Journal Ten - 1/28/08

Outline of the Grand Inquisitor:

1. The descriptive argument of the Grand Inquisitor is as follows:
   1. Ivan states that human beings can be grouped into two different groups. The two groups would grouped by
      1. 1. Whether or not a person can and choses to manage freedom.
         2. Or, if this freedom is displayed in actions.
            
      2. He argues that the people have shown:
         1. A regular failure on consistently achieving even subsistence in food.
         2. An impossibility in bearing the burden of responsibility for important moral decisions.
         3. A need for unity and a marked inability to live with difference.
2. Ivan's poem, The Grand Inquisitor explains the data as follows:
   
   1. Most humans are not capable of handling freedom, of even taking care of their simple everyday needs, and on a higher degree, accepting the ethical obligation of living with differences despite personal opinions. Ivan comes to the conclusion that since what he has seen occur in the world is a clear explanation that this has been the pattern of human behavior from the beginning of human history.
   2. Ivan that there is a small group of people who are different. However, they are only different by nature.This small group of people are those who can things for themselves, handle responsibility and not only live with difference, but are able to generate it.
      
3. Explanation:
   1. The inquisitor believes that he and many like him are those able to demonstrate the way to end with material ends, and also take a certain ethical responsibility upon themselves and accept differences.
      
   2. The inquisitor believes he loves people and that his natural (one of the few who are able to accept and create differences) condition of humans results in the suffering and anxiety and constant war between those who do not have the naturalistic "gift".
   3. The Inquisitor, believing he loves others, sacrifices himself to get things done himself. These sacrifices include making ethical decisions and also keeping the peace. This is enormous work and an awesome responsibility.
   4. This is all very easy, the others can do this as well, they just need to:
      
      1. Be able to give basic needs and the material to other people.
         
      2. Choose to and take the responsibilty to Make the ethical decisions for everyone.
      3. Work to make unity among all people by liking and believing the same things, thus there is no difference, which means no conflict. By doing this nobody will have to judge weather they are living correctly based on others lives and their doings.
         

Journal Nine - 1/23/08

Has Ivan effectively proved the injustice of God's plan?

While at the restaurant the two brothers begin to talk about the existence of God and the immortality of the soul. Ivan tells Alyosha that he believes in God, that there is a God, and that in his own heart he has not rejected God, however, he cannot find it within himself to accept God or the world that God created. Ivan explains to Alyosha that he can love the world as a whole, but when it comes down to loving individual men, he cannot. Ivan explains that he does not understand why a there is suffering on Earth. He comes to ask Alyosha how a just God could allow children to suffer, as they are too young have committed sin. He compares loving the God who allows suffering to a man who loves his torturer. The reader infers that at this point in their conversation that Alyosha has become troubled by these questions. Ivan asks Alyosha if he could accept a perfect world, if perfection depended on the suffering of one person. It is at this point where Alyosha reminds Ivan about the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross. The same situation.... Christ, one man, had to suffer in order to atone the world. He tells Alyosha that he has not forgotten the gift and sacrifice that God has made, he simple cannot except it.

I do not think that Ivan has PROVED the injustice of God's plan. I believe Ivan has laid out the evilness in man. God is a benevolent God. Thus, he gave us free will. If God did not give us free will, that would mean that God would not be Benevolent.

In class and as reading this chapter in The Brother's Karamazov, I had to go back to faith and my bible. It was in this that I remembered the Verse from John 1:5: The Light Shines in the Darkness, but the darkness does not understand it. In references to Gods atonement: God was the light, who came to this earth, and shone, but the world [darkness] did not understand. Even now, God has sent his spirit who shines in the darkness but the darkness still does understand it. God has given us free will, he has sent us his spirit, which shines, but we still do not understand this.

Concerning Children: While children are innocent the ones harming them are not, they are not children, and they have sinned. This can be traced back to the Original Sin. It may be appropriate to say that God does not intervene because that would not allow free will to be free will.

Journal Eight - 1/22/08

Common Ground Between Smerdyakov, Fyodor, Ivan, Dmitry, and Alyosha.

Smerdyakov was born into a broken family. His mother is known as Stinking Lizaveta and his father is not around. After Smerdyakov was born, Marfa found him next to his dead mother, after she found him she decided to take him in. Currently, the reader knows that Smerdykaov wants to have a better life for himself than what he was born into. So far, he has working for Fyodor as a chef. However, it is too soon to judge him! He mostly keeps to himself, however, he is very intellectual and he longs to leave Russia behind. It is simple for the reader to make connections and recognize similarities between Fyodor, Ivan, Dmitry, and Alyosha.

