Character Analysis

Mitya is Fenichka and Nikolai Petrovich's son. At first, Nikolai tries to keep him a secret from Arkady, but Arkady discovers little Mitya when he goes to introduce himself to Fenichka. Later, there is an awkward moment when Mitya responds well to Bazarov, but he starts crying when Arkady tries to hold him. When there is a brief period of romantic tension between Fenichka and Bazarov, much of Bazarov's attraction comes from the fact that he helps Fenichka deal with her infant Mitya. At the end of the story, we find that Mitya is growing up happily and that he now has a friend to play with – the child of Katya and Arkady.