Scan barcode
A review by millennial_dandy
The Gambler/Bobok/A Nasty Story by Jessie Coulson, Fyodor Dostoevsky
4.0
A Nasty Story --> 4.5/5
"What is heroism? - this. Consider: given the present relations between all classes of society, for me, me, to go to the wedding festivities of my subordinate [...] is to cause confusion, turn all ideas topsy-turvy, create a chaos like the last days of Pompeii! Nobody will understand it. Stepan Nikiforovich will die without understanding it. It was he who said we shan't be able to stand it, you know. Yes, but that's you, old man, victim of paralysis and stagnation, but I-will-stand-it!" p.196
This is basically just Dostoevsky having fun ragging on performative, self-centered Liberalism (derogatory), and as a Leftist I lived for it.
The plot is incredibly simple but effective. Protagonist Ivan Ilych (not to be confused with the poor fellow in Tolstoy's novella) is hanging out with some of his older acquaintances of equal social standing, and he starts talking about how social change is good, actually, and they're being stuffy if they disagree. As he's taking his leave, he discovers that his coachman has gone off with the carriage and not returned back yet. Ivan Ilych gets super annoyed and decides to walk home even though he's a little bit tipsy. On the way, he comes upon the wedding party of one of his subordinates and decides to gate crash specifically so he can espouse his understanding of how people like them really are just the same as someone like himself, and to get them to praise him for being an ally of the people.
He has a vivid fantasy of everyone at the wedding fawning over this bravery on his part, and for lowering himself to attend a lowly poor wedding and grace such poor folk as themselves with his presence when surely he could be off rubbing shoulders with his own kind.
It does not, needless to say, turn out quite as he'd pictured.
Not only is he very obviously an unwanted guest, the fact that propriety dictates the Groom and everyone else must nevertheless treat him with deference and respect makes everything even more awkward. To cover his embarrassment at having wildly misjudged how him showing up uninvited would go and that no one is interested in hearing his little speech (and indeed that the little speech was actually pretty stupid), Ivan Ilych gets progressively more drunk, and basically ruins this guy's wedding and inconveniences everyone in the household after he gets sick and passes out.
Afterwards, he's so embarrassed about the whole thing that he decides his older friends were right and that as far as the classes are concerned, it's a ne'er the twain shall meet type situation.
It's deeply funny, but should be avoided by anyone who suffers from second-hand embarrassment because boy let me tell you: there's a lot of it.
Liberal-hating conservatives will enjoy this because the humor leans on the hypocrisy of elitist Liberals they love braying about. Leftists will also love this for that reason, but from the Left. If you know, you know. And if you don't know 'A Nasty Story' is an excellent gateway.
Near pitch-perfect slice of life and lighthearted but pointed social commentary from my man, Fedya.
"What is heroism? - this. Consider: given the present relations between all classes of society, for me, me, to go to the wedding festivities of my subordinate [...] is to cause confusion, turn all ideas topsy-turvy, create a chaos like the last days of Pompeii! Nobody will understand it. Stepan Nikiforovich will die without understanding it. It was he who said we shan't be able to stand it, you know. Yes, but that's you, old man, victim of paralysis and stagnation, but I-will-stand-it!" p.196
This is basically just Dostoevsky having fun ragging on performative, self-centered Liberalism (derogatory), and as a Leftist I lived for it.
The plot is incredibly simple but effective. Protagonist Ivan Ilych (not to be confused with the poor fellow in Tolstoy's novella) is hanging out with some of his older acquaintances of equal social standing, and he starts talking about how social change is good, actually, and they're being stuffy if they disagree. As he's taking his leave, he discovers that his coachman has gone off with the carriage and not returned back yet. Ivan Ilych gets super annoyed and decides to walk home even though he's a little bit tipsy. On the way, he comes upon the wedding party of one of his subordinates and decides to gate crash specifically so he can espouse his understanding of how people like them really are just the same as someone like himself, and to get them to praise him for being an ally of the people.
He has a vivid fantasy of everyone at the wedding fawning over this bravery on his part, and for lowering himself to attend a lowly poor wedding and grace such poor folk as themselves with his presence when surely he could be off rubbing shoulders with his own kind.
It does not, needless to say, turn out quite as he'd pictured.
Not only is he very obviously an unwanted guest, the fact that propriety dictates the Groom and everyone else must nevertheless treat him with deference and respect makes everything even more awkward. To cover his embarrassment at having wildly misjudged how him showing up uninvited would go and that no one is interested in hearing his little speech (and indeed that the little speech was actually pretty stupid), Ivan Ilych gets progressively more drunk, and basically ruins this guy's wedding and inconveniences everyone in the household after he gets sick and passes out.
Afterwards, he's so embarrassed about the whole thing that he decides his older friends were right and that as far as the classes are concerned, it's a ne'er the twain shall meet type situation.
It's deeply funny, but should be avoided by anyone who suffers from second-hand embarrassment because boy let me tell you: there's a lot of it.
Liberal-hating conservatives will enjoy this because the humor leans on the hypocrisy of elitist Liberals they love braying about. Leftists will also love this for that reason, but from the Left. If you know, you know. And if you don't know 'A Nasty Story' is an excellent gateway.
Near pitch-perfect slice of life and lighthearted but pointed social commentary from my man, Fedya.