I am a literary giant in Russia

Chapter 38 Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky!

Regarding the review process, the previous works, "Vanka" and "Misery", were relatively easy to pass, but when it came to "Thirst for Sleep", things were definitely not so simple. When Belinsky submitted it for review for the first time, he soon received a novel with much of the content tampered with and a seemingly indignant notice:

"Infanticide? Where does the author place God? Can he still be called a Christian if he can write such a story?"

It is worth mentioning that one way Christianity emphasizes the sanctity of life is by actively opposing the widespread infanticide and abandonment practices (including abortion) around the world, and another way is by opposing suicide.

Chekhov lived in Russia, a country with a strong religious tradition, so he was naturally aware of how much impact this behavior would have on some Russians. However, Chekhov's purpose in writing about this evil act was not to reiterate this point, but to make readers feel more strongly how sleepy Valka was.

However, for many examiners, the latter is not important.

But perhaps because of this, they also ignore other potential things.

This might be a good thing.

Faced with this situation, although Belinsky tried his best to advocate for him, the version that Mikhail read at the party might still be too exciting for some people. So after weighing the pros and cons and taking into account that Mikhail still had a long future, Belinsky finally made a certain compromise and chose the version that left suspense.

This version is much better. Some censors even interpreted the ending as a religious story, telling a poor man what choice he should make between good and evil, implying the principle of punishing evil and promoting good.

To be honest, although Belinsky really couldn't understand why this gentleman understood the story in this way, he was actually somewhat accustomed to these gentlemen's outrageous thoughts and behaviors.

Anyway, it's good that it can pass the review.

But Mikhail's novel has been reviewed, but Belinsky's has not.

Mikhail may be more cautious about some things, but for Belinsky
Come on!

The advantage of literary criticism over novels is that it can circumvent the risk of censorship by using various language techniques and pseudonyms. However, despite this, for Belinsky, who was passionately writing his review of Mikhail's novel, censorship still made him extremely annoyed:
"Mikhail, you know what? Nothing could be worse than seeing your article smeared with red ink by the censors! I'm so excited—to publish such a fragmented article! This excitement makes my chest hurt and it's hard to breathe!"

Mikhail expressed his sympathy for this and tactfully suggested that Belinsky could be a little more gentle or avoid some particularly sensitive things.

But Belinsky's answer was:
"Mikhail, you know, in today's Russia, how many people are willing to speak out and how many dare to speak out? If even critics give up this right, then this gloomy scene will naturally continue to shroud Russia! And why can't we speak out? Our love for Russia is no less than any of those gentlemen who are shouting loudly! It's just that we have our own way of expressing it!"

Mikhail: “.”

Yes, I knew it.

Forget it, in this case, Mikhail can only secretly sacrifice his life to accompany the gentleman
But to be honest, some things really have no hope of being published. Mikhail could only sigh and watch the critic battle wits with the censors.
Meanwhile, having received Mikhail's verbal agreement, Krajewski, the publisher of Fatherland Chronicle, certainly couldn't miss this great opportunity for publicity. Although his personal impression of Mikhail's novel was only okay, since it had caused such a huge response and even boosted the magazine's circulation, Krajewski certainly didn't want to miss out on the money.

So he mentioned this matter in "Fatherland Chronicle" a month before Mikhail's new novel was published, and many young people who had already remembered Mikhail's name had already made up their minds to queue up to buy the next issue of "Fatherland Chronicle".

Among these young people, a thin, blond young man with a sickly face seemed particularly excited.

His small gray eyes actually sparkled with a different kind of brilliance after seeing the news, and his pale lips twitched nervously.

Seeing his seemingly neurotic appearance, his companions were already accustomed to it. After all, anyone who had been with him would know that he was an extremely neurotic and sensitive young man.

"Great! The next issue of the magazine will have that esteemed gentleman's new novel. I can't wait."

Despite saying this to his companions, the thin young man still couldn't suppress his excitement until the evening, so he simply got up and went to the desk, ready to write a letter to his dear brother:

"To Mikhail Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky:

You can't even imagine it, brother! Just a while ago, I read two novels that were practically unheard of! I bet Gogol couldn't have written better novels just based on those two! It's probably because he shares your name, but I suddenly felt an unprecedented affinity for this gentleman!

I think when I really meet him one day, I will definitely fall in love with him.

It was from his novel "Vanka", a novel that uses letters to show the fate of a poor orphan, that I found that I seemed to have grasped something! Something vague in my mind suddenly became clear. Perhaps after translating Balzac's "Eugénie Grandet", I will start my own creation.

I have a feeling this will be a great novel! It will bring me at least several hundred rubles in royalties!

But the future millionaire didn't even have the money or time to copy it.

For the love of the angels, please send thirty-five rubles."

Night gradually fell, and this sensitive young man, due to lack of money, was gradually drowned in the endless darkness.

But his neurotic eyes seemed to still be flickering in some corner of the darkness.

And his name is the owner of a series of labels such as "brother control", "gambling lover", "suffering wholesaler", "experiencer of the Tsar's iron fist", "wanderer in Siberia", and "All in is a kind of wisdom", our Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky!

(End of this chapter)