Dostoevsky The Grand Inquisitor Summary
My favorite book from this semester has to be the Grand Inquisitor by Fyoder Dostoevsky. First off, what compelled me to pick this book was the originality of the content by having the Grand Inquisitor appear to conversate with Jesus Christ. However, more specifcally, I appreciated the main themes like the ideas that the masses are innately naïve, a majority of people would rather be told what to do rather than to follow their own logic, and people are satisfied as long as they are comfortable. The idea of the masses seeking refuge and protection over their freedom due to being unintelligent is mentioned frequently in the Grand Inquisitor. Especially, when the grand inquisitor gives a story explaining how, if the authority figures give the people bread, they will beg to be their slaves. Specifically, “In the end they will lay their freedom at our feet, and say to us, ‘Make us your slaves, but feed us.’ They will understand themselves, at last, that freedom and bread enough for all are inconceivable together, for never, never will they be able to share between them! They will be convinced, too, that they can never be free, for they are weak, vicious, worthless, and rebellious”(Dostoevsky, 520). This has the essential idea that people would rather have no freedom and live comfortably than have freedom …show more content…
So, instead of being unsure of which path to take and feeling that burden, the Grand inquisitor will tell you which decision you should make to resolve that issue in your life (Bronner). He does this because, he believes that “they could not have been left in greater confusion and suffering than Thou hast caused, laying upon them so many cares and unanswerable problems” (Dostoevsky, 524). This could be related to current times in which people constantly look to religious leaders to make life altering decisions for them for such things like abortion, and assisted suicide
Dostoevsky's The Grand Inquisitor
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