Literature Analysis #1: Crime and Punishment

Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read according to the elements of plot you've learned in past courses (exposition, inciting incident, etc.).

     In the novel, Crime and Punishment by: Fyodor Dostoyevsky the main character, Raskolnikov a poor student, who lives in St. Petersburg in bad conditions lives in a tiny garret. Raskolnikov is antisocial and is always inside his mind. He had previously given lessons but gave it up since he only made a few coppers a day. Raskolnikov now stayed at his loft and did nothing, for that reason he was in great debt with Alyona Ivanovna, his land lady. Alyona provided him with the garret he lived in, tea, and food. Raskolnikov would sometimes go and pawn some of his things to get some money, Alyona though never gave him the worth of his pawned things. He was in great debt to her, so she would only give him a couple copecks or roubles. Raskolnikov saw Alyona as a witch that intimidated him and decided that he would have to kill her. He decided to go to a bar to drink, there he met Semyon Marmeladov, a broker, Marmeladov drunk told Raskolnikov all about himself and about his misfortunes.
     Days passed and all he thought about was how he would come about to kill Alyona but that night he had a terrible dream of a distant memory of drunken people killing a mare and saw that he had gone mad and abandoned the thought. One day, he decided that he was superior and that he would after all kill Alyona. Raskolnikov planned everything and one night at about 7:30pm, while Alyona's sister Lizvetta was out, he went to pawn an old silver cigarette case. Alyona was examining it giving Raskolnikov her back, and  he used the opportunity and  swayed his axe at her skull and she collapsed on the floor. He searched her and got her keys to some chests and he opened them and found gold jewelry along with other things. While he was searching Lizvetta happened to return and Raskolnikov was forced to kill her too. Raskolnikov manages to escape without being seen. While he escaped he was debating whether he should runaway or go back to his garret. He later decides he will not be caught and returns to his garret. Throughout the rest of the novel Raskolnikov fights whether he should confess to his crime or not and although he doesn't confess to it he is suspected by the police at once.

Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches (Why did your author choose to write about this topic, person or event?).

     The theme of the novel, Crime and Punishment by: Fyodor Dostoyevsky is detachment from society. I believe this is the theme because throughout the novel Raskolnikov is mentally ill and he is isolated from everyone else. When he kills Alyona and Lizvetta he isolates himself even more from society, by sleeping a lot and simply being in his mind all the time.  In addition one thing that isolates him from everyone else is his remorse.
     Fyodor Dostoyevsky according to the novel Crime and Punishment chose to write about this topic because it was inspired by his own life. Dostoyevsky in order to pay off his debts had to make money so while he was abroad in Europe he wrote Crime and Punishment and it was an instant success.

Why did you choose this book?  What about the book appealed to you the first time it came to your attention (and how did it come to your attention)?  What about the book made you want to keep reading once you began?

     I came to choose Crime and Punishment because my interest has always been Forensics and I felt like I would really enjoy reading this novel. Likewise, the first thing that appealed to me the first time I came across this novel was of course the name because it sounds dramatic and intriguing. Once I started reading the novel I noticed the main character had a lot of internal conflict which I believe is very interesting, and that led me to what to read more and more.

Did you find the book realistic?  Did you make any connections between people/events you read about and people/events in your own life?  Why or (if you didn't) why not?

     I believe the novel is indeed realistic. A connection I made with the novel Crime and Punishment was with the event which not long ago happened, The Isla Vista Shooting. Elliot like Raskolnikov thought he was superior than other people, and it was evident that Elliot was as well mentally ill. In addition, Elliot planned out how he would kill his victims.

Describe the author's tone. Include a minimum of three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).

     The author's tone at the beginning of the novel is emotional because Raskolnikov goes through a lot of emotions trying to decide whether or not he will kill his land lady. Farther into the book the tone changes to tragic when Raskolnikov's conscience starts to make him feel extremely guilty and when he is imprisoned in Siberia. The tone then changes to confession when he lets go of his secret and admits to himself he is in love with Sonia, Marmeladov's daughter.

 Describe a minimum of ten literary elements/techniques (figurative language/symbolism/imagery/ allusions, etc.) you observed that strengthened your understanding of the author's purpose, the text's theme and/or your sense of the tone. For each, please include textual support to help illustrate the point for your readers (include page numbers).

