(illustration of Raskolnikov)
Man ... the pages just flow by don't they? Kidding. Now, I KNOW smart students like yourselves would NEVER consider just reading some online summary of this book, i.e. SparkNotes instead of actually reading the book, since you've only had 90 days to read this book. So I'm excited about what you might have to say about section five in Part Three of the novel. I might be exaggerating just slightly but it's probably one of the top three sections in the entire novel. Understanding who Raskolnikov is and why he went through with the murder in Part One is answered within that section and begins the psychological interplay between Raskolnikov and Porfiry which I think is the heart of the novel. So make sure you read, or re-read, that section carefully.
That said here are some great discussion questions for ANYBODY to respond to:
1) How is Razumikhin a foil to Raskolnikov? (A foil is a character that contrasts with another character, usually the protagonist, and so highlights various facets of the main character's personality. A foil usually has some important characteristics in common with the other character, such as, frequently, superficial traits or personal history. The author may use the foil to throw the character of the protagonist into sharper relief.)
2) Explain what his published article is about in your own words, and can you think of any problems with his theory?
3) Do you think Raskolnikov considers himself an 'ordinary' person or an 'extraordinary' one? (This is not as easy as you might think. Perhaps you could point to some quotes/examples to help your case)
4) How does the description of the setting relate to the novel? (It seems like Dostoyevsky keeps beating us over the head with phrases like the 'stagnant air', the dinginess, the stifling heat, etc. at every turn. Surely it must be a metaphor or point to something, right? right?)
**As an aside ... Porfiry asks Raskolnikov at one point in their discussions if Raskolnikov believes in the raising of Lazarus. If you have time, google/wikipedia the story of Lazarus and see if you can figure out why the story of Lazarus is used. (This could help you with question 10 on your paper I believe.)**
8 comments:
So I really didn't want to be the first one to comment, but alas, it's been four days and no one has felt the need to stop by. :/
3. Well, initially I think Rodya considered himself to be one of the "extraordinary" types. I mean, he committed the murder in the first place. He obviously wouldn't have done it if he didn't think he was above the law. But, after he does so, I think he starts doubting himself, and questioning whether he was, in fact, extraordinary. He goes back and forth. Like that conversation he has with Zametov in the Palais du Cristal, I think it's apparent that he thinks he's above it all, the way he plays with Zametov, practically committing to the crime, and then somehow managing to convince him, Zametov that is, that there's no way he could of done it, and he's just 'eccentric' is the word I think they used. But then again there's his guilt. The fact that he keeps considering turning himself in. I think he starts realizing this more as he gets closer to Sonia. Rodya compares himself to her, and the fact that they both may have been decent people, but are now burdened with moral depravities. For him, murder. For her, prostitution. Through her he sees that after all, he wasn't justified in his killings and that it was immoral. So basically he goes from thinking that he's a demigod that can do no wrong and as the novel progresses he realizes that it's not true which will lead to his eventual confession.
This book will seriously drain life from your veins if you try and cram, great story but in my opinion Mr.D is a tad long-winded ;) You've already figured that out for yourselves.
Best of luck this year to everyone! Buy lots o' post-its.
Something to cheer you; on Antique's Roadshow this guy brought in a cookie jar he inherited from his grreat-grreat-something or other... turned out to be an urn.
Thanks Jessica for continuing to check back and help out those who are coming after you. Feel free to add some hints and tips for those who might need it.
TJ -- Sorry it's taken me so long to respond back to your thoughts. I particularly like how you phrased it; in that he thought he was but over time, and through his relationships, he begins to doubt himself, something a person like Napoleon, would never do. The true extraordinary person would never have these guilt/sickness pangs that Rodya seems to have right? They would do it, and move on with their life.
To put it in HS terms, perhaps it might be that boyfriend/girlfriend who can just dump a significant other with no qualms or regrets. They were just in the relationship for their own personal gains and could care less about the other person.
Rodya wants to believe he's like that but in actuality when he is forced to confront his actions through people like Porfiry and Sonya he can't stomach himself which is how we know he is a just person and capable of redemption. Right? Comments anyone?
Raskolnikov wasn't necessarily saying that these extraordinary ppl can commit murder so easily just because they are above the law and they can do whatever they want.. but more that these said extraordinary ppl would be able to live on after the crime without any type of remorse for their actions, like it wouldn't weigh on their conscience as it would on an ordinary person's simply because for them it wasnt really wrong... LIke as long as the crime is for the good of many then a simple sacrifice of one person, ie the old hag that he sold stuff to, wasnt a huge crime towards humanity but he could live with the sacrifice free of his conscience and continue living his life.
