Russian Fools for Christ
XIX century Russian literature:
Tolstoi`s Grisha
What are the peculiarities of Grisha`s appearance?
What can you say about his discourse?
How is he treated/perceived by people around him?
What questions are raised by his visit and behavior?
What do we know about his background?
What do we know about the family he is visiting?
Who can understand what Grisha is saying? And who cannot? How can we interpret this fact taking into consideration what we know about holy foolish paradigm?
How does Grisha behave when he is alone?
Dostoevsky`s Semyon Yakovlevich
How is Semyon Yakovlevich different from other holy fools we read about?
Comment on his background and lifestyle.
How is he in line with the paradigm of holy foolishness?
Discuss his discourse.
Discuss people he deals with. What are his reactions to them?
What do you think about his `sugar prophesy`?
Why do you think the first part of the chapter dwells on the suicide case?
Dostoevsky`s Stinking Lizaveta
What is saintly about Stinking Lizaveta?
Why do you think she was seen by the community as a fool for Christ?
What is Dostoevsky`s opinion of Lizaveta? Do you think he regards her an ascetic or a truly insane individual? Why do you think so? Does it matter in this context?
How would you interpret the governor`s opinion that Lizaveta was `an offence to public decency`?
Why do you think this short story was introduced in the novel "Brothers Karamazov"?
Turgenev`s "Strange story"
What role does foolishness in Christ play in the "Strange story"?
Why do you think the story has such a title?
What do you think is the purpose of the narrator in telling this story?
What can you say about the characters in this story? Who is the main character?
Is this story believable?
What is the main conflict in this story?
