THE PARADOX OF THE DREAMER: A STUDY OF ISOLATION AND CONNECTION IN DOSTOEVSKY'S "WHITE NIGHTS"

Abstract

This research paper examines Fyodor Dostoevsky's "White Nights" through the lens of sociological displacement and urban isolation. It explores how the 19th-century metropolitan environment of St. Petersburg functions as a catalyst for the protagonist's detachment from reality. The study analyzes the interaction between the Narrator and Nastenka as a desperate attempt to overcome social invisibility. By evaluating Dostoevsky's unique narrative structure and atmospheric symbolism, the article concludes that the novella is a profound critique of the emotional barriers constructed by modern society, ultimately highlighting the spiritual resilience of the "small man."