The first scene in, "Fathers and Sons," starts with the character Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov waiting in a carriage for his son to return from what is the equivalent of college. Throughout the first few chapters, Nikolai comes off as very naive. He is a liberal landowner, allowing his serf's to pay him a fixed sum of money each year (which turns out to be more convenient for them) and divides his property so that the serfs can farm on some of his plots to provide their own food and money. He even plans to clear away part of his forest to make even more room for them to farm.

Sounds like a pretty reasonable guy.

But it is apparent that the serfs are no longer content with their current situation. Though Nikolai initially seems like a generous landowner, the peasants homes are described as dark hovels with thatched roofs, gaping doorways, and slanting barns.  The serfs seem pretty agitated and have not yet paid Nikolai their due rent.The peasants even call his estate Lackland Farm.  Despite all of this apparent rising disonance within his serf population, Nikolai brushes it off and still plans to clear away his forest for their use.

What is interesting about Nikolai is that he is considered a Liberal Landowner, yet he refuses to keep freed serf's as house servants, for whatever reason (Serfdom kind of reminds me of American slavery and how southern whites associated to freed slaves), and he seems particularly interested in people's social status when meeting them.  In Russia at the time, people held several different names: their first name given by their parents, a pet name for at-home use, and  a Patronymic. A patronymic was a formal way of addressing people. It was formed by adding the suffix to one's father's name. People referred to each other by their patronymic rather than using Mr. or Mrs. as the English did, and one's social status could be determined by it.
When meeting Arkady's friend, Bazarov, for the first time, Nikolai is not bashful about asking for Bazarov's patronymic, a rather arrogant and snooty question if you ask me. Nikolai was clearly trying to figure out which side of the tracks Bazarov was coming from, and his blatancy made it quite uncomfortable for all those present.

 Arkady returns home very conflicted. He also has a childish excitement like his dad, but he has been instilled with modern views from his education which makes him more aware of the poverty on his Father's estate.
When Nikolai picks Arkady and Bazarov up in the carriage and they drive home, Arkady revels on being home and being in the countryside. Nikolai claims that it is because Arkady grew up in the country, but Arkady disagrees:

"Come, Dad, it makes no difference where a man is born"
"Still-"
"No, it makes absolutely no difference" (pg 7).

Even though they are referring to the countryside, there is a political undertone in how Arkady is trying to convince his father of modern views on birth right.

 Arkady has also taken on Bazarov as a friend, a very educated and modernistic peer.  Bazarov is studying natural sciences and though he is from a lower class than Nikolai and Arkady (only coming from a Surgeon family (gasp!)), he exagerated his lower origin by giving Nikolai the short, popular form of his patronymic rather than his more formal one. By doing this, and how he playfully relates to the servants, it is apparent that Bazarov thinks very little of the aristocracy. Bazarov is actually somewhat rude and does not act like a proper guest when in the presence of the elder Kirsanovs. He is sarcastic when speaking with them, "Only give order for my little box to be taken there."

I smirked when I read that.
 He is playing up the fact that he is less well-to-do than the Kirsanovs and finds the whole aristocracy a joke. This attitude can be attributed to his open Nihilist views. "A Nihilist is a man who does not bow down before any authority, who does not take any principle on faith, whatever reverence that principle may be enshrined in" (pg 17). 
Nikolai and Bazarov quickly become subtle enemies. Nikolai picks up on Bazarov's attitude and is annoyed by it, "He was beginning to feel a secret irritation. His aristocratic nature was revolted by Bazarov's absolute nonchalance. This surgeon's son was not only unintimidated, he even gave abrupt and indifferent answers, and in the tone of his voice there was something coarse, almost insolent" (pg 19).

You can see why Arkady is now put in an awkward position. His father and friend do not like each other whatsoever and do not put much effort into covering their feelings up. There is a distinct clash between Nikolai's classic views and Bazarov's modern, Nihilistic opinions. Arkady will no doubt have to make the choice between supporting his Father or supporting the modern views of reform.

Arkady tries to convert both his Father and Bazarov to having more kindred feelings toward each other. To Bazarov, Arkady describes the history of his Uncle Pavel, who lives with Nikolai on his estate. Arkady tries to show Bazarov that life even for the aristocrats isn't always easy and that his Uncle Pavel had endured much strife in his life. When Pavel had been young, he had fallen in love with a young Princess, Princess R-. This Princess could be considered a little crazy. She would throw herself at men, and then spend the whole next day crying and praying over the bible, and then later at night, throw herself at men again. Still, Pavel fell for her and gave up his high position in the military to pursue her while she traveled Europe. The Princess R- dismissed him and Pavel was heart broken and embarrassed. He took himself out of society and lived with Nikolai in the country, never to love again.


All that information and I'm only on Chapter 8.
More Soon!