Sunday, September 26, 2010

Friday

On Friday, you will have your first diagnostic AP Test.

Due this Monday: Completed practice reading test #1

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Rey's journal entries: Crime and Punishment

As I did with A Streetcar Named Desire, I chose to write my first journal entry on Crime and Punishment based on the blurb and the few beginning pages of the book. However after opening the book I realized that just a few pages would not suffice. Because Crime and Punishment is much longer in length than A streetcar named Desire, I was forced to read on further to be able to get an inkling of the plot. At first, I had a difficult time reading the book without “suddenly remember that I had something to do”, which coincidentally was so often was the case. However once I actually began to read further, a shift in my mentality began to occur without me even knowing it. I no longer felt I was only reading this book because I was forced to but because I actually enjoyed flipping through its pages. It got to the point that I had to stop myself from writing this journal.
So far, I had read through parts I and II. There were several things that I wanted to touch up on. I wanted to try and analyze why Raskolnikov actually committed the murder, symbolism of certain objects and the characterization of Razuminkhin.
So for the first few pages of the book, it is clear that Raskolikov is going to commit a crime. You don’t know exactly what it is or who its going to be done to at first. This sole piece of information made it almost impossible for me to keep reading. I felt like the book just kept dragging on and on. It wasn’t until part II where it is discovered that Raskolnikov wants to murder Alyona Ivanovna. Apparently he feels she is a horrible woman and so do several other people. After hearing some people exert similar feelings about Alyona, Raskolnikov begins to think of killing her. This kind of reminds me of the movie Inception. The concept of a tiny simple idea being planted into someone’s mind that in turn, will keep growing and growing. The simple idea of killing Alyona was most probably a tiny idea in Raskolnikov’s head that he probably had no intent on actually doing. However as the tiny idea started to grow, it became more and more real. There is tons of symbolism in the few parts that I read. I feel that the choice of weapon was intriguing as it was not a gun, knife, or any other kind of weapon that is usually used in homicides. Raskolnikov chose an axe. When I first think of death by axe, the words gruesome and slaughter pop into my mind. I think the axe amplifies the imagery of the death of Alyona and her sister. The items that he took from Alyona’s house are most probably symbolism for his guilt as he had no idea what to do with them. He was paranoid to throw them into the river and just intended up burying them, which can also be looked at as him repressing his guilt. One last thing that I think is really important to the story is the reoccurring instance of dreaming. I’m not exactly sure what his dreams mean, but I do know that they must mean something important later on, as Raskolnikov repeatedly faints or naps and has bizarre dreams.
I think that Raskolnikovs friend Razuminkhin is really interesting. He seems like a genuinely nice person. He offers to take Raskolnikov to a party and is just more outgoing than Raskolnikov. This contrasts with Raskolnikov because he is kind of opposite. He is an introvert and doesn’t socialize as much I guess. He enjoys walking around alone than accompany his friend to a party. In fact, perhaps Razuminkhin is Rasklonikov’s foil in a way, as since they are so different from each other, it makes them both stand out.
One last note that I want to leave off on, before I begin to read the book again is that I feel Raskolnikov made a sort of exchange. With murdering Alyona and her sister and satisfying his (in psychological terms) “id”, he is slowly but surely losing his sanity as punishment.

