The Strange Points of View of Dostoevskys The Brothers Karamazov :: Brothers Karamazov Essays

The Strange Points of View of Brothers Karamazov   The novel, The Brothers Karamazov written by Fyodor Dostoevsky was first create in 1880. This book is unique because it is effectivly written in a combination of third psyche omniscient and first mortal point of view. The author seems to be a character in the book but also seems to know all. Parts of The Brothers Karamazov is in the third person omniscient point of view. Third person omniscient is when the author is all knowing. This is shown when the author is able to read the thoughts of all of the main characters. A good example of this is when Mitya, one of the main characters, is observing twain Polish men that he just met. Mityas thoughts are displayed when he decides that it was the little pipe-smoking Pole who was in charge (pg. 507). This shows what is going through Mityas straits when he meets the Poles and is a good example of the third person omniscient point of view. The author also knows what is going on in other towns spot he seems to always be at the monastery in the main town in the book. This is shown when Mitya goes to the village of Sukhoi in order to see a man virtually a business deal. Mitya gets a priest to go with him and the priest suggested they go on foot, for, he assured Mitya, it was only a miles walk... (pg. 452). This is information that could only be known to someone who was at Sukhoi at that time while the character of the author was still at the monastery that is in another town. This also shows third person point of view. The author seems to also know what is going on in the privacy of peoples homes. This is shown on page 483 when Mitya is at his friend Perkhotins house and they are the only two people there and yet the author is able to describe exactly what is going on. He explains how the washing trading operations began when he had no way of actually knowing. This adds to the third person point of view. The third person omniscient point of view aspect of the book makes it so that the story keeps going even though the author is not there. The thoughts and the actions of the characters are always known so that the story is to a greater extent complete and therefore more effective.