Tolstoy's view of art is that it functions as

• A. A communication device that expresses emotions otherwise unavailable.
• B. A neutral representation of events.
• C. An artifact with no emotional content.
• D. A tool for political propaganda.

Answer: (A)

Tolstoy treats art as a way of transmitting the creator’s feelings to other people. He argues that true art works when those who experience it are able to feel the same emotion the artist felt, creating a shared emotional experience rather than a detached portrayal. So the best description is that art functions as a communication device that expresses emotions to others, making those feelings accessible to the audience and connecting people through shared affect.

This stands in contrast to a neutral or purely factual depiction, which Tolstoy would argue misses the essential purpose of art. He also rejects the idea of art as something devoid of emotion, since emotion is what gives art its power to move viewers. Finally, art as propaganda reduces its value to manipulation, whereas Tolstoy emphasizes the sincerity and communicative power of genuine feeling rather than instrumental use for political ends.