Sunday, January 27, 2013

At Bazarov's Home:
Bazarov's parents could be described as land owners, a little dis-shevled, but love Bazarov a lot. His father's name is Vassilly Ivanovich and his Mother's, Arisha. Vassily actually served in Arkady's Grandpa's military brigade as an army doctor.
Nothing of much importance happens at Bazarovs home, but there is an apparent wall that Bazarov puts up between himself and his parents. Arkady notices the desperation that his parents exhibit in trying to relate to their son. Though they are much like Arkady's parents in that they are traditional and "old fashioned," they make an effort to understand and respect Bazarov's Nihilist views. Vassily goes to great pains to make his son comfortable and to impress him.
"Vassily Ivanovich did not even mention that every morning almost at dawn he took counsel with Timofeich (a servant), standing with his bare feet in his slippers, and pulling out one dog's-eared ruble note after another, with trembling fingers, charged him with various purchases, with special reference to good things to eat, and to red wine, which as far aws he could observe, the young men like very much." (page 110).
 Bazarov himself knows what he is doing to his parents, but he is depressed and isolated. "I was goint to say that they now - my parents, I mean - are absorbed and don't trouble themselves about their own insignificance, its stench doesn't sicken them... while I... I feel nothing by weariness and malice." (page 102). Turgenev describes Bazarov's loneliness as being attributed to his pondering youth,
"He was feeling, too, that causeless melancholy which is only known to very young people," (page 111).
Bazarov announces that he is leaving and returning to Arkady's home due to the fact that he left some of his belongings there. His parents are absolutely heart broken.

Bazarov's indifference, his nonchalance, and not-caring attitude toward his parents is extremely upsetting to me. Sure, he feels like his parents don't understand him. I'm sure he uses the excuse that they are "from two different generations, two different worlds," but I don't understand why there is no sense of respect for the older generation, no sense of appreciation for raising him, giving him all that they could. Bazarov's Nihilism, his consciously strict practice of it, is getting in the way of his relationships with the people that matter most. 

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