Chapter 18 The Brothers Karamazov

I wrote in the first chapter that, in my opinion, it is useless to read a book if one cannot enjoy it. In proposing The Brothers Karamazov, I hesitated because I wondered whether such a powerful long-form tragedy would be entertaining to read.Of course, if you enjoy scenes like stormy seas, raging forest fires, or raging floods, The Brothers Karamazov won't let you down.However, as I have said, I am only referring to books that would be lost if not read, and that would increase your spiritual wealth and make you live a fuller life.In that sense, The Brothers Karamazov is definitely worth mentioning, perhaps even the most worthy book on this list.Apart from Emily Bronte's and Melville's, few novels resemble Dostoevsky's, and The Brothers Karamazov is Dostoevsky's greatest work.However, when reading it, don't think of it as a novel that only describes ordinary characters in life. As I said above, it is full of "storming seas" and "flaming forest fires".Dostoevsky's characters have more or less a dark side in their nature.They are not ordinary people.Their souls burn passionately and fiercely, are extremely sensitive, and can withstand extreme torture.They are extreme in every way, poor wretches tortured by God.They are as crazy as the madmen in the mental hospital.And yet there is something strangely important in this extreme, and you feel that, while painfully revealing themselves, they are also revealing the hidden darkness of the human soul.

"The Brothers Karamazov" is very long, and the structure is somewhat fragmented, but except for a few chapters, the whole book can hold your heartstrings tightly from beginning to end.If the storytelling contains scenes of extraordinary horror, then it also has pictures of extraordinary beauty.No other novel can describe the good and evil of human nature so vividly, and no other book can describe the tragic situation that the human soul can bear with such deep compassion and such great strength.Dostoevsky had the deep sympathy for the suffering that only a similarly afflicted soul can. "Don't be the judge of men," he said, "love men, and fear no sin in them, but love sinners." After reading this book, you will not be disappointed, but delighted, because through the ugly What is sinful and shining is that beautiful goodness.