# Freedom and Individuality in What Is to Be Done?

> Theme guide for What Is to Be Done? by Nikolay Chernyshevsky.

Characters consistently assert their right to personal freedom, whether from family tyranny, societal expectations, or romantic possessiveness, with Vera Pavlovna's dreams symbolizing the ideal of complete self-determination.

## Where it surfaces

- [What Is to Be Done?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/what-is-to-be-done): The chapter poses the question of how to achieve personal freedom within a repressive society.
- [A Vital Question](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/a-vital-question): The discussion touches on the importance of personal freedom and the individual's role in shaping a just society.
- [II: The First Consequences of the Fool’s Deed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/ii-the-first-consequences-of-the-fool-s-deed): Vera's decision to leave Petersburg and seek independence through singing lessons reflects her struggle for personal freedom and moral integrity in the face of guilt.
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/ii): Julie asserts her French identity as free and struggling, contrasting with Serge's passive acceptance of societal constraints.
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/iv): Julie's unconventional lifestyle and her advice to Vera to avoid a kiss without love emphasize the theme of personal freedom and authentic emotional expression.
- [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/vi): Viérotchka's passionate declaration of her desire to be free and independent, rejecting societal expectations and the idea of marrying for convenience.
- [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/vii): Vera asserts her autonomy by refusing an unwanted marriage, threatening extreme measures to maintain her freedom.
- [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/ix): Viérotchka's refusal to conform to her mother's plans and her insistence on postponing her answer demonstrate her struggle for personal autonomy.
- [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/v): Vera's desire to be free and happy is central; she reflects on the naturalness of wanting all people to be happy.
- [VIII: The Temptation of Hamlet](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/viii-the-temptation-of-hamlet): Viéra explores the freedom to choose based on her own interests, challenging societal expectations of marriage.
- [XII: Viérotchka’s First Dream](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xii-vi-rotchka-s-first-dream): Viéra's transition from confinement to open fields represents the pursuit of personal freedom and self-realization.
- [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xiv): Viérotchka's dream of escaping a 'stifling cellar' and running free in a field symbolizes her yearning for personal autonomy and self-determination.
- [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xvi): Viérotchka's contemplation of suicide as a means of escape underscores her desperate yearning for personal freedom from familial and societal constraints.
- [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xviii): The couple designs a marriage based on mutual respect and personal autonomy, prioritizing individual freedom over conventional roles.
- [Chapter XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xx): Vera's countdown to freedom and her secret marriage to Lopukhóf represent her struggle for personal autonomy against her mother's oppressive control.
- [XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxi): Viéra's desire for freedom from her family's control drives the secret wedding and her escape.
- [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxiii): Vera's marriage without consent represents a break from parental authority, asserting individual choice over familial obligation.
- [XXIV: A Word of Praise for Marya Alekséyevna](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxiv-a-word-of-praise-for-marya-aleks-yevna): The chapter implies that even a flawed person like Marya Alekséyevna could act honorably if circumstances allowed, suggesting the potential for moral transformation through changed conditions.
- [Part III: Marriage and Second Love](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/part-iii-marriage-and-second-love): Highlights the characters' insistence on personal autonomy within the marital relationship.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/i): The couple's independent living arrangement—separate rooms and personal space—reflects their commitment to individual autonomy within marriage.
- [III: Viéra Pavlovna’s Second Dream](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/iii-vi-ra-pavlovna-s-second-dream): Viéra Pavlovna's desire for meaningful conversation and play reflects a quest for personal autonomy.
- [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/ix): The chapter explores the variety of individualities within a type, emphasizing personal choice and self-determination.
- [Chapter XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xii): Kirsánof's decision to act according to his own moral code, prioritizing honor over personal comfort, exemplifies individual freedom and self-determination.
- [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xvii): The chapter explores the tension between personal desire and the moral imperative to respect another's freedom and peace.
- [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xviii): Kirsánof's deliberate choice to distance himself, despite social ties, emphasizes individual autonomy and the pursuit of personal emotional freedom.
- [XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xx): Highlights the characters' pursuit of personal happiness and moral integrity within their relationships.
- [A Theoretical Conversation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxii-a-theoretical-conversation): The discussion centers on the right to pursue one's desires and the risk of imposing change on another's life, highlighting tensions between individual freedom and responsibility.
- [XXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxiv): Lopukhóf emphasizes Vera's freedom to choose her own path, reflecting the novel's advocacy for personal autonomy.
- [XXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxvii): Lopukhóf explicitly states that happiness requires freedom, urging Vera not to restrain herself for his sake.
- [XXIX: An Extraordinary Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxix-an-extraordinary-man): Rakhmétof's extreme personal discipline and rejection of romantic ties illustrate his commitment to individual freedom from conventional desires, though it paradoxically binds him to a rigid code.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/i): Lopukhóf's analysis of his need for seclusion as a personal expression of independence and freedom, contrasting with Vera's sociability.
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/ii): Vera emphasizes her desire not to be dependent on anyone's good will, asserting her personal independence.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/iii): The characters' attempts to diminish each other's shocks through sincere yet warped letters reflect their commitment to personal autonomy and emotional independence.
- [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/v): Vera's struggle to assert her own will against Lopukhóf's wishes reflects her quest for personal autonomy.
- [Chapter VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/vi): Vera's introspection and her struggle to understand her own feelings highlight her quest for personal identity and autonomy within her marriage.
- [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/vii): Vera emphasizes the need for personal necessity and self-reliance to overcome passion, asserting that one must think for oneself.
- [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/viii): Vera's desire for a life-demanding pursuit and her reflection on the different dynamics in her marriages highlight the theme of personal freedom.
- [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/ix): Vera asserts her right to choose an independent path despite societal custom, emphasizing personal agency and the importance of self-determination.
- [X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/x): The chapter emphasizes that full happiness requires full independence, a core tenet of individual freedom.
- [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xi): Vera maintains her own pursuits and independence within the marriage, balancing domestic life with her medical studies.
- [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xiii): Emphasizes the necessity of acknowledging a spouse's freedom and rights to maintain a poetic and lasting relationship.
- [XV: Viéra Pavlovna’s Fourth Dream](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xv-vi-ra-pavlovna-s-fourth-dream): The goddess declares that her essence is freedom, rooted in equal rights and the absence of deceit or hypocrisy.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/iii): Kirsánof's principle that 'liberty is above everything, even life' and his offer to help the patient die if she wishes underscores the theme of individual autonomy.
- [Chapter V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/v): Kirsánof argues for trusting Katerina's reason and granting her liberty to choose, challenging paternal control.
- [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/vi): The plan aims to give Katerina the freedom to reason and choose for herself, free from her father's interference and her own misguided attachment.
- [X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/x): Beaumont's independent decision to return to Russia, despite his American experience, reflects a personal quest for identity and belonging.
- [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xiv): Katerina Vasílyevna's cautious independence and Beaumont's respectful approach underscore themes of personal autonomy and the importance of trust in forming new bonds.
- [Chapter XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xx): Beaumont's pursuit of naturalization and alliance with Abolitionists reflects a quest for personal and political freedom.
- [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/chapters/xxiii): The lady in mourning's behavior and the characters' discussions about fate and personal choice highlight themes of individual freedom and self-determination.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/themes/freedom_and_individuality
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_to_be_done_se/themes