Literature Notes

Part II Book Five: Pro and Contra

Chap. 1 A Betrothal

Alyosha meets with Lise and they agree to get married in a couple of years.

Chap. 2 Smerdyakov with a Guitar

Alyosha then climbs over a fence to wait in a gazebo for his brother Dmitri but instead surprises Smerdyakov who is singing a song to visiting daughter of the landlady. Smerdyakov tells Alyosha that Dmitri had been invited to meet Ivan in a nearby tavern.

Chap. 3 The Brothers Get Acquainted

Alyosha arrives at the tavern and meets Ivan, but Dmitri has failed to show up. This is the first time since they were young boys that they have had an opportunity to talk together.

" 'I think that everyone should love life before everything else in the world.' 'Love life more than its meaning?' 'Certainly, love it before logic, as you say, certainly before logic, and only then will I also understand its meaning.' " [p. 231]

Chap. 4 Rebellion

Ivan begins to discuss how horribly men treat one another (i.e. war, torture, etc.) and how this can be reconciled with a belief in God.

Chap. 5 The Grand Inquisitor

Ivan continues his views on religion with a story about a visit between God and the Grand Inquisitor where the Grand Inquisitor appears to have the upper hand. Ivan indicates that he is unable to accept the church's position and then leaves.

Chap. 6 A Rather Obscure One For the Moment

Ivan returns home but meets Smerdyakov at the entrance. Ivan is very upset with Smerdyakov, but Smerdyakov remains calm and seems to have the better of the exchange.

Chap. 7 "It's Always Interesting to Talk with an Intelligent Man"

Fyodor asks Ivan to run a small business errand for him on his way to Moscow but while on the way he changes his mind and continues on to Moscow without conducting the business for this father.

SUMMARY of the session: The first chapter is a delight. It does a superb job of describing two young people who are just beginning to fall in love with each other. Chapter 5 is another delight, where Ivan (Dostoyevsky) does a spectacular job of examining the paradox between life on earth and that which the church espouses. The title of the last chapter refers to a quote by Smerdyakov to Ivan and gives a sense that Smerdyakov is a lot more intelligent than most people realize.

 

Literature Notes

Part II Book Four: Strains

Chap. 1 Father Ferapont

See Literature 25 .

Chap. 2 At His Father's

See Literature 25 .

Chap. 3 He Gets Involved With Schoolboys

See Literature 25 .

Chap. 4 At The Khokhlakovs'

See Literature 25 .

Chap. 5 Strain In The Drawing Room

See Literature 25 .

Chap. 6 Strain in the Cottage

Alyosha visits Nikolai Snegiryov, the former Captain, who was humiliated by Dmitre Karamazov a few days earlier.

"... and he decided not to 'think' about the 'disaster' he had just caused, not to torment himself with remorse, but to go about his business, and let be what came." [p. 196]

Chap. 7 And in the Fresh Air

Alyosha gives Nikolai the $200 rubles but he refuses it as he views this as a matter of principle.

SUMMARY of the session: These latter two chapters are a superb description of the life of a Russian peasant family, full of compassion and sensitivity, and hardship.

 

Literature Notes

Part II Book Four: Strains

Chap. 1 Father Ferapont

Alyosha wakes up the next morning and notices that the elder Zosima was noticeably weaker, but still conscious and aware of his surroundings. Alyosha receives a message from Madame Khokhlakov where she describes a situation yesterday where Zosima appeared to foretell the future and wants Alyosha to let everyone know of this 'miracle of prediction'. A visiting monk from Obdorsk meets with an elderly resident monk, Father Ferapont, who is very difficult to get along with. Father Ferapont tells him that he is able to see devils all around him, even though they are invisible to others. This visiting monk is perplexed by the conversation and is seen listening and questioning almost everyone in the monastery as he tries to understand what is happening.

" 'Love God's people. For we [the monks] are not holier than those in the world because we have come here and shut ourselves within these walls, but, on the contrary, anyone who comes here, by the very fact that he has come, already knows himself to be worse than all those who are in the world, worse than all on earth ... And the longer a monk lives within his walls, the more keenly he must be aware of it. For otherwise he had no reason to come here." [p. 163 - 164]

Chap. 2 At His Father's

Alyosha then visits his father Fyodor who is recovering from the beating he received yesterday from his son Dmitri. Fyodor is in a foul mood and has nothing good to say about anyone.

Chap. 3 He Gets Involved With Schoolboys

On his way to visit Madame Khokhlakov, he meets a group of schoolboys throwing rocks at another. He intervenes, and when he approaches the single boy discovers that the boy knows him and runs away crying.

