The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

The Brothers Karamazov
Week 5 - Part Two, Book V


1) When Alyosha was talking to Lise about his troubles with his family, he suddenly said:

“And, look, maybe I don’t even believe in God.” “You don’t believe? What’s the matter with you?” Lise asked softly and cautiously. But Alyosha did not answer. There was, in these too-sudden words, something too mysterious and too subjective, perhaps not clear to himself, but that undoubtedly tormented him.

Were you surprised by what he said? Why do you think he said that? He says this in the book's first chapter before he and Ivan sit down and talk about all of Ivan's objections to God. How do you think this discussion has affected Alyosha's faith even more?


02) Why do you think Dostoevsky included the scene where Alyosha is listening in on Smerdyakov's conversation with his lady friend?

03) In Chapter 3 - "The Brothers Get Acquainted," Alyosha and Ivan are talking while having their dinner at the tavern. Their first topic of conversation is of Ivan as still being a green boy of 23 - he talks about his love, zest, and thirst for life, even if faced with all of the horrors of life, he would still want to live life to the fullest until he has drunk from all that life has to offer.

What's the point of this? Why emphasize this part of Ivan?

04) Green youths talk about the everlasting questions while old men talk about more practical questions. The everlasting questions are:

Is there a God? Is there immortality?

For those who don't believe in God, they talk about the transformation of man into a new world order, which is essentially the same thing, according to the book.

To sum up, here is Ivan's point of view:

He does not agonize over the question of if God is real or not. - "I have a Euclidean mind, an earthly mind, and therefore it is not for us to resolve things that are not of this world. And I advise you never to think about it... All such questions are completely unsuitable to a mind created with a concept of only three dimensions."

Ivan believes in the concept of God - a common good, an order and purpose of life - but he doesn't accept it. He doesn't accept the WORLD OF GOD vs God himself. But what's the difference? "Let the parallel lines even meet before my own eyes: I shall look and say, yes, they meet, and still I will not accept it."

So why doesn't he want to accept it? Because of mankind's suffering, vividly illustrated by his stories on the suffering of children. Some of those were actual court cases in Dostoevsky's time, they are just heartbreaking.

05) Something is going on with Ivan at the end of this book. Why does he feel such discomfort? What exactly is happening between Ivan and Smerdyakov? Why does Ivan suddenly feel such animosity towards Smerdyakov? And why does Smerdyakov elicit such a strong reaction in Ivan? Plus, why doesn't Ivan just go to Chermashyna? Why the strong objection?

In general I find the long philosophical digressions in Russian novels to be tedious; however, I was fascinated by Ivan's philosophies and comments in this section and perceive this as Dostoevsky having an internal argument with himself. I think few people would be willing to sit through such a one-sided "discussion," but given Alyosha's patient nature, it seems to work.

Nancy wrote: "In general I find the long philosophical digressions in Russian novels to be tedious; however, I was fascinated by Ivan's philosophies and comments in this section and perceive this as Dostoevsky h..."

I agree with both points. The philosophical ramblings can weigh down a novel, and it seems that some Russians are much deeper thinkers than I, I often get lost with the philosophy. That said, I do think Alyosha would be a patient listener to Ivan.