Crime and Punishment #2

The book has gotten very interesting. The most irritating thing, I must say, is the long and extremely Russian names. I almost don’t want to write journals because typing the characters names take so long. Its interesting how the story is unfolding though. Raskolnikov’s sanity is slipping and its become apparent to everyone. The police officials obviously suspect Raskolnikov and certain characters are acquiring special relationships that are too apparent to be left un-discussed.
Raskolnikov keeps having faint spells. At the mere mention of the crime, Raskolnikov becomes uneasy. This is a sign that Raskolnikov is becoming more and more ill, whether psychologically or physically or both. Another note that Raskolnikov is losing his sanity is that he has sudden bursts of laughter. He also seems as though he is sort of bi-polar. He acts casual at points and then becomes uptight and queasy the next. He killed Alyona because he felt she was a horrible woman and that he could put an end to her. However instead of relieving him and others of her tyrannical idiosyncrasies, he has just made an even bigger problem for himself.
Porfiry clearly suspects Raskolnikov as the murderer. I actually thought it was really clever that he had asked Raskolnikov if he had seen the painters. I suppose detectives have to think like a cheat to catch a cheat. The second scene where Raskolnikov and Porphyry meet was intense. The police official clearly was making strides that were subtly attacking Raskolnikov. When he finally blew up I could almost feel like he was so close to confessing the murder. If it wasn’t for Nikolai who admitted to committing the crime, I feel like Raskolnikov would have. That’s also another point that I wanted to bring up. Why did Nikolai admit to doing a crime that he did not commit? What were his motives and what would he gain from doing it?
The characters in the story clearly have special relationships that might be important later on. Obviously Razuminkhin is Raskolnikov’s foil. But there are also other relationships that are forming. Razuminkhin clearly has a thing for Dunya. I’m not exactly sure if she reciprocates the same feelings. Her relationship with Luzhin was kind of sad I felt. It was sad that Dunya accepted his proposal to be able to support her family despite the fact that Luzhin is a complete pompous. He completely failed the test that Dunya set up when they all met up that evening. Rather than not getting mad that Dunya defied his wishes, he blew up and insulted everyone there. Before leaving, he makes it apparent that he does not like Raskolnikov. I don’t know if that piece of information is important or not but I think that he might be plotting something later on. He might even be the one to bring Raskolnikov to his demise. One last interesting relationship that has sparked is Raskolnikov and Sonya. I think its beautiful that Raskolnikov finds interest in Sonya, in a weird and twisted way. Because Sonya is a prostitute, he feel that she also shares the pain of murdering someone as she murders herself by prostituting. Its not that they are both murderers that I find them great for each other, but it’s the fact that neither of them have anyone to relate to at that point in their lives. My mouth dropped when Raskolnikov asked Sonya to go with him. I cant wait to read parts V and VI.

Crime and Punishment #3

WOW! The ending of the book was so good. I can understand why people hated the book but I actually appreciated the ending. I mean, after hundreds of pages of reading just for Raskolnikov to confess, I can see why everyone that I had asked said the book was a punishment to read. However the thing is, I thought that it was beautiful in a way. A man who thought of himself as superior to society and the tragic story of his downfall. The ending had several different things that went on and I wanted to touch up on them. Along with Raskolnikov plight, Katerina had her own mini-story going on and so did Svidrigailov. Also, I wanted to talk about the epilogue of the novel as well.
The thing I thought was interesting about Katerina was that even though she had lost her husband, her health and her sanity, she still continued to say that she was of nobility. The way the book described her, I almost felt a sense of pity. How could you not feel bad for a woman who gets evicted from her house and forces her kids to dance in the streets for money? Its just not ethical. But it does show how some people actually have to do things like that to make ends meet. I do like the way that she refused to have a priest come to see her. I admire that she said god is going to love her no matter what. I can relate to her with that as I feel exactly the same way.
Svidrigailov was one of my favorite people in the book. I liked him because he was sneaky. When he offered Raskolnikov money to pay for the funeral, I thought it was really nice at first. It took me a while to realize that he was only being nice to get closer to Dunya. His scene with Dunya in the room was crazy! I was so scared for the both of them! I was scared when he threatened to rape Dunya. I was even more scared when Dunya pulled out the gun! I think that may have been the coolest part on the book for me hands down. My feelings on his death are hard to put into words. It was beautiful but it was sad at the same time. He told everyone he was going away to America when he really was going to commit suicide. It was beautifully tragic.
Raskolnikov ending was tragic as well. I know its not a good thing but I do feel superior to some people just as Raskolnikov did and I understand how hard it is to get off your high horse. Sonya and his relationship was very intricate in the way that it was described. I think it was beautiful how she told him that he had to confess and even if he is sent away, she would still be there for him. As it so often occurs in literature, the holy trinity was present again in the book. It took Raskolnikov three times to actually confess. He couldn’t do it in public. The second time, he walked out of the police station. It wasn’t until the third time that he finally made the confession. The epilogue was interesting to read too. It described his actually punishment. However I feel like the guilt that hung over him after the murder was a punishment in itself. It wasn’t about physically being punished but more that he was punished psychologically as well.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

AP Assignment and suuplies

Here is the link to the AP Central exam questions:
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/exam/exam_questions/2002.html#name10

Please go to the 2010 exam, and selection question 1 (The Century Quilt). Then, when you are done writing the essay, take a look at the scoring guidelines. Write a brief reflection (1-2 paragraphs) about what you feel are your strengths, and which areas you would like to improve upon.

Supplies for the class: A notebook or section in your binder for notes, a folder, post-it notes, and pens.

