The Adolescent

The story follows Arkady Dolgoruky, an intelligent but insecure teenager who grows up with a fixed idea: to become rich, independent and respected, relying on no one. He plunges into a world of ambition, family conflict and complicated relationships with his biological father, whom he has never really known.

Along the way, Arkady faces disappointments, manipulation and moments of self-doubt that force him to see the world and himself differently. The book is not simply about a young man growing up, but about the inner psychological chaos that accompanies the passage from adolescence to adulthood.

Main themes:

• Identity and self-formation
• The father–son relationship
• Ambition and the obsession with wealth
• The emotional confusion of adolescence
• Psychological self-analysis (very typical of Dostoevsky)

Why it is special:

It is less well known than Dostoevsky's other novels, but psychologically very deep. It shows how a teenager can live between idealism and emotional chaos, constantly colliding with reality.