Chapter 203
When Duty Meets Distress
On the seventeenth of August Rostóv and Ilyín, accompanied by Lavrúshka who had just returned from captivity and by an hussar orderly, left their quarters at Yankóvo, ten miles from Boguchárovo, and went for a ride—to try a new horse Ilyín had bought and to find out whether there was any hay to be had in the villages. For the last three days Boguchárovo had lain between the two hostile armies, so that it was as easy for the Russian rearguard to get to it as for the French vanguard; Rostóv, as a careful squadron commander, wished to take such…
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Critical Thinking Exercise
Crisis Character Audit
Think of three people in your life—could be family, friends, coworkers, or neighbors. Write down how each person typically presents themselves in normal situations. Then recall a time when each faced pressure, stress, or crisis. Compare their normal persona with their crisis behavior. What patterns do you notice about who people really are versus who they appear to be?
Consider:
- •Look for people who became more helpful or more selfish under pressure
- •Notice who stayed calm versus who created more drama during difficult times
- •Consider how this information might guide your future decisions about trust and relationships
Journaling Prompt
Write about a crisis that revealed something unexpected about your own character. What did you learn about yourself that you didn't know before? How has this knowledge changed how you approach challenges?
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