Gabriel Roche
Professor Paul Calkins
English 1-B
4/21/2016
An Analysis of Dostoevsky, by Charles Bukowski
The poem Dostoevsky, by Charles Bukowski, is an inspirational poem that tells the story of how Fyodor Dostoevsky, a famous Russian author of the 19th century, was given sudden reprieve from death by firing squad, and because of this turn of events, was allowed to write and create, and thus was able to inspire the author as well as countless other writers. For me this immediately reminded me of Stephen King, and specifically his Dark Tower series. While Stephen King was never standing before a firing squad and in need of a reprieve, he was hit by a van that nearly killed him. This event caused Stephen to pick up the writing pace when he …show more content…
“against the wall, the firing squad ready.” The subject against the wall, of course, was Dostoevsky, who is about to be executed. These few words brought to mind a picture of the firing squad, their guns at the ready, pointed at a single man; blind folded, cold, afraid. Just as suddenly, Fyodor’s fortunes change; he is given a reprieve, allowed to not only live, but thrive. Dostoevsky would go on to write great works of fiction such as Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov. Bukowski then suggests that while the sparing of Dostoevsky’s life may not have affected many people directly because so few have read his work, it had a profound effect on him and his life. In what way has Bukowski been so effected? He describes reading Dostoevsky as a young man, and that his stories, “got me through the factories, past the whores, lifted me high through the night, and put me down, in a better place.” I related greatly to these lines, remembering the different books and stories that I read as a child that helped shape the person that I am today. Dostoevsky took Bukowski and his readers on fantastically vivid journeys with characters that felt like he knew them. For Bukowski, it was more than just a journey; it was inspiration. Dostoevsky’s work stimulated the creative part of his mind and gave him the confidence and courage to write his own work. It is no small thing that can inspire a person to work not in imitation, but in …show more content…
He describes “death pointing its finger,” as he reflects on how Dostoevsky narrowly avoided execution by fortune. He imagines himself in a similar position as he describes himself facing death; “I held fast,” he says, the bravery of “an immaculate drunk.” Bukowski describes himself as wallowing and struggling with life, but the writing of Dostoevsky is ever a beacon for him that promises hope. He closes by “sharing the stinking dark with my brothers.” He breaks this up, though, by separating the final two words; “my,” and “brothers.” I thought that with this he was referring to his own work, which has been deeply affected by his reading Dostoevsky. I also think the final word, “brothers,” is a nod to one of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s more famous novels, The Brothers
Professor Paul Calkins
English 1-B
4/21/2016
An Analysis of Dostoevsky, by Charles Bukowski
The poem Dostoevsky, by Charles Bukowski, is an inspirational poem that tells the story of how Fyodor Dostoevsky, a famous Russian author of the 19th century, was given sudden reprieve from death by firing squad, and because of this turn of events, was allowed to write and create, and thus was able to inspire the author as well as countless other writers. For me this immediately reminded me of Stephen King, and specifically his Dark Tower series. While Stephen King was never standing before a firing squad and in need of a reprieve, he was hit by a van that nearly killed him. This event caused Stephen to pick up the writing pace when he …show more content…
“against the wall, the firing squad ready.” The subject against the wall, of course, was Dostoevsky, who is about to be executed. These few words brought to mind a picture of the firing squad, their guns at the ready, pointed at a single man; blind folded, cold, afraid. Just as suddenly, Fyodor’s fortunes change; he is given a reprieve, allowed to not only live, but thrive. Dostoevsky would go on to write great works of fiction such as Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov. Bukowski then suggests that while the sparing of Dostoevsky’s life may not have affected many people directly because so few have read his work, it had a profound effect on him and his life. In what way has Bukowski been so effected? He describes reading Dostoevsky as a young man, and that his stories, “got me through the factories, past the whores, lifted me high through the night, and put me down, in a better place.” I related greatly to these lines, remembering the different books and stories that I read as a child that helped shape the person that I am today. Dostoevsky took Bukowski and his readers on fantastically vivid journeys with characters that felt like he knew them. For Bukowski, it was more than just a journey; it was inspiration. Dostoevsky’s work stimulated the creative part of his mind and gave him the confidence and courage to write his own work. It is no small thing that can inspire a person to work not in imitation, but in …show more content…
He describes “death pointing its finger,” as he reflects on how Dostoevsky narrowly avoided execution by fortune. He imagines himself in a similar position as he describes himself facing death; “I held fast,” he says, the bravery of “an immaculate drunk.” Bukowski describes himself as wallowing and struggling with life, but the writing of Dostoevsky is ever a beacon for him that promises hope. He closes by “sharing the stinking dark with my brothers.” He breaks this up, though, by separating the final two words; “my,” and “brothers.” I thought that with this he was referring to his own work, which has been deeply affected by his reading Dostoevsky. I also think the final word, “brothers,” is a nod to one of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s more famous novels, The Brothers