In “The Lady with the Toy Dog” by Anton Chekhov, Anna and Dimitri married young and are looking for something; they don't know what but believe they found it together in Yalta. Dimitri is a seasoned adulterer and, although he is not religious, he considers "any affair of this kind, first of all, as a divine diversion" (137). It seems that the concept of "destiny" distracts their attention from the monotony and responsibility of everyday life. Anna admits that “something strange was happening inside me,” but in reality, they are seeking relief in another person who is also seeking something higher than themselves (140). Together, they find themselves in each other. The affair becomes for both of them the symbol of the tangible existence of destiny. We might hypothesize that by denying their own “destiny,” they are denying their responsibility for creating their own circumstances. What influences their meeting, separation and reunion validates their attraction to each other and. Consciously, Anna might believe that she is a victim of circumstances, however, subconsciously, she is aware that she is the creator of her own situation. When she cries “God forgive me,” she symbolizes a need for forgiveness of herself and her husband’s forgiveness (139). Instead of being honest with her husband and herself, she doesn't take responsibility and never admits to the affair. Without taking responsibility for her actions, she returns to an unsatisfying marriage and continues to use faith to guide her destiny. When she leaves Dimitri after the affair, she states: “it's a good thing that I'm leaving... It's destiny” (141). Failing to recognize the revelation of her own flaws forces her to return to an unhappy marriage, while her belief in a predetermined destiny distorts her level of responsibility and prevents her from growing.