Smerdyakov and Ivan are similar in that they are both are intellectual and they both keep to themselves. They go with anything, but the status quo. Ivan and Smerdyakov are similar as they are both not the "Typical" russian stereotypes. Smerdyakov would like to move to Moscow and Ivan has a passion to move to Europe.

Sadly, or not, Smerdyakov does not have much in common with Dmirty and Fyodor. Dmitry is more eccentric and Smerdyakov is nothing like that. Alyosha and Smerdyakov are completely. Smerdyakov does not share the same religious views as Alyosha. Concerning Fyodor... Fyodor is only interested in himself and getting things that will make him happy. He is only concerned with himself and the things that make him happy.

Journal Seven - 1/17/08

Concerning Gruschenka.

Yes, it is true that Gruschenka is a scoundrel. She is manipulative, rude, and dishonest. Grushenka is very self centered and will hurt anybody in order to get what she wants.

Gruschenka begins screaming after listening to Katerina expose the reader to Grushenka's plan. Gruschenka had planned to marry another man who she had loved prior to Dmitry. However, the problem is that by marry Dmitry she will be able to gain more than by marrying this other man. Gruschenka is manipulative in that even though this is false she goes along with the story until she is able to put her self in a position to manipulate both Katerina and Dmitry.

Soon after, Katerina becomes quiet in order to see if Gruschenka will kiss her hand. However, she did not. At that exact moment Grushenka suddenly had the idea that she would keep Dmitry for herself. The reader is really able to see how manipulative Gruschenka is. Of course, Grushenka would never let anybody have Dmitry if she could have him, even if it means she does not love him. Its all about competition to her.

This is the perfect example to show that Gruschenka is a scoundrel. She will stop at no cost to get what she wants. Katerina gave Gruschenka a chance, while most people just wrote Gruschenka off as a phony. In turn, Gruschenka chose to manipulate and take advantage of the situation.

Journal Six - 1/16/08

Is Dmitry a Scoundrel?

Thinking back on the events of chapters eight and nine. I would have to conclude that Dmitry is a scoundrel. Although Dmitry was angry he disrespected his father, pushed him and threatened him. This is simply not appropriate not matter the circumstances.

In Chapter Eight, Dmitry comes bursting in screaming that Gruschenka must be hidden in his father's house at once. He does not even take the time to ask if in fact she was there. He is immediately disrespectful and demanding. This is the wrong thing to do. Even if Dmitry and his father disagree with each other, Fyodor is still his father, Dmitry owes him respect.

Dmitry is so concerned about himself he does even take the time to ask nicely. In the chaos, Fyodor accuses him of stealing money. As soon as Dmitry hears this he pushes his father on the floor, screams at him, threatens to kill him, and runs out of the house. This is evidence enough to prove that Dmitry is a scoundrel.

In all of this created chaos, which could of been avoided, had Dmitry been respectful, it is clear that Dmitry is in fact a scoundrel. In the course of two short chapters, Dmitry yells at his father, pushes him down, and threatens to kill him. Some might also say Fyodor is a scoundrel too, as he treated Alyosha poorly. Nevertheless, Dmitry was rude and disrespectful to his own father. This is unacceptable.

Journal Five -1-14-08

Dmitry's Treatment Concerning Katerina.

In book three of The Brothers Karamazov, chapters one through five, the reader sees a side of Dmitry as he attempts to visit Katerina. From this reading it is easy to see that Dmitry lacks some moral characteristics, however, he is driven my conscience. Although his conscience would occasionally persuade him to do the right thing, this does not make him less of a scoundrel.

Upon receiving the not from Katerina, Alyosha begins to make his way to Katerina's house. However, along the way, he runs into Dmitry, Katerina's es-fiance. It is then that Dmitry told Alyosha of his past experiences with Katerina. He tells Alyosha how Katerina paid no attention Dmitry until he began to try to seduce her. He did this by offering her 4,500 rubles to pay off an outstanding debt of her fathers. However, has his plan was coming into place he began to feel bad and recognized that what he was doing was wrong. After this act of conscience he decided to give Katerina the money without trying to seduce her. Soon after, when Katerina receives and inheritance from a relative, she offers to marry Dmitry. Dmitry agrees, however, upon their arrival into the same town that Fyodor lives, he fell for Grushenka. Then he also stole 3,000 rubles from Katerina to finance his affair.

Taking away the fact the Dmitry stole from Katerina, it seems he did nothing wrong. What he did mean for evil in the beginning, turned out good. He did nothing wrong to Katerina at this stage. However, stealing from Katerina to finance an affair is unacceptable. If he really loved Grushenka then he needed to tell Katerina and stand on his own feet to support the two of them, instead of stealing from his ex-fiance.

