Many of Leo Tolstoy's works allude to religious images; he uses imagery throughout his works to develop complex characters who at the end of his story convey a moral message, which in many pursuits the story is relative to the actual experience he has had in his life. His life as a wealthy aristocrat, his time as a student and, later, as a soldier, all unfold in his writings. Throughout his life there was a gradual change in his personal morality, which emanated throughout his works as he wrote them until he finally became a devout Catholic. Born on the family estate Yasnaya Polyana in 1828, Leo Tolstoy grew up in a comfortable life a few miles outside Moscow, Russia. Much of his youth had been surrounded by tragedy and loss. Many of the people who influenced him were women, many of whom had died from various illnesses. His mother died when he was only two years old and as a result his father's cousin, Tatyana Ergolsky, became the children's guardian for a time. Then, in 1837, Tolstoy's father died, and Tolstoy's aunt, Alexandra Osten-Saken, became the children's legal guardian until her death in 1840. When Tolstoy's aunt, Alexandra, died, Tolstoy and his brothers were sent to Kazan, Russia, to live with his father's other sister, Pelageya Yushkov. Despite the period of time spent with her, Aleksandra Osten-Saken played a significant role in influencing Tolstoy in his religious life (Leo Tolstoy biography: online). Having been born into an aristocratic family, Tolstoy was one of the few families who had access to formal education. Tolstoy was able to maintain a more pleasant lifestyle, as he was educated at home by German and French tutors. Although later in its formation it entered... middle of paper... The New York Review of Books. Network. March 25, 2012. "Biography of Leo Tolstoy: life, family, childhood, children, name, death, history, wife, mother." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Network. March 25, 2012. Strakhov, N. “Facts about Online File Databases.” Facts about online file databases. Network. 12 October 2011.Tolstoy, Leone. Birmingham, AL: EBSCO Pub., 2002. Print.Tolstoy, Leo. “Walk in the light and twenty-three stories”. Farmington: Plow PublishingHouse, 1998. Print.---“How Much Land Does a Man Need?” Farmington: Plow Publishing House, 1998. (p.265-282)---“What Men Live By” Farmington: Plow Publishing House, 1998. (p.121-144)---“Where Love is, God Is” Farmington: Plow Publishing House, 1998. (p.188-201)