I look forward to seeing you all on Monday.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Welcome back to school!

Dear Students,
I have truly enjoyed watching you reflect, react, and express your thoughts on the texts, and each others' journals. Your ideas were rich, thoughtful, and showed a depth of understanding. I am extremely excited about this upcoming school year. We will be reading a range of literary works, engaging in thoughtful literary discussions, and becoming even more skillful readers and writers as we prepare for college.

Best wishes for a successful school year,
Ms. T

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Sky's journals: Streetcar Named Desire

A Street Car Named desire
Journal #1:
All I knew when I before I started reading this book was that a male figure that fell down to his knees and yelled STELLA!!! So I assumed that Stella was the main character. I was really curious about the title and I liked that sort of mystery. One of the first quotes that caught my eye that mentioned the title was when Blanche said “They told me to take a street-car named Desire, and transfer to one called Cemeteries, and ride six blocks and get off at—Elysian Fields!” When she said that I realized two things one that she was the main character, two that death and tragedy weren’t far behind, it was foreshowing the story that she had to unfold.
Blanche always has the feeling that she is better then everyone with the clothes that she wears and the way she acts looking down upon where her sister lives. You can see from the start that she is a fallen tragic character. She gets defensive when she says that she has lost Belle Reve and turns it on Stella for leaving and marrying a “Polack” and not staying and helping her save the place. She seems so helpless and confused, and that leads to her alcoholic needs. Also I hate the way the men act barbaric and manly controlling and rude, sport enthusiasts and beer chuggers. I still wonder how Blanche story will unveil.

A Street Car named Desire
Journal #2:
The more I read this book and I feel so bad for Blanche she is such a tragic character with so many problems, and I feel her spiraling down towards insanity. As I find more things out about her it makes sense why she is the way she is. After her young husband dies she feels like the only way to be happy is being with a man. This theme of constant dependence on men to be complete (happy) is why I dislike this book. Blanche can’t find happiness if she not with a man or with someone telling her she’s beautiful. For example the paperboy, how she suicides him and kisses him as a tip. I thought that it showed how much of a low self esteem she had. That’s why with Mitch she teases him and he likes her playfulness and they are both sad lonely people who “need someone” and get along.
Also I hate Stella and Stanley’s relationship he so aggressive and angry controlling. He hits her he throws things and breaks things and she still convinces herself that she loves him and that everything is fine. The women in this book seem so helpless. Why can’t she leave him, why can’t Stella be independent find another person who won’t hit her while she is pregant? This is a perfect example of the constant dependence on men to be happy. When we read a Dolls House I felt so proud of Nora she was strong and independent and broke free from the traditional life of a Woman. I feel the opposite when I read this book I hate the men and women dynamics. I feel like yelling at Stella telling to file a divorce, and marry a man that wont abuse her and a man she won’t be afraid of.

A Street Car Named Desire
Journal # 3:
The last real tragic book I read and truly felt bad for the main character was King Lear that was in 8th grade. I think this tops that, I felt heavy hearted and sad when I read the ending. When Stanley raped Blanche not only did he cheat on his wife he stabbed Blanche last grips on reality he took one of the most important thing to her sexuality and her outer beauty. He lied and cheated on his wife with her sister. He doesn’t get to comfort Stella when the Doctor takes her away to the mental hospital. He doesn’t get to hold a baby in his arms look down and feel any joy. I felt like the Villain won in this book. Unlike in King Lear that virtually everyone in the book died so you comforted yourself with that thought. The family had a happy ending based on lies. When is that ever right?
I hated how depressing this book was how bad it made me feel, which I figure the author really did do a good job if he really made you feel so sad and so much sorrow for the main characters downfall. I loved how I could follow Blanche character through her spiraling fall towards insanity, I could see her signs of insanity when she mentions that Millionaire guy that loves her and someday will see him and be with him. The symbolically she always takes bathes to cleanse herself of all the “things she has done” her past. All the troubles she had added up to her emotional bank that eventually exploded when Stanley raped her and lead to her ultimate downfall.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Drew's journals: A Streetcar Named Desire

A Streetcar Named Desire

Journal #1-

The first thing that came to mind when reading this book was that there were a lot of conflicting personalities. Immediately Stella and Stanley’s personalities seemed to clash. Stanley is a very dominant man while Stella is more subtle and willing to do whatever he says. As soon as Blanche entered the picture I knew Stanley and her would definitely bump heads. They both have distinct personalities that clearly do not mix well. I was a little confused by Blanche. I feel like something is wrong with her but I can’t quite put my finger on it. One thing that I really enjoyed was the atmosphere that it put me in. I could easily imagine old school New Orleans and the two story building which they lived in. Stella appears to be very dependent on Stanley. The way she tells Blanche how she cries like a baby while he is gone and lies in his lap as soon as he gets home shows her dependence.