"Alyosha began with this practical remark, without any premeditated guile, which, incidently, is the only way for an adult to begin if he wants to gain the immediate confidence of a child, and especially of a whole group of children. One must begin precisely in a serious and practical way so as to be altogether on an equal footing. Alyosha instinctively understood this." [p. 177]

Chap. 4 At The Khokhlakovs'

While Madame Khokhlakov is getting bandages for Alyosha's finger, her daughter Lise have a few minutes to talk alone. Lise asks for Alyosha to return the letter she wrote him yesterday where she announced her love for him. Alyosha tells her that when Zorisma dies he will leave the monastery, finish his studies and then will marry her.

Chap. 5 Strain In The Drawing Room

Alyosha then goes into the drawing room where he meets both Ivan and Katerina. Alyosha says that he thinks that Katerina really loves Ivan instead of Dmitri but Ivan contradicts him saying the opposite. Ivan then leaves saying he is going to Moscow and that Katerina will never see him again. Katerina then gives Alyosha 200 roubles and asks him to give them to the man who Dmitri embarassed in a fight a few days ago. She describes the event and mentions that a young boy tried to get bystanders to help him and that the boy was the man's son. Clearly the boy realized the Dmitri and Alyosha were brothers and that was the reason he knew him when they met earlier this morning.

SUMMARY of the session: Good. I am back into the novel. I have the characters straight as well as the general structure of the interpersonal relationships. Now to make sure that I continue with the reading at a fast pace. The action is fast, and merits a similar response on the part of the reader.

 

Literature Notes

Part I Book Three: The Sensualists

Chap. 1 In the Servants' Quarters

See Literature 23 .

Chap. 2 Stinking Lazaveta

See Literature 23 .

Chap. 3 The Confession of an Ardent Heart. In Verse.

See Literature 23 .

Chap. 4 The Confession of an Ardent Heart. In Anecdotes.

See Literature 23 .

Chap. 5 The Confession of an Ardent Heart. "Heels Up".

See Literature 23 .

Chap. 6 Smerdyakov

Alyosha arrives at His father's house to see Fyodor with Ivan and Smerdyakov (the servant). Fyodor and Ivan are drinking and Fyodor has already had a bit too much. Fyodor relates an anecdote about Smerdyakov that shows how honest he is when he returned some money that Fyodor had lost. However Smerdyakov just stands in the background and refuses to participate in the conversation.

Chap. 7 Disputation

Fyodor baits Smerdyakov into discussing religion and we gain some additional insights into his personality. He is very taciturn and private, but has some interesting issues involving religion that are very logical and straightforward, yet show the illogic of some beliefs.

Chap. 8 Over the Cognac

By now Fyodor has clearly had too much to drink as he now tries to draw both Ivan and Alyosha into a discussion of religion but both sons are treating what he says lightly. Near the end of the conversation Alyosha suddenly has an attack of sudden trembling and silent tears, just like Fyodor remembers his wife (Alyosha's mother) having. At the same moment Dmitri rushes into the house and Fyodor rushes to Ivan asking him to save him as he thinks Dmitri will kill him.

Chap. 9 The Sensualists

Dmitri has overpowered Grigory and Smerdyakov and yells "Where is she?". Fyodor immediately realizes Dmitri is not after him but Grushenka, and begins to chase after Dmitri, thinking that Grushenka must be in the house as well. Fyodor breaks away from Ivan and rushes at Dmitri. Dmitri knocks him down and kicks him in the head. Alexei convinces Dmitri that Grushenka is not here and Dmitri leaves in a rush. Fyodor is put to bed but he asks Alexei to find Grushenko and find out if she prefers Dmitri or Fyodor.

Chap. 10 The Two Together

Early that evening Alyosha goes to visit Katerina and discovers that Grushenka and Katerina have been visiting. They appear to have shared stories about each other and Dmitri and Katerina says the Grushenka has agreed to tell Dmitri that she does not love him and that he should return to Dmitri. But then Grushenka laughs and says that she agreed to no such thing. Katerina is devastated at his betrayal by Grushenka. As Alyosha is leaving he is given a note from one of Katerina's aunts.

Chap. 11 One More Ruined Reputation

Dmitri sees Alyosha leaving Katerina's house and asks him what transpired. Alyosha tells him everything that occurred and Dmitri decides to continue with his plan to leave Katerina. Alyosha returns to the monastery where he read the note from Lise, the daughter of Madame Khoklakov, where she admits her undying love for Alexei, and asks to see him tomorrow.

SUMMARY of the session: This is a very fast paced novel, with developments every few pages. The intrigues and cross-currents are everywhere. It is difficult to imagine a more tangled situation between a father, his three sons, and two women.

