- In the midst of the birth of the Russian Revolution, we watch the lives of two entirely different people unfold and watch how the forces of war, nature, choices, and love bring them together only to tear them apart again and again. Yuri Zhivago, our protagonist, is a doctor by day and poet by night. After spending his childhood without his father, Yuri goes to medical school, marries the girl of his dreams, and has beautiful children with her, talk about a picturesque lifestyle right? But as we all know, all good things must come to an end and for Yuri this was when he became a doctor for the Army in the revolution. As a doctor he served valiantly and did the best he could with what he was given. Now let's back up a little bit and introduce yet another character, Lara Antipova. Lara was not "born with a silver spoon," so to speak, after her mother takes in a lover/sugar daddy, Victor Komarovsky, who soon turns his lustful sights on Lara. After years of abuse, Lara tries to shoot Victor but passes out due to malnourishment. This is where our two lovebirds meet, seeing how Yuri is the only available doctor at the time of the "shooting" he goes to see if Lara is alright and the two have a brief but somewhat memorable encounter. Fed up with her abuse and wanting some refuge, Lara marries the only man she has ever known who has always loved her since they were children, Pasha Antipov. Yet their honeymoon phase ran its course rather quickly after he was informed of Lara's affair with the rich and powerful Victor Komarovsky. Pasha, distraught with this news, leaves his home for the Russian Army and Lara, being the doting wife and mother she now is, searches for him and eventually becomes a nurse for the army. It is while searching for her HUSBAND that Lara finally meets and develops feelings for Yuri, who feels the same for Lara (DON'T FORGET THAT HE'S MARRIED TOO!) So push comes to shove and Lara is forced to go back home, reluctantly, without Yuri or Pasha because of the climate of the war. When Yuri finally returns home the war has now left the battleground and has begun invading homes and the streets. Their (Yuri and his wife Tonya) home in Moscow has become so dangerous that they have no choice but to move to the Yural Mountains where, coincidentally, Lara lives too *wink wink*. So of course Yuri and Lara have a passion-filled affair but all of that ends when Yuri begins to feel guilty and ends the affair to honor his wife. Yet as he returns home to his now pregnant wife (shocking I know...) he is drafted into the Red Army for the revolution to serve as their doctor. After witnessing some terrible things he finally flees the horrors of the war and returns to the one, the only, Lara where he spends years of his life living with the woman and child his heart loves. Yet (I know! Yet another buzz kill! I know how you feel!) their paradise encounters a rather large hurricane when Victor Komarovsky (You didn't think I'd forget about this guy did you?) comes to claim what is "rightfully his" (Demented, isn't it?). So Lara ends up leaving the Yurals with Victor and without Yuri. Oh and here's the kicker.... She's pregnant with Yuri's baby!! Oh snap! Is Victor getting punk'd? I think not! So years go by and Yuri is now old, gray, and alone. He spends the last years of his life writing poem and serving as a doctor to those with tuberculosis. THE END. OH WAIT I FORGOT!! One last thing! As Yuri is sitting in a coffee shop he looks out the window and finds a boy that is like a mirror image of himself at that age. Puzzled but thrilled by the idea that this might be his son his eyes and heart desperately search for the woman he has always loved, Lara, and when he sees her his heart and soul are filled with so much love and content that it can barely stand it. So, in the middle of the coffee shop, he attempts to scream out her name "Lara! Lara!", but fate will never allow it because in that same moment his heart beats no more. THE END!
- The theme of this complicated, thrilling, and enjoyable novel is that even love will never be what you want it or expect it to be. There will always be twists and turns that even I couldn't conjure up, but even with that irrevocable fact, you should never hide from it.
- Doctor Zhivago is very much about accepting the curveballs life and love throw at you and simply making the best out of them. You don't have to necessarily make a home-run, but at least getting to first base would be fantastic. The author is able to portray through the inner thoughts of his characters.
“How wonderful to be alive, he thought. But why does it always hurt?” (p. 17)
"And so it turned out that only a life similar to the life of those around us, merging with it without a ripple, is genuine life, and that an unshared happiness is not happiness" (p. 175)
- Two examples of direct characterization was when the narrator straight out tell you things about the character, like how (s)he is feeling or when the narrator tells the reader about the character's past. Two examples of indirect characterization is the nonverbal communication between Lara and Yuri (body language) and the way Yuri reacts to the things he sees in the war.
- The author remains consistent with his diction and syntax even when he shifts characters. He only changes inner and regular dialogue to fit the character's personality and tone. (Refer to quotes above).
- The protagonist is round because of the way he struggles with his conscience both during and after the affair. He is also dynamic because at the start of the novel he only cared for Tonya yet as time passed he began to care for Tonya and Lara and at the end he only loved Lara. (Refer to the summary for examples).
- After finishing the novel I felt like I had met two new people, even though I connected with Lara much more than Yuri I have to say that I was rooting for them to get together and live that typical happily ever after. So imagine my disappointment when Pasternak decided to become a realist on me and make Yuri die while staring at Lara! Oh well, c'est la vie!
