Early in the novel that Tereza clutched under her arm when she went to visit Tomas, Anna meets Vronsky in curious circumstances: they are at the railway station when someone is run over by a train. At the end of the novel, Anna throws herself under a train. This symmetrical composition - the same motif appears at the beginning and at the end - may seem quite novelistic to you, and I am willing to agree, but only on condition that you refrain from reading such notions as fictive, fabricated, and untrue to life into the word novelistic. Because human lives are composed in precisely such a fashion
In the early chapters of the novel, Tereza has a significant encounter at the railway station that foreshadows later events. When Anna meets Vronsky under peculiar circumstances involving a train accident, it sets the stage for the exploration of fate and tragedy. This moment is crucial as it establishes a pattern that ties the beginning and end of the story together, highlighting the interconnection of experiences and choices.
As the narrative unfolds, it leads to Anna's tragic decision to throw herself under a train, mirroring the opening event. This symmetry can be seen as a commentary on life’s inherent patterns and struggles. Milan Kundera suggests that such repetitions are not merely fictional constructs but reflect the complexities of human existence, where connections and themes reemerge, creating a profound resonance in the narrative.
