When Alyosha goes to Katerina to give her Dmitri’s message, Alyosha finds Grushenka at Katerina’s house as well. The interaction between the three of them reveals the nature of Grushenka in a new light. Not only is she beautiful, she is also deceptive and selfish. Grushenka doesn’t kiss back as a sign of her immorality. She does not want to show any honor or respect to Katerina.
Grushenka deceptively leads Katerina to believe the issue of Dmitri can be solved. Grushenka’s unwillingness to return Katerina’s kiss is the revelation of her deceit. Before Dmitri arrives Grushenka says she will tell Dmitri that she will not marry him and that he should return to Katerina while Grushenka will marry a long-lost love. However, when Katerina tells Alyosha this after he has arrived, Grushenka denies any sincerity in promising to help Katerina. Grushenka declares ”Now you see, worthy young lady, how wicked and willful I am next to you. Whatever I want, I will do” (151).
Grushenka’s unwillingness to return Katerina’s kiss reveals Grushenka’s motto to do whatever she wants to do, regardless of how anyone else will be affected. Grushenka does not return the honor, respect, and gratitude which Katerina shows Grushenka by kissing Grushenka’s hand three times. Grushenka is too proud and self consumed to humble herself into kissing Katerina back.
While Grushenka recognizes that Katerina has moral superiority over her, Grushenka is unwilling to show her the due respect. While Katerina kissed Grushenka three times, Grushenka does confess that Katerina deserves three hundred. However, because of her deceitful, prideful, and selfish nature, Grushenka does not return Katerina’s kisses. Grushenka is a scoundrel, lacking morals and any sense of dignity toward Katerina.
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Blog due 01-17-08
When Alyosha goes to Katerina to give her Dmitri’s message, Alyosha finds Grushenka at Katerina’s house as well. The interaction between the three of them reveals the nature of Grushenka in a new light. Not only is she beautiful, she is also deceptive and selfish. Grushenka doesn’t kiss back as a sign of her immorality. She does not want to show any honor or respect to Katerina.
Grushenka deceptively leads Katerina to believe the issue of Dmitri can be solved. Grushenka’s unwillingness to return Katerina’s kiss is the revelation of her deceit. Before Dmitri arrives Grushenka says she will tell Dmitri that she will not marry him and that he should return to Katerina while Grushenka will marry a long-lost love. However, when Katerina tells Alyosha this after he has arrived, Grushenka denies any sincerity in promising to help Katerina. Grushenka declares ”Now you see, worthy young lady, how wicked and willful I am next to you. Whatever I want, I will do” (151).
Grushenka’s unwillingness to return Katerina’s kiss reveals Grushenka’s motto to do whatever she wants to do, regardless of how anyone else will be affected. Grushenka does not return the honor, respect, and gratitude which Katerina shows Grushenka by kissing Grushenka’s hand three times. Grushenka is too proud and self consumed to humble herself into kissing Katerina back.
While Grushenka recognizes that Katerina has moral superiority over her, Grushenka is unwilling to show her the due respect. While Katerina kissed Grushenka three times, Grushenka does confess that Katerina deserves three hundred. However, because of her deceitful, prideful, and selfish nature, Grushenka does not return Katerina’s kisses. Grushenka is a scoundrel, lacking morals and any sense of dignity toward Katerina.
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