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
In my defense, reading the book isn't my homework, nor did I, or would I, have chosen this book.
ReplyDeleteAnyway...the discussion of the dinner party does make me want to keep reading, and I agree with your perception of Nastasya as egotistical and very bold in her actions, which seem very atypical for a woman of this era.
This is one of the things that surprises me about the novel, that some of the elements are far more bold in their discussion than I would have expected of the time period.
I'll try to catch up now.
Owen! Hello!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear I'm the only one who is a little behind on his reading :o) This is tough stuff! But ultimately rewarding I'm sure.
Anyway, regarding your poetic post, I agree completely that the party scene is the only spark of life (hence the title of my own post!) that we have seen so far. It gives the most character insight and development in the novel, while the development is not necessarily positive. I was surprised by Natasya's actions, and she seems much more independent and less stuck-up and relying on other people as I would have expected.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who got some enjoyment out of reading about Ganya's misfortunes. I've got to tell you after the way he treated Myshkin I think he deserved it!
I'm excited to see where these characters go from this point, hopefully becoming a little more likable. And of course we are in this journey together and I will keep checking this blog by the day, no, by the hour(!), hoping for future updates.
Thank you and get readin' lazy bones!
-Kenny Andrew
KL, I think the boldness of some characters comes directly from a lack of responsibility. Throughout the novel neither Myshkin nor Nastassya really have a job, or anyone else to support. Each other character has a family, or a position, or at least the goal to be married one day. Myshkin being a possible-mentally handicapped "traveler" inhibits him from holding down responsibilities, ergo he can speak as freely as he wants. Nastassya is rich, and doesn't need anything (beside love I guess?) to keep herself afloat. Her ultimate demise is of her own choosing, as she is the only one responsible for her life.
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