Reflection 6

What do you conceive to be the story’s central purpose? How has it fully achieved that purpose?

The story’s central purpose is to examine religious faith and religious doubt truthfully and thoughtfully. I believe it has more than sufficiently met this purpose. It treats the timeless theme in a subtle, creative, and effective manner, by using its characters as symbols. It offers a very rich and complex interpretation of the theme.

I believe that the story hopes to convince the reader to choose faith and live a good life. For me, the story has not convinced me to believe in God, but it has enabled me to better understand why some choose faith. It has helped me appreciate their earnestness even if I don’t agree with their ideas. I’ve taken what I agree with from Zossima’s lessons, and I’ve been inspired to try to be a better person.

I believe the story also aims to restore faith in humanity. I think it has met this goal. Through Dmitri’s innocence (everyone believes that he is guilty of murdering his father, but he is innocent), through Ivan’s hypothetical recovery (Katerina takes him in after his performance at the trial and the hopeful ending of the book suggests that he will eventually come to terms with religion and morality), through Alyosha’s sustained goodness and faith (although his faith is tested numerous times, it is ultimately unwavering), I believe Dostoevsky shows that he believes humanity is fundamentally good and that it has the potential to be “saved”. What I love about Dostoevsky is that he sees humanity with great clarity, understands the many complexities of human nature (our desperation, our shortcomings, our passions) and loves all of it unconditionally. I think it is very inspiring that he has retained his faith in humanity through many personal struggles (such as his confinement in prison), and through living in such an oppressive and depressing time. I shared his faith in humanity before the novel, but now my faith has been renewed and strengthened.