“My Confession

        In “My Confession”, Leo Tolstoy admits going through a mid-life crisis at age 50. Explain the background and source of this crisis, showing how he uses a story to highlight his sense of loss, and the emptiness of traditional solutions. How does Tolstoy resolve his existential crisis of loss of meaning and overcome his earlier problems? What sort of questions might an atheist raise to challenge Tolstoy’s claim that “without faith, one cannot live.” (p14, “The Meaning of Life: A Reader, ed. Klemke and Cahn). Do you agree with Tolstoy’s theistic claim that only faith in God can enable humans to escape from the specter of meaninglessness? Why or why not?