Creating Ivan Ivanovich

 (Contains spoilers)

    "It shouldn't have been possible," Ivan Ivanovich Chernov usually like to start out this way, and whether or not one was acquainted with him, or even if they've heard the story before, Ivan would corner his victim and recite the "miracle" of his birth as if he were capable of remembering it. 

    That is how Ivan starts to tell everyone he meets the story of his birth, but as his creator, I think it appropriate to tell the story myself, after all, I was there when it happened. 

    My novel  is largely an interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount. Everybody knows what the Sermon on the Mount is, yet few are familiar with what it actually teaches. It was astonishing to those who heard it from Christ's own lips, and it is astonishing even today when one truly comprehends the messages that are being taught. 

    The Sermon on the Mount contains lists, a list of those who are blessed, and a list of those who are under condemnation, and if one examines both these lists sincerely they will discover that they are on both lists. 

    The list of those who are blessed: the poor in spirit (humble), those that mourn (God is aware of you), the meek (gentle, kind), those who seek righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those who are persecuted for righteousness' or Christ's sake. I ask your forgiveness for defining words, but I have been misinformed as to what these words actually mean, I therefore suppose it is possible others have been misinformed as well. 

    The list of those under condemnation: Murderers, those who are angry, those who insult others, adulterers, adulterers at heart, divorced women, men who cohabitate with divorced women, those who enter into oaths, those who cannot see their own reality, those who do not honor the greatness of God, those who seek vengeance, those who don’t give, those who hate their neighbor, those who hate their enemies, those who suppose that their non-enemies are of more value to God than their enemies (it is a supposition that God loves them more than others, or they are somehow more favored of God for whatever reason unearned), those who perform ordinances to be seen of men, those who want to appear righteous, hypocrites, those who pray to be seen of men, those who pray insincerely, those who want to be heard of men for their much speaking, those who desire the praise of men, those who make a demonstration of their self-perceived righteousness, those who are unforgiving, those who seek earthly treasures, those who are judgmental, and those who work inequality.

    Now the question is, can one answer this honestly and admit that they are on both lists?

    Christ spelled it out: you have a right eye and a left eye. You have a right hand and a left hand. The sun rises on both the good and the evil. The rain falls on both the just and the unjust. (This does not mean that good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people; I hate that interpretation. Plus, rain is both good and bad, the sun is both good and bad; both the rain and the sun bring life and death, misery and joy). And I would ask, if the sun rises on both the good and the evil, and the rain falls on both the just and unjust, how can you know which one you are? You are evil, but can give a good gift.

     There is a duality that exists within us. We are all aware of this but hardly have the courage to admit to ourselves that we are greedy or prideful or lustful or hateful or cruel or whatever the case may be. Often we cannot see it, this is the concept of the Jungian shadow, elements of our very beings that exist unbeknownst to us, yet from time to time, they raise their ugly heads to remind us of their presence. I had a friend who once admitted that he viewed pornography but was ashamed of it; he was surprised that he would participate in that activity. As a correctional officer, I witnessed many criminals in jail, ashamed of the bad choices they made, knowing they were bad choices, but unable to come to terms with themselves for having committed crimes. I've witnessed people in church gossip about others then get on the stand and make show of their righteousness, imagining themselves to be Christians while they put down others. People preach honesty but lie on their taxes or cheat on a test. Whatever the case may be, this duality is very real and very observable. Before the reader feels too bad about themselves, however; supposing that they are honest and admit their own faults to themselves, there is a reason Christ preached this duality, but I will mention that after I talk about Ivan Ivanovich.

    I wanted to capture this duality in a character; thus was the birth of Ivan Ivanovich, who believed himself to be righteous, but he could not escape this duality because he refused to see the less-than-desirable traits within himself. He was the perfect hypocrite. The embodiment of the evil that could give the good gift, the left side and the right side, and so on. Admittedly, I did a poor job capturing his better qualities, I tried to do this by demonstrating his effectiveness at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, his understanding and apology on his wedding night, and his desire to help the peasants clearing the tree in the road, not to mention his change of heart. I wanted to try and give him some sort of redemption before the end, but I leave it to the reader to decide whether or not Ivan obtained redemption.

    I tried to capture this duality in the other major characters as well, though not to the extent of Ivan, if only to demonstrate the very human nature of people. I know that previous sentence sounds like I went to the redundant redundancy department of redundancy to find it, but the very human nature of people is what I wanted to capture. Silovoy solicited that prostitute, yet he had faith and sought forgivenss. Olha Andriyivna was that prostitute, yet she escaped that life and served others with her whole heart; and later she admitted, "and if I have bad thoughts, which I do sometimes, then I don't act on those ones." One could not find a more loyal friend or sister than Marina Igoryevna, yet she was unforgiving. Mila was sweet and gentle, yet incredibly rude to her group of friends, and the list goes on.

   This duality is observable in real people, not just fictional creations. The biggest sin is pride, at least has been my observation, yes I judge people, I won't pretend that I don't; but I have observed that most good traits at times have been accompanied by pride. If someone is intelligent, that intelligence is accompanied by pride. Ironically, I have seen people proud of how humble they are, or how righteous they think themselves to be. I myself am guilty of this, I used to think myself particularly righteous, and I was proud of my righteousness; but now, as I've matured and learned of Christ, I see myself for who I was at that time. I was righteous, only in my own mind, because I looked on others as less valiant than me. This attitude must've been appalling to Christ, who taught no such things but rather said, "there is but one who is good, and that is God."

    Ah yes, I promised I would tell why Christ taught this duality. It isn't to make us feel bad about ourselves, no not at all. It is so that we, seeing ourselves for who we are, having both a right side and a left side, can extend the grace to our fellow beings, the children of God, that they deserve. When they make a mistake, say someone lies to me, do I forget the lies I have told in my life and condemn them? No. It is hypocrisy to condemn people for sins that we ourselves are guilty of. I don't advocate for tolerance of mistreatment or abuse, but only understanding and kindness. Judge not that ye be not judged. Why beholdest thou the mote that is in they brother's eye, but considerest not the beam in thy own? But it is very difficult to see the beam in our own eye, it is, after all, blocking our vision, it would be best for us to pluck it out.