One of the best novels ever written is Dostoevsky’s Karamazov Brothers [also translated as The Brothers Karamazov ]. Alyosha, Ivan and Dmitri are the three brothers of the title. Each one of them presents a particular way of looking at life, a unique personality. Alyosha is a personification of goodness, Ivan is a man of the intellect, and Dmitri is all passions. The narrator of the novel tells us that the hero is Alyosha whose story the book really is. But all the three brothers play more or less equal roles and each one of them catches our attention with a vice-like grip. Ivan is the one who has captured my attention right from the first time I read the novel decades ago. Dostoevsky wouldn’t endorse my admiration for Ivan, of course. Alyosha is Dostoevsky’s ideal human being. He is a 20-year-old handsome person who is a living saint. He is training to be a monk in a monastery. His religious faith is deep and mature. His love for mankind arises from a profound understanding of h
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