Fruits of Culture

"Fruits of Culture" by Leo Tolstoy is a comedic play that pokes fun at the Zvezdíntsef family and their obsession with spiritualism. The story follows retired lieutenant Leoníd Fyódoritch, his children Betsy and Vasíly, and the chaos that unfolds as they deal with social expectations, love, and the differences between social classes. The play is set in Moscow and jumps right into the family's busy life, filled with conversations about selling land and relationships. Even the servants, like Tánya, get caught up in the mix, as she finds herself interested in a peasant's son named Simon, which brings up the issue of class differences and the characters personal desires versus what society expects. The play uses humor to show the foolishness of the characters and the tension that exists between different classes.