Preliminary Literature Analysis Questions

1. My literature analysis book, Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, is about a young man named Raskolnikov, living in Russia, who suffered from extreme poverty. Due to his adversities he derives a plan to solve them by murdering and robbing a rich old women and pawn broker named Alyona Ivanovna and her sister. He justifies his actions by saying it is for the good of all people and something he was destine to do. He explains how he will help the poor and make Petersburg, Russia into a better place, "he even became much absorbed in the notion of setting up tall fountains, and of how they would freshen the air in all the public squares."

2. The theme of the novel is pride and what it can do to a person. Throughout the entire book Raskolnikov distances himself from the world, from people. In his mind he is too good to socialize with others, that he might even get corrupted from there influence. Many times he even goes out of his way to avoid any interaction what so ever, "he was so immersed in himself and had isolated himself so much from everyone that he was afraid not only of meeting his landlady but meeting anyone at all."

3. Dostoyevsky's tone varied quiet often throughout the course of the story depending on the different situations Raskolnikov faced. The three main tones I picked up on while reading the story however were, distressed, warm, and optimistic. He used a distressed tone when describing Raskolnikov before and after the murders "[Raskolnikov] was positively going now for a "rehearsal" of his project, and at every step his excitement grew more and more violent." He also uses a warm tone when illustrating the relationship between Raskolnikov and his mother "My dear Rodya.. you know i love you; you are all we have , Dunya and I." And lastly he uses a optimistic tone when discussing Raskolnikov's confessions and rebirth "Although invisible there are always two witnesses present at our every action; God and our conscience."

4. Five literary elements that strengthen my understanding of the theme are syntax, diction, comparisons/simile , personification, and allusions.

Repetitive Syntax:

"Good