tolstoy, most famous for his realistic fiction (e.g., Anna Karenina and War and Peace), wrote an autobiography of sorts reflecting upon a horrible existential crisis that he encountered around the age of 50. He wants to find meaning, and neither his family nor his “art” (writing) seem to have any purpose. This is truly a dark time, and when he looks for answers in the “field of experimental science” and “speculative philosophy,” he comes up short.

This presentation was created in conjunction with the following link which can be downloaded as a PDF (click here to be redirected). This presentation (Part 1) goes with pages 1-12 of the reading, and covers the first half of his experience: his darkest hour and his attempt to try and resist the temptation to commit suicide. In Part 2 (also available for purchase in the store), Tolstoy’s solution will be discussed.