The Brothers Karamazov: Chapter Four

In this chapter, when Alyosha is about 20 years old, Dmitri moves in their father's residence, while Alyosha had been living in the monastery in the village where his father lived. Although Alyosha is religious, his character is depicted as being so not in the 'mystical or superstitious way,' but simply due to the ways in which he thought about humankind: an innate and generous love of his fellow man. In describing Alyosha, it is clear that he does not hate his father; he is never critical of him or unkind to him (but, perhaps his real thoughts are left to be discerned by the reader, not the author). It is also clear that almost everyone loves Alyosha, for despite the fact that he remains somewhat separated from all others in the chapter that describes his character, he displays a kind of blissful serenity. Alyosha has also been a very good and popular student in spite of his passive nature towards others and his seemingly innocent character. The only problem that he encounters as a student is the fact that other students often teased him with regard to his embarrassment when discussing members of the opposite sex.

Alyosha grows close to Fyodor Pavlovich after he moves back to his father's town. Fyodor happens to be an important figure in Alyosha's early life, as he donates a great deal of his money to the monastery, that is, after he visits his mother's grave (something he knew nothing about until later in the chapter, at least with respect to the location). It is at this point that Alyosha informs us that he plans to enter the monastery and study under the elder Zosima.