The Brothers Karamazov is the narrative of three Russian brothers who are immensely distinct in form, intellect, and spirit and are generally regarded to embody the three aspects of humanity. It was composed in Russia, mostly in St. Petersburg, between 1879 and 1880. Fyodor Dostoyevsky had planned to call his novel "Winter Notes on Summer Impressions," but he changed his mind after completing the first volume. He began writing it in July 1872 and finished almost four years later. The story follows the lives of the Karamazov family, whose name is often translated as "the guilty ones." They are the sons of an Orthodox priest who is also a very devout man who loves all his children equally but favors the youngest, Dmitry, because he thinks he can control him. The other two sons are Ivan and Alyosha. Ivan is honest but weak willed while Alyosha is strong but pious beyond reason. When father dies at the end of Volume I, he leaves the control of the family to his wife, son, and old friend Zossima. Zossima is a holy man who lives alone in a monastery and has great influence over the family. Ivan leaves home to go to university but stays away for several years because he is not sure what kind of a life he wants to lead.