' I could see that she was still terribly afraid, but I didn't soften anything; instead, seeing that she was afraid I deliberately intensified by it '
Disclaimer: Explicit content with strong words ahead, because this story is fucking annoying.
If it's not called the origin of silent treatment, then I don't know what to call it either.
This short story has the premise that I always like from a book and that is a tragic ending. Let me open this 'dark' side of me to you. I always loved an author who has a tragic death and funny-weird last words. I don't know why, I just like them. In my opinion those 'tragic' deaths show not only how interesting their life is but also their work. Take Oscar Wilde for example, he only wrote one novel and it drives the society crazy, they accused him with sodomite also considered as homoerotic and suggestive. Not forget to mention it also lead him into 2 years of labor and his bankruptcy then his death.
Anyway, back to Dostoevsky. The Meek One (or sometimes also called as A Gentle Creature) is a short story about desire and lack of human connection. The story follows a pawnbroker who is a cold-hearted person and a narcissist. He married a young girl-she's more than half of his age and considered as child exploitation in modern days-who often visits his shop. At early days of their marriage, both of them does not exchanged any words. Because this fucking-narcissist-husband wanted to be 'appreciated'.
' Figure it out for yourself and appreciate me!"
Then, long story short, his wife slowly gone mad and then they started to talk. Is it a happy ending? No! it's not even the ending yet. Because of his job as a pawnbroker, which is a non-smiling-job-type, he forgot how to be tender to other people. His understanding of love is between give it all or nothing. So, knowing his wife slowly gone mad and paler everyday, he starts to worship her. In literal meaning.
Well, because of these weird behaviour of her husband, she does not want to live anymore. Right after she finished praying she jump out of the window. (if I'm her I'd do the same, but with less pain, maybe cyanide might work)
Memory also plays part in this short story. A memory is being called a memory when someone tries to remember them. Our brain has its own super power to manipulate the reality. What has been there from the beginning will stay there until our death, what we believed and planted all our whole life will be the reality of our death. We are what we believe. Knowing how dangerous a memory is, we can never trust our own brain. For we might never remember something perfectly not until we see it for ourselves.
This story was written from a perspective of a husband whose wife laying death next room. Imagine the trauma and the rawness of his story. Are you sure to believe him? Does his story the truth or made-up story built by his brain to cover the horrible truth of reality?
We never know.
the word fuck in this article : 5 words
Full collection of Penguin Little Black Classics: https://www.littleblackclassics.com/list.html
Where to buy The Meek One in Indonesia: https://www.bookdepository.com/Meek-One-Fyodor-Dostoyevsky/9780141397481?ref=grid-view&qid=1621870141169&sr=1-1
The Captain Marvel bookmark : https://shopee.co.id/bookmarque.id
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