Dostoevsky's Provocateurs

Lynn Ellen Patyk's book "Dostoevsky's Provocateurs" explores the ways Fyodor Dostoevsky stokes conflict and engages readers, challenging Mikhail Bakhtins foundational analysis. It demonstrates that provocation is the moving mover of Dostoevsky's poetics of conflict, using literary devices to propel plot conflict and capture attention. The book also explores Dostoevsky's key themes, which probed and exploited the most divisive conflicts of his era, emphasizing moral responsibility and the truth of identity. Provocation is an inexhaustible and often toxic resource in an economy of attention.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 15 January 2023
Publisher: Northwestern University Press

Fyodor Dostoevsky's deliberate use of provocation was both foresighted and precocious, as it played a crucial role in his paradoxical art. In her book, Lynn Ellen Patyk highlights these forms of incitement as a communicative strategy that drives Dostoevsky's poetics of conflict. Challenging, revising, and expanding on Mikhail Bakhtin's foundational analysis in Problems of Dostoevskys Poetics, Patyk demonstrates that provocation is the driving force behind Dostoevsky's conflict-driven poetics. However, to fully understand Dostoevsky's provocative authorial activity, it is essential to consider his key themes, which probed and exploited the most divisive conflicts of his era. The ultimate stakes of such friction are moral responsibility and the truth of identity.

Sober and strikingly original, compassionate but not uncritical, Dostoevsky's Provocateurs exposes the charged current in the wiring of our modern selves. In an attention economy, provocation is an inexhaustible and often toxic resource.

Through a close reading of Dostoevsky's works, Patyk identifies various literary devices that the novelist employs to create conflict and engage readers. These devices include irony, symbolism, and narrative techniques such as plot twists and character development. By analyzing these devices, Patyk demonstrates how Dostoevsky uses provocation to challenge his readers' assumptions, provoke their emotions, and encourage them to reflect on the moral and ethical implications of their actions.

One of the key themes in Dostoevsky's work is the exploration of the human condition, particularly the struggle between good and evil. Patyk argues that provocation plays a vital role in this exploration, as it forces readers to confront the darker aspects of human nature and the choices that they make. By presenting characters who are morally ambiguous or who engage in unethical behavior, Dostoevsky challenges his readers to consider the consequences of their actions and the potential for redemption.

Another theme that Patyk explores is the power of storytelling and the role of the author in shaping the narrative. Dostoevsky's use of provocation is particularly effective in this regard, as it allows him to manipulate the narrative and challenge the reader's expectations. By presenting unexpected plot twists or character revelations, Dostoevsky keeps his readers engaged and invested in the story, forcing them to question their own beliefs and values.

Despite the challenges that Dostoevsky's provocation poses to his readers, Patyk argues that it is a valuable and necessary tool for engaging with the complexities of the human experience. By challenging our assumptions and emotions, provocation encourages us to think critically and reflect on the world around us. It also helps us to develop empathy and compassion for others, as we are forced to consider their perspectives and experiences.

In conclusion, Lynn Ellen Patyk's book, Dostoevsky's Provocateurs, is a valuable contribution to the study of Dostoevsky's work. Through a close analysis of his literary devices and key themes, Patyk demonstrates how provocation is the driving force behind Dostoevsky's poetics of conflict and how it plays a vital role in his exploration of the human condition. By challenging our assumptions and emotions, provocation encourages us to think critically and reflect on the world around us, helping us to develop empathy and compassion for others.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780810145733