Chekhov questions: "Three Years"

Describe various attitudes towards love in this story.

In what ways does this novella resist narrative conventions of the day (that we have seen, or that you know about)?

What is the "climax" of the story?

Look at some of the scenic and atmospheric details of the novel. Which kinds of images or details do you find that it seems Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, or Gogol would not have used? List a few.

How would you characterize this novella, as a narrative? How would you characterize its action?

What is Chekhov's point in choosing this kind of story to tell, with these kinds of actions?

Are there any morally superior characters? Any inferior ones?

What are the distinctive traits of Polina Rassudina?

How does Chekhov work to evoke emotion in his readers? Which scenes do you find particularly effective in causing you to feel joy, sadness, anxiety, anger, relief?