Absolutely—it is both possible and worthwhile for a teenager (or anyone) to read Fyodor Dostoevsky and draw lessons from his works. One of Dostoevsky’s central messages, repeated across several of his novels, is about the transformative power of love and empathy—and how they require genuine effort in daily life.
A Short, Public-Domain Excerpt
Below is a brief passage from The Brothers Karamazov (Part I, Book II, Chapter IV), which entered the public domain long ago (Dostoevsky died in 1881). This excerpt is often paraphrased as “love in action vs. love in dreams” and highlights the difference between imagining love and actually practicing it in day-to-day life:
“Active love is a harsh and fearful thing compared with the love in dreams. Love in dreams thirsts for immediate action, quickly performed and with everyone watching. Indeed, it will go as far as giving one’s life, provided it does not last too long and is soon over, as on a stage, and everyone is looking on and praising. But active love is labor and fortitude…”
(—From The Brothers Karamazov, translated by Constance Garnett, 1912.)
Why This Matters for a Teen’s Life
Love Requires Action: Dostoevsky suggests that talking about caring for others is easy, but doing it—consistently and wholeheartedly—is challenging. For a teenager navigating friendships, family, and school life, this underscores how real compassion calls for patience, understanding, and follow-through.
Facing Reality vs. Idealized Dreams: Teen years are often full of ideals and big dreams. Dostoevsky reminds us that genuine growth and positive impact come through persistent, sometimes uncomfortable effort—rather than just good intentions or grand gestures.
Empathy Beyond Appearances: Especially in a social-media-driven age, it’s tempting to aim for displays of kindness that look good in public. Dostoevsky’s lesson is that true empathy might go unseen; it’s often a quiet, day-by-day practice of helping those around us, whether or not there’s applause.
Where to Read Dostoevsky for Free
Since Dostoevsky’s works are in the public domain, you can legally download or read them online at: