Anna Pavlovna's drawing-room gradually began to be filled. The highest aristocracy of Petersburg came; people most widely differing in age and in character, but alike in that they all belonged to the same class in society. Prince Vasili's daughter, the beautiful Ellen, came, in order to go with her father to the ambassador's reception. She was in ball toilet and wore the Imperial decoration. There came also the little, young Princess Bolkonskaya known as the most fascinating woman in Petersburg. She had been married during the past winder, and now, owing to her expectations, had ceased to appear at large entertainments, but still went to small receptions. Prince Ippolit, Prince Vasili's son, came with Montemart, whom he was introducing to society. The Abbé Morio and many others also came.

Basic set-up:

In this excerpt, Tolstoy introduces us to Petersburg high society. Many of the characters in War and Peace come from this circle of people.

Did we mention that there are over 500 different characters in War and Peace? Yes, 5-freakin'-00. That's a lot of characters, and they come from a whole spectrum of different classes: from the very poor to the very rich.

Although the people coming over to Anna Pavlovna's house are very different in "age and character," they are all alike "in that they all belonged to the same class in society." In describing this get-together, Tolstoy is showing us a slice of Russian high society.

And we'll just give it to you straight: a lot of it ain't pretty.

Tolstoy is a master of detail. In this passage, he's telling us about a certain class of Russian society more generally, but he is making that class concrete by describing individuals.

There's Princess Bolkonskaya, and Prince Vasili, and Prince Ippolit. Each of these characters is distinct, and is described distinctly, even if they belong to the same social circle. Tolstoy's describing the general (the upper class) by focusing on the specific details of particular individuals.