BOOK OF THE DAY:
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Tackling the complications of both truth and reality by means of great philosophical deliberation, Dostoyevsky suggests that neither exist, or if they do, it is not in man’s interest to try and understand them. From the outset he introduces a narrator whose account of the Karamazov story is largely unreliable, whose perception of events is just another among many, none of which we can say with certainty is the truth.
Story unfolds within story, mutates and shifts as characters change position. “I love her. I don’t love her.” “I am guilty. No, I am innocent.” “Yes, I said that, but I don’t know why, because truly I meant this.” And throughout, man is represented by the Karamazov brothers: Alyosha—a shining example of surrender and wisdom, of faith not simply in God but in goodness—embodies our potential for contentment and enlightenment; Ivan is haunted by tremendous intellect, resulting in an existential crisis that exemplifies our disbelief in God, our lack of faith; Dmitri, like an over-stimulated puppy, is all heart but erratic and fickle in his convictions; and the morally bereft, illegitimate Smerdyakov symbolizes our most base instincts. Minor characters live in the shades of gray, in the spaces between these four brothers. How each react to the unfortunate circumstances of the novel becomes the central focal point and is of far more significance than the events themselves, which readily unfold without pretense or mystery. The events can have no truth on their own, are of little value without the varying and countless perspectives that come to define them. Conversely, in essence, the events of the story contain infinite truths.
The Dalai Lama once said (to paraphrase) that the root of all conflict lies in man’s inability to accept the simple fact that each one of us sees the world through our own unique lens. Between these perspectives—these universes of thought—are light years and darkness. It is not necessary for us to see or understand these differing views, but only surrender to their existence. Dostoyevsky proposes this same idea by suggesting how absurd our efforts to both understand and undermine each other, and also that by suffering through conflict, through life and the lessons it proffers, it is eventually possible to submit to our place in the universe where perception and story are of little consequence and faith the greatest reward.
guest review by Amrit Chima
Read excerpts from the book here!
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