I am still wrapping my head around the inevitable verdict. At first I just muttered "Russians". But, then again, Americans elected Trump (twice). I remembered that a lawyer friend once told me that he was terrified of jury trials because of the unpredictability of the jury. What is Dostoevsky saying about Russia with that verdict? I liked the foreshadowing when we learned about the one juror (wearing a medal) with 12 children with the palatial mind. So many intricacies. I would have liked to read that second novel, never written, and learn more about Kolya and the crew 20 years after. Or see what becomes of Mitya and Grusheka after 20 years in the States. And what a hero Alyosha is. Zosima saw it all coming - knew where Mitya was heading with that bow.
Also, about the jury -- I was on a jury once (civil not criminal) and the case was much like this one, in the sense of Fetyukovich's argument -- none of the evidence held up individually -- and still there were members of the jury who could look one by one at every item and see there was nothing there and then end up with "but I still feel she was negligent..." -- which struck me at the time as just like Shakyamuni Buddha's about the self -- you can analyze each of the elements to not adding up to a self and no matter what the logic tells you, you still feel there's a there there.
I am still wrapping my head around the inevitable verdict. At first I just muttered "Russians". But, then again, Americans elected Trump (twice). I remembered that a lawyer friend once told me that he was terrified of jury trials because of the unpredictability of the jury. What is Dostoevsky saying about Russia with that verdict? I liked the foreshadowing when we learned about the one juror (wearing a medal) with 12 children with the palatial mind. So many intricacies. I would have liked to read that second novel, never written, and learn more about Kolya and the crew 20 years after. Or see what becomes of Mitya and Grusheka after 20 years in the States. And what a hero Alyosha is. Zosima saw it all coming - knew where Mitya was heading with that bow.
Also, about the jury -- I was on a jury once (civil not criminal) and the case was much like this one, in the sense of Fetyukovich's argument -- none of the evidence held up individually -- and still there were members of the jury who could look one by one at every item and see there was nothing there and then end up with "but I still feel she was negligent..." -- which struck me at the time as just like Shakyamuni Buddha's about the self -- you can analyze each of the elements to not adding up to a self and no matter what the logic tells you, you still feel there's a there there.
Hah hah! Three years in the States then back to Russia as Americans!