Journal #2-

The drama is beginning to develop now that I am in the middle of the book. Blanche has progressively become more annoying in my opinion and I give Stanley a lot of credit for putting up with her odd activities such as bathing for an hour every night. I like the character that Mitch is being given. He seems like an average good guy who is just looking for the right girl, unfortunately I feel like Blanche is not the one for him. She is too much of a mental case. I still can’t figure her out. The story that she told about her first love did bring things into perspective for me but I am still a little lost. Was she saying that she walked in on her boyfriend and another man making love? She is also quite the liar. I feel like she is being dishonest about the real reason that she lost her house. I think I have also found some sort of symbolism. The bottle of whiskey is a symbol for alcoholism which Blanche and Stanley resort to in order to escape reality. It doesn’t do well for either of them because Stanley begins to act crazy and Blanche starts to act too flirtatious with random men, including Stan. However I have to keep in mind that this is the older times where alcohol was much more casual to drink as opposed to the modern day where it is used for different reasons.

Journal #3-

I think I am missing something. I understand that Blanche was taken away by doctors because she is a crazy woman, but what exactly was wrong with her, and why? I can’t believe that Stanley raped her! I knew that he had some problems of his own but I didn’t think he was that messed up. I’m a little disappointed in Stella. She seriously gave up on her sister all because her husband wanted her out. I understand Blanche was a handful, but I felt like Stella did not really give enough of an effort as she should have being her sister. I am happy that Mitch got the hint and backed off because Blanche is quite the loose girl, he deserves better. I would have really liked to see this play in real life. The music that is supposed to be playing in the background would have made the scenes have a lot stronger of an effect. I wonder if things are going to go back to normal now that Blanche is gone or will things be different between Stanley and Stella now. She really put their marriage to the test, which is not good on account of the fact they were about to have a baby. I hope to find out exactly what was wrong with Blanche and why but overall it was a good book to read!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Kristina's journal #1: Crime and Punishment

Kristina

Crime and Punishment: Journal #1

When I first picked this book I was excited because the blurb really grabbed my attention. However, as I began reading not only was the language and format of the book confusing, but it was also quite boring. I was ready for action when I picked it up but after reading the first couple of chapters I knew I was in for a long wait. I read the book and immediately noted a few things about Raskolnikov: 1) He was very poor. 2) He was plotting something regarding Ms. Ivanovna and 3) He seemed to be a generally paranoid character but with a good heart. I say this because in chapter two he is seen giving Marmeladov and his family money. I also notice that Raskolnikov makes it a habit to leave his house when he is overwhelmed, especially dealing with financial issues. I soon predict that later in the book he will feel forced to do something extreme in order to establish a better financial future. The pressure for money heightens in chapter four when he finds out his sister is marrying just to support him. Once I finished Part One I was finally satisfied with this book. Finally I got the action I was waiting for. I am now looking forward to the rest of this book. =) After reading Part one I predict that this man might commit more crime and might not be able to stop… I also feel that the guilt of his murderous acts will eat him alive and might drive him to insanity.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Sky's journal: Crime and Punishment

Journal # 3
Crime and Punishment
I guess I was right most of the book it was Raskolnikov eating himself alive from the guilt of the murder. Watching Raskolnikov character go through such changes and torment, reminded me sort of Kafas Metamoropish. I felt like Gregor was tormented by being a bug traped in a body, which he couldn’t get out of, and Raskolnikov was tormented and trapped by his guilt and the insanity that it leads it too. He also thought that he was better than humanity, putting himself above everyone. Eventually he came to accept his mediocrity as a person, but he still stood to justify his action of murder. I think the only real time he felt like he wasn’t above the norm was when he realized that he loved Sonya.
Raskolnikov’s relationships with the other characters in the novel show a lot about his personality and understanding of himself. Although he cares about Razumikhin, Pulcheria Alexandrovna, and Dunya, Raskolnikov is so caught up in his cynical outlook of life that he is unappreciative of their attempts to help him. I feel like he turns to Sonya as this other person who bends around the socail norms, but the difference between them is what Sonya is doing is for the sake of her family,(I don’t think she would prostitute if her family had money) , but no one is forced Raskolnikov into his actions and he committed his crimes for his sake alone.
I really did enjoy reading this book it was hard at first but once you got used to all the names it was a long journey. I do recommend this book to someone with a lot of patients and to people who know how to handle long books.

Madalina's journals for Crime and Punishment and Streetcar Named Desire

A streetcar named desire #1

The book started with a brief description of a plain and not too fancy neighborhood in New Orleans. Stella seems to be used to her home even though she used to live on a large fancy estate. When Blanche comes into the neighborhood looking for her sister, the play becomes more interesting because it makes you wonder how a fancy and really dramatic woman like her, used with living on a large estate , owning fancy dresses , expensive jewelry, many perfumes is going to fit into such a simple and small apartment. Blanch comes out looking like a high class lady who enjoys being complimented, being courted by men and who wants to have a fancy lifestyle. Its oblivious that she dislikes the place she saw her sister living in. Blanche looks out of her environment. Stella seems to be bothered by her sister’s comments, but instead of getting angry, she stays quiet and tries to bring up the good things present in her life. The relationship between Stella and Blanch in the beginning is friendly, but uncomfortable and it is clear they have different opinions. Blanch also dislikes Stanley and Stella tries whenever she can to show her that he has many good sides. Blanch ignores her explanations calling Stanley a brute, an animal a Polack.
The relationship between Stanley and Blanche is not a really good one. First Stanley is friendly and welcoming to her, but after he found out the estate his wife owned is lost he becomes suspicious and rude with Blanch. He goes through her chest when she’s in the bathroom, talks rudely about her to his wife and when he’s alone with Blanche goes right to the subject of his suspicions without any sugarcoating or complimenting like his wife advised him. His impression of her does not seem too fine. Blanch is not too found of him either but in front of him she does not show it. Whenever they are together she gives another impression. It feels like there is some attraction or curiosity she has for him. Stanley does some curious things also. Why did he need to take out his shirt right when he meet with Blanche? But all that is going on looks like small flirts and nothing more.
What delighted me was the instant connection Blanche had with Mitch. He started talking to her during poker night and unlike Stanley, he really seems to like her. I don’t know how much Blanche likes him though. Since she is naturally flirting with most men she meets and likes to be courted, it seems normal that she responded to his interest. We know she likes to flirt, but she clearly has some secrets that are to be discovered. Why did Blanch cover the light when talking to Mitch? Why does she refer to her lost lover as “dead boy” but does not give him a name or talk more about him? I hope to find those details in later scenes. But until now, it was extremely enjoyable and really humorous to reenact the scene in which Stanley tries to get Stella back by calling her “Stell-lahhhhhh” like a lonely wolf hauling for his mate.

A streetcar named desire #2

Things are starting to get more complicated and stressful for Blanche. In the beginning she looked really happy and confident with herself, but as we read on she seems more and more insecure every minute. When Stanley asks her is she knows a man from Laurel, she nervously denies it, she does not want people to know her real age, she does not want to look easy in front of Mitch. But she is contradicting all these insecurities when she jumps on the paper boy, flirts with him and kisses him on the mouth. Why is she trying to be respectable in front of Mitch and Stanley but acts like an easy woman in front of a stranger who could tell anybody about their encounter? Blanche is really curious from that point of view. She seems to be trying to hide a dark past from the people dear to her and look like a lady. I’m starting to wonder is she really is such a respectable lady like she is trying to portray.
From Blanche’s date with Mitch it seems that he really is in love with her and has serious intentions. He talks to her about his mother, does all her pleasures and seems to be really impressed by Blanche’s artistic personality. In front of him Blanch even talks about her dead boy in detail meaning that she trusts him enough in order to tell him personal events from her life. There seems a strong connection between the two and it looks like they would both be interested in the idea of spending the rest of their lives together. Mitch can’t keep his hands off her and enjoys Blanche’s old fashioned ideas about dating. But it really looks like she is holding back. Why is Blanche not being herself with Mitch? Is she trying to be someone else because she is ashamed of her past? Whatever is the answer, the way she is acting makes her look really suspicious.
A sad thing that I noticed in the story is the hatred that Stanley has for Blanche. All the suspicions I had about a secret attraction are out of the question. He dislikes the way she talks about him. He blames for the change in the relationship between him and his wife. He even ridicules the fact that Blanche takes long baths in the afternoon. It seems like his strong hatred lead him to go on searching about Blanche in hotel Flamingo located in Laurel. The meanest thing he could have done was tell Mitch about the information he found out. The ticket Stanley gave on her birthday was the last drop, hoping to get rid of her. The curious thing is why does Stanley believe what other people say about his wives’ sister? Because he wants her about of their life as soon as possible and he is willing to do anything in order to get his plan accomplished. Luckily, his wife does not believe, but it is clear she is starting to doubt her sister. No matter if Blanche is not the lady she wishes to portray, I don’t think he deserves such a bad treatment. I hope she’s going to end out well, but if things are going in such a direction, I predict it is only going to get worse.

