MIDTERM ESSAYS C
#1
Fyodor Dostoevsky?s masterpiece, Brothers Karamazov, is filled with many unforgettable characters, including Zosima, the elder of the monastery. Zosima provides a stark contrast to the established attributes of the Karamazov name: doubt, violence, and debauchery. Zosima is a member of the line of traditional truth and he acts as the intermediate figure between his brother, Markel, and his student and admirer, Alyosha. The truths that he learns from his brother, that he stresses throughout the novel, and that he ultimately passes on to Alyosha are that life is paradise and that the guilt of humanity is universal: ?All are responsible to all for all.? These two pieces of the elder?s teaching are interrelated in two manners: the intimate connectedness offered by embracing suffering and the person of Jesus Christ.
Zosima?s first point is that this life is paradise, for he sees the beauty in everything which testifies that it is all is a gift from God. After each of the six days of creation, God saw that His creation was good. Zosima notes, ?Nature is beautiful and sinless, and we, only we, are sinful and foolish.? Everything surrounding us is a pristine gift from God, a perfection in which God reveals Himself to us. While some blind themselves by focusing upon suffering, Zosima points out the perfection of the creation in which we reside. It is only man, by refusing to see God in creation and turning his back, who is sinful and imperfect. Zosima, like his brother before him, sees it as each man?s duty to reveal this truth to his fellow brothers that compose mankind. Every man is sinful and at one point has blinded himself to God by sin, but men like Zosima have transcended that blindness by being shown the Light that is Truth by his brother. The elder says that we are all brothers, and therefore we are all responsible to embrace our brothers in order that we can enjoy the world that is paradise together. Zosima teaches, ?We don`t understand that life is heaven, for we have only to understand that and it will at once be fulfilled in all its beauty, we shall embrace each other and weep.? Thus we are all responsible for each other in a chain of un-blinding everyone to the goodness of creation.
This perplexing notion of universal responsibility can be further understood by examining the results of sin. Every sin has an impact outside of oneself and to think otherwise is ignorance and pride. Our disordered actions against God further project a veil of disorder upon the world, which leads other men, such as Ivan, to see the world as horrific place of injustice. Ivan?s family, much to the credit of his father, is filled with this projected disorder and consequently he sees suffering in the world in the same category: a disorder. This diseased view of the world spreads to others, as Dostoevsky makes evident by Smerdyakov?s murder of Fyodor. Each man?s sinfulness contributes to the fallacy that God?s creation is corrupt, when in all truth creation is goodness and life itself is paradise. Therefore, Zosima argues, we are all guilty for the ignorance of others that leads them away from God. But Zosima goes further than saying we are guilty for each other. He teaches that we are responsible for each other and that by embracing our suffering brothers and all of God?s creation we may come to realize paradise.
The person of Jesus Christ enacts this truth wonderfully. Universal responsibility and paradise are linked by Christ, who is God. In Matthew?s Gospel, Jesus tells mankind ?Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.? God is present in all of creation, especially his brothers created in the Image of God, and if one embraces creation he embraces Christ Himself. Heaven is the state in which one is present before God, and if one can truly expand himself to embrace and know all of creation and thereby embrace and know its Creator, he is undoubtedly in this very state. It is this action of embracing that the notion of universal responsibility comes into play. Christ died for the sake of all sin, and by dying took the responsibility for the sin of every man. He embraced it on the cross, imitated by Zosima?s stretching out his arms upon his own death. Such an embrace of all mankind caused Christ to suffer greatly, but it was by this painful embrace that all were granted the prospect to know Truth. Christians are called to imitate Christ, as was discussed in class, and just as Christ embraced the sin of all men so should we as Christians also do so. This imitation is described by the Apostle Paul who says that we must die with Christ in order to rise with Him. Zosima?s brother embraced creation in all its suffering and opened the eyes of Zosima, and consequently Zosima did the same for Alyosha. Just as Alyosha kisses the soil and embraces creation, so are we called to embrace responsibility if we are to know the paradise that surrounds us.
#2
Zosima finds peace in the world through his ability to love and to see the beauty of God?s creation. He sees evil and discord, but with his Christ-like vision, life remains a paradise for him. His faith lifts him above the pain so that he is able to, as Alyosha says, ?love life more than the meaning of life? and thus it is paradisiacal. One belief that allows him to maintain this vision is the argument that we are all guilty for each other. Each man?s individual sin is a sin of humanity as well. This argument, however, is difficult to swallow.
Sins are commonly perceived as individual offenses. People see Fyodor Karamazov?s debauchery as indicative of his sinful nature. His numerous sins will serve to bring harsh judgment upon him as an individual. Another character, Ilyusha Snegirev, believes that he becomes ill as a result of his sin of playing the pin trick on the dog, Juchka. Dostoevsky, however, makes clear the falsehood of these conceptions. Rather, all of humanity bears the burden of each individual?s sin.
Initially this seems unjust. Why should the ?good? members of mankind suffer for the sins of those who choose to turn from God? It remains somewhat incongruous that Alyosha should fear judgment because his father was a sinful man. Further, Ivan would argue that children who have not matured enough to obtain the knowledge of good and evil should not be held accountable for others? sins.
