Reflection 2

What contribution to the story is made by its setting? Is there particular setting essential, or could the story have happened elsewhere?

The setting (19th century Russia: an economically, politically and socially backward time) shapes the characters of the characters: they all capture the Russian spirit: one that bears great oppression and suffering, in despair succumbs to vice, but in the end has an inexhaustible faith in humanity’s goodness. The moving story in A Laceration in the Cottage on pages 100-108 is one example of this spirit. It’s depiction of one Russian peasant’s desperate struggle to maintain his dignity in the face of abject poverty shows how deeply and compassionately Dostoevsky understood the Russian people. The setting also greatly influences the novel’s philosophical conclusions. Because the conditions at the time were so oppressive, and there was hardly anything substantial that any one person could do to affect positive change, they had to believe and find comfort in something. “I don’t deny that there is sin in the peasants too. And the fire of corruption is spreading visibly, hourly, working from above downwards. The spirit of isolation is coming upon the people too. Money-lenders and devourers of the commune are rising up. Already the merchant grows more and more eager for rank, and strives to show himself cultured though he has not a trace of culture, and to this end meanly despises his old traditions, and is even ashamed of the faith of his fathers. He visits princes, though he is only a peasant corrupted. The peasants are rotting in drunkenness and cannot shake off the habit. And what cruelty to their wives, to their children even! All from drunkenness! I’ve seen in the factories children of nine years old, frail, rickety, bent and already depraved. The stuffy workshop, the din of machinery, work all day long, the vile language and the drink, the drink- is that what a little child’s heart needs? He needs sunshine, childish play, good examples all about him, and at least a little love. There must be no more of this, monks, no more torturing of children, ruse up and preach that, make haste, make haste! /But God will save Russia, for though the peasants are corrupted and cannot renounced their filthy sin, yet they know it is cursed by God and that they do wrong in sinning. So that our people still believe in righteousness, have faith in God and weep tears of devotion. /It is different with the upper classes. They following science, want to base justice on reason alone, but not with Christ, as before, and they have already proclaimed that there is no crime, that there is no sin. And that’s consistent, for if you have no God what is the meaning of crime? In Europe the people are already rising up against the rich with violence, and the leaders of the people are everywhere leading them to bloodshed, and teaching them that their wrath is righteous. But their “wrath is accursed, for it is cruel.” But god will save Russia as He has saved her many times. Salvation will come from the people, from their faith and their meekness. /Fathers and teachers, watch over the people’s faith and this will not be a dream. I’ve been struck all my life in our great people by their dignity, their true and seemly dignity. I’ve seen it myself, I can testify to it, I’ve seen it and marvelled at it, I’ve seen it in spite of the degraded sins and poverty-stricken appearance of our peasantry. They are not servile and even after two centuries of serfdom they are free in manner and bearing, yet without insolence , and not revengeful and not envious. “You are rich and noble, you are clever and talented, well, be so, God bless you. I respect you, but I know that I too am a man. By the very fact that I respect you without envy I prove my dignity as a man.” /In truth if they don’t say this (for they don’t know how to say this yet), that is how they act. I have seen it myself, I have known it myself, and, would you believe it, the poorer our Russian peasant is, the more noticeable is that serene goodness, for the rich among them are the most part corrupted already, and much of that is due to our carelessness and indifference. But God will save His people, for Russia is great in her humility. I dream of seeing, and seem to see clearly already, our future. It will come to pass that even the most corrupt of our rich will end by being ashamed of his riches before the poor, and the poor, seeing his humility, will understand and give way before him, will respond joyfully and kindly to his honourable shame. Believe me that it will end in that; things are moving to that. Equality is to be found only in the spiritual dignity of man, and that will only be understood among us. If we were brothers, there would be fraternity, but before that they will never agree about the division of wealth. We preserve the image of Christ, and it will shine forth like a precious diamond to the whole world. So may it be, so may it be!” (165-166). This is the beautiful dream of someone who loves his people very deeply but because of the conditions of Russia at the time, cannot do anything to help and thus is compelled to turn to a divine force.