Brothers Karamazov (B) 16: Book XII - Chapter 7-END

[Andrea]

As discussed on one of the threads I will be posting the remaining threads so people who have gone ahead can get their thoughts down.

[Andrea]

Sigh. I just finished the book and I'm sad to see it go. It is definitely an open-ended kind of novel (probably because it was supposed to be a part of a trilogy), so here are a few things I am dying to find out.

*What happens to Mitya? Is he going to succeed with his escape plan?
*Is karma going to get Grushenka, because I seriously dislike her?
*Is Ivan going to live?
*What will Alyosha do now that he is no longer a monk?

I am also curious to see what people think about the purpose of The Boys part and Ilusha in particular.

[Glynis]

I found the passing of Ilusha really sad. His father not wanting to leave his side during the funeral and taking flowers back to mamma - heart rending. I don't quite get the purpose of The Boys and need to give it some thought, but like you, Andrea, I am sad to finish the book and know it will stay with me a long time. I loved the intensity and passion of the characters and rolling the Rs in my head when reeling off the names :)

[Sera]

I finished this one yesterday and loved it.

I believe that Ilusha is the symbol of how people should aspire to live. Aloysha's speech to the other boys about how to honor Ilusha really lays out Ilusha's purpose in the story and viz-a-viz the other boys, like Kolya.

I think that the 3 brothers each in his own way symbolizes the different types of people in Russia. Aloysha is the traditional, religious type who is happy with the status quo and doesn't feel the need for progress. Ivan is the opposite. He represents the revolutionary part of the Russian community who want change but are filled with uncertainty in giving up their past beliefs, particularly in the area of religion. Mitya is in the middle, but is driven by his passion, which depends on what is happening at any given moment. I think that he is the symbol of where many Russians sat during this time politically.

I am not sure that I articulated my thoughts here well, but overall, I believe that Dostoyevsky used the 3 brothers as a mirror of Russian society that had different views about what type of nation Mother Russia should be.

[Rosemary]

I found it strange that it ended with the boys, but I agree with Sera about Ilusha. The fact that his body didn't decay (as people expected of Father Zossima - wrongly) must be significant. Maybe it's a sign that Alyosha is right to turn away from the life of a monk. I just found this part a little forced.

What about the fourth brother? Perhaps he represents the underground, unacknowledged criminal element?!

I was really glad to have read this - thanks to Andrea for moderating and to everybody for joining in the read!

[Sera]

Rosemary, I like your theory about the 4th brother. Or, maybe he's the outcast, misfit who doesn't fall within any of the 3 types of Russia that I had mentioned.

Excellent point about Ilusha's body not decaying either, which provides further proof of his "saintliness". I think that it also provides as you had mentioned, a good contrast to Father Zossima. Accordingly, a life's dedication to religious service doesn't necessarily equate to enhanced status in the after-life, which may well be why Alyosha decided not to become a monk.

Also, many thanks to Andrea for moderating the book and going two cycles no less - ha ha. I am glad that we gave this one another go, because it is now one of my favorite books of all time.