A Nihilist Justifies His Creed -Ivan Turgenev (The Western World)

Essay by ReimcheHigh School, 10th grade February 2004

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The story starts out with a skirmish, situated at tea time. Pavel Petrovich appears in the sitting room ready to do battle. Pavel is a man of liberal views and is devoted to progress. Pavel liked people to know he and his brother Nikolai were Russians. Bazarov and Pavel begin to argue about logic, as well as liberalism and principles. Pavel believes that you live with principles and are immortal or silly to live without them. It is believed by Pavel that Bazarov is insulting the Russian people, so he becomes defensive. Pavel states that the Russians hold tradition sacred, and are patriarchal people who cannot live without faith. Bazarov becomes furious with Pavel and Nikolai for not agreeing with his views, and during discussion began to repeat Pavels words as if mocking or questioning him. Pavel began talking about the importance of civilization, and how precious fruits are to the Russians.

He accuses Bazarov of fancying himself, saying that his proper home is a Kalmuck tent. Pavel continues to state that the nation of millions of Russian people will trample Bazarov and his idea to remove their sacred beliefs. Suddenly Bazarov agrees with all that Pavel agrees with, as long as Pavel can show him a life that doesn't call for absolute and ruthless repudiation.