The Lady and the Dog

The Lady and the Dog is a story of passion and apathy, chronicling the meeting of two people fed up with their current lives and looking for something more. Anton Chekhov first draws readers into the story through incredibly detailed diction, creating a living and breathing world that readers can almost feel themselves apart of. Chekhov's ability to both show and tell readers is incredibly prevalent in the work, and gives it a new dimension through its extensive detail. This extends also to the characters, such as with Gurov who before meeting Anna is described as having been a part of numerous meaningless affairs and was "eager for life."

Chekhov also readlily establishes the passion prevalent between Gurov and Anna, the crux of the story, as the lovers find themselves drawn to each other despite whatever conflict their relationship may bring. Gurov finds himself lost when Anna leaves, and continually stares at other women "looking for someone like her." Only when "his head was grey" had Gurov found the woman he was meant to be with, had properly fallen in love with someone. Chekhov's uncertain diction reveals to the reader both the pleasure, the uncertainty, and the living that comes with falling in love no matter how old or what your position is.