Separating Romance from the Reality: An Examination of Perspectives
“Their inborn good nature and softness remained with them, but all traces of servility had disappeared. They talked to their masters as equals talk to equals, as if they never had stood in different relations.”(RR, 127) The “Savage Myth” portrayed in Petr Kroptkin’s account of the popular response of emancipation in 1861, embodies a common issue present across literature and culture. Simplistic viewpoints as seen in Kroptkin’s work, can often mistakenly shape the psychological prototypes individuals use to represent others; however, even the most complicated perspectives can mislead a reader in spite of the author’s best intentions. Garnering one’s own perspective through …show more content…
After realizing the likelihood of furthering his education was nonexistent, Nikitenko learns of a plot devised by his teachers. “Suddenly I received a letter from Grabovsky. He wrote that he had discussed my situation with other teachers at the school and then conceived a plan that might help me gain admission to the high school.”(Up From Serdom, School) While the author’s proceeding actions immediately disclose the foundational problems present within his teacher’s plans, Grabovsky’s reveal as a benefactor and confidant to Nikitenko despite his social status exceeds all expectations the reader holds for that of a serf. That multiple individuals of higher social standing would risk so much through patronage creates a viewpoint for the reader that does not base itself in the reality that was life for most serfs at the time. That Aleksandr would refuse to act on his teacher’s patronage speaks volumes to his intellect but further creates a bastardized perspective of serfdom as his knowledge exists only as a gift from the early schooling he received from his learned father. The ease with which his own family is exiled and jailed for revealing corruption reveals more about serfdom than Aleksandr’s personal struggle and near forgery for education is capable of. As a result, it is only through careful observation that one can form a meaningful understanding of serfdom using the author’s perspective. In having the privilege of education starting at an early age, Aleksandr receives benefits uncommon to the majority of serfs, causing a distortion in the readership's understanding of serfdom and the perspective of those who struggled through