Chapter 19: Forced to Engage in Online Politics

While the young people near the bookstore and inside the café were heatedly discussing the two short stories "Vanka" and "Misery," as well as the mysterious author Mikhail who had burst onto the scene, Mikhail was fast asleep on his sofa wrapped in a blanket, with sheets of handwritten manuscript paper placed one after another on the desk beside him.

Until the manuscript fee arrived, Mikhail had been trying to minimize his activities these past days—after all, as long as he didn't move, his body could stave off hunger a little better.

Therefore, apart from mooching off Demi's meals, Mikhail had simply been playing the shut-in these past days, continuing his great enterprise of the moment.

But as expected, things were about to get busy for a while—after all, once the articles were published, Belinsky, finally at leisure, would naturally want to introduce Mikhail into their circle, and there would probably be no avoiding a round of socializing.

Just as Mikhail was still immersed in dreamland, a sudden knock came at the door; after a while of knocking, Mikhail finally opened his eyes, yawned, and went to open it.

"Good morning, Mikhail." The old maid Nastasia, holding something in her hands, took a look at the bleary-eyed Mikhail, then went on: "The way you sleep is just like some noble lord—the package came in the morning, but it's almost noon now and lunch is about to start, so I just came knocking to find you."

To tell the truth, Nastasia really rarely saw anyone sleep the way Mikhail did; in present-day St. Petersburg, an ordinary citizen trying to feed himself and his whole large family might still not do well even after being busy from morning till night, let alone lying at home sleeping the day away?

For a hired maid like her, getting up at four or five in the morning to work was the norm.

But considering the fellow's status as a university student, Nastasia seemed to understand a little...

Hearing Nastasia's words, Mikhail was first stunned, and after a moment's reaction, he let out a sheepish laugh and said: "I'll take that as a compliment, thanks, dear Nastasia."

Seemed about right too—thinking about the average working hours of workers in most capitalist countries nowadays, Mikhail suddenly felt that, hmm, how is 996 not a kind of blessing?

I declare it really does edge out the rest a bit in this day and age...

Also, counting the time, that big-bearded German fellow is probably about to put forward his manifesto too.

As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Mikhail reached out and took the package Nastasia handed him; weighing its heft and thickness, he had a rough idea—it should be the complimentary issue that had been mailed over.

"Is this a book someone sent you? Quite a thick one." Before Mikhail could open it, the ever-talkative old maid Nastasia asked: "A book like this isn't cheap."

Needless to say, although the printing craft had already been introduced into Russia by this time, for the majority of the Russian populace books were still a luxury, and besides, they really couldn't read.

"Sort of." Thinking of this old maid's big mouth, Mikhail simply stopped what he was doing and vaguely replied: "I'll go eat in a bit, you go on ahead, Nastasia."

"Alright then." The old maid, seeming a little regretful, took her leave.

After seeing Nastasia off, Mikhail finally opened the package, then began examining the magazine of this period with great interest.

The paper quality was a bit shoddy, but it really was thick—one could see all sorts of literary genres on it—and while Mikhail briefly checked how "Vanka" and "Misery" had been printed, he also quickly flipped to Belinsky's review placed at the back.

After reading it carefully, Mikhail couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth, and his face also turned a little green.

As for why, one has to mention how the critics of Russia today go about their reviewing.

In short, these critics like to convey their own views on social reality, political systems, artistic ideas, culture, and so on and so forth, while reviewing other people's articles.

To give an example, take Gogol today—although most of Gogol's later works carry a strong satirical tone, in terms of personality Gogol was actually mild and kind, and harbored rather deep feelings even for his homeland and the Tsar.

His early sensational masterpiece collection "Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka" also features a dreamy, sweet tone of the Russian countryside.

Even though his writing later took a turn, Gogol always insisted that his works were well-intentioned—that is, correcting society through "laughter," offering some kind of help to his beloved Russia.

But after the publication of "Dead Souls," the democratic critics represented by Belinsky kept reiterating the critical significance of "Dead Souls" toward reality, constantly emphasizing the hostile stance that "Dead Souls" and its author held toward the existing order.

After all this, the always cautious, even somewhat hesitant and timid Gogol was genuinely a bit frightened—so much so that when writing the second part of "Dead Souls," he wanted to portray Russia and Russians in a positive light.

But such positive, affirmative pieces are always hard to write—especially when reality is laid bare before people's eyes, just how blind must one be to choose to look away?

So even for a great writer like Gogol, when facing this problem he still kept losing ground, unable to finish the second part of "Dead Souls" for the longest time.

In short, Gogol was by no means a fighter in terms of personality, but his works undoubtedly embodied this tendency.

And in order to be of some benefit to society, critics, while interpreting literary works, inevitably brought along their own personal leanings and passion—but the problem was, the critics went wild engaging in political commentary, and by the end of it, the public truly believed that the authors themselves also harbored strong dissatisfaction with reality.

This contradiction and divergence also became the root of the later break between Belinsky and Gogol.

Of course, such cases weren't isolated—later our Turgenev, old Tur, was also scared half to death by a critic's article, and a whole series of things happened because of it.

Of course, let's set that aside for later—after all, the day Mikhail meets Turgenev, old Tur, is probably about to arrive.

Back to the present—on the whole, Belinsky's review article had no real problems; it really was propping Mikhail up in the direction of genius.

But then again, given Belinsky's concern for social reality, plus the clear stance in favor of the lower classes in Mikhail's two short stories, this outstanding critic naturally, in an unguarded moment, also started weighing in politically...

Mikhail really didn't want to engage in political commentary for the time being—after all, what fate awaited those who dared to do so in this day and age, anyone with a brain could figure out—but there was no stopping someone already speaking out on his behalf...

Still, to be fair, whatever Belinsky's political musings, his review article was genuinely well-written.

In later eras, many critics' articles wouldn't even speak proper human words to you, let alone discuss social reality, point out the ills of the time, or speak up for more people.

One can only say that once the funding stops, many of them get obedient...

As he read, Mikhail suddenly felt that Belinsky seemed to write quite correctly...

Bah!

These thoughts are way too dangerous...

After reading carefully for a while, Mikhail just shook his head helplessly, then took the magazine in hand and prepared to go down for a meal.

Forget it, let him speak his mind if he wants—it's definitely fine for now...

(End of chapter)