Classics Without All the Class discussion

I just finished the book and was wondering what people thought of the characters.

There were a lot of the naive attitudes that exist in love. Nastenka seemed to truly believe that keeping the narrator in the friend zone was best for everyone and the narrator continued to love her unconditionally. Although I think that his love and dreamer personality is what gives the story character. I enjoyed how he shows himself to be completely selfless in the last paragraph. He becomes frustrated and wary but still appreciates the time they had and doesn't want to do anything to disturb her happiness.

I also thought that the characters were pretty socially functional considering how the narrator never spoke to women and Nastenka lived pinned to her grandmother..(I actually thought I must have misunderstood that when I first read it, but no, she was literally pinned to her grandmother. So creepy)

This is my first Dostoyevsky. Is he always this depressing? :)
Don't get me wrong, though, because I like the grit and depth of feeling he generates in all the wonderful minutiae that is human thought and experience.

I just thought sometimes in his reflections on human nature and human interaction, that a guy might win once in a while. I guess all the strongest feelings are those of loss, nostalgia, missed chances, and love that was never meant to be.

There is a richness to the way he sees into the heart and can somehow write it down. That articulation of emotion is something that these big Russian writers excel at, I've noticed. Great writing, but not a good bedtime story.

@Lauren-- Yes, I agree with you! These characters are totally removed from reality. However, I love that they go on equal footing. Yes, the narrator goes on and on about himself, but Nastenka gets lots of space to tell her history too--and she even scolds him for interrupting! Narrator devotes himself to her happiness--whatever she wants! It's bittersweet.

This story has themes that still fixate people today: the girl who got away, and the dreaded "friend zone."

I like the contrast of the two lonely characters , one who can escape- Nastanka from under her Grandmother's skirt ( literally ) and the narrator who is doomed to eternal solitude I love that both characters loneliness has different qualities. Nastanka is young and she has the will to try and change her situation, first by packing a bag to accompany the boarder when he leaves, and later, enlisting the narrator to carry letters to her intended. The narrator is set in his solitude. He hesitates to approach Nastanka even though she seems distressed, until another man approaches her and he feels he has to rescue her. Even though he immediately falls in love with her, he's content with just having been close to her for a few days and helps her pursue another man's love. At the end he sits in his room and pictures his entire life passing in that way unchanged and accepts it, with no hint he'll ever try to change his situation again.

I like the way you contrasted the two lonely characters, Marnie. I find the narrator a little hard to believe..that he is so totally isolated but is able to open up so much with Nastanka. It was an interesting story, but many years ago I loved the Brothers Karamazov and recommend it to anyone who really wants to get into Dostoyevsky.

By today's standards, if a man approached a young woman and poured his heart out bitterly in rhetorical questions like he did, she would likely run away for fear that he was deranged and a potential stalker. I resist the temptation to compare it with such an encounter in 2015 because I think Dostoyevsky painted a picture of an awkward romantic dreamer of his day; deserving of happiness but not able to fit in socially because of his self-loathing and terrible insecurities. He was his own worst enemy. It may be unlikely that an individual so socially inept could connect with another human being so quickly as he did with Nastenka. However, he was so desperate for human companionship and Nastenka was in need of immediate friendship and comfort. In a way, it was the perfect storm. She was a bright light in the midst of his dismal life and he comforted her broken heart at the very moment she needed it.

I loved this story. I felt like I was wandering the streets of St Petersburg with the characters, hearing their conversations, feeling excited for them, and ultimately great sorrow for the despair of one of them. Dostoyevsky obviously had insight into emotions and vulnerability. He also had the gift of being able to describe his characters' desperation in a way that read beautifully.

@ Janet thanks. The loneliness of the characters just really stood out to me. I may give The Brothers Karamazov a shot.

@ Marnie, The Brothers Karamazov is Dostoyevsky's magnum opus, you should definitely give it a go but it's a huge time commitment.

Did anyone else feel a difficulty to reconcile the protagonist's fate at the end? I personally just could not forgive Nastanka. My heart just bleeds for our poor, unfortunate fellow.

I hate what she did but I forgive her. She was immature and impulsive but her intentions were good and for the most part honest.

How good is the protagonist's monologue. Especially this section -
"Why is it that when this absurd gentleman is visited by one of the few acquaintances (and he ends by getting rid of all his friends), why does this absurd person meet him with such embarrassment.. "
I just read, re-read and re-read ... it!

Maybe i am socially awkward too! LOL.

Beth wrote: "By today's standards, if a man approached a young woman and poured his heart out bitterly in rhetorical questions like he did, she would likely run away for fear that he was deranged and a potentia..."

Well stated, I need to look at it from that perspective, because I was honestly viewing him as a crazy stalker. If a man approached me and was babbling like that, I'd be looking out for the windowless van! But you make a good point about the time and culture.