Originally Posted by
bazarov
Well, I think it's harder to focus on society if book with 500 pages is talking about one week happening(like Gambler or Crime and Punishment, Idiot is like couple of months, Demons also). The Brothers Karamazov are 850 pages about one month happening. I think society can't be changed in such a short time, so he focused his story on the individual.
On the other hand, War and Peace is 1300 pages which telling us story from 1805-1820 and society changes in 15 years, especially in war situation; with effects on the individuals also. Anna Karenina is also longer; she is leaving her husband, having Anne with Alyosha, Levin and Kitty get married with children... and there must be some society reflections on their life, with acceptations and rejections of their acts. But Tolstoy did also made some great individual work outs, like Levin, Pierre or Andrey.
Maybe his better that pencil sharper:lol: