Hayden Menge
Ms. Mulligan – Period 2
19 October 2014 Through the letter from Pulcheria to Rodya Raskolnikov, Dounia is further characterized and much is learned about her throughout the letter. Characteristics of Dounia expressed in the letter are her unrelenting selflessness, moral strength, and disregard of major flaws in character. These devices allow Dostoyevsky to portray Dounia as a strong, independent-minded woman who will do anything to help her family. Perhaps the most prominent characteristic of Dounia is her incredible dedication to help and serve her family, even if it means practically prostituting herself off to a richer man who she undoubtedly doesn’t love, as she plans to do by marrying Luzhin. Pulcheria writes that “Dounia is all excitement at the joyful thought of seeing you, she said one day in joke that she …show more content…
This assertion by the siblings’ mother exposes Dounia’s almost comical perception of marriage in that she would marry herself off if it only meant she could see her brother. Of course, she plans to do so anyway but for a much larger price tag. Dounia has had experience with undergoing difficult life situations different from poverty, such as the slandering of her good name by Marfa Petrovna. “[I]n a short time she (Marfa) had spread her story not only in the town, but over the whole surrounding district. It made me ill, but Dounia bore it better than I did, and if only you could have seen how she endured it all and tried to comfort me and cheer me up! She is an angel!” (PAGE NUMBER) Dounia’s dedication to aiding her family by any means necessary can
Ms. Mulligan – Period 2
19 October 2014 Through the letter from Pulcheria to Rodya Raskolnikov, Dounia is further characterized and much is learned about her throughout the letter. Characteristics of Dounia expressed in the letter are her unrelenting selflessness, moral strength, and disregard of major flaws in character. These devices allow Dostoyevsky to portray Dounia as a strong, independent-minded woman who will do anything to help her family. Perhaps the most prominent characteristic of Dounia is her incredible dedication to help and serve her family, even if it means practically prostituting herself off to a richer man who she undoubtedly doesn’t love, as she plans to do by marrying Luzhin. Pulcheria writes that “Dounia is all excitement at the joyful thought of seeing you, she said one day in joke that she …show more content…
This assertion by the siblings’ mother exposes Dounia’s almost comical perception of marriage in that she would marry herself off if it only meant she could see her brother. Of course, she plans to do so anyway but for a much larger price tag. Dounia has had experience with undergoing difficult life situations different from poverty, such as the slandering of her good name by Marfa Petrovna. “[I]n a short time she (Marfa) had spread her story not only in the town, but over the whole surrounding district. It made me ill, but Dounia bore it better than I did, and if only you could have seen how she endured it all and tried to comfort me and cheer me up! She is an angel!” (PAGE NUMBER) Dounia’s dedication to aiding her family by any means necessary can