The Lady With The Pet Dog

Words: 997
Pages: 4

In “The Lady with the Pet Dog” by Anton Chekhov setting is an important device in the story. There is a stark difference in the mood of the story when the setting is in Moscow, compared to when the setting is in Yalta. While in Moscow, the mood is very depressing and dreary. Dmitri is unhappy and unsatisfied with his life while he is in Moscow and in Anna’s town, however when he is in Yalta with Anna the story’s mood changes. Dmitri becomes a foil of his former self, a happier person with an appreciative outlook on life and the world. The setting in the story is a reflection of how Dmitri is feeling and views the world.
When Dmitri is in Moscow the world is a much more despondent place and his flaws are more prominent in his behavior. After
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While Dmitri and Anna are in Yalta, Dmitri has a much greater appreciation for the world around him “[Anna and Dmitri] met every day at twelve o’clock on the sea front… [and] admired the sea” (9). For a man who was unable to admire even his own children in Moscow, Dmitri has changed completely. He is no longer a bitter man with no ambition, instead he finds joy in nature and wants to enjoy it with his lover Anna. In the story, the author even explains that Dmitri’s time in Yalta “made a new man of him… he told Anna Sergeyevna how beautiful she was, how fascinating” (9). Being in Yalta has given Dmitri the ability to appreciate life, as well as convey his feelings towards others. While in Moscow, Dmitri seems like a bitter and hateful person; however, when he is in Yalta he is a jubilant person full of life and love. Additionally, Dmitri actually feels motivation to do things in life, in Moscow every activity seemed trivial to Dmitri no matter what it was. But, when in Yalta he and Anna go “to the waterfall; and the expedition [is] always a success, the scenery is invariably [impresses] them as grand and beautiful” (9). One would not expect the Dmitri who lives in Moscow to have such a deep appreciation for the beauty of the world around him, but in Yalta he is a completely changed man. He enjoys life to its fullest extent and does not want to waste a single moment with Anna, Yalta is a reflection of the happiness Dmitri feels when he is with