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I have read many books by Dostoevsky, he is actually my favorite writer, and I am planning to write an essay about the way he talks about children, about the time his characters were children.
I believe he loves kids very much, and there is a certain sweetness and love, and deeper feelings revealed when he talks about kids.
What do you think?
Give examples from what you read, characters and situation.
For example, I found this quote "The soul is healed by being with children." I believe is from 'The Idiot' when the main character speaks about his past, when he spent a lot of time with kids from a school, the ones which treated a lady very bad, but he teached them to respect her.
I've recently finished two novels where children figure prominently:
The mixed childhood of Netochka Nezvanova is described in a way sympathetic to the fascinating orphan girl, who faces life almost alone. Sadly, this incomplete novel leaves her as a teenager.
Nellie, in 'The Insulted and Injured', is a fragile and pathetic girl, who dies soon after her destitute, consumptive mother as the novel ends. In death, the epileptic Nellie makes a monumental, if silent, statement about her rich father - a prince she never knew.
In respect to 'The Idiot', Chapter 6 is inspiring.Their fathers and relations were very angry with me, because the children could do nothing without me at last, and used to throng after me at all times. The schoolmaster was my greatest enemy in the end! I had many enemies, and all because of the children. Even Schneider reproached me. What were they afraid of? One can tell a child everything, anything. I have often been struck by the fact that parents know their children so little. They should not conceal so much from them. How well even little children understand that their parents conceal things from them, because they consider them too young to understand! Children are capable of giving advice in the most important matters. How can one deceive these dear little birds, when they look at one so sweetly and confidingly? I call them birds because there is nothing in the world better than birds!And later in the Chapter,
"However, most of the people were angry with me about one and the same thing; but Thibaut simply was jealous of me. At first he had wagged his head and wondered how it was that the children understood what I told them so well, and could not learn from him; and he laughed like anything when I replied that neither he nor I could teach them very much, but that they might teach us a good deal.
On one of the first days of my stay in Switzerland, I was strolling about alone and miserable, when I came upon the children rushing noisily out of school, with their slates and bags, and books, their games, their laughter and shouts--and my soul went out to them. I stopped and laughed happily as I watched their little feet moving so quickly. Girls and boys, laughing and crying; for as they went home many of them found time to fight and make peace, to weep and play. I forgot my troubles in looking at them. And then, all those three years, I tried to understand why men should be for ever tormenting themselves. I lived the life of a child there, and thought I should never leave the little village...
This is exactly the kind of answer i was expecting. Thank you very much for writing some of the most beautiful lines from Dostoevsky.
I have remembered that he talks about childhood in "Memories from the house of death", when talking about the prisoners. He sees them as children, I will check and post the exact part, sadly i have no time right now.
Thank you very much!
The final chapter in Brothers Karamazov is also very nice, actually the best; he says that hope lies in children, and the relationship between Kolya Krasotkin and Alyosha.
Agree with Gladys, also part from Idiot ( probably the same chapter) where kids are firstly teasing and later they make friendship with some poor and sick girl.
The prince talks of his time in Switzerland and his friendship with the plain, destitute, consumptive and disgraced 20-year-old, Marie, befriended by the prince, and later by school-children he influenced.Quote:
Originally Posted by bazarov
They have planted roses all round her grave, and every year they look after the flowers and make Marie's resting-place as beautiful as they can. I was in ill odour after all this with the parents of the children, and especially with the parson and schoolmaster. Schneider was obliged to promise that I should not meet them and talk to them; but we conversed from a distance by signs, and they used to write me sweet little notes. Afterwards I came closer than ever to those little souls, but even then it was very dear to me, to have them so fond of me.
And earlier in Chapter 6:
"However, most of the people were angry with me about one and the same thing; but [schoolmaster] Thibaut simply was jealous of me. At first he had wagged his head and wondered how it was that the children understood what I told them so well, and could not learn from him; and he laughed like anything when I replied that neither he nor I could teach them very much, but that they might teach us a good deal.
"How he could hate me and tell scandalous stories about me, living among children as he did, is what I cannot understand. Children soothe and heal the wounded heart. I remember there was one poor fellow at our professor's who was being treated for madness, and you have no idea what those children did for him, eventually. I don't think he was mad, but only terribly unhappy..."
Hi!
After a lot of research I would like to discuss with you about the little girl, named Matriosha, from "Stavrogin's Confession" or "At Tikhon's", which Stavrogin mentions.
What do you think about her, is that the condition of the Russian child, being beaten up by the parents, serving the guests, working hard to get the money they need to survive, but not fighting for their rights, respecting their parents too much to even tell them when they are misjudging them?
I must read 'The Possessed' soon.
Or that passage, it will be enough...
Nobody has mentioned "A Christmas Tree and A Wedding" and "The Peasant Marey" yet, so I thought I would recommend you look at them for your essay.
PS, please visit my blog.
Read the end of the Brothers Karamazov.
I Often used to complain that dostoevsky didint write enough about the psychology of children. But his was my bad,because when i look at it he discusses these issues in a great many of his works especially after the house of the dead. The idiot,C&P and the dreams of a ridculous man are very good in this respect. and the brother K is almost a masterpiece of childrens psychology. As he himself had children he became more confident in writing about them. Great great writer.
@A Siege I did read A Christmas Tree and a Wedding I thought it was so good, in such a short story he managed to say so much.
@Theunderground Talking about his children, I have recently discovered a book wrote by his daughter, I don't have it at hand right now but I will read it soon and come back on it.