The Bro Notes, Reading The Brothers Karamazov: The Bro-ening, A Woman’s Journey is a year long journey to complete this classic novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

Part 2 of 4: Good Bros/Bad Bros

I’m really digging the bros.

But do I dig Smerdyakov (who is technically a half-bro Karamazov)?

No.

This dislike is further reinforced by the publisher’s decision to crop the artwork ‘Detail from The Day Before the Exam (1895)’ by Leonid Ossipovitch Pastemak which originally depicts four men, and not three. Yes, Penguin. Cut that snake out.

None of the brothers are infallible but I’m getting that this is one of the many gists of Dostoyevsky’s book. Nobody is entirely good. Even some monks that Alyosha lives with are a little bit of a dick sometimes. One whole chapter is dedicated to the stench of a dead monk and how some of his brothers believe that this means he wasn’t as holier than thou (He never was, I think that was just his rep).

Alyosha is naive, but that inherently doesn’t make him good. Ivan is cold as ice but but he’s like more like glass.

Concerning Dimitri, Alyosha says it best.

“You’re not a wicked man, but a corrupted one,’ Alyosha smiled.

But Smerdyakov? Naw. Non. Nyet.

He’s just laying it all out there in the chapter with Ivan. This evil (subject to perception) bro’s plot is going to happen. But the chapter entitled “It’s Always Interesting to Talk to a Clever Man’ is so good. It’s very good, especially after ‘The Grand Inquisitor’, when Ivan’s just popping off on Alyosha. To see Ivan shatter a little under Smyrdakov’s blatant remarks is a little satisfying.

I think this drives home the point home somewhat as not even the reader is infallible.

I’m fixated a little on Smerdyakov because of this quote, also in part, a quote used for the title chapter:

“So it’s true what they say, then: that it’s always interesting to talk to a clever man,” Smerdyakov answered resolutely, giving Ivan Fyodorovich a heartfelt glance.

Heartfelt my ass.