No doubt, Levin reminds SU of his own father.

In a sense Oblonsky was extremely self-aware. Just as DDD noted the same thing about Tucker Max.

I think if we matched characters with CG personalities, Waters would be Levin, DDD Oblsonsky, Levin the crazy lady with the Frenchman who told Anna's husband not to let Anna have custody of her son, and I would be a conflation of Vronsky and Anna. If there were a kindly wise abbot like in TBK I'd give that role to Creekster.

Oblonsky had fits of self-awareness, but that's what made him even more unappealing -- he quickly closed the curtain so he could return to his women, his food, and his cards.

If you are talking Russian literature I would take The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov over any of Tolstoy's stuff but that is probably just me.

This is truly one of the most hilarious posts I've ever read on CG.

SU fancies himself a cross of Anna and Vronsky --- Vronsky the strong, handsome lover who slowly begins to feel more and more trapped until he wants out, but he can't; they've gone too far; he becomes more and more miserable; runs away; becomes a superficial artisit to fill a void; still faithful to the point of misery; wants to die; his only escape is Anna's suicide.

Anna --- remarkably beautiful and delicate, but with an unmistakable inner strength and confidence; marries for security; flirts despite herself; wrecks her family, and abandons her son, in the pursuit of a burning passion; is the first of the lovers to suffer the insecurity that comes from requiring each other to give up so much (she her family, he his social life and career); the insecurity begins to eat at her; does Vronsky still love her? Does he wish they'd never met? She feels guilt about her son; is disgusted when her husband forgives her; she does not want to be forgiven; her relationship with Vronsky can no longer survive under the weight of what they've given up; she throws herself in front of a train.

SU, why do you think you're a cross between Vronsky and Anna?

Adieu.

This is very judgmental.

They were cast out, isolated from the insular, self-satisfied, petty and hypocritical society into which they were born.

But Levin never thought it. Levin just wondered how he could be as happy as Stepan.

By their own selfish (and superficial) decisions, albeit driven by feelings they thought were right but which ultimately led to unhappiness.