No wonder Freddie experienced the sort of abysmal soul-sadness which afflicts one of Tolstoi'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 reservoir, he turns to the cupboard, only to find the vodka bottle empty.
The quote describes a profound sense of despair experienced by a character named Freddie. This feeling is likened to the deep sorrow found in the works of Tolstoy, particularly in the context of a Russian peasant's grim life. The imagery conveys a striking sense of hopelessness arising from a day filled with extreme violence and familial destruction, only to culminate in the disappointment of finding solace in alcohol unavailable.
Such vivid comparisons highlight the intensity of Freddie's emotional state, suggesting that even amidst horrific actions, a basic human desire for escape or relief remains profoundly unmet. This reflects the broader themes of inner turmoil and bleakness present in the narrative, drawing attention to the consequences of one's actions and the search for meaning in a desolate existence.
