In the Prologue, the narrator states that Alyosha is the hero of The Brothers Karamazov, describing him as a “strange […] humble and indefinite hero” (3-4). Is it true that Alyosha is the hero of the novel? If you disagree, present an argument for who else better fits the role of hero.

Many plot events, though crucial, occur “off-stage”: for instance, Katerina Ivanovna’s mysterious meeting with Smerdyakov the day of Ivan’s final meeting with him; the murder of Fyodor. Discuss one of these crucial but “invisible” moments, and hypothesize what occurred. Ground your hypothesis in other plot details, the characterizations of the people involved, and the novel’s thematic messages.

This novel is rife with Christian symbolism and specifically comments on miracles. How do miraculous events produce certain outcomes for characters? How do these events connect to the question of the relationship between faith and miracles?