I Think Even The Author Of This Book Got Sick Of It

At this point in the novel the steady movement of time is scrambled to comply with the lack of anything happening.  Each chapter jumps a few months or weeks because even Fyodor himself is running out of things to write.  Basically each character does the same depressing action for a prolonged period and fails to move forward in life.  Prince Myshkin goes to Moscow to find his inheritance, but over the period of time he gives it all away.  Obviously displaying Myshkin's passiveness when faced with demand, to loose all his money is devastating.  This is the only money he has available, and it is taken away by people pretending to be family members or close friends.  Knowing that Myshkin is a highly intelligent person, I wonder if he is actually aware that there were lies, but would rather loose all his wealth than appear rude or unkind.  It would not surprise me given that Myshkin seems to be the only character who values generosity and emotional connections over material goods.  Either way, he's broke.  After spending a little under a year in Moscow, he returns to Saint Petersburg with the same amount of wealth he had before: almost nothing.  This also further perpetuates Dostoyevsky's message behind Myshkin's existence that by being kind, you will be mistreated and abused by the world.
Nastasya is another character being mistreated, but not because of her generosity.  In fact, her circumstances are unique from the other characters.  She was a rude and self centered person, and now she is violently abused by the man who paid for her hand in marriage: Rogozhin.  Although extensive and dull, Dostoyevsky basically explains that Rogozhin beats Nastasya and forces her to go to social events called "orgies" (I'm not actually aware if they really are orgies in the sense of group sex or just massive parties but that's the word that is used to describe what happens.  This is also a non direct translation of the original book in Russian, so orgy could be an inappropriate word to fit the real meaning.  Either way, Nastasya's life sucks.)  She runs away on three separate occasions, but is caught each time.  Clearly not getting the hint, Rogozhin spends the time lapse abusing Nastasya, then finding her after she's run off and returning her home.  True love.
One of the only literary devices used is the personification of Rogozhin's house.  Given this type of Russian literature is very literal and descriptive, this analysis is don't difficult or complex by any means.  At some point in Myshkins travels between Moscow and St. Petersburg he visits Rogozhin's home.  This is also during one of the periods where Nastasya has somehow fled.  Dostoyevsky's description of Rogozhin's living environment is dark, grey, and cold.  As Myshkin approaches the house, he can feel the misery and suffering within.  I don't think it's too much of a leap to assume these details were added to reference Rogozhin and Nastasya's relationship, or even Rogozhin's personality himself.  Keep in mind during all these months with Nastasya, Rogozhin is heavily drinking and lacking of a job.  His home is a wreck.  Myshkin confesses to Rogozhin that is Nastasya ever fled to the Prince he would take her in and ask her to marry him.  In a rather confusing twist, Rogozhin confesses that Nastasya does want to be with the prince, but feels she should be punished for her actions by marrying Rogozhin.  She also said the prince was too good for her.  This clearly contrasts to the girl that was introduced in the beginning of the novel, one who ego preceded her in most house holds.  Her change comes with the introduction of Myshkin to the society.  His presence continued to evoke the true nature of the people he surrounds.  Perhaps Dostoyevsky's real message is the with kindness comes the true nature of people, but often the true nature of people is malevolent and evil.  A classic love story!  Would recommend for up and coming readers.
Everyone say something nice to Kenny; he is very behind on his reading.  (Mrs. Laclair is too but I won't mention that.)
Love Owen

Emotionally Abusing the Maids Because I Can

The second section of reading mainly revolved around Nastasya's dinner party; a high class gathering of the elite in St. Petersburg.  Through invitation or just showing up, all the main characters that have been mentioned, including Prince Myshkin himself, attend.  Although mostly dialogue about wars and money, this scene was actually very telling of personalities.  I would even dare say this is the most character development that's taken place in the story so far.
Nastasya herself is a wreck for her own dinner party.  Skittish and flustered, she is described as appearing ill.  When all the party guests sit down at the table, she appears feverish.  As time progresses, she only gets worse.  I don't completely understand this detail being stressed, but obviously I think it pertains to Nastasya being uncomfortable.  So many important people in her life coming together to decide whether she will marry someone she doesn't love would be stressful.  She just seems out of character compared to her earlier, rather rude and egotistical self.
A party game is suggested, one that I personally love and can't wait to propose myself, in which each person must go around the table and state the worst act they have ever committed.  Obviously being met with some opposition, Nastasya quickly informs the party goers that participation is mandatory.  I think this shows her interest in the genuine morals of the people she surrounds herself with.  She genuinely wants drama to happen (this is also why many guests describe her as feverish).
Each story told seems to give slight inside into character.  Ferdyshtchenko (say that 10 times) opens with his story of stealing 3 rubles a few years pervious (I don't know how much that is so don't ask).  Although seemingly harmless and definitely not the worse thing he's ever done, he did later inquire that he blamed it on a maid who was then punished severely and fired.  This is met with laugher, given that all these people are insanely wealthy and couldn't care less.  The next story comes from Ganya, and I think it is entirely false.  He wants to impress his future wife Nastasya so that she will fall in love with him the same way that he has fallen in love with her money.  He tells the story of being an imperial Russian soldier and occupying a small town in Siberia.  He claims his worst act ever committed was yelling at an old woman (who later died) for taking a pot from him.  Given Ganya's military history, extreme temper, and strict preference for wealth over any human being, I think the story actually shows a lot about his character in the sense that he fabricated the whole thing.  The final story is long and boring and comes from Nastasya's previous/forced lover Totsky.  I didn't completely follow it, but in essence it was a complex version of the real life occurrence of what happened between him and Nastayasa.  He claims that he helped a young man ruin another couples relationship, which is just a glorified way of saying he helped Ganya take her away from him.  I didn't really care about his story because obviously it was fake and really just a waste of 6 pages.
In the end Nastasya sort of goes crazy (as we all do) and says she's not marrying Ganya because he only wants her for her money.  She also denies Prince Myshkin's sudden proposal of marriage (this is still all happening at the party table in front of guests) which I think was more vanity related.  Nastaya is a lot more intelligent than I expected.  To make the men that lust after her suffer, she openly states that she is too worthless to be with any of them, and agrees to accept a bunch of money (I don't know how much; it was in Russian currency) from the (rich) town drunk, essentially performing an act of high prostitution.  In a sassy, movie manner, she then throws the money into the fire pit and tells Ganya he can fetch it.  Probably my favorite part in the book so far is that Ganya does go to the fire place and get the money out, not before letting some of it burn to protect his vanity.
This book finally got a little interesting, but I'm still not even halfway through it.  In my defense, Kenny and Mrs. L are also behind.
Comment your favorite way to ruin a high-class Russian dinner party and if you would fish a wad of money out of a burning fire.
Love Owen

Rich, Old, Bitter, Russian People Drinking and Complaining

Dostoyevsky's The Idiot opened with the electrifying tale of a noble prince's return home to lush and vibrant St. Petersburg.  In the short portion I've already read of the novel the Prince crosses paths with kings, magicians, and priests, each with their own interesting and vivacious personality.  I can't wait for Prince Lev to find the golden treasure!

Actually the novel is very bland and uneventful.  Almost all scenes that have taken place are in formal, serious dialogue between old, rich, Russian men.  The main character Lev is returning home, but "home" as in Russia in general, considering he doesn't have anywhere to actually go.  Those he has met are other rich Russian families characterized mostly by alcoholism, bribery, and subtle acts of domestic abuse; also the fact that each character has three different names each consisting of about 12 letters and a slew of nicknames casually used depending on the audience. The setting is bland and cold.  Each house is described either as large and hollow or small and uncomfortably compacted.

All of the native Russians seemed to be perplexed by the fact that the prince is highly intelligent, thus further indicating the lack of independent thought coming from these noble families.  One specific family, the Epancins, has a set tradition of what each of the daughters do.  Every single day in the common room, one daughter paints, the other plays the piano, and the last one, Aglaya, “just sits there and does nothing.”  Households are flowcharts of power, with the eldest military man being at the top.  Most all of the elderly men relate to each other through an addiction to alcohol and killing Ottomans near the Turkish border at some point. One old man told the story of how he threw a dog out of the window of a train, to which the room responded with a hearty laugh and moved on.  Each daughter patiently waits for the day she can be sold to the man who brings the greatest dowry.  Each wife patiently waits to die.  The life of 19th century Russian aristocrats seems exhilarating.

The only real literary significance I can draw from the reading so far is the fact that the prince is not similar to other characters.  He has the ability to draw the truth out of people, and because of it is usually hated by those who don’t have the same ability.  His title, the Idiot, comes from people usually mistaking him for someone mentally handicapped.  Many characters grow angry with his questions and inquires because they poke the truth at sensitive subjects.  I think of the prince as a mirror, being passive enough to only reflect back the bad things that people give to him.  So far, the prince is the only one is the story not to be depicted as gloomy and hateful.

P.S. Google Slavic patronymic names and figure out yours.  Russians use them a lot I guess.  I personally think it's just to make everything harder.
Love Owen Robertovich Geary