Crime and Punishment Reaction Ch.1 & 2

The narrator is an omniscient observer focusing in on Raskolnikov, a former student overwhelmed by his feelings of alienation. He ventures out of his apartment, which he is unable to pay for, and finds himself at a filthy tavern. The author makes a parallel between the deteriorating mental state of Raskolnikov and the run down tavern. He is depicted talking aloud to himself and anxiously checking his surroundings. I am eager to find out what he is hiding from. He acts as though he is afraid of being followed and avoids anything that might attract attention. After deciding against his vow of solitude, Raskolnikov meets a drunk man who seems to be surprisingly intellectual. He follows him to his home and feels contempt for the family considering their situation. However, he feels especially for Sonya because she was forced to give herself up into prostitution in order to support her family financially. Some areas of the book are confusing to me, for example, distinguishing between Raskolnikov’s thoughts and dialogue. I would also like to know what incites these feelings of paranoia in the main character because he makes hazy references about what it is he did or is going to do. The setting, the tone and the characters seem to be weighed down by some mysterious state of mind that the main character carries around that the reader has yet to know about. 

Crime and Punishment Reaction

Upon reading the beginning of "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky, the main character who also serves as the narrator of the story, Raskolnikov, is introduced. Raskolnikov is introverted. He abhors seeing people in the streets. He holds in the anger he wishes to expel on the world. Personally, I do not understand these feelings of anger towards society. I also do not understand why Raskolnikov is so disgusted by the fact that Marmeladov, a stranger he meets in a bar, prostitutes off his daughter when Raskolnikov himself has considered performing acts that are equally as immoral. He considers stealing from an old woman that he pawns off of. As a result of this, he does not have a moral foot to stand on. 

I was also at a loss for how to keep up with all of the characters introduced. Marmeladov vents his familial struggles to Raskolnikov. In the process, he mentions all of these characters in his family but does not give background on who they are. This makes it difficult to keep up with the various storylines he brings up in his rant to Raskolnikov. I was caught off guard by how easily Marmeladov strikes a conversation with Raskolnikov, a stranger to him at this point. It was a little bit creepy when he just walked over to Raskolnikov and started venting to him about his issues. If I were to be in this situation, I would try to escape as soon as possible. I certainly would not follow a person to their home if they had just finished telling about how dysfunctional and abusive their family is. Raskolnikov's hypocrisy shines through in this instant because while he claims he hates interacting with others, he follows a random stranger to their home. 

Chapters 1 & 2

What a deep dark glimpse of life in St. Petersburg through the perspective of Raskolnikov. He and many other characters identified in the first two chapters of the novel are poor characters living in deplorable conditions. While I admit I was concerned about reading two novels simultaneously, I have been drawn into this story by the description of Raskolnikov and his character and the squalid and oppressive conditions that surround him. It seems he is planning some sort of crime, possibly a robbery, in the residential building where he pawns items to Alyona Ivanovna. He lives an isolated and detached existence yet his movement is seemingly calculated. He is rattled when noticed by others. He is behind on his rent and is out of money, which I guess is why he pawns his things. I was disgusted to read about the official or ex-official, Marmeladov, who he met by chance in a tavern, and his deplorable family life. I read with horror about his second wife Katerina Ivanovna and how she encouraged and they allowed his daughter Sonia to sell herself to support his drinking habit and their life. Their substandard living conditions, abusive lifestyle and existence were really unconscionable. Even though she beats him and her three children (from a first marriage), he loves and admires her. I guess Raskolinikov pities them because when he sees her children living in poverty and fear and witnesses Katarina’s abusive actions, he leaves some of his money with them rather than worry about his own existence. What is up with St. Petersburg? The city seems filled with drunken souls who live in squalor and are barely surviving. I find myself strangely wanting to read more.

Ryan Pearson

Crime and Punishment CH. 1&2 Reaction

            In chapter 1, we are introduced to the character "Raskolnikov" who I found to be contradictory. In the first chapter, he is shown as a handsome, man dressed in shabby clothes. Due to certain quotes I characterized him as a loner who does not  particularly hold other humans or moral values in high regard but states he misses human companionship.  He then expresses anger the bar man has the nerve to “touch him or touch his person.” This sentence stood out to me because it seems as if Raskolnikov exhibits a certain anger toward the human race. This anger could be a major downfall for the character. Though it seems he was ready to rob the pawn ladies shop, he then expresses distaste at Marmeladov's decision to prostitute his daughter Sonya forgetting his own immoral thoughts earlier in the chapter. 

             Chapter 1 held my interest because it introduced an interesting character who was grappling with his emotions. On the other hand, I struggled with Chapter 2 simply because of the wordiness of the dialogue of Marmeladov. I had to fight the urge to skim this chapter because the extended life story really bored me. I also wondered if Marmeladov’s story is relevant to the rest of the novel or if it is simply to demonstrate how Raskolnikov reacts to human interaction.

            Reading the excerpt on the back of the book, I am interested to know whether Raskolnikov is the murderer who does the crime and then eludes the punishment.