My Reaction to The Brothers Karamazov–Part 21: An Onion

The death of Father Zossima and the events surrounding it brought on an intense crisis of faith in Alyosha’s life.  Alyosha was so distressed by the sight of his elder Father Zossima being dragged through the mud by his detractors on the day of his death that for a short time he abandoned his faith in God.  Rakitin, a divinity student at the monastery who was really an opportunistic unbeliever, seized upon this moment to try to bring about Alyosha’s fall from righteousness.  What better way to do so than to get him together with Grushenka, the town slut.  Sure enough, Alyosha agrees to go when Rakitin suggests it to him.  Earlier in the story, Grushenka saw Alyosha and asked him to come home with her, but he turned the other way.  But this time he had no reservations about going to her.