They were, as Gavrila said, filled only with meaningless words. With no God, there are no stone tablets from which to derive morality. The protagonist comes to the realization that each man makes his own morality, and whatever actions he commits within that reality are justified because he is carrying out his own system of values, ideals, beliefs. The admiring protagonist is amazed. He understands that Mitka s action is justified because he is superior, a member of the Party.
Revenge is justified.
One can t help but question the progress of the protagonist s moral character at the conclusion of the novel. He is cruel and indifferent to other people s suffering. Even as his parents finally come for him, he breaks the fingers of his newly adopted four year old brother without feeling the least bit of sympathy or remorse for his action. Survival of the fittest. What makes this book so complex is that no morals seem to be propounded.