D. F. 5
The Grand Inquisitor by Dostoevsky in his novel, ‘The Brothers Karamazov’ is undoubtedly a classic piece of timeless literature. One of the central themes that the Grand Inquisitor addresses is that of freedom and responsibility. According to the Grand Inquisitor, human beings fall into either one of two categories as far as freedom is concerned. The first category is of those human beings who have the ability and actually do handle freedom. The second category is that of human beings who have the ability but cannot handle freedom. According to the Grand Inquisitor, a majority of human beings are innately incapable of managing freedom. They cannot look after their fundamental necessities and lack the ability to coexist in diversity. Arguably, the discussion in the Grand Inquisitor is persuasive and informative at the same time. It is also highly relevant given that its contents can be applicable in any society irrespective of the time such a society exists. The Grand Inquisitor advances a fundamental truth about the nature of freedom. Freedom can be compared to a stick where it is impossible to lift one end without lifting the other. In other words, freedom and responsibility go hand in hand. My personal philosophy in life is by and large in tandem with this fundamental truth. I believe that freedom must always be accompanied with responsibility. Indeed, the greater the amount of freedom that an individual or entity has, the greater the responsibility that is placed on them. Any failure to diligently and faithfully exercise this responsibility would be tantamount to abusing that freedom. However, I do not believe that human beings are incapable of managing freedom. My belief is that human beings have the capability to handle freedom; it is only that they chose not to.
Works Cited
Dostoyevsky, Fyodor. The Grand Inquisitor. Minnesota: Filiquarian Publishing LLC, 2006.
Kirsch, Jonathan. The Grand Inquisitor's Manual. London : Harper Collins, 2009.
