Epilogue

The epilogue serves as a denouement for the trial and wraps up, in a sense, the message of the book. Katerina ends up asking Dmitri's forgiveness just after Dmitri decides that he will indeed escape to America (with the help of Ivan) for a while and bear the burden of an exile. Alyosha, who has consistently been the voice of moral probity, is last seen walking off with the children he will undoubtedly mold in Father Zossima's image.