The Adolescent

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The novel centers on 19-year-old Arkady Dolgoruky, who grapples with his identity as the illegitimate son of the wealthy landowner Versilov. Upon returning to St. Petersburg after years at boarding school, he faces the complexities of his father's dysfunctional family and the societal expectations placed upon him. As Arkady navigates his father's scandalous life and becomes involved with social agitators and a mysterious woman, he confronts deep psychological and moral conflicts, embodying the themes of rebellion and self-discovery typical of Dostoyevsky's work.