Cody Church
Dr. Keith Livers
REE 325/C L 323
10 May 2016
The Absolutism of Ivan’s Ideology – The Brothers Karamazov The dialogue between Ivan and Alyosha makes some of the most interesting portions of The Brothers Karamazov because it features two characters with drastically different characters. Though Alyosha has his own struggles with religion, as any man would, he remains steadfastly committed to his faith. Ivan, on the other hand, wants to believe in God like Alyosha, but fails to find the space in his rationalist worldview to have faith in a deity that can never be proven. What is so tragic about Ivan’s character is his desire to believe being thwarted time and time again by the absolutism of his worldview. Through the parable of the …show more content…
He was sentenced to death after being accused of conspiring against the government of Russia, and, at the last moment, was given a prison sentence in Siberia rather than the death penalty. As we discussed during the first week of class, it was while imprisoned in Siberia that Dostoevsky began to develop the ideas that permeate through his works. So, as the novel ends, the reader could believe that, through the punishment Ivan will serve, he will find salvation. This is important because it adds considerable depth to Dostoevsky’s character. It could be argued that the characters he uses to prove his points are simplistic and designed to serve only as examples of what could go wrong when one deviates from the philosophy of Dostoevsky. But, by framing Ivan as a shadow of his former self, Dostoevsky exposes himself – his weaknesses, his former mindset, and makes the character of Ivan so much more …show more content…
I found it difficult to see past this idea once I started reading. Every character and every scene seemed like it was a contrived series of events, and each of them being further detached from reality. This made it tough to connect with the characters because I always viewed them as tools, rather than real people. I am not sure how well known Dostoevsky’s life story was at the time this novel was published, but it certainly made me feel more connected with Ivan once I realized that Dostoevsky may be projecting himself onto the character. Though I may disagree with many of the arguments Dostoevsky presents in his novels, I think Ivan’s confession offered a much needed glimpse into the way Dostoevsky recalls his own life – and it was certainly interesting to
Dr. Keith Livers
REE 325/C L 323
10 May 2016
The Absolutism of Ivan’s Ideology – The Brothers Karamazov The dialogue between Ivan and Alyosha makes some of the most interesting portions of The Brothers Karamazov because it features two characters with drastically different characters. Though Alyosha has his own struggles with religion, as any man would, he remains steadfastly committed to his faith. Ivan, on the other hand, wants to believe in God like Alyosha, but fails to find the space in his rationalist worldview to have faith in a deity that can never be proven. What is so tragic about Ivan’s character is his desire to believe being thwarted time and time again by the absolutism of his worldview. Through the parable of the …show more content…
He was sentenced to death after being accused of conspiring against the government of Russia, and, at the last moment, was given a prison sentence in Siberia rather than the death penalty. As we discussed during the first week of class, it was while imprisoned in Siberia that Dostoevsky began to develop the ideas that permeate through his works. So, as the novel ends, the reader could believe that, through the punishment Ivan will serve, he will find salvation. This is important because it adds considerable depth to Dostoevsky’s character. It could be argued that the characters he uses to prove his points are simplistic and designed to serve only as examples of what could go wrong when one deviates from the philosophy of Dostoevsky. But, by framing Ivan as a shadow of his former self, Dostoevsky exposes himself – his weaknesses, his former mindset, and makes the character of Ivan so much more …show more content…
I found it difficult to see past this idea once I started reading. Every character and every scene seemed like it was a contrived series of events, and each of them being further detached from reality. This made it tough to connect with the characters because I always viewed them as tools, rather than real people. I am not sure how well known Dostoevsky’s life story was at the time this novel was published, but it certainly made me feel more connected with Ivan once I realized that Dostoevsky may be projecting himself onto the character. Though I may disagree with many of the arguments Dostoevsky presents in his novels, I think Ivan’s confession offered a much needed glimpse into the way Dostoevsky recalls his own life – and it was certainly interesting to