Dostoevsky: The Short Fiction Symbols, Allegory and Motifs

Dostoevsky: The Short Fiction Symbols, Allegory and Motifs

Passport-“An Honest Thief”

Passport characterizes verifiable identity. The narrator checks Astafy Ivanovitch’s passport to confirm Astafy’s authentic identity. Similarly, Astafy confirms to have verified Emelyan Ilyitch’s passport to ascertain his accurate identity.

Dog-“An Honest Thief”

Astafy narrates, “Like a little dog he (Emelyan Ilyitch) would follow me; wherever I went there he would be.” The dog signifies Emelyan Ilyitch’s compelling attachment to Astafy. Astafy Ivanvitch’s rapport with Emelyan Ilyitch is analogous to that of a man and his dependable dog.

Birds-(“A Novel in Nine Letters”)

In his first letter to Ivan Petrovitch, Pyotr writes, “Yesterday, while we were at Semyon Alexeyitch's, my wife made a very good joke about you, saying that Tatyana Petrovna and you were a pair of birds always on the wing.” The birds and wings represent folks that are principally on the move; relentless movement is comparable to the soaring of a bird. Pytor holds that Ivan Pertrovitch’s incessant movement is to blame for their botched meetings.

Rubbish-(“A Novel in Nine Letters”)

In the ninth letter, Pyotr Ivanitch sends Ivan Petrovitch a letter where he tells him, “I am not fond of picking up all sorts of rubbish in the streets.” This follows the letter that Ivan Petrovitch had conveyed suggesting that his wife has an affair with Yevgeny Nikolaitch. Rubbish denotes a two-timing woman. Pyotr Ivanitch evokes the symbol of rubbish to refute the blatant insinuation that his wife is an adulterous woman.

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