That said, (and maybe this is another question?) I think Raskolnikov, if at once believed he was a said extraordinary person, is now coming to terms with the fact that his crime might cause him guilt, he will want to seek redemption and this is all proving that he is a normal human.. maybe this will change his mind on his theories. The theory that it isn't wrong as long as it helps "society" or who/whatever is no longer valid and he has trouble swallowing the consequences of his actions... He has been hurt by so many things in his life and dealt with those "HS bf/gf that can hurt pple with no regrets afterwards" that it almost numbed him.. He only saw the benefits of the murder because he had gone so long without feeling that he was unable to take a perspective of someone that would be hurt by the murder, or to see why their lives actually could still matter in the big picture..
Sarah Ferris on the blog too! Be still my beating heart.
I think you are right on. I would love to hear more from you on why you think it means they can 'step over the person' as opposed to feeling they should get away with it. How is that different? Doesn't Rodya feel he's invincible to Porfiry for awhile during his questioning b/c he feels he's one of those special people? It's probably an argument in semantics, and I'm willing to buy in to your theory, just want more reassurance from you.
However, I think you are dead on in your second paragraph except I don't think it 'might' cause him guilt ... it DOES cause him guilt. But that's the only thing I can argue with from an analysis standpoint.
Well done.
Recounting my "theory" I still believe these extraordinary people are a different class than ordinary people; not so that they may break the law where other people must obey it, but more because they alone have the ability to see past the sacrifice of one person and take into account the "greater good" where a normal person sees only black and white, a crime is wrong and the law is good...
I guess some people take it as he might feel invincible to Porfiry but I just never got that impression. I think Raskolnikov is not really a bad guy, more that he just has ideas a little too big for him to carry out alone.
For more reassurance that he wants to work for "the greater good" I would look at chapter 4 in section 4 [well thats where it is in my book but apparently im reading a different book than everyone else :/ ] when he is first discussing the family's poor conditions with Sonia. There is a part where he bows down suddenly and kisses Sonia's foot, and she is absolutely horrified and asks him why he would do such a thing. He rises immediately and simply responds that "It wasn't you I bowed down to. I bowed down to all of suffering humanity." This just struck me as another piece in the extraordiary vs ordinary ppl argument. I remember thinking it sheds light on his motives to be an extraordiary person. He isn't trying to have this right to transgress, instead I think he just wants so badly to find a way to do right in the world.. like giving away all of his money wasn't really because he had any special interest in fixing the problems of Katherine Ivanovna but he wants to make some kind of difference in the world and help "suffering humanity"
I rambled a lot because I have that problem but hopefully some of this made a little sense.
Haha Im gonna try to answer the Lazarus question too because I've talked this story over a lot with my grandpa (he's a pastor) and he talks for yrs about it so I have an idea.. well here goes.
Lazarus suffers. Obviously he's this gross guy with sores all over him and he doesn't want the world he just wants a wee bit of food from the rich guys table. Yet he still accepts Jesus as his Savior and thanks God when people would ask what he has to be thankful for. The rich guy chillin at his big table seems to have everything in the world to be thankful for but when he dies he is sent to Hell so obviously he didn't sit right with God. When the tables are turned and it is he that lays in agony, and just begs for the gross poor guy to come from heaven and "dip his finger in some water and cool his tongue" it cannot be done because of the chasm that keeps the dead in their place (heaven or hell) But how does this tie to our reading?? It's probably a stretch but Raskolnikov is obviously the gross guy at first like right after the murder he is lost.. He is fainting and people are questioning his sanity and this illness is overtaking him, and the gross guy is in the same way suffering this gross disease that is ruining his life, which I think his life is bad because God isn't present and overbearing in it?? Then he accepts Jesus Christ and everything suddenly is well and here he is living happily in heaven. I'm guessing there is a point in the story where Raskolnikov has this same change in his life, like a rebirth of some kind like the baptism cleans away your sins when you accept Jesus so some event will clear his mind and enable him to put the crime into perspective, which I guess Sonia is the only person who can have this effect on him because she is the only one he will discuss things with. But I don't know what she makes him realize or how she is able to change him when his own dear sister and mother, family, seem to repulse him after the pawnbroker's murder???
haha im an idiot wrong story..
i just now got to the reading of the story in the book and its a story about some guy being brought back to life please delete that comment cuz it shows what a big idiot i am but Sonia still is helping him but obviously everything i said was wrong and now im just really confused.
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