Can a man or woman be truly satisfied with what they have? A perfect example is Leo Tolstoy's, "How Much Land Does a Man Need?" The tragic hero Pakhom possesses a tragic flaw like all heroes do; he always craves something even whenever he is well off. Pakhom starts off as a beggar taking from the rich's land. All throughout the story, Pakhom slowly is falling into the Devil's plan for him. Pakhom made a deal with the Devil where Pakhom will receive land from Satan; however, he will receive Pakhom: "We will have a tussle. I'll give you land enough; and by means of that land I will get you into my power," (Tippens 204). Tolstoy ingeniously uses Pakhom his tragic hero to enforce the point of greed. When Pakhom heard of the other peasants buying more land than himself, he exclaimed, "Look at that, the land is all being sold, and I shall get none of it Other people are buying and we must also buy twenty acres or so. Life is becoming impossible. That steward is simply crushing us with his fines," Pakhom's fleshly desires starts here and only leads him down a horrible path. (Tippens 205). After Pakhom purchased his first piece of land, he was well-contented; however, Pakhom's freed would soon take over and he would soon forget his own roots of where he came from. Pakhom himself used to be a peasant and trespassed on other owners' lands, but since Pakhom had land now, the peasants who trespassed on his land were going to be prosecuted by the law: "I cannot go on overlooking it or they will destroy all I have. They must be taught a lesson," (Tippens 206). Pakhom descended into even more greed whenever he heard rumors of people moving to new parts. Pakhom finally looks for new land and then is dissatisfied with it and continues to give into greed until he finally meets with the Bashkirs. The Bashkirs offer Pakhom a price and deal he can not resist, but with a catch; Pakhom can pick out as much land he wants, but must be back by sundown or receive nothing.
