Alyosha and Koyla
ALYOSHA
Here you are at last! How anxious we’ve been to see you!
KOYA
Karamazov, you’ve taken up with all these nestlings. I see you want to influence the younger generation – to be of use to them. This trait in your character has attracted me more than anything. You are a rare person. I’ve heard that you are a mystic and have been in the monastery, but that hasn’t put me off. Contact with real life will cure you. It’s always so with characters like yours.
Alyosha and Koyla
What do you mean by mystic? Cure me of what?
KOLYA
Oh, God and all the rest of it.
ALYOSHA
What, don’t you believe in God?
KOLYA
Oh, I’ve nothing against God. Of course, God is only a hypothesis, but I admit that He is needed… for the order of the universe and all that… and that if there were no God He would have to be invented. But I must confess I can’t endure entering on such discussions. It’s possible for one who doesn’t believe in God to love mankind, don’t you think? Voltaire didn’t believe in God and loved mankind.
ALYOSHA
Voltaire believed in God, though not very much, I think, and I don’t think he loved mankind very much either. Have you read Voltaire?
KOLYA
I’ve read Candide in the Russian translation.
ALYOSHA
And did you understand it?
KOLYA
Oh, yes, everything…That is…Why do you suppose I shouldn’t understand it? There’s a lot of nastiness in it, of course. And I understand that it’s a philosophical novel written to advocate an idea… I am a Socialist, Karamazov; I am an incurable Socialist!
ALYOSHA
(laughing)
A Socialist? But how have you had you time to become one? I thought you were only thirteen?
KOLYA
(wincing)
In the first place, I’m fourteen in a fortnight, and in the second place, what does my age have to do with it? Isn’t the question my convictions, not my age?
ALYOSHA
When you are older, you’ll understand for yourself the influence of age on convictions…
KOLYA
(interrupting)
Come, you must admit that the Christian religion, for instance, has only been of use to the rich and the powerful to keep the lower classes in slavery. That’s so, isn’t it?
ALYOSHA
Ah, I know where you read that!
KOLYA
What makes you think I read it? I can think for myself. And I’m not opposed to Christ. He was a most humane person. If He were alive today, He’d be found in the ranks of the revolutionists and might play a conspicuous part. There’s no doubt about that.
ALYOSHA
Oh, where, where did you get that? What fool have you made friends with?
KOYLA
The truth will out! I have often talked to Mr. Rakitin …
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KOYLA
Oh, Karamazov, I am profoundly unhappy. I sometimes fancy that everyone is laughing at me, the whole world, and then I feel ready to overturn the whole order of things.
ALYOSHA
And you worry everyone about you.
KOYLA
Yes, I worry everyone, especially my mother. But tell me, am I very ridiculous now?
ALYOSHA
Don’t think about that at all! Isn’t everyone constantly being or seeming ridiculous? Besides, nearly all clever people now are afraid of being ridiculous, and that makes them unhappy. I’m just surprised that you should be feeling it so early. Nowadays, the very children have begun to suffer from it. It’s almost a sort of insanity. The devil has taken the form of that vanity and entered into the whole generation. You are like everyone else, like very many others. Only you mustn’t be like everybody else.
KOYLA
Even if everyone is like that?
ALYOSHA
Yes, even if everyone is like that. You’ll be the only one not like it. You really are not like everyone else. Don’t be like everyone else, even if you are the only one.
KOYLA
Splendid! You know how to console one. Oh, how I’ve longed to know you, Karamazov! I’ve been so eager for this meeting. Can you have thought about me, too?
ALYOSHA
Yes, I’d heard of you and thought of you, too. And if it’s partly vanity that makes you ask, it doesn’t matter.
KOYLA
Do you know, Karamazov, our talk has been like a declaration of love. That’s not ridiculous, is it?
ALYOSHA
Not at all ridiculous, and if it were, it wouldn’t matter, because it’s been a good thing. But you know, Koyla, you will be very unhappy in your life.
KOYLA
I know, I know. How you know it all before hand!
ALYOSHA
But you will bless life on the whole, all the same.
KOYLA
Hurrah! You are a prophet. Oh, we shall get on together, Karamazov! What delights me most is that you treat me quite like an equal. We aren’t equals, you are better! But we shall get on. All this last month, I’ve been saying to myself, ‘Either we shall be friends at once, forever, or we shall part enemies to the grave!’
ALYOSHA
(laughing)
And saying that, of course, you loved me.
KOYLA
I did. I’ve been loving and dreaming of you. And how do you know it all beforehand? But, ah, here’s the doctor. Goodness! What will he tell us? Look at his face!
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How has Alyosha changed since he left the monastery?