The fact that he stole from Katerina to fiance his relationship with Grushenka is what makes him a scoundrel. Even though he tried to seduce Katerina, his conscience got the better of him, and his previous thoughts can be forgiven. However, stealing from his soon to be wife only to finance a side relationship is what makes Dmitry a scoundrel.

Journal Four- 1/11/08

Fyodor:
This passages make it very easy to pick up on Fyodor and his character traits. From the passages read, it might make the reader think that Fyodor is crazier and more foolish than the reader initially thought.
Fyodor seems very jealous. When Fyodor begins to criticize Dmitry, Dmitry fights back. Telling Fyodor is jealous and implies that he is not a very knowledgeable. Before leaving the monastery Fyodor stars another argument when he bursts into the luncheon. Fyodor insults the life of one who live in a monastery and yells about how idiotic it sounds. Once he is finished ranting he proceeds to leave but as he leaves he yells at Alyosha to leave the monastery and come back home. While Fyodor is on his way home, he think about the fight that he will start when they all arrive back home.
This just goes to show that Fyodor is jealous, greedy and thinks all things must be about him. He causes scenes like this it might seem for attention because they are so stupid and pathetic. It also seems he needs something to complain about. Fyodor must always be right, hence when he puts in the last words to Alyosha to come back home as he rides away.

Journal Three - 1/10/08

The Debate Arguments-
Upon the return to Zosima's office Alyosh and Zosima find Miusov, and Ivan debating over Ivan's article about ecclesiastical courts. Miusov, who fancies himself a politician of some sort, argues along with the rest but they toss his argument aside and ignore him.

Ivan:
Ivan states in his argument that church and state should be one, they should not be separated. The church should be involved with the state so that it may administer laws to the land, also the clerical courts, which Ivan's article speaks of, would be in charge of the judicial side of this. Ivan argues that if the courts were clerical courts then less crime would occur. He states that less crime would occur if clerical courts were implemented because people would not be committing a crime against the state but also God.

Miusov:
Miusov disagrees with Ivan arguing that if they were to follow things his way it would be Ultramontanism. Miusov uses this term to refer to the pope in Rome which is over the mountains from Russia. Also, this would give the pope complete power. However, the others ignore his argument.

Zosima:
Zosima agrees with Ivan. He says the church chooses not to become involved with the state. He also says that the biggest driving force is one conscience and that it is conscience that will push people to repent.

Journal Two- 1/9/08

Zosima:
It is very clear that the narrator uses Zosima to portray sympathy. Zosima is the Elder who instructs Alyosha. Zosima is very intelligent and loving. Zosima's message is clear: forgive others, love others, and value what God has made and brought about. It is in this way that Zosima is able to show sympathy to the sinner, unloved, the loved, the outcast etc.

At this point in time the controversy surrounding the elders is due in large part to Ivan ecclesiastical courts. This brings argument is argued by politics and theology.

Journal One- 1/8/08

Fyodor:
Fyodor is the father of Alyosha, Ivan, and Dmitry. He is not affectionate, not only towards them, but towards most things, often forgetting what child belongs to which mother. Fyodor seems out to get what he wants and will not stop pursuing what he wants despite the outcome. Fyodor in addition to being selfish seems unsophisticated, and it would seem unwholesome. His only aspiration is to be successful thus resulting in greediness.

Dmitry:
Dmitry is a very easily swayed person. He is the eldest son of Fyodor and is carried away by his passions. Once, not caring about Fyodor, he now assumes that he owes him a significant amount of money. He seems to go where he can make things easier on himself and get what he wants, or at least try, faster.

Ivan:
Ivan is the middle son and seems to completlely contrats his brothers. He is the extreme of what they are not. He is very intelligent and loving. He finds pleasure in doing good. Ivan seems to know there is more to life that what appears on the surface and he is eager to find out what.

Alyosha:
Alyosha is the younger of his three brothers and has a love for God which cannot be matched within his family. This love translates into loving other people as well. He seems to take time to understand and love others. Thus, he is the exact opposite of his vulgar dad.

Interaction with a character:
If I met with Alyosha my experience would be interesting, to say the least. I would be most eager to meet with Alyosha because he seems to be the type of person one should want to be! I think this would be interesting because Alyosha and I are not alike in anyway, except one, we both share a passion for God. However, Alyosha's love for people are "man-kind," if you will, seems to be too large and too frustrating to have. I would like to understand his mindset and understand where Alyosha is coming from.