 

Literature Notes

Part I Book Three: The Sensualists

Chap. 1 In the Servants' Quarters

We learn more about Fyodor's trusty servant Grigory and his wife Marfa. Grigory is very serious but when he gives his word, he will honor it.

Chap. 2 Stinking Lazaveta

This is another background story. A few years ago there was a young woman, Lazaveta, who was simple minded but harmless. She became pregnant and died giving birth to a son on Fyodor's property. Grigory and Marfa raised the child, named him Pavel Smerdyakov, and he became a third servant in Fyodor's employ. There was a rumor that Fyodor was the actual father, but this was never proven.

Chap. 3 The Confession of an Ardent Heart. In Verse.

Alyosha is on his way to meet Katerina Ivanovna (the lady betrothed to Dmitri, but Dmitri is now going out with Grushinka) when he accidently meets Dmitri. Dmitri is delighted to see Alyosha and is overjoyed that he can tell his brother about the last few years of his life. Dmitri has been drinking and is thus more emotional than normal, but he is sincere in his love for his brother and his desire to explain what is really going on.

Chap. 4 The Confession of an Ardent Heart. In Anecdotes.

Dmitri continues his description of how he first met Katerina. She had arrived in the town where he was stationed in order to visit her father, a colonel in the army. She immediately became the most sought after woman in town, but Dmitri pretends to ignore her. Then it turns out that the colonel has been embezzling funds from the army and is about to be caught. Dmitri offers to provide the money if Katerina will spend the night with him. Although she is very proud, she agrees in order to protect her father. But at the last moment Dmitri simply gives her the money and tells her to leave.

"Whoever steps on the lowest step will surely step on the highest." [p. 109]

Chap. 5 The Confession of an Ardent Heart. "Heels Up".

Dmitre continues his story. In a very short time, Katerina's father dies and she moves to Moscow where she soon inherits a large sum of money. She repays Dmitri and sends a note saying she is madly in love with him and wants to be his fiance. Dmitri then writes to Ivan telling him the whole story and explaining that he can't marry Katerina because he is so poor and she is a rich aristocrat and asks Ivan to court her. He agrees and falls in love with her. But Katerina still wants to marry Dmitri and she rejects Ivan. Dmitri now wants Alyosha to go to Katerina and tell her that the marriage is impossible and that he will never see her again. He began seeing Grushenka who is a very cunning and sly woman as a way of making himself repellent in Katerina's eyes. Grushenka managed to obtain a promissory note written by Dmitri and she now controls him unless he can pay her three thousand rubles immediately. Dmitri then asks Alyosha to go to their father Fyodor and ask for the three thousand rubles, knowing that he will refuse. Dmitri is in total despair. At the same time, and independent of all this, Fyodor has written to Grushenka offering her three thousand rubles if she is willing to be his wife. The only person that knows about this offer is the sevant Smerdyakov who is good friends with Dmitri.

SUMMARY of the session: Once again, I am glad I am making these notes. Keeping track of the plot is difficult at the best of times. Forcing myself to write it out helps me keep everything straight.

 

Literature Notes

Part I Book Two: An Inappropriate Gathering

Chap. 1 They Arrive at the Monastery

Fyodor and Ivan arrive in one carriage, Pyotr Miusov and a distant relative, and friend of Alexei, Pyotr Fomich Kalganov, arrive in another carriaage. They are directed to a hermitage just outside the monastery grounds. Pyotr Miusov warns Fyodor to behave himself, but already Fyodor is chirping away about what life must be like in the monastery. Pyotr is getting more upset the longer they are together and Fyodor seems to be baiting him. Dimitri has not yet arrived.

Chap. 2 The Old Buffoon

Fyodor, Ivan, Pyotr Miusov and Pyotr Kalganov all arrive at the elder's cell at the same moment as the elder and Alyosha arrive. Fyodor immediately begins chattering about some irrelevant matters and Pyotor Miusov becomes more upset. They begin to bicker between themselves and the whole meeting is beginning to degenerate. But the elder calms everyone down and then asks them to wait a few minutes while he meets with another group.

"That is exactly how it all seems to me, when I walk into a room, that I'm lower than anyone else, and that everyone takes me for a buffoon, so 'Why not, indeed, play the buffoon ... " [p. 43] "You've known for a long time what you should do; you have sense enough: do not give yourself up to drunkenness and verbal incontinence ... " [p. 44] "Above all, do not lie to yourself. A man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point where he does not discern any truth either in himself or anywhere around him, and thus falls into disrespect towards himself and others." [p. 44]

Chap. 3 Women of Faith

The elder, Zosima, meets with about 20 women and bestows various blessings and advice on them.

