Crime and Punishment Essay

My interpretation of Raskolnikov dream is symbolic. One reason why this dream is symbolic it shows the symbolism of fear and compassion Raskolnikov has towards the horse which relates to the old woman he kills. The character Raskolnikov rarely drinks, but one night he drinks some alcohol which puts him to sleep very quickly. Raskolnikov fell into a deep dream which puts him back into his childhood at the age of seven. During this dream, he witness a horse getting beat by peasant. The beating of…

Not only does Luzhin’s calculative actions when his self-interests are threatened make him increasingly dangerous, but the fact that he makes decisions with a stable, sane mind in comparison to other characters further establishes him as a very threatening individual. Simply, readers are able to perceive that other people that pose a potential threat to Rasky and his family can be considered psychologically sick, which inherently influences their decisions greatly. For example, Svidrigailov is…

In part 1, chapter 2, Marmeladov talks about his miserable life to Raskolnikov. Raskolnikov soon finds out Marmeladov and his family are having a hard time because Marmeladov spends all their money buying alcohols. Marmeladov sees himself as a great sinner knowing that he is not a good husband nor a good father. He thinks he should be “crucified on a cross” (23) because he believes God will forgive his sins if he suffers like Jesus. Russian Orthodoxy appears in this situation by mentioning the…

Grigori Rasputin did not live very long but his life was indeed very interesting. Over and over again, his life is described as “sorted” with three major emphases: his sexual exploits, his unorthodox behavior and his untimely death. Very little effort has been made to describe and discuss the impact that he had on Russia’s’ efforts during World War I. Although World War I was significant to the development of post war occurrences and ultimately today’s society, Rasputin was a key player but…

In Section 7, Dostoevsky expands his attack against scientific rationalism, utilitarianism, specifically starting from against their assumptions of humans' acting solely for their profits. Historically speaking, according to what Richard Pevear stated in the book's Foreword, Dostoevsky feared the "Giftlessness" embodied by Nikolai Chernyshevsky back to the nineteenth century. As one of the beliefs rooted in "Giftlessness", Chernyshevsky considers that men are basically good and always search…

Humans are greedy and selfish by nature. In the novella, Chronicle of a Death Foretold, Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez follows the various events that surround the murder of the main character, Santiago Nasar. The division of social roles is a key feature that is ingeniously integrated into the passage; specifically, when Bayardo San Roman attempts to persuade Xius, a widower, to sell his house in order to attain Angela Vicario’s hand in marriage. Within this gripping story, filled with…

driving him to apparent madness, he seeks out someone to share his burden. That role was fulfilled by Sonia. A close friend and sympathetic listener, Sonia acts as a redemptive figure within Raskolnikov’s life, motivating and driving him to confess his crime to the police as well as pressuring him to accept religion. Not only does she comfort and provide Raskolnikov with a shoulder to cry on, Sonia also exemplifies within the work various central themes. Themes such as “free-will,” “poverty,”…

: The story opens with an introduction to the main character, Raskolnikov in the city of Petersburg. Though he is described as “exceptionally handsome” and “above the average in height”(2), he is dressed shabbily, is “verging on hypochondria”(1) and is planning a murder. The victim would be Alyona Ivanovna, a pawn shop owner who is malicious, stingy, and crude overall. After selling a watch to her and absorbing details of the building, Raskolnikov meets Marmeledov, a drunkard who cannot hold…

Dostoevsky’s description of the tragic Karamazov brothers and the murder of their father provokes questions about God’s sovereignty, the place of suffering in our world, human depravity, and redemption through pain. The Brothers Karamazov is a long book (almost 800 pages). Pevear and Volokhonsky’s translation is, undoubtedly, the easiest to read in English, but even the good translation cannot overcome some of the slow-moving moments where the novel labors in details. Many Karamazov fans (and I…

Bildungsroman is a novel about the moral and psychological growth of the main character. In life we don’t thrive when things are facile; we thrive when we face challenges. Life greatest moments are usually learned at the lowest times and from the worst mistakes. In the Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, demonstrates the evolution of the protagonist as he goes through the struggles during racial times in the 1950’s. Crash Course describes the struggle of the narrator and how, “at every turn, the…