Fathers and Sons Cunning and Cleverness Quotes

How is it that Bazarov wins the trust of these young boys? How does he get them to help him look for frogs in the swamp? What can we learn about the nature of Bazarov's appeal through his interaction with the boys? Does he seem to be sympathizing with them or making fun of them? Do they seem to know the difference?

This is Pavel's clever dismissal of Bazarov. He is disappointed when Arkady and Nikolai don't pick up on his joke. What do you think makes his quip fall flat in this instance? Does it miss the mark? Is it too aggressive? Too dismissive?

Bazarov's line is clever, but what is worrisome is that he actually believes it. In what ways is Bazarov in under the power of his own cleverness? Does cleverness seem to be more of a poetic quality or a scientific one?