Re: The Brothers Karamazov: Dostoevsky Discussion Deck
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line. Dostoevsky & Re: The Brothers Karamazov
I think the two have to be looked at differently. Grigory is a peasant, and it seems to me that Dostoevsky differentiates between peasants and more sophisticated or "westernized" characters toward the beginning of the novel with the "Women of Great Faith" (peasants) and "A Woman of Little Faith" (western) chapters. Grigory seems to have a sort of ingrained sense of service, since he stayed faithfully with Fyodor through all of the latter's debauchery, and I don't think we're to imagine any ambivilence or cynacism on his part. His simplicity to me seems to transcend judgment from the reader. Alyosha's service of his father, and his great love for him seems to a part of his special innocence and compion, which is developed in the early chapters. All three of the sons are drawn back to Fyodor by some inexplicable archetypal longing, and each reacts in his own special way, which in Alyosha's case seems to be his loyalty and service. But what do you think?
: What are your thoughts on how Gregory and Alyosha serve Fyodor? I know they serve him and they are faithful, but what do you think.