I haven't read any Dostoyevsky since high school, and don't remember it at all, but I'd imagine it has to do with nicknames.
A non-Russian speaker is going to be confused when the same character is referred to as both Alexander and Sasha, for example, and will think they're different people.
A non-Russian speaker is going to be confused when the same character is referred to as both Alexander and Sasha, for example, and will think they're different people.