1. After a brief scan through several articles, I've not seen the answer to this, so: Are Strelnikov and the foresty chap based on real people?
That I don't know.
2. What social class is Yuri in? Couldn't work that out either.
Pasternak's family and he himself were part of the intelligentsia . I don't like using bourgeoisie for discussing Russian history. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligentsia. I would argue that Yuri would be a part of the intelligentsia as well.
3. And why, when his family was essentially exiled, would he have had to get permission to leave Russia?
Emigration was illegal during the Russian Imperial period. Emigration was definitely illegal during the early Soviet Imperial period. Travel abroad was legalized in 1921 only. One needed permission to go abroad. The state, at this time, controlled its citizens in a manner of speaking. Its citizens were needed. And a doctor is definitely not someone one wants to let go.
Thanks. 

This message last edited by The Shrike on 19/03/2010 at 05:12:57 PM
So, let's talk about Doctor Zhivago.
- 15/03/2010 12:51:09 PM
1762 Views
I liked it a lot.
- 15/03/2010 03:24:34 PM
1096 Views
I mostly agree with your points, but I'm not sure Zhivago was ever disillusioned with revolution.
- 15/03/2010 09:19:54 PM
945 Views
Re: I mostly agree with your points, but I'm not sure Zhivago was ever disillusioned with revolution
- 15/03/2010 09:57:29 PM
1058 Views
Yes, it's the Soviet state, not the revolution, that he hates.
- 15/03/2010 11:16:29 PM
875 Views
There will be more later. Much more. So lets start at the beginning.
- 15/03/2010 04:22:15 PM
941 Views
... I'm clearly lacking in braincells.
- 15/03/2010 05:03:35 PM
1036 Views
... yes, you moved to scotland? *NM*
- 15/03/2010 05:42:21 PM
411 Views
I didn't notice the Anna Karenina connection. That's a good point.
- 15/03/2010 09:26:41 PM
958 Views
Yes. Perhaps we should tell the non-Russian speakers/readers that the name of the protagonist,
- 15/03/2010 10:22:39 PM
1080 Views
Zhivago is the Church Slavonic genitive singular of живой (zhivoi), "living"
- 15/03/2010 11:18:23 PM
908 Views
I thought this was a great read, and I'm sure I've missed a lot, which will make a reread good too.
- 15/03/2010 05:16:19 PM
1073 Views
On balance, there IS a love story. Just not quite the one that most people think.
- 15/03/2010 09:34:20 PM
999 Views
I noticed that as well
- 15/03/2010 09:42:04 PM
1075 Views
Yes. This is what I was going to say, just not as articulately.
*NM*
- 15/03/2010 10:12:33 PM
381 Views
*NM*
- 15/03/2010 10:12:33 PM
381 Views
My initial thoughts
- 15/03/2010 06:02:21 PM
1032 Views
Re: My initial thoughts
- 15/03/2010 08:54:15 PM
951 Views
There appears to be a lull, so some background - How many of you have read anything about
- 15/03/2010 08:19:07 PM
968 Views
I've read bits & pieces.
- 15/03/2010 08:33:41 PM
987 Views
Ok, since you're interested, here is some "light" reading for you. Approach with caution.
- 15/03/2010 08:47:42 PM
1126 Views
Re: Ok, since you're interested, here is some "light" reading for you. Approach with caution.
- 15/03/2010 11:05:22 PM
1043 Views
Thank you for calling it "light" reading. The quotation marks were comforting.
- 17/03/2010 09:56:26 AM
918 Views
I will read and respond to this when I remember to bring my glasses home from work! *NM*
- 17/03/2010 06:14:31 PM
370 Views
Fiction or non-fiction?
- 15/03/2010 09:21:04 PM
1135 Views
Familiar with the history, though I've never exhaustively studied the time period.
- 16/03/2010 02:20:23 PM
1012 Views
Why would you consider this a classic? What made it so good or profound for (plural) you?
- 16/03/2010 11:19:23 PM
993 Views
Put a question mark at the end of the first sentence and read my response. *NM*
- 17/03/2010 12:09:58 AM
373 Views
Some questions.
- 19/03/2010 08:27:38 AM
920 Views
Class can be tricky given the Russian context.
- 19/03/2010 05:09:14 PM
1082 Views
As an addendum to what Greg wrote:
- 19/03/2010 05:56:56 PM
986 Views
The Possessed: Adventures with Russian Books and the People Who Read Them
- 21/03/2010 05:34:03 PM
1015 Views
It looks a bit strained to me.
- 22/03/2010 03:28:34 AM
895 Views
So far the reviews are pretty glowing, as are the Amazon reviewers.
- 22/03/2010 01:44:19 PM
1028 Views
In other news, I read about 100 pages of The Island at the Center of the World.
- 22/03/2010 03:48:47 PM
945 Views
I finished it last night - the last 100+ pages rather fast, considering how long the whole took.
- 21/04/2010 01:00:50 AM
773 Views
