Comparison of Leo Tolstoys War and Peace and A Prisoner in the Essay

Comparison of Leo Tolstoys War and Peace and A Prisoner in the Caucasus - Essay Example In general and on a whole, it can be stated that there are more differences than similarities between the two. War and Peace provides ample background as to the war that is taking place, describing in detail the events leading up to the war, the reason for it, the points of view and particularities of both sides involved, and the historical context surrounding the characters and occurrences that are significant to the story. It is a standalone piece that a reader can approach without the need to be versed or even familiar with the history of the time period in which it unfolds, given the fact that all of this information is provided therein, whereas in "A Prisoner in the Caucasus", the only piece of information given as to historical context is that it is taking place amidst the war between the Russians and the Tartars, forcing the discerning and curious reader to research the circumstances of, and time in history when, said war was waged if he/she wishes to obtain some temporal refe rence or detailed contextual information that would serve as a basis for better understanding the tale's time and place. Another general and very important difference between the novel and the short story consists of the fact that the latter was written by Tolstoy based on actual experiences. "A Prisoner in the Caucasus" fictionalizes Tolstoy's first-hand experience as a soldier in 1852 fighting in the war against the Chechenians, Tartars who rebelled against Russian rule. Evidence of actual occurrences that Tolstoy lived during his military career, which he either described in detail to instill realism into certain passages of his story or embellished upon to create memorable scenes, abounds in scholarly biographical works on the author. One such event is beautifully narrated in A Cadet in the Caucasus (Simmons, p. 23): [Tolstoy] and Sado were in a convoy of stores from Fort Vozdvizhenskoe to Fort Groznoe. Although regulations strictly forbade anyone detaching himself from the convoy, because of the danger of being cut off by roving mountaineers, he, Sado and three mounted officers, impatient with the slow pace of the infantry, rode on ahead. Tolstoy and Sado ascended a ridge to see if any of the enemy were in sight. A large band suddenly appeared a short distance away. Shouting a warning to their three comrades below, Tolstoy and Sado galloped for the fort, less than three miles away. The Chechen band divided, seven taking up the pursuit of Tolstoy and Sado and the rest dashing after the other officers. These men had been slow to take the warning and two of them were severely wounded before reaching the convoy. Meanwhile Tolstoy, who had been trying out Sado's spirited new horse and hence might easily have escaped, refused to desert his friend, who was mounted on Tolstoy's slow ambler. The Chechens drew nearer and nearer, while Sado tried to keep them at a distance by threatening them with an unloaded gun. The enemy could have shot them down, but apparently they desired to take them alive, especially the renegade Sado, whom they no doubt wished to torture. Fortunately, a Cossack guard at the post saw their plight. A rescue party at once galloped out and the Chechens fled. This close encounter

Sustainability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sustainability - Essay Example The condition of the planet as well as its ecosystems is wholly depended upon the present as well as the past human activity. This is determined by the interplay of three factors namely the economic, political and social (Hak & Et.Al, â€Å"Sustainability Indicators: A Scientific Assessment†). There seems to be substantial debate over the term ‘sustainability’. Some defines it as a contested and complex concept, however for others; it can be defined as the capacity of something that can be continued for a long period of time. Issues Important for Urban Land Use Economic Sustainability The point worth noticing is that none of the economic systems can be sustainable until and unless it ‘accommodates’ the ecosystem in which it depends. The current system that is based on the notion of continuous economic expansion on planet seems to be damaged. Therefore, there is requirement of applying human creativity to the goals which is to use the natural resources in a productive and efficient manner in order to meet their needs. This goal can be considered as being completely dissimilar from ‘exploiting natures’ and the Third World people. ... The most important consideration in regards to the ecological sustainability is that it needs to be pursued for the human as well as for the species which are around 10-12 million on the planet (Sutton, â€Å"Ecological Sustainability†). To make the concept simpler, the term ecological sustainability can be interpreted as any activity that takes place on earth has to generally continue forever. Ecological sustainability can only be achieved if the activity does not destroy any resources through which the activity actually takes place. There isn’t requirement of inventing the sustainable environment from scratch since it can be modeled by the human in order to simulate natural eco-system. It can be revealed that there are key principles which need to be adhered to for achieving the ecological sustainability. The most important point to keep in mind is that there is requirement of changing the habit of using the resources as if they are infinite by the society. Moreover, greenhouse gas emission needs to be minimized to a greater extent and also there is requirement for some kind of new and improved economic ways that would be based upon the clean, glass technology (Carrie & Danielle, â€Å"General†). Social Sustainability The term social sustainability has a wider implication upon the lives and health of the people of the society. It tends to deal with the complex issues, for instance health, equity, social inclusion and livability. If the community is to be sustainable and function properly then in that case the basic needs of its resident have to be met. A good sustainable community is the one that has the ability to maintain and build on its own resources. On the other hand, it