What is the theme in the story the bet?

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Anton Chekhov's short story "The Bet" is fundamentally about the meaning of life, and this is the main theme of the story. Chekhov explores what that meaning might be, and in order to do so, he also explores other themes, such as crime and punishment, freedom and imprisonment, and loneliness and greed.



Similarly, it is asked, what is the moral of the story the bet?

The main moral of the "The Bet" concerns the shallowness of material wealth, as one who is internally rich is not wishing for anything. A secondary theme is about the death penalty; life imprisonment is portrayed as the better option to death, as the person has the time to develop character.

One may also ask, who wins the bet in the story the bet? Answer and Explanation: The banker wins the bet. The attorney escapes the night before he is to win the bet. He writes a letter to the banker in which he explains his

In this regard, which statement best expresses a theme in the story the bet?

Which statement best expresses a theme in the story “the bet” A: pursuing knowledge and bettering yourself is the best way to spend your time. B: the desire to prove to others that you're right can lead to extreme actions. C: greed and impulsive decisions can lead to huge consequences.

What happens to the lawyer at the end of the story the bet?

In the end of the story, "The Bet," the lawyer despairs of life, and he reneges on the wager with banker. In their bet about which is crueler, live-long imprisonment or capital punishment, the banker and the lawyer wager their futures. The young lawyer argues that life on any terms is better than death.

29 Related Question Answers Found

What is the irony in the bet?

One example of irony that is used in the short story, is when the banker decides to kill the prisoner because he cannot meet the expense of the two million dollars. The night before the lawyer is set to be free, the banker is thinking of the things he could do to demolish the bet.

What is the conflict in the story the bet?

Anton Chekhov's "The Bet" focuses on a conflict between a banker and a young lawyer who enter into a disagreement at a party hosted by the banker. While the banker believes that capital punishment is more humane than life imprisonment, the lawyer claims that he would choose life imprisonment over a death sentence.

What point of view is the bet?

The point of view of the story is third person limited omniscient. Foreshadowing plays an important part in the story since the narrator looks back fifteen years in the past to recall the establishing of the bet. Chekhov's clever writing focuses not on the characters as much as the premise of the story.

Who wrote the bet?

Anton Chekhov

Who is the main character in the bet?


The lawyer and the banker are the two main characters. At a party, the guests are discussing which is worse: the death penalty or life in prison. One partygoer is given a few lines of dialogue: "They're both equally immoral," remarked one of the guests, "because their purpose is the same, to take away life.

Why does the banker have contempt for himself after reading the lawyer's letter?

After reading the letter, the banker feels “contempt for himself,” presumably because he is guilty of just what the prisoner is writing about: believing in the lies mankind has lived by. He locks up the letter so that he will have proof that the prisoner has lost the bet.

What does the lawyer learn in the bet?

Expert Answers info
In Chekhov's "The Bet," the banker and the lawyer both learn the futility of their wager, as they have found that life and its conditions differ greatly from their more youthful perceptions. The lawyer learns that his sweeping statement that life on any terms is better than death is not true.

How does the lawyer's letter affect the banker in the bet?

When the banker reads the lawyer's letter, he is immediately overcome with relief and this is shown through his first physical reaction in which he "kisses the man on the head," a sign of immense gratitude.

Why does the banker call the bet cursed?

In "The Bet" by Anton Chekhov, the banker calls the bet "cursed" because when he originally made the bet with the lawyer, he was extremely wealthy, and now he no longer is. If he pays the lawyer two million dollars, he will be bankrupt because he has little left from his original large fortune.

How does the lawyer's 15 year imprisonment affect the banker?


How does the lawyer's 15-year imprisonment affect the banker? A The banker wishes that he had required the lawyer to stay imprisoned for longer. B The banker comes to realize that he was wrong about his stance on life imprisonment. C The banker mourns the life and experiences that he has deprived the lawyer of.

How does the lawyer provoke the banker's decision?

The lawyer provoked the banker's decision to place the bet by proposing that he will remain in solitary confinement even longer than the banker suggests. The Banker places the bet on the confidence that capital punishment kills a person but lifetime imprisonment is worse than death.

Which statement best describes how the banker's actions develop the theme of the story the bet?

PART A: which statement best describes how the bankers actions develop the theme of the story “the bet” A: the bankers hasty thoughtless actions lead to trouble and despair for him. B: the bankers disregard for human life shows the extent of his lack of compassion for others.

Why does the narrator call the bet wild and senseless?

Expert Answers info
It is wild and senseless on the banker's part because he is putting up two million rubles against nothing.

Why does the banker think he will have to kill the lawyer in the bet?

The banker doesn't kill the lawyer because the lawyer leaves early and ends the bet.

Why does the lawyer take the bet?


The lawyer wants to prove that life imprisonment is more human than the death penalty and collect $2,000,000. What is the lawyer's motivation for accepting the bet? The lawyer decides not to take the money. During his confinement, he learns that money and possessions aren't the most important things in life.

What emotions and desires motivate the lawyer and the banker to make such a bet?

Why or why not? The emotions and desires that motivated the Lawyer and Banker were greed and competitiveness. Engaging in such a bet reveals that they are very competitive and are not very graceful. These emotions and desires are not appropriate because it makes them unhappy.

What decision does the lawyer announce in a letter and why?

The banker enters the prisoner's lodge with the intent to murder the lawyer. Just in time, he discovers a letter in which the lawyer announces his decision to renounce the world of material wealth and forfeit the bet that has ultimately driven the banker nearly to the point of homicide.