Review of Tolstoy's The Devil in the Context of Cognitive Distortions with Document Analysis Method

Abstract

Individuals may turn to cognitive distortions in their daily lives due to many factors without being aware of it. The important part in applying cognitive distortions, which vary in number according to different sources, is how often it is used. In that, the dysfunctional beliefs of individuals who use cognitive distortion excessively in the face of problems can be reinforced. In this study, it is aimed to examine the cognitive distortions used by Yevgeni, the hero of the novel The Devil written by Tolstoy. The study was carried out with the document analysis method, which is one of the qualitative research techniques. The study in which cognitive distortions were examined over a work could not be observed in the literature. After completing his university education, Yevgeni, who is trying to pay off the debts left by his father’s death, trying to save the inheritance and wanting to fulfill his own wishes, thinks that he achieved to balance everything in his life at first, but over time he realizes that he failed to do it, and he will start to use cognitive distortions (personalization, overgeneralization, mind reading, catastrophizing, accusation…) more. Based on the novel The Devil, it has been observed that literary works can contribute to the literature by using it in the fields of education and mental health.