The Idiot

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2017

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1, Chapter 1

Part 1, Chapter 2

Part 2, Chapter 3

Part 2, Chapter 4

Part 2, Chapter 5

Character Analysis

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Themes

Truth, Language, and Understanding

Selin’s worldview is reminiscent of Russian nineteenth-century novels, which often set out to reveal some transcendental truth about the human condition. Selin searches for some deeper, philosophical meaning behind stories and novels, which is why she begins an email correspondence with Ivan based on the premise of mimicking the Nina in Siberia story. Selin lives her life as if it were one of the stories she’s read, trying to find meaning in her interactions with everyone around her. This is also why she is fascinated by language: like writers, she believes that if she understands the relationship between words and the world, something more about reality would be revealed. Selin’s attempts to discover how language works, however, result in disappointment. None of the courses she takes provide her with the knowledge she seeks; on the contrary, most of the classes leave her depressed at the realization that perfect understanding between humans is impossible to achieve.

The emphasis on language and truth in Russian literature is partially based on the importance of the Orthodox Christian tradition, which, in turn, is strongly influenced by Greek Christianity. Specifically, the Gospel of John establishes a connection between logos, or words, and truth, or God: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Many Russian writers believed that they could articulate and reveal higher, transcendental truth through their novels and create a better society as a result. Like the Dostoevsky novel of the same name, Batuman’s The Idiot uses 19th century language, writing style, and worldview to convey something about contemporary society. However, in this case the result is not some grand truth, but a gentle and humorous critique of various pre-conceived societal notions.

Literature and Stories

The Idiot is rife with allusions and references to European and Russian literature. As an avid reader, Selin attempts to better understand herself and her situation through constant comparisons, sometimes inaccurate, to various literary characters. As Svetlana points out, both she and Selin like to think of their lives as narratives-in-progress.

At the beginning of the story, Selin believes that language and literature can teach her about some deeper existential truth. The main conflict, Selin’s unrequited love, is contingent on both the power of language and also its limitations. Language alone cannot be used to really connect people. Selin and Ivan’s letters bring them together, but despite the fact that they are thought-provoking and original, Selina cannot understand Ivan’s intentions in the end. She is also disillusioned with her literature classes that seem to discuss context and social issues, rather than focus on profound and innate truths to be found in the text. The novel, in a way, is a movement from conviction through uncertainty and, ultimately, to acceptance. At the end, both Selin’s search for deeper meaning and her first love turn out to be impossible, but she rediscovers hope in her own ability to write. Selin no longer sees language as a special system that holds the secrets of creation, but she finally understands its importance for her personal, subjective way of making sense of the world.

Love and Sex

Love is central to the story. However, throughout the novel, it remains platonic and unrequited. Neither Selin nor any of her friends have sex. In Selin’s case, she needs to develop a strong emotional connection to Ivan before she starts feeling physically attracted to him. Throughout their interactions, intellectual and emotional connection plays a much more important role Selin her than sexual desire. However, in Turkey, she is immediately attracted to the Russian tourist which contradicts this theory. Another explanation could be simply a slow sexual maturation that does not arrive until the end of Selin’s summer break. She also does not indicate a physical attraction to Ivan until almost the very end. In fact, she seems unable to imagine herself in a real relationship.

Overall, sex is not important to the story. Unlike Svetlana, who is obsessed with knowing when and with who she will have sex for the first time, Selin tends to ponder more existential questions, such as on what day of the year she would die. From a passing observation in the shower in Hungary it also becomes clear that she is not very well acquainted with her body and might not have much experience with masturbation. Selin begins feeling sexual desire when faced with Ivan’s absence and inevitable separation from him. However, despite her nascent sexuality, she does not succumb to desire, either for Ivan or for the Russian tourist. This indicates conflicted feelings about sex or a sense of self-awareness: it’s likely that sex and emotions are innately connected for Selin, so sleeping with someone would affect her deeply.