The Cherry Orchard Lesson Plan

What is your opinion of of the family's decision to throw a party on the night of the auction?

On one hand, this may be seen as an extreme example of the characters' refusal to acknowledge the reality of their situation (or to do anything about their circumstances). On the other hand, at a point this late in the game (the moment when the auction is actually taking place somewhere) there really is nothing that anyone can do to remedy the situation. The party could be seen as a means to make the best of a bad situation, and to enjoy the use of the estate during these last few moments when it is theirs to enjoy.

Does Lopakhin's purchase of the estate make him a hero or a...