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Part 2, Chapter 8, 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
One day, Blum comes from the office of the governor (Andrey) and searches Stepan’s house. Anton arrives at Stepan’s just after the search is finished. Stepan is disconsolate. He says that Andrey must have received a telegram and that he’s sure he will be arrested, denounced, flogged, or all three. Anton tries to console Stepan and says there must not be anything to implicate Stepan. Stepan says that Blum found manifestos among his things. Stepan says that he has nothing to do with the people who wrote them. The manifestos were simply dropped off at his house. Stepan destroyed eight of them but kept two, which Blum found. Anton asks Stepan if he will tell Varvara what happened, and Stepan says he can’t imagine doing that. Instead, Stepan decides to go see Andrey directly so that he can determine what his fate will be. Anton goes with him.
Stepan says he can’t imagine telling Varvara about the search, which shows how Stepan’s rift with Varvara has also deprived him of his most powerful ally in town. That leaves Stepan relatively powerless. His assertion that he’ll be arrested, denounced, and flogged points again to Stepan’s histrionics. Despite his admission that he is not involved in the revolutionary movement, Stepan cannot seem to help but envision himself as the central character in a government plot to take down anyone it deems a political threat.
Themes
