Freddie experienced the sort of abysmal soul-sadness which afflicts one of Tolstoy's Russian peasants when, after putting in a heavy day's work strangling his father, beating his wife, and dropping the baby into the city's reservoir, he turns to the cupboards, only to find the vodka bottle empty.
In this passage, Freddie is depicted as enduring a profound sense of despair that evokes the depths of human suffering portrayed in Tolstoy's works. He embodies the tragic existence of a peasant burdened by a heavy conscience, reflecting on a day filled with violence and regret. This analogy serves to emphasize the emotional turmoil that Freddie experiences, highlighting the emptiness that accompanies his actions.
The vivid imagery of a hard day's work marked by familial strife and loss culminates in a moment of bleak realization when he finds the vodka bottle empty. This moment symbolizes not just physical deprivation but also an existential void, emphasizing the futility of seeking solace in substances after such profound personal anguish.