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What themes does Book 9 share with the rest of the novel?
Considering Karamazov 
Alyosha’s influence on Koyla, Ilyusha, and the other boys reflects the idea that faith and virtue can be taught and passed down from generation to generation. He is trying to pass down the lessons he has learned from Zosima on to these boys. This passage also shows how receptive children are to moral ideas and teachings. Koyla is influenced by Rakitin and while he may not quite understand what he says he believes, he adopts the ideas of Rakitin because they are probably the first ideas he has heard. He doesn’t seem to have his own opinion about moral and religious ideals; he just adopts the ideas of Rakitin. At first Alyosha just laughs at him, but then when he finds out that the ideas are derived from Rakitin, he gets more serious. Alyosha questions what kind of people Koyla has been speaking to. He is slightly concerned that such a young boy is adopting such radical ideas.
This is where Alyosha’s role as a teacher comes in. His influence on the young boys is a positive one and he hopes to help improve the faith of younger generations. Also because Alyosha speaks to the boys as equals, they have more respect for him so they will actually listen to him and hold a conversation with him which in turn exposes them more to Alyosha’s ideals and morals.
Since we see Alyosha and Rakitin are so different, we might wonder about Koyla’s finding both so admirable.
It seems like Alyosha has become more lighthearted ever since leaving the monastery. Even though he is careful and sure to teach the boys and to be a good example, he doesn’t let the pressure of being a role model get to him. He laughs with affection and warmth.
I love the quote, “our talk has been like a declaration of love. That’s not ridiculous, is it?”
Sometimes, people can just have great connections to each other that are simply inexplicable. Yes, it is usually talked about regarding romantic relationships, but I feel like this quote is focused more on friendship. Sometimes, the love for a friend will be stronger than any love within a romance. The feeling of being understood without saying word is an amazing feeling, and I think that’s what Koyla felt with Alyosha. There is deeper understanding to the conversation that they take to the heart. They may disagree, but they see each other as equals, and there comes a mutual respect with that.
And it seems like what you describe was very much desired by Koyla.
I don’ t think that this conversation shows that there has been much of a change in Alyosha. When he was first described, he was depicted as someone whom others looked up to, yet who never made others feel below him. This is seen when he says that Grushenka is his sister. Though morally she is not, he still recognizes that she is human and therefore they are equal. He never talks down to the boys, even though he is older and in the position to do so. This is a very admirable quality.
The one change that I did notice was that he has left his role as a student and taken on the role of the teacher. Where he once listened to Zossima and soaked up what he was told, he is not able to relate is knowledge to others and relay it in ways that don’t make others feel like he is scolding them.
You might want to think about whether, for Alyosha, there is any significant difference between being “morally” and “humanly” equal (as a brother/sister).
Since Alyosha has left the monastery he has continued to set a good example for people. One such example of this is how he treats Kolya. He treats Kolya as a grown up rather than a child and is able to have an adult, mature conversation with him. Ratikin had set a bad example for Kolya and Alyosha wanted to do what he could to make things right. Since he left the monastery Alyosha has been a teacher for people. Zossima had told him to go out in the world and do good and that is exactly what Alyosha has done. Alyosha loves directly and functions in a positive way and he tries to get others to do the same.
Alyosha’s response to Ratikin shows that he is open to learning new things and his meeting with Alyosha may show him the difficulty in determining who it is best to learn from – pretty much the situation of ANY SERIOUS COLLEGE STUJDENT!
One of the main themes in the novel is the conflict between faith and doubt.The main conflict is wether or not to belive in God. Alyosha and Father Zosima believe that everyone is responsible for everyone’s actions and they practice love and forgiveness. Alyosha’s views are tested though when Father Zosima’s dead body decays. But he is than awakened through the dream of the wedding in Cana and loving Grushenka. Ivan does not believe in God because he relies on logic. Therefore, he also does not believe that anyone is responsible for their own actions because there is no one to answer to after their death.
I agree with what Jena has said. I didn’t really see a change in Aloysha either. He has always been the most kind, caring, and generous of the three brothers. He doesn’t judge others and sees even the most immoral of characters, like Grushenka, as his equal. I also thought it was a good difference to point out that he has gone from student to teacher. Zossima taught him all these qualities of respect and love and he has now gone out into the world to teach it to others.
I definitely agree with Christine; Alyosha has left the role of students to the kids he mentors now and has taken on the role of teacher that Father Zossima once held. That too is the only difference I’ve seen in Alyosha. We all know that he was the only Karamazov that was liked without asking and he has this kind of appeal because of his qualities. Alyosha was always last to judge and listens to others comments and is looking for a way to offer advice.