“Pyotr Ilyich listened and was silent…”

Book VIII appears to be quite the departure from the protracted flow of the previous installments of the novel thus far.  I found myself to be in a similar position to that of Pyotr Ilyich; simply caught in the whirlwind of erratic and energetic behavior that emanated from the seemingly indefatigable Dmitry.  This flurry of activity marked Dmitry’s ultimate aim to capture Agrafena Aleksandrovna at last, and to pursue a new existence marked by a rapid reformation of his behavior.

What I found particularly interesting in this reading was the linkage between deception and non-Russians (or non-Russian qualities).  If I have learned anything from my half-semester dabble with Russian literature, it has been that nothing is mentioned without reason.  I feel that the sheer specificity of the endnotes can attest to the overall importance of  small details.  In Book VIII there is the overt conflict that exists between Dmitry and the Polish guests, but also a passing reference earlier at the German-like qualities of Kuzma Samsonov and his sons.  I find it curious that both the Polish visitors and the elder Samsonov facilitate deceptions of Dmitry.  The Polish deception took place in a dispute over cards, while the elder Samsonov succeeded in sending Dmitry astray to Ilyinskoye.  With both the elder Samsonov and the Polish guests Dmitry acts excessively Russian, emphasizing on occasion that he is acting on his honor as a “Russian man”. 

I find it quite intriguing however, that Dmitry’s apparent faith in Russian qualities exhausts itself when he is presented with state authorities.  While in a volley of banter with Pyotr Ilyich, Dmitry in due course accuses him of having tapped public funds for his own use.  Not to mention that the young civil servant has the practice of buying up weapons (what can essentially be considered a tool or resource) and placing said items in the dormant position of display.  It seems that Pyotr Ilyich has the skill to accumulate, but not to employ his skills in a more constructive manner.  In much of the same way, the district chief of police, the public procurator, and the investigator are all described not by their physiognomy, as with other characters, but by their positions and habits.  In each case the state officials in Book VIII are presented as absorbed by their possessions, be it weapons, a pocket watch, or even a uniform. 

The manner in which characters are presented in Book VIII has driven me to the conclusion that there is a complex definition of the term “Russian” and what it means to be a part of a segment of Russian society.  There seem to be three dominant groups presented, that of “foreign” Russians (those that draw influences from Polish and Germanic culture and display deceitful qualities), “state” Russians (those that utilize state authority to develop personal wealth and power), and “customary” Russians (the common rank of society that falls in the midst of the other two groups). 

Despite my contemplations concerning the grouping of Russian society according to Dostoyevsky, I ultimately feel as if the book is hinging on a transition point.  Like Pyotr Ilyich, I was taken aback by the sudden energy of the situation.  As the “business” begins to unravel itself it should be interesting to see how the earlier components that have been substantially introduced in the previous Books begin to fully interact with each other.  As a reader I am at the stage where “listening” and observing is important, especially since the plot seems to have established forward progress.