A streetcar named desire#3

What a terrible ending ! I already anticipated that things were going to get worse; the events that happened to Blanche were more than I expected. Why did she have to come to Belle Reve? Maybe she was going to have a brighter future if she did not come to her sister’s house and had the encounter with a hateful monster like Stanley who from the moment he meet her planned to destroy her life. It was possibly just faith. Some people are lucky, and others are not. Or maybe is the fact that Blanche always wanted to have a magical life, instead of accepting a dull, boring life like her sister Stella had. Blanche was older in age, but in my view she was as innocent as a ten year old girl dreaming to become a princes and looking everywhere for her prince charming who is going to save her and make her dream come true. I really feel pity for Blanche.
Ever since the previous scene, things went downhill for her. It started with Stanley’s cruel actions. Then Mitch came along treating her coldly and shattering all her dreams. How could he? After hearing about her troublesome life in which she lost Belle Reve, lost a dear relative and lost her lover. All the hard hits of life brought Blanche to the ground. From there, she was strong enough to get up and try again to find happiness in life. So what she has been with more men trying to find happiness? She did not know that there are few good people in the world, so she tried and tried to find some shelter. If I were Mitch, I would have gone to her, gave her a big hug and told her everything was going to be alright. He dared to tell her that she was not pure enough to become the mother of his child…. I am simply repulsed by his actions and changed my view of him. He is as bad as all the other men who could not see that she were a sad, naïve girl in need of affection. In the end, when the doctor was taking Blanch away, Mitch was just standing there like an uncaring pig. I bet he possesed no real love for her otherwise he could not have stayed there like an emotionless robot.
What about Stanley? He saw that she was in such a terrible situation and he continued to ridicule her. It broke my heart to see how desperate Blanche was trying making things look better. Instead of feeling bad for her, Stanley accused Blanche of lying. It is understandable why she was doing everything. Poor Blanche was trying to make him and herself believe that she still had some hope and something good happened to her. More despicable, Stanley went on and raped Blanche in the bad state of mind she was in.
“We’ve had this date with each other from the beginning”? He is a monster with no conscience, because the next day he could look in her eyes and even mocks her without any shame. In the end, all the people in the story are not good. Stella allowed her sister to be taken away. The Negro Woman allowed Blanche to be taken away…Everybody stayed there, watching her give up on all her dignity, hope and leaving with the doctor to an unknown place. Really dramatic end! I think the idea that the writer wished to convey to his readers is that in this mean world you have to accept the reality, no matter how harsh it. You have to become tough and realize that there is no magic in life…just a house, food, a companion and that is all. There is no prince going to take you on his horse and take you to a better world. Also, the weak people will perish first. It was a great play with a great moral about the world that we live in.

