Blast from the Past discussion

Let's talk about what brought Count Rostov into house arrest in the first place....a poem. Did you feel that the poem was a "call to arms" like the prosecution suggested? Imagine a country in which you could be thrown in prison for writing an essay, poem, novel?! Count Rostov has a very quick wit...do you think that it is just a defense mechanism?

So was the poem the real reason that the Count got arrested or just his aristocratic status?? I also find it interesting that Russia basically took all individuality out of their country!