Daniel Vladimirsky Crime and Punishment

Daniel Vladimirsky

Crime and Punishment Journals

Journal # 1: So I just finished parts 1 and 2 of Crime and Punishment and Raskolnikov seems to be a very interesting character. From the outset of the book, you can tell that he is very egotistical and self-centered. Raskolnikov is described as handsome which contributes to his pride and his solitary lifestyle contributes to why he perceives other humans as wrong and inane due to his lack of human interaction which probably leads to his idea of killing the pawnbroker, Alyona Ivanovna. The narrator describes Raskolnikov’s clothing as old and tattered and goes on to mention that he doesn’t care about his clothes because he feels everyone so inferior to him anyway. Raskolnikov’s pride becomes more complex as he begins to show compassion and then turns it around to feed his ego such as when he gave the Marmeladovs money and then states that they would not have survived had it not been for the money he gave to them. We see later on that Raskolnikov has more compassion buried deep down as he resents his plan of killing the pawnbroker and begins to detest himself for it, although executing his plan anyway and allowing his belief that he is above societal law to persist. He believes that fate wants him to kill the pawnbroker and that he is justified in doing so which continues to fuel his pride. After committing the crime, Raskolnikov doesn’t feel how he expected himself to feel as he feels weak and delirious as opposed to his expected feeling of pride and accomplishment. He becomes paranoid with being caught and worries about every minor detail. Raskolnikov later becomes his own enemy as he twice nearly confesses to the crime. His guilt begins to build and it becomes clear when he offers his help to the Marmeladov family because of his guilt.

Journal # 2: After having finished parts 3 and 4, I can see the possibility of Raskolnikov being mentally unsound. We begin to see a connection between Raskolnikov having the mindset of a criminal and his madness. His emotions begin to take over and he lacks self-control and thus risks giving himself away. This is clear when he faints after his sister mentioning that she has not killed someone. Raskolnikov’s inner conflict intensifies as he must avoid peoples’ suspicion and getting caught while simultaneously dealing with his overwhelming emotions and guilt. The discussion of Raskolnikov’s article gives us insight into his belief of a “superman” and why he feels he was justified in committing the crime and why he compares himself to Napoleon Bonaparte. Raskolnikov feels his actions were extremely utilitarian as the death of the pawnbroker was for the good of a great mass of people. His dream that Alyona was laughing at him while he was killing her shows that his pride in himself in slipping and that he is becoming more inadequate. Raskolnikov continues to develop more compassion as he attempts to distance himself from his family once Luzhin leaves but only after he knows that his family is cared for by Razumikhin. This shows that he can’t face his loved ones knowing that he is keeping a great, dark secret from them. The story of Lazarus is symbolic in the sense that Raskolnikov wishes to be, like Lazarus, resurrected and begin a new life. Raskolnikov’s pride in himself further subsides as he comes extremely close to confessing to Petrovich, that is until Nikolai comes in and confesses to the murders.

Journal # 3: In part 5, Raskolnikov begins to come to terms with his crime and confesses to Sonya and tells her he will confess to the police. He shows an effort to resolve the torment he felt since the murders. Although this shows his return to humanity and his abandonment of viewing himself as a “superman”, Raskolnikov still views everyone around him as vile and inferior. Confessing to Sonya shows Raskolnikov’s first real interaction with humanity and a major step to redemption. Raskolnikov eventually comes to the realization that he committed the crime simply because he wanted to do something “daring” to prove himself as exceptional as opposed to his initial supposed reason that the pawnbroker was a parasite and needed to be disposed of. After Katerina dies, Svidrigailov approaches Raskolnikov and informs him that he overheard him confess the murders to Sonya. Raskolnikov begins losing a grip on his secret. With Dunya’s failure to kill Svidrigailov, the murder of Alyona and Lizaveta becomes not a deed for the greater good of people, but simply whether or not a person can find it in themselves to take another life which is a big difference between Dunya and Raskolnikov. Although Raskolnikov claims that suicide is beneath him and that is why he can’t go through with it after he leaves his mother, the truth is that the lacks the moral strength to kill himself. Raskolnikov finally realizes that he too is only human and decides to confess his crimes. In the epilogue, it is apparent that although Raskolnikov still feels there was morality in killing Alyona, he has begun his repentance. When he collapses at Sonya’s feet and weeps it is the first time he is ever truly happy since his mental deterioration began and that his faith in God through the cross and the Bible he received will bring him back to humanity.