Crime and Punishment #1

My first impression of the book was a not as great. The first couple of pages did not really steal my attention, but as I moved on it got more and more intense. In the beginning I did not know what was going on with Raskolnikov. He simply seemed a really depressed man living in a small room and having a need of isolation. Even if I did not know anything about him, it was clear that he was a really intelligent individual thinking and analyzing everything to the deepest meanings. He did not look to me like a brainless man.
The first part started to relate to me because it shows how hard it is to make money in this world and how in some places people live from one day to the other. The people living in the book are working hard, starving, suffering and doing all they can in order to get food for the next day and pay rent every month. That relates to me because I’ve been in Romania, and the economic situation is almost as bad as described in the book. People work too much for little money and they are happy that they managed to get that. So that made me wonder what kind of world are we living in if some places have people starving and others where people have excesses? Moving along in the chapter, it almost made me cry, seeing what efforts Marmeladov, his wife, daughter were doing in order to continue their existence. He lost his job, his wife was being beaten, and his daughter started prostitution in order to help the family. Raskolnikov and his family were in the same situation. His sister was willing to marry with a man she did not love in hoping to bring him a better future. Another way, in which I could relate with the story, is the distance from the loved ones. When Raskolnikov received the letter from his mother, it broke my heart because I know from experience how hard it is to be away from loved ones (family, relatives, friends). How hard it is not to be close to your loved ones for three years and simply hope that you will see them again someday, but have no assurance the reunion will really happen. All of the pain, lack of money, and news from his family, loneliness brought Raskolnikov to the conclusion that he had to get up and get some money. However, like Marmeladov mentioned,” You need to have somebody to go to “. How Raskolnikov did not have that person who could take him out of his well of problems, he was pushed into doing the odious crime. The story shows how too many problems could make you do desperate things. However, it seems to me that it was meant to happen since all the events occurring to Raskolnikov contributed to his decision. He was hesitant at the beginning. Why did he overhear the conversation about murdering the old widow? Why did Marmeladov come to him and brought ideas in his head? Why did Raskolnikov passed on the street right when Lizaveta was talking to the merchants and learned she was not going to be home at 7? Why was the door to the yard keeper open with an axe inside? And finally, why did he escape even thou he was trapped in the apartment like a rat in a trap?
In part two, things did not go as I expected. I imagined he was going to be tormented by his actions and do something crazy or get caught immediately like it happened in MacBeth. However it did not happened that way. We know that after doing a crime, a punishment is going to come. In Raskolnikov’s life, it did not happen as fast as I imagined it would happen. He got sick and delirious for a while and he started doing some crazy things (like talking too much and showing too much interest in the murder, making him look suspicious). But it looks like a good time in his life. All the people are caring for him and worry about him. Razumikhin is by his side like a guardian angel and most important he is not alone. He was not left alone to die out of illness in some pit. He was cared for and that shows there is still hope for him as long as he has a good friend by his side t. The ending of the chapter brings some brightness in his life. He gets close to Marmeladov family and his mother and sister come along. It brings out the question whether it was really wrong to kill the old woman who was ripping off many people with her little business. Another question that appeared in my mind was if Raskolnikov did not want to get caught? Why was he not subtle, and mentioned the murder case so much? Was he just desperate to confess or was it just a smart plan to keep people from ever suspecting him? By confessing everything in such a common way to people and giving small hints, it made them think he’s joking since a really guilty man would try to be as quiet as possible. His actions confuse me. But knowing he is a really intelligent person, it would not surprise me if he were to

Crime and punishment #2

Getting into the third part of the book, I expected things to become better. Raskolnikov’s mother and sister came into the picture, Razumikhin is helping around and I would be happy to be in Raskolnikov’s position. He however is not doing that. He tells his mother and sister to leave him alone and acts cold to them when they first meet and starts tormenting him with the crime he has done, even if he already realized that the old widow’s death is not going to end his life. All the things he talks with the people around his, including his family and friends are not that crazy. His advices are intelligently made but all the people around them keep looking funny at him and blame his illness for his “crazy ideas”. It seems to me that the people viewing his as crazy are not as intelligent as him is if they are not viewing seeing his point of view.
Other things that start to aggravate the situation are the actions of Raskolnikov, new people popping up in the worst moments and the way the police investigator (Porfity) is treating Raskolnikov. I already got to the conclusion that Raskolnikov is a really intelligent man. So that must be the reason that he’s telling the police that he was a customer of the old widow, talked about what he pawned with her and went to her apartment asking the workers where the blood disappeared. It lets to be assumed that he is trying to confuse the investigator into believing he did not do it otherwise, he would not go to the crime scene again and get attention to himself. However, that could bring more attention to him and make him looks suspicious. The scary thing is that the Porfity seems to have noticed that and try to use his own intelligence (since he obviously is not stupid) to torture Raskolnikov into confessing. He gives certain hints that he is suspicious, but if he is being asked changes the subjects and says he is not. The way he disputed Raskolnikov’s article that for some reason seemed to be perfectly incriminating and tormenting him at the station tells me he has a plan in his head, but it is to be discovered later in the book. But why would Raskolnikov write such an article saying that the people having a new idea the “special “ people have the right to destroy in order to make his idea come true? His view of things is impressive and breathe taking, but why would he share his thoughts with the rest of the world who is clearly not as wise as him? A lot strange things occur, like the merchant looking for him and calling him murderer and new people coming along unexpected who seem to have no use in his life (like Svidrigailov). The suspense is keeping me on my toes. One moment things seem to change in better and the next moment things turn bad and the fear Raskolnikov comes back in my mind. After the terrible investigation that occurred and things looking bad, there comes the merchant, telling his story and easing Raskolnikov mind again.
Some nice things that occurred in the two parts were the fact that Razumikhin is clearly in love with Raskolnikov’s sister, Raskolnikov’s sister and mother have figured out that Petrovich is a really selfish man who doesn’t respect his future wife and the connection to has appeared between Sonya and Raskolnikov. The reading was really good, seemed to wanted to convey the idea that once you do a crime, the punishment is not going to come right away. It seems just like in Macbeth, Razumikhin is going to torment himself until getting the punishment. I don’t think Raskolnikov will go crazy, but he’s going to have hard time thinking about the situation. The only thing that creeps in my mind is what will Sonya say when Raskolnikov tells her who the murderer was .He is not a villain or a mad man in my view!
Hope things will be alright in the end. He is not a villain or a mad man in my view!

