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Part 1, Chapter 4, Section 1
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Demons, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Politics and Self-Interest
Ideology and Extremism
Morality and Nihilism
Herd Mentality
Atheism vs. Belief in God
Summary
Analysis
Liza talks to Shatov and explains her idea to him. She wants to make a kind of compendium or anthology of all of these news items from various newspapers published in Russia in a given year. Items will be presented by subject and theme, and Liza hopes that the books will become references for people to consult when a year is over so they don’t have to inefficiently comb through several newspapers to find what they’re looking for. She thinks the books will document the moral spirit of the Russian people. Liza asks Shatov to be her collaborator. She asks him to devise themes and begin compiling news items. Shatov says he doesn’t think he would be well-suited for the work. Liza becomes annoyed. She then asks Mavriky to fetch a letter she just received.
The novel frequently explores national identity in Russia. In particular, the novel is concerned about whether there is a Russian form of morality or a distinctly Russian form of Christianity. In Liza’s case, she hopes that her compendium of newspaper articles will also serve a sort of anthropological function by documenting the moral spirit of the Russian people. Shatov’s reasons for rejecting the work seem cryptic at this point, though those reasons will gradually become clear as the novel progresses.
Themes
Liza tells Anton to read the letter aloud. It’s a poem and letter from Lebyadkin in which he professes his love for her. Liza says she knew the man was an idiot as soon as she got the letter. She didn’t want to trouble her mother with it, so she now wants to ask Shatov, since he lives in the same house as Lebyadkin, what she should expect from Lebyadkin going forward. Shatov, somewhat reluctantly, says that Lebyadkin is a scoundrel. Liza again asks Shatov to help her with the anthology project. She says that Pyotr said that Shatov could run a print shop, too. Shatov storms out of the room. He returns and tells Liza he won’t collaborate with her. Liza asks why, and Shatov refuses to answer. Liza is stunned.
Shatov’s refusal to take part in the project becomes even more pointed and, perhaps, more cryptic. Notably, Shatov storms out of the room when Liza mentions the idea of a print shop, suggesting that his agitation may have something to do with the idea of printing materials. Shatov’s reluctance to denounce Lebyadkin also suggests that he, like Aleksey, would prefer to avoid gossip if possible. The novel then suggests that Shatov’s reluctant assessment of Lebyadkin as a “scoundrel” may hold more weight than if he had unhesitatingly contributed to the rumor mill.
Themes
