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Week of 3/16

In this blog post, I would like to examine the notion of forgiveness in relation to free will, as articulated in the appendix of Demons. Forgiveness, in this book, seems to represent so sort of greater power because of how Stavrogin asks for forgiveness from Bishop Tikhan. Tikhan responds in question as to why he should be forgiving Stavrogin. When Stavrogin attempts to explain his reasoning, it becomes clear that he is feeling mentally trapped. The reader gets a look into the inner battles Stavrogin is experiencing. He explains he is, “a greater sinner” (p. 708). Given this, it can be assumed that to be truly forgiven, one must flee from one’s sin. The concept of fleeing however, is rooted in totalitarian ideology as one who flees will most likely flee to isolation.

The mental confusion Stavrogin is experiencing in this portion of the book, forces him into social isolation. Stavrogin is not only no longer able to form relationships, but worse, he beings to lose touch with humanity. He develops a false sense of reality where the line between right and wrong becomes blurred. According to Hannah Arendt, this is when totalitarianism takes over because the people can no longer make the distinction for themselves between what is reality and what is simply thought. They fall into the vulnerable trap of believing anything they hear. By articulating this concept, Dostoevsky, way before time, is warning people to not lose touch with their morals on an individual level.