Crime and punishment #3

The last three parts have been extremely suspenseful. The ending was surprising and really rewarding. In the beginning of part five things were starting to get out of control. Right when Raskolnikov was starting to relax all the problems coming to him. Porfity comes along telling him straight that he knows he is the killer but is expecting him to come and confess. That has answerer the previous questions that I had whether Porfity believed Raskolnikov was the killer or he was just tormenting him for no reason. However the main character had to make a big decision whether to confess his blame or run away. But what was the purpose of Porfity’s visit? Did he intend to make his suspect confess? Was he a good man warning his friend of what is about to happen and intended to offer him a better road? Or was he simply trying to add pressure on Raskolnikov? He seemed to be caring about his suspect’s welfare, yet I don’t see why he would care about that. Porfity still looks like a sneaky character until the end that can’t be trusted completely.
Petrovich also seemed to have two faces in the story. The first one was evil and selfish. The first face is the face that Raskolnikov discovered, his sister was lucky to discover until she made the mistake of marrying him. After he was defeated, a completely different person seemed to come out when he was by himself in his home. He seemed to be really hurt, insecure, desperate, and maybe even loving. It seemed like he loved Avdotya Romanovna in his own way. But all that defenseless and sad character disappeared as he turned into a desperate evil devil accusing Sonya of stealing one hundred rubles right in the middle of the funeral banquette of her father. In conclusion, he showed everybody that he was a ruthless, lying and evil little man capable of doing anything in order to make himself look better and have revenge. Sonia was lucky that two people protected her otherwise she would have been sent to jail. It conveys the message that if you are an honest person people will be on your side and things will be okay, while if you are pretending lying scum, when you have a problem you are on your own.
Some other impressing things occurring was the pride Kathertina possessed. Even if she had a small amount of money for the funeral of her husband, that did not strop her for having a banquette in order to honor her husband and allow people to see that he was a great man who deserved respect. Although things did not go the way she wanted to and in the end she started acting crazy finding herself evicted from her house and dying on the street, she still gained my respect for dealing with so much suffering but trying to show people that she can handle it. She was a fighter until the end of her life. It was shocking that Svidrigailov committed suicide even though he was afraid of death. The question why he helped Sonya so much is still hunting me. Maybe he was trying to help her financially in order to help her get rid of some of her suffering, hoping that he will gain some peace of mind from doing a good deed.
Some happy incidents were present too. The fact that Sonya found out about Raskolnikov’s crime but remained by his side brought a ray of sunshine in all the pain and suffering present in the book. The fact that Raskolnikov’s sister continued to respect him was again delightful. The most beautiful thing of all was the transformation that occurred in Raskolnikov while in jail. All his life he felt alone, superior to the rest and with not much love for life and future. He allowed his brain control his life and that made him a sad puppet that went trough life filled with pain, anger, hatred and despairs and with no hope that things will get better. Even for Sonia he wasn’t feeling love, but a connection and a companion who would give him her tears and made him feel better in harsh times. However, after the moment in jail when he started crying grabbing Sonya‘s knees, everything changed. He allowed his heart to lead him in life. Once he gave himself in, doing the right thing God gave him love, salvation, happiness and a new view in life. His sin was cleared. His crime was forgotten and finally, in his life he seemed to start experiencing happiness. The miracle that Sonya told him was going to happen if he does the right thing, actually happened. That gave him perspective, patience and hope for the future. The point the author was trying to get to the readers is that faith in God and love are the most important things in life that can help you get through any tough situation.