A Hermeneutic Reading of War and Peace

A Case Study in Bibliotherapy

Abstract

This study examines the dynamics and hermeneutic potential of bibliotherapy reading groups through the lens of Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Using Mérei’s concept of the “value dimension,” the research explores how participants emotionally identify with literary characters, internalising the values represented in the narrative. The group’s discussions, shaped by Rudas’ observations on group dynamics, reveal how resistance, intellectualisation, and interdependent interactions facilitate deeper reflection rather than hinder it. Special attention is given to female roles and socialisation, illustrating historical and contemporary transformations in gendered experiences. The rebirth archetype, as described by Bodkin, frames conversations around death, renewal, and the individuation process, while the concept of the “text monad,” inspired by Leibniz, captures the hidden, organising tensions that guide the group’s focus. Findings indicate that engagement with epic realist literature in a structured yet flexible group setting can enhance self-awareness, moral reflection, and existential understanding, producing a therapeutic flow that bridges literary and lived experience.