I am a literary giant in Russia

Chapter 31 Dead Key
When Mikhail finished reading the new novel and found that the faces of the gentlemen present seemed a little solemn, Mikhail realized that he might have overestimated these gentlemen's ability to bear it.

We still have to keep up with the times...

Fortunately, only a small number of people know about it. In order to avoid being regarded as a radical activist, Mikhail also added:

"I'm still hesitant about how to end this novel. My initial thought was to leave it on a cliffhanger. Ending it with 'Varka steals over to the cradle, bends down, and approaches the baby.' That seems like a good ending."

This is indeed not a problem. After all, this ending is indeed the first version of the literary giant who claimed that "medicine is his legal wife and literature is just his lover."

In today's era, it is slightly safer to use.

As soon as Mikhail said this, the gentlemen present, who had a slightly solemn expression, seemed to finally relax a little, and then began to discuss
"Oh my God! Infanticide! How could this girl have such a vicious idea?!"

"Another innovative writing style. Last time it was written in the epistolary form, but this time it interweaves and contrasts illusion and reality."

"Although there are some minor issues, I have to admit that this one is still very well written and is in no way inferior to the previous two."

"Vissarion is right. This young man is indeed a genius, but perhaps he should try something else? I think he should use his talents in a better way."

"I think this ending, which leaves a suspense, is better. The previous one was so crude, so vicious, and so horrifying! How could a normal girl strangle a defenseless baby just because she was sleepy? She really shouldn't have done that."

.........

After listening to this round, most of the gentlemen present seemed to think that a suspenseful ending was better. Just as Mikhail was about to say something, Turgenev suddenly stood up and said loudly:

"Everyone, I think the first ending is the best!"

Mikhail: “?”

Old Butcher, is this your job? Why do you take it?

Could it be that you are not as gentle as I saw in the information?

Feeling everyone's gaze focused on him, the tall Turgenev waved his arms and continued:

“Those truly respectable gentlemen would never treat a maid like this, so for them, such a novel would only make them more determined to stick to their own judgment and treat these poor people with more compassion!

For those gentlemen who were too harsh and mean, this outcome will be a very powerful reminder for them! They will eventually realize how wrong some of their actions were. "

Mikhail: “?”

It criticizes the reactionary aristocracy, but does not deny the entire aristocratic class, right?

That’s right, that’s right… But in today’s world, Turgenev’s understanding is not bad. After all, it is obvious which is more dangerous: firing at everyone or firing at some people.

Therefore, after hearing Turgenev's explanation, Mikhail naturally smiled and nodded to Turgenev.

Well, I admire your gentleness!
Turgenev undoubtedly saw Mikhail's expression and actions, and his already uneasy mood became even more excited.

Firstly, it was because I got the approval of the author of this excellent novel, and secondly, I suddenly had material to brag about in the next few days.

Oh, do you know that popular author Mikhail? Yes! I know him! I even held him in my arms when he was little!
He recently wrote a new novel, and I even gave him some pointers! Yes, yes, yes, you'll be able to read it in a couple of days.

Turgenev was just daydreaming when he heard someone next to him say, "No, Ivan, you are wrong."

Several gentlemen nodded in agreement just now, so who is being so disrespectful now?!
When Turgenev, the future leader of the literary world, looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the person speaking was Belinsky, the tall young man suddenly wilted.

Speaking of this, we have to mention the relationship between Belinsky and Turgenev. In short, Belinsky was Turgenev's guide on the literary path.

Before meeting Belinsky, Turgenev's literary activities were more or less accidental and somewhat superficial. It was Belinsky who made him look at the writer's career in a different way.

Although Belinsky did not see the heyday of Turgenev's literary creation, his friendship with Turgenev played a decisive role in Turgenev's growth as an artist, in his transition from poetry to "A Hunter's Sketches" and to novels, in his establishment of the people-oriented nature and realistic principles of literature, and in the changes in his spiritual outlook and thoughts and feelings.

Even in Turgenev's later years, when Belinsky had been gone for nearly forty years, he still left this will:
"Bury me next to Belinsky!"

But Belinsky's huge influence on Turgenev also had a bad side, which was that it firmly pinned Turgenev on the career of keyboard politics, making it difficult for him to escape.

It has to be said that gentle people are not suited to the career of keyboard politics. First, they have to bear enormous pressure from all sides. If they are more delicate and sensitive, they will be easily ruined. Gogol is a good example of this.

Anyone who has read Tu Ge's "Hunter's Notes" and other representative works can probably feel how delicate his heart is as a writer, and how he can capture such subtle things and beautiful scenes.

Second, as the times and social situation become increasingly intense, taking sides has almost become an inevitable thing.

If you don't stand with me, then I'm sorry, you are not my comrade and friend.

It was precisely under such circumstances that Turgenev almost did not completely stand on either side. He opposed serfdom and feudal remnants but hoped to avoid violence and bloodshed. He realized the power of the people and the poverty and powerlessness but did not come to the conclusion of revolution. However, at the same time, he sympathized with and supported the revolution. He discovered that Russia's liberal aristocracy was unable to push society forward but was full of regret for these "superfluous people".

Even in aesthetics, Turgenev opposed the view of "art for art's sake" and insisted on the principle of realism, but on the other hand, he denied Chernyshevsky's materialist aesthetic essay "The Aesthetic Relation of Art to Reality", believing that art is not entirely a mechanical response to reality.

This led to Turgenev being unpopular in almost every field. Even though he later became the leader of the literary world, people from all walks of life, old and young, would often confront him and yell at him, saying, "Turgenev! Fuck your mother!"
My brother Tu is such a proud person, so I was really broken by these insults and bad comments.
Logically speaking, at this point, Turgenev could have considered making the same choice as Gogol, either choosing to take sides or simply withdrawing from the literary world, living in seclusion in the mountains, and continuing his beautiful and leisurely hunting life.

But my brother Tu just won't give up, not for money or fame, always sticking to his own ideas and expressions.

In a sense, he is indeed a real man.
(End of this chapter)