Roskolnikov’s suffering contrasted to Sonya’s suffering In the book Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Roskolnikov is suffering from the murder of Alyona and Lizaveta he committed. No one knows it was him who committed this horrendous crime but he is tormented by the fear of being exposed. The only person he loves and trusts with this information is Sonya. Sonya suffers just like him, but the reasons and ways in which they suffer are extremely different. Sonya is suffering from giving away her body in order to help her family, she goes through a selfless suffering. On the other hand, Roskolnikov goes through a selfish suffering because of the horrible acts he committed and refuses to endure the consequences. The contrast
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Sonya and Roskolnikov suffer immensely but the ways and reasons they do are extremely different. Roskolnikov is selfish in his suffering while Sonya is selfless, they are complete opposites. Sonya has a moral suffering while Roskolnikov has an immoral suffering. Sonya’s love and self sacrifice is clearly visible in her words and actions. Roskolnikov visits Sonya and asks her what will happen to the children after Katerina dies and she responds, “ “Oh I really don't know!” Sonya cried out, almost in despair and clutched her head. One could see that the thought had already flashed in her many, many times, and he had only scared it up again” (320) Clearly Sonya is in pain from the thought of what will happen to the children and has thought this over many times before. She only thinks of the children and not herself and suffers for them. Sonya’s suffering is moral because she wants the best for her family and will make that happen even if that means ruining herself. On the other hand, Roskolnikov’s suffering is immoral. He takes the life of two women and shows no remorse, but he suffers from fear of being caught and he selfishly pushes everyone around him away and treats his mother and sister poorly. Even while he is in prison the book says, “ But now that he was in prison, and at liberty, he reconsidered and reflected upon all his former actions and did not find them at all as stupid and hideous as they had seemed to him at once, at that fatal time.” (544) He fully believes what he did was not bad and has no remorse to show. Roskolnikov’s suffering is immoral because he does not come to the realization of his wrong doing. Sonya suffers because of her selflessness that is moral while Roskolnikov suffers because of his selfishness that is
Sonya and Roskolnikov suffer immensely but the ways and reasons they do are extremely different. Roskolnikov is selfish in his suffering while Sonya is selfless, they are complete opposites. Sonya has a moral suffering while Roskolnikov has an immoral suffering. Sonya’s love and self sacrifice is clearly visible in her words and actions. Roskolnikov visits Sonya and asks her what will happen to the children after Katerina dies and she responds, “ “Oh I really don't know!” Sonya cried out, almost in despair and clutched her head. One could see that the thought had already flashed in her many, many times, and he had only scared it up again” (320) Clearly Sonya is in pain from the thought of what will happen to the children and has thought this over many times before. She only thinks of the children and not herself and suffers for them. Sonya’s suffering is moral because she wants the best for her family and will make that happen even if that means ruining herself. On the other hand, Roskolnikov’s suffering is immoral. He takes the life of two women and shows no remorse, but he suffers from fear of being caught and he selfishly pushes everyone around him away and treats his mother and sister poorly. Even while he is in prison the book says, “ But now that he was in prison, and at liberty, he reconsidered and reflected upon all his former actions and did not find them at all as stupid and hideous as they had seemed to him at once, at that fatal time.” (544) He fully believes what he did was not bad and has no remorse to show. Roskolnikov’s suffering is immoral because he does not come to the realization of his wrong doing. Sonya suffers because of her selflessness that is moral while Roskolnikov suffers because of his selfishness that is