"There is among the people a silent, long-suffering grief; it withdraws into itself and is silent. But there is also a grief that is strained; a moment comes when it breaks through with tears, and from that moment on it pours itself out in lamentations. ... Lamentations ease the heart only by straining and exacerbating it more and more. Such grief does not even want consolation; it is simply nourished by the sense of its unquenchableness. Lamentations are simply the need to constantly irritate the wound." [p. 48]

Chap. 4 A Lady of Little Faith

Zosima then meets a lady and her daughter who have returned saying that the daughter is now showing remarkable signs of recovery, and that they wish to thank him. The daughter gives a message to Alyosha which asks him to visit a Katerina Ivanova and that it has something to do with Dimitri.

"But if you spoke with me so sincerely just now in order to be praised, as I have praised you, for your truthfulness, then of course you will get nowhere with your efforts at active love; it will all remain merely a dream, and your whole life will flit by like a phantom." [p. 57]

Chap. 5 So Be It! So Be It!

This entire chapter is a discussion about the appropriate roles of the Church and the State. Ivan had written an article arguing that the State and the Church should not be separate and the discussion presents a number of well reasoned points on both sides of the argument. The debate is an active one today as well, with some Islamic countries arguing along lines similar to Ivan's. At the end of the discussion, Dmitri suddenly arrives.

Chap. 6 Why Is Such a Man Alive!

Dmitri apologizes for being late, explaining that his father Fyodor had given him the wrong time. Pyotr Miusov ends the previous discussion with a brief anecdote about Ivan which Dmitri then summarizes as "Evildoing should not only be permitted but even shsould be acknowledged as the most necessary and most intelligent solution for the situation of every godless person". Fyodor then begins to discuss the real reason for the meeting, explaining that they are here to resolve the disagreement between him and his son Dmitri whom he is seeking justice against. Dmitri and Fyodor quickly engage in a shouting match and the meeting disintegrates. Dmitri accuses his father of encouraging a woman who is seeing Dmitri to help arrange for his incarceration. Dmitri ends with "Why is such a man alive!". Zosima suddenly bows down in front of Dmitri and says, " Forgive me! Forgive me, all of you! Dmitri is dumbstuck for a few moments and then rushes from the room. Everyone leaves the hemitage and Fyodor says that he will not stay for dinner with the Father Superior, but Ivan and Pyotr Miusov indicate they will attend.

Chap 7 A Seminarist-Careerist

Alyosha returned with Zosima to his bedroom where Zosima indicates that he expects to die shortly. He then shocks Alyosha by telling him that as soon as he dies, Alyosha should leave the monastery for good - this is not the place for him. Rakitin, a servant, meets Alyosha on his way to the dinner, and wants to satisfy his curiousity about the display in the meeting a few minutes earlier when Zosima bowed down in front of Dmitri. Rakitin suggests that it means that Zosima thinks that Dmitri will soon kill his father. Alyosha disagrees, saying it won't come to that. Rakitin says that Dmitri, Ivan and Fyodor are all at loggerheads and that something terrible is bound to happen. Rakitin points out that Dmitri has turned away from his fiance (Katerina Ivanovna - beautiful, rich, aristocratic, a colonel's daughter) and is now spending time with a bar maid called Grushenka. Ivan is showing an interest in Katerina as well, so it may be in Dmitri's interest to let Ivan court his fiance. Rakitin also mentions that Fyodor is also showing an interest in Grushenka. Grushenka seems to be playing Fyodor and Ivan against each other, uncertain who might provide her with the best future. Alyosha mentions that Ratikin is related to Grushenko, but he angrily denies this even though he admits visiting her often (for reasons which he does not disclose). They then notice that everyone seems to be leaving the Father Superior's building without waiting for dinner.

"You still have much journeying before you And you will have to marry - yes, you will. You will have to endure everything before you come back again. And there will be much work to do. But I have no doubt of you, that is why I am sending you." [p. 77]

Chap 8 Scandal

Miusov, Kalganov, and Ivan were entering the Superior's rooms when Miusov finally got control of his emotions and had decided to apologise for the debacle in the Elder's room a few minutes earlier. Rakitin is portrayed as a man with a restless and covetous heart who connections and spies everywhere but Alyosha still considered him a friend. Just as Miusov had explained Fyodor's absence in very respectful terms, Fyodor appears. Miusov immediately goes into a rage. Fyodor addresses Maximov as a shady character in a well-known book and severely insults him. Ivan and Kalgonov begin to leave but Fyodor continues to insult everyone. The Superior tries to mediate and calm Fyodor down, but Fyodor will have none of it and insults him as well. Fyodor and Ivan leave in the same carriage, but Ivan will not have another word with his father.

