Full Breakdown
Professor Matt Dinan Revives Dostoyevsky in a Fredericton Classroom
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: A Semester-Long Immersion in *The Brothers Karamazov*
Earlier this year, Matt Dinan, director of the Great Books program at St. Thomas University, began reading *The Brothers Karamazov* with his third-year Faith and Reason class. Approaching the text with a “beginner’s mind,” he made the novel the focal point of daily discussion, prompting students to read outside class, turn off video feeds during Teams meetings, and keep the book open at all times.
Background & Context: Concerns About Reading Habits and the Role of Passion
Dinan’s initiative emerges against anxiety about declining reading rates among young people. He argues the problem is less short attention spans than a lack of genuine passion for substantive ideas. Citing Kierkegaard’s notion of “passion,” Dinan contends that digital habits—shallow, frequent engagement—undermine the depth required for liberal education and risk leaving students swayed by superficial online influences.
Key Figures & Groups
- Matt Dinan — Director of the Great Books program and professor at St. Thomas University.
- Fyodor Dostoyevsky — Author of *The Brothers Karamazov*.
- St. Thomas University — Liberal-arts institution in Fredericton, New Brunswick.
- Third-year students — Participants in the Faith and Reason course.
Student Experience: An Unusual Academic Obsession
Students said the novel dominated their thoughts beyond class. One noted turning off their camera during virtual meetings to keep reading, unable to pause mid-chapter and losing track of time. Debates linked the novel’s cosmic visions—such as Alyosha’s experience of the universe—to contemporary reflections on meaning and purpose.
Why It Matters: Passion as a Counterweight to Digital Distraction
Dinan maintains that the focus on *The Brothers Karamazov* shows how “big books” can ignite vitality that counters fragmented attention from smartphones and streaming. He argues passionate learners are more likely to develop the moral and civic sensibilities essential for community-serving professions. By fostering “intense engagement with big questions,” liberal-arts curricula can produce citizens who resist “charlatans and malign influences” online.
Official Statements & Responses
In a reflective essay that went viral, Dinan asserted that the pandemic of superficial engagement can be mitigated through sustained study of canonical works. He emphasized that educators should stop apologizing for the relevance of humanities, insisting they address humanity’s most important issues.
What’s Next: Continuing the Great-Books Approach
Following the semester’s success, Dinan plans to add additional canonical texts to the program, aiming to replicate the level of student immersion experienced with *The Brothers Karamazov*. He hopes the model will inspire other institutions to prioritize deep literary engagement as a means of cultivating passionate, critically thinking graduates.