What Men Live By

“So the shoemaker hurried on, leaving the shrine behind him—when suddenly his conscience smote him, and he stopped in the road.”

The internal battle happening in Simon’s mind between pragmatism and generosity is exemplified by this quote. Despite wanting to avoid Michael altogether due to his personal concerns, his conscience wins out. The use of the usually religious word “smote” also implies the presence of a higher power in his actions or, at the very least, that the strength of kindness and charity are akin to that of God.

“And when he thought of his wife he felt sad; but when he looked at the stranger and remembered how he had looked up at him at the shrine, his heart was glad.”

Again, Simon struggles between the need to look out for himself and his family, but his desire to do good wins out. The contrast between “he felt sad” and “his heart was glad” emphasizes the recurring theme of how helping others is good for everyone involved. Simon was sad even before meeting Michael, but while he has seemingly increased his burdens, he feels much better due to spiritual satisfaction.

“And when she saw that he was coatless, had only her jacket on, brought no parcel, stood there silent, and seemed ashamed, her heart was ready to break with disappointment.”

Once again, the heart makes an appearance, this time breaking due to Simon’s perceived betrayal. This illustrates how people’s actions affect others, as Matryona’s anger toward Simon and Michael stems from this heartbreak.

“Matryona was silent: and Simon said: “Matryona, have you no love of God?” Matryona heard these words, and as she looked at the stranger, suddenly her heart softened towards him. She came back from the door, and going to the oven she got out the supper.”

Simon’s invocation of God mirrors his own change of heart’s religious connotations. This is the first thing that has broken through to Matryona, and this love allows her to see Michael as he truly is: someone in need. She is thus able to provide sustenance for all of them, which she had been withholding in her anger.

“When she remembered that he had eaten their last piece of bread and that there was none for tomorrow, and thought of the shirt and trousers she had given away, she felt grieved; but when she remembered how he had smiled, her heart was glad.”

This quote parallels the structure of Simon’s thoughts earlier (“sad” to “glad” there, and “grieved” to “glad” here). In this case, the dichotomy is even clearer. Matryona’s sadness is a result of material concerns, but the sight of Michael’s happiness and comfort drives it away.

“He worked without stopping, and ate little. When work was over he sat silently, looking upwards. He hardly went into the street, spoke only when necessary, and neither joked nor laughed. They never saw him smile, except that first evening when Matryona gave them supper.”

Michael’s hard work and seriousness give insight into his nature and emphasize the importance of Simon and Matryona’s initial kindness. Not only are their actions responsible for Michael’s one and only expression of joy, but they have gained a helpful and valuable assistant through their selflessness.

“Simon rose, bowed, and looked at the gentleman with astonishment. He had never seen anyone like him. Simon himself was lean, Michael was thin, and Matryona was dry as a bone, but this man was like someone from another world: red-faced, burly, with a neck like a bull’s, and looking altogether as if he were cast in iron.”

The gentleman’s appearance being from “another world” reflects Tolstoy’s negative opinion of the nobility and proves that no one is exempt from God’s plan. Though the gentleman here appears larger than life and strong, with permanence implied in his being described as “cast in iron,” none of this saves him from or prepares him for his imminent death.

“Simon also looked at Michael, and saw that Michael was not looking at the gentleman, but was gazing into the corner behind the gentleman, as if he saw someone there. Michael looked and looked, and suddenly he smiled, and his face became brighter.”

This is Michael’s second smile, and it at first appears to be caused by nothing at all. Simon sees that Michael is witnessing something he himself cannot, setting up Michael’s imminent display of precognition as well as the final reveal of his supernatural origins.

“My mistress sent me here, saying: ‘Tell the bootmaker that the gentleman who ordered boots of him and left the leather for them no longer needs the boots, but that he must quickly make soft slippers for the corpse. Wait till they are ready, and bring them back with you.’ That is why I have come.”

This reveal of Michael’s foresight is both astonishing and unexplained. Though his initial appearance was odd, making the slippers is his first overtly supernatural act. These events portray Michael as both someone with greater knowledge of the universe and someone who will use that knowledge to help Simon and Matryona.

“The village folk came to the hut, washed the body, laid her out, made a coffin, and buried her. They were good folk. The babies were left alone. What was to be done with them? I was the only woman there who had a baby at the time.”

The peasants’ reactions to the woman’s death show the general kindness of people. The village and the twins’ adoptive mother had no reason to care for the girls, just as Simon and Matryona had no reason to help Michael. Being “good” without hope of reward led to the best outcome for all.

“And Matryona sighed, and said: “The proverb is true that says, ‘One may live without father or mother, but one cannot live without God.’” So they talked together, when suddenly the whole hut was lighted up as though by summer lightning from the corner where Michael sat. They all looked towards him and saw him sitting, his hands folded on his knees, gazing upwards and smiling.’”

Matryona’s proverb is the inverse of what the mother begged of Michael, that her life must be spared because her daughters could not live without a father or mother. The light that surrounds Michael reflects the truth of Matryona’s statement. This revelation occurs in a shoemaker’s hut because of a peasant’s words, making it clear that in Tolstoy’s world, God and His wisdom do not belong to religious authorities or churches but to people who act according to his teachings.

“And Michael answered: ‘Light shines from me because I have been punished, but now God has pardoned me. And I smiled three times, because God sent me to learn three truths, and I have learnt them. One I learnt when your wife pitied me, and that is why I smiled the first time. The second I learnt when the rich man ordered the boots, and then I smiled again. And now, when I saw those little girls, I learn the third and last truth, and I smiled the third time.’”

Michael’s presence and situation are at last explained in full, and the mysterious occurrences that surround him are shown to be providential acts. His smiles and the events that inspire them have been moving him closer and closer to God.

“She wished to drive me out into the cold, and I knew that if she did so she would die. Suddenly her husband spoke to her of God, and the woman changed at once. And when she brought me food and looked at me, I glanced at her and saw that death no longer dwelt in her; she had become alive, and in her, too, I saw God.”

This quote reframes earlier events, reinforcing the story’s message that helping others often also benefits oneself; had Matryona given in to her fears over the scarcity of clothing and bread and kicked Michael out, both of them would have perished. That Michael “saw God” in Matryona also shows how love and kindness are vital to Tolstoy’s view of God.