However, if one considers the positive implications of humanity?s singular guilt, one can understand why Zosima?s maintains that life is paradise. If all bear the blame for every sin, then man has no right to judge one another. [good!] In the Bible, Jesus saves Mary Magdalene from stoning. He disarms all those who judged her by asking, are we not all sinners? Who then shall throw the first stone? The point of this story and Zosima?s argument is that divine justice supersedes human justice. No man can objectively judge another as God, the ultimate, objective judge can. Even those who live holier lives have the stain of original sin. Christians believe that the sin of one man, Adam, condemned humanity, and the sacrifice of one man, Jesus Christ, saved mankind. Thus all men are equal in God?s court. He created humanity as one, in his image, and He judges man accordingly, as one. [very good!]
The Karamazov family as a microcosm of humanity exemplifies this singular guilt and judgment. Throughout the novel, Dostoevsky mentions the Karamazov conscience, the Karamazov nature and in the end, the Karamazov redemption. Just as the six billion people in the world differ greatly and lead unique lives, each of the Karamazov men display distinctive characteristics and pursue varying lifestyles. However, although Alyosha lives a holy life, Fyodor a despicable life, Dimitry a life similar to Fyodor?s until a moment of conversion and Ivan a troubled life that drives him mad, these men all suffer together and are all redeemed together. As much as Fyodor may blemish the name, Alyosha?s love works to redeem it. Thus as one man?s behavior reflects the character of his whole family, each human?s actions form the character of all mankind.
The beauty of humanity?s common guilt is that each human becomes equal under the rule of God. Reliance on divine justice removes the pressure from human judgment, which will always be flawed and inadequate. Humanity then suffers together and rejoices together. United in sin, humanity must gather in prayer and the spirit of love to overcome sin. This common goal overshadows differences between people if all acknowledge their equality before God. Zosima sees common sin as an impetus to love unconditionally and work together to find the peace that God offers. Humanity united in guilt and inspired to love to overcome sin constitutes Zosima?s paradise.
#3
Zosima finds peace in the world through his ability to love and to see the beauty of God?s creation. He sees evil and discord, but with his Christ-like vision, life remains a paradise for him. His faith lifts him above the pain so that he is able to, as Alyosha says, ?love life more than the meaning of life? and thus it is paradisiacal. One belief that allows him to maintain this vision is the argument that we are all guilty for each other. Each man?s individual sin is a sin of humanity as well. This argument, however, is difficult to swallow.
Sins are commonly perceived as individual offences. People see Fyodor Karamazov?s debauchery as indicative of his sinful nature. His numerous sins will serve to bring harsh judgment upon him as an individual. Another character, Ilyusha Snegirev, believes that he becomes ill as a result of his sin of playing the pin trick on the dog, Juchka. Dostoevsky, however, makes clear the falsehood of these conceptions. Rather, all of humanity bears the burden of each individual?s sin.
Initially this seems unjust. Why should the ?good? members of mankind suffer for the sins of those who choose to turn from God? It remains somewhat incongruous that Alyosha should fear judgment because his father was a sinful man. Further, Ivan would argue that children who have not matured enough to obtain the knowledge of good and evil should not be held accountable for others? sins.
However, if one considers the positive implications of humanity?s singular guilt, one can understand why Zosima?s maintains that life is paradise. If all bear the blame for every sin, then man has no right to judge one another. In the Bible, Jesus saves Mary Magdalene from stoning. He disarms all those who judged her by asking, are we not all sinners? Who then shall throw the first stone? The point of this story and Zosima?s argument is that divine justice supersedes human justice. No man can objectively judge another as God, the ultimate, objective judge can. Even those who live holier lives have the stain of original sin. Christians believe that the sin of one man, Adam, condemned humanity, and the sacrifice of one man, Jesus Christ, saved mankind. Thus all men are equal in God?s court. He created humanity as one, in his image, and He judges man accordingly, as one.
The Karamazov family as a microcosm of humanity exemplifies this singular guilt and judgment. Throughout the novel, Dostoevsky mentions the Karamazov conscience, the Karamazov nature and in the end, the Karamazov redemption. Just as the six billion people in the world differ greatly and lead unique lives, each of the Karamazov men display distinctive characteristics and pursue varying lifestyles. However, although Alyosha lives a holy life, Fyodor a despicable life, Dimitry a life similar to Fyodor?s until a moment of conversion and Ivan a troubled life that drives him mad, these men all suffer together and are all redeemed together. As much as Fyodor may blemish the name, Alyosha?s love works to redeem it. Thus as one man?s behavior reflects the character of his whole family, each human?s actions form the character of all mankind.
The beauty of humanity?s common guilt is that each human becomes equal under the rule of God. Reliance on divine justice removes the pressure from human judgment, which will always be flawed and inadequate. Humanity then suffers together and rejoices together. United in sin, humanity must gather in prayer and the spirit of love to overcome sin. This common goal overshadows differences between people if all acknowledge their equality before God. Zosima sees common sin as an impetus to love unconditionally and work together to find the peace that God offers. Humanity united in guilt and inspired to love to overcome sin constitutes Zosima?s paradise.