1. Symbolism: "Have you a cross on you? Here, take this one, of cypress wood" (Dostoyevsky 332). The cross symbolizes redemption because once he told Sonia his secret, he didn't feel alone anymore, he felt loved. It symbolizes a new beginning on the right path, he recognizes what he did and realizes it was terribly wrong.
2. Flashback: "'He'll crush her," was shouted round him, "He'll Kill her!" "It's my property," shouted Mikolka and brought the shaft down with a swinging blow" (Dostoyevsky 48). This flashback from his childhood indicates that Raskolnikov at one point of his life was not mentally ill and he thought of murder as a horrible thing. This dream led him to the conclusion that he had gone mad thinking he could actually kill someone but his perception changed shorty.
3. Imagery: "Then a strange idea entered his head; that, perhaps, all his clothes were covered with blood, that, perhaps there were a great many stains, but did not see them, did not notice them because his perceptions were failing, were going to pieces . . . his reason was clouded . . . ." (Dostoyevsky 74). Dostoyevsky uses the imagery of blood in this novel to show Raskolnikov's guilt, and to help the reader imagine the scene clearer.
4. Dramatic Irony: "I . . . I wanted to have the daring . . . and I killed her" (Dostoyevsky 328). This is dramatic irony because all throughout the story since the beginning we knew he killed his landlady and Lizvetta.
5. Metaphor: "'Do you know, Avdotya Romanova, you are awfully like your brother, in everything, indeed!" he blurted out suddenly to his own surprise, but remembering at once what he had just before said of her brother, he turned as red as a crab and was overcome with confusion" (Dostoyevsky 171).
6. Simile: "Had Avdotya Romanova been dressed like a queen, he felt that he would not be afraid of her" (Dostoyevsky 171).
7. Assonance: "I wanted to murder without casuistry, to murder for my own sake, for myself alone" (Dostoyevsky 329).
8. Hyperbole: "'Why had he gone to her to beg for her tears?'" (Dostoyevsky 334)
9. Personification: "There was a breath of fresh air from the window" (Dostoyevsky 335).
10. Repetition: "What you need now is fresh air, fresh air, fresh air!" (Dostoyevsky 361)

Describe two examples of direct characterization and two examples of indirect characterization.  Why does the author use both approaches, and to what end (i.e., what is your lasting impression of the character as a result)?

Direct Characterization: "This was not because he was cowardly and abject, quite the contrary; but for some time past, he had been in an over strained irritable condition, verging on hypochondria. He had become so completely absorbed in himself, and isolated from his fellows that he dreaded meeting, not only his landlady, but anyone at all" (Dostoyevsky 1). This quote shows that Raskolnikov is mentally ill and is not in good conditions. "He does not like showing his feelings and would rather do a cruel thing than open his heart freely" (Dostoyevsky 171). This quote illustrates that Raskolnikov can't trust anyone and you have to really earn his trust.
Indirect Characterization: "As he went out, Raskolnikov had time to put his hand into his pocket, to snatch up the coppers he had received in exchange for his rouble in the tavern and to lay them unnoticed on the window" (Dostoyevsky 21). This shows that Raskolnikov has some good in him and cares about others. "'Enough, enough, Sonia, enough! Let me be!" he cried in a sudden spasm of agony, "let me be!"' (Dostoyevsky 330) This shows that he regrets killing his victims and that he is weak.

 Does the author's syntax and/or diction change when s/he focuses on character?  How?  Example(s)?

 The author's syntax does not change when he focuses on character but definitely changes his diction. For example, "Do you know, Avdotya Romanova, you are awfully like your brother, in everything, indeed!" he blurted out suddenly to his own surprise, but remembering at once what he had just before said of her brother, he turned as red as a crab and was overcome with confusion" (Dostoyevsky 171).

Is the protagonist static or dynamic?  Flat or round?  Explain.

     The protagonist Raskolnikov is a dynamic and round character because all throughout the novel he is changing. In the beginning of the story he is self centered and thinks about himself and what will come to his benefit but as we read farther into the book we notice he needs the help of others to keep him from going mad. Towards the end of the novel he accepts what he did and cares about someone, Sonia, and no longer just himself.

After reading the book did you come away feeling like you'd met a person or read a character?  Analyze one textual example that illustrates your reaction.

     After reading Crime and Punishment by: Fyodor Dostoyevsky I didn't feel like I met any character but rather it was like reading someones diary. While I was reading this novel I felt like the characters were just writing their problems in a book, but I don't feel like I personally met any of them.

ENDURING MEMORY
Write a paragraph in which you describe the one or two ideas from this book that you expect to remember for a long time.  Explain your choices and their importance.  Share a passage or two that give your reader a taste of the same effect.

     One idea that I will without doubt never forget is the subject of mental illness. "There had been little difficulty about his trial. The criminal adhered exactly, firmly, to his statement." (Dostoyevsky 418) I like this quote from the novel because it shows that due to circumstances a crime could be seen in different ways but Raskolnikov knew what he did and did not want pity of any sort, although he is ill he took responsibility to his actions. I feel that just because someone has an illness it doesn't mean they can't take responsibility, they can but maybe just in different measures. Another topic that I found interesting in this novel was poverty. "With my rags I ought to wear a cap, any sort of old pancake, but not this grotesque thing" (Dostoyevsky 3). I fell in love with this quote because it shows that Raskolnikov is aware of his poverty and is not in denial of it, that was one of his motifs to kill his landlady.