Fathers and Sons: Chapter 5 Summary & Analysis

Bazarov wakes early the next morning and heads outdoors, thinking, “This isn’t much of a place.” The land surrounding the manor-house is barren, with poor trees and brackish water. Bazarov heads to a swamp to search for frogs, telling an inquisitive farm boy (Bazarov had “a special faculty for winning the confidence of the lower orders”) that he intends to dissect the frogs. Since humans are similar to frogs except that humans are bipedal, he explains, the frog’s insides will reveal a lot about humans’ insides, too.

Meanwhile, Nikolai and Arkady sit on the terrace for morning tea. A little girl servant reports that Fedosya Nikolayevna is too ill to come to the table. As Nikolai serves his son tea, Arkady looks at him questioningly and finally ventures to ask if Fenichka won’t come because he is there. Nikolai admits that Fenichka probably feels ashamed. Arkady says that Fenichka has no reason to feel that way, both because of Arkady’s views (he “much enjoyed saying this”), and because Arkady would never dream of interfering with the ways of the household. If his father cares for Fenichka, then she must be worthy of that esteem. By the time he finishes this “lecture,” Arkady feels more confident and even “magnanimous.”

Nikolai admits that Fenichka is no “passing fancy” for him, but that it’s still awkward for her to appear. Arkady jumps up, feeling “generous” as he offers to approach Fenichka instead. Nikolai tries to stop him, but Arkady, not listening, rushes inside. Nikolai’s heart pounds, and he vaguely realizes “the inevitable strangeness of his future relations” with Arkady.

Arkady reappears in triumph, having introduced himself to Fenichka. He embraces Nikolai happily, saying that Nikolai should have told him that he had a brother. Just then Pavel, wearing an elegant English suit, joins them on the terrace, to the relief of both men.

As Pavel begins buttering his bread, he questions Arkady about Bazarov. Arkady explains that Bazarov’s family lives on an estate 60 miles away, in the same province; his father is an army doctor. Pavel asks what Bazarov does. Rather triumphantly, Arkady declares, “He is a nihilist!” “A what?” Pavel asks, his butter knife poised in the air.

Nikolai observes that “nihilist” comes from the Latin nihil, “nothing,” which means that a nihilist must “recognize nothing.” Arkady interjects that, rather, a nihilist “looks at everything critically […] does not take any principle for granted, however much that principle may be revered.”

Pavel asks whether such an attitude is a good thing, and Arkady explains that it depends on the person—“it’s good in some cases and very bad in others.” Pavel replies that, from the perspective of the older generations, life without principles is impossible. “It used to be Hegelians,” he says, “and now there are nihilists. We shall see how you manage to exist in a void, in an airless vacuum.”

When Pavel summons a servant to bring his cocoa, Fenichka appears instead. She is about 23 years old, neatly dressed, and somewhat delicate- and childish-looking. She clearly feels embarrassed as she serves the cocoa and quickly leaves after greeting the three men. They eat in silence for a while.

Soon Pavel says, “Here is Monsieur Nihilist.” Bazarov appears, splattered with mud and carrying a wiggling sack. To Pavel’s inquiry, Bazarov explains that the sack contains frogs for experiments. After Bazarov leaves, Pavel observes sarcastically, “He has no faith in principles, only frogs.” Arkady looks at his uncle pityingly.