"He [Fyodor] wanted to revenge himself on all of them for his own nasty tricks." [p. 86] "Since I've started it, I may as well finish it." [p. 86]

 

SUMMARY of the session: The basic difficulties within the Karamazov family have now been introduced. It is difficult to imagine how this will all turn out, but certainly there is room for much trouble ahead. I thoroughly love the language of the novel. I can hardly put it down to write these summaries. On the other hand, as I have noted before, in long intricate novels, such notes highten my level of appreciation considerably as I read totally differently when I know that I will have to make a few notes at the end of each chapter.

 

Literature Notes

link to back cover

Part I Book One: A Nice Little Family

Chap. 1 Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov

Fyodor was a small landowner, considered muddleheaded and a bit of a fool, but still somewhat successful in his business dealings. He had three sons, Dimitri by his first wife, and Ivan and Alexei by his second wife. Fyodor married his first wife, Adelaida Miusov, gained a sizeable dowry, and had a son, Dimitri. But after only a few years she left him, moved away and a few years later died, leaving Fyodor with Dimitri.

"In most cases, people, even wicked people, are far more naive and simple-hearted than one generally assumes. And so are we." [p. 9]

Chap. 2 The First Son Sent Packing

Fyodor totally forgot about his son, and his servant Grigory took care Dimitri. About a year later a cousin of Adelaida's, Pyotr Miusov, took over raising the boy, but he too soon left and Dimitri was raised by another daughter in the Miusov family. Dimitri grew up thinking that he had some property and would be independent when he came of age. Dimitri never finished high school, joined a military school, led a wild life, and got into debt. When he came of age he met his father and found out that he had no inheritance. Dimitri was convinced that his father had swindled him out of his money.

Chap. 3 Second Marriage, Second Children

Fyodor married again, this time to a young girl from another province. This marriage lasted eight years and she bore him two sons, Ivan and, three years later, Alexei. She died when Alexei was four. Once again, Fyodor ignored his children and they were soon taken care of by his mother-in-law. She soon died, but she left each of the boys a thousand roubles to be given to them when they came of age. The boys were raised by a friend of hers, Yefim Petrovich Polenov, who invested the money wisely so they each ended up with over two thousand roubles. Ivan had an aptitude for learning and moved to Moscow when he was 13 and finished school and then enrolled in university. Upon completion he suddenly returned to his original home and moved in with his father. The two of them got on very well, much to everyone's surprise. Apparently Dimitri had asked Ivan to return home and Ivan seemed to act as a form of mediator between Fyodor and Dimitri.

Chap. 4 The Third Son, Alyosha

Alexei (Alyosha) was at that time a novice in a nearby monastery. The monastery had an elder, Zosima, within its grounds. Alexei was well liked by everyone that met him. He was thoughtful and caring.

"Even as a child, he liked to go into a corner and read books ..." [p. 20]

Chap. 5 Elders

The institution of elders within the church is a Russian feature. "An elder is one who takes your soul, your will into his soul and into his will. Having chosen an elder, you renounce your will and give it to him under total obedience and with total self-renunciation." The elder Zosima was about 65 years old and very weak. He would receive people each day, listen to them, bless them and they would often leave feeling that they had been cured of whatever ailed them. He had a very positive disposition and was most kind to those who has sinned the most. Now that all three brothers were in the same neighborhood as their father, and since Ivan was about to launch legal proceedings against his father to see if he could gain his inheritance, they decided to all meet with Zosima to see if it would help matters.

"Although, unfortunately, these young men do not understand that the sacrifice of life is, perhaps, the easiest of all sacrifices in many cases, while to sacrifice, for example, five or six years of their ebulliently youthful life to hard, difficult studies, to learning, in order to increase tenfold their strength to serve the very truth and the very deed that they loved and set out to accomplish - such sacrifice is quite often almost beyond the strength of many of them." [p. 26]

 

SUMMARY of the session: I like the format for summarizing each chapter. It forces me to pay much more attention to the details of the story.

 

Literature Notes

link to back cover

SUMMARY of the session: This was a totally different book from his previous ones. The book is tremendous. It is the best novel I have seen about trying to survive in a nuclear winter. Like all of his novels, at the end I am drained.

 

Literature Notes

link to back cover

SUMMARY of the session: This provides a straight forward description of life in the bush in the 1930's and 1940's. I was surprised to find that one of Wiebe's favorite novels is Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (it is also one of mine). Healso quotes Gao Xinjian's "Soul Mountain", which is another of my favorite books. I suspect we have a fair amount in common.