Anna Karenina by Tolstoy Examining the list of characters, one immediately notices the value that Tolstoy attributes to the character. With one hundred and forty named characters and many more unnamed, Tolstoy places the central focus in Anna Karenina on the characters. Use their actions and behaviors to develop the plot and exemplify the main themes of the novel. Unlike Flaubert's Madame Bovary, Tolstoy wishes to examine life as it is. Both novels have relationships and adultery as a central theme. However, Tolstoy gives us a much more realistic representation in Anna Karenina by creating characters, both major and minor, that contribute to the sense of realism. The most striking feature of Tolstoy's minor characters is that, although they may only appear briefly, they still possess a sense of reality. When a character is introduced, Tolstoy provides the reader with details about the character's appearance and actions that give a sense of realism. For example, the waiter that Stiva and Levin meet at dinner, although a flat character, is certainly presented in a way that allows him to have a sense of verisimilitude and fullness. From the linguistic patterns the waiter uses to the description of the fit of his uniform, details are presented that allow the waiter to contribute to the novel in ways that go beyond the simple presence of a minor character. His description and actions provide the novel with a sense of "real life." Another way Tolstoy gives minor characters a sense of life is by making them unpredictable. You can see this in the character of Ryabinin. When initially discussed, the reader is told that at the conclusion of business, Ryabinin will always say "positively and definitively" (p161). However, once the land sale was finalized, Rjabinin did not use his usual etiquette. This label would normally be characteristic of flat, minor characters such as Rjabinin. However, Tolstoy wishes to add verisimilitude to even his minor characters and allows them to behave as one would only expect large, round characters. The details that Tolstoy gives to all his characters, including minor ones, contribute to the realism of both the novel and the characters. Perhaps the most realistic of Tolstoy's main characters is Konstantin Levin. Throughout the novel, the reader witnesses the trials of Levin's life and his response to them. Unlike Flaubert, Tolstoy in a certain sense reveals Levin