Arina Petrovna is Captain Snegiryov's ill wife and the mother in the poor household Alyosha enters on Lake Street. She has a genteel manner, a confused memory of better social days, and sudden tearful speeches that the family tries to soothe. The captain treats her with exaggerated tenderness, kissing her hands while the room strains under poverty and embarrassment.
IV-VII. And In The Open Air
When the captain imagines accepting Katerina's money, Arina Petrovna is one of the first people he hopes to help. He thinks of mineral water, baths, and proper care that poverty has kept out of reach.
X-V. By Ilusha’s Bedside
During Ilusha's illness, Arina Petrovna grows quieter and watches his bed more intently. The visiting schoolboys and Kolya's politeness delight her, and Ilusha gives her the little cannon when she wants it.
X-VII. Ilusha
After the doctor's verdict, Arina Petrovna begins crying with the rest of the family. Her grief joins the room's shared knowledge that Ilusha is gravely ill.
Epilogue III. Ilusha’s Funeral. The Speech At The Stone
At Ilusha's funeral, Arina Petrovna tries to rise from her chair, asks for one of his flowers, and struggles to bless him as his coffin passes. Back at the cottage room she cries out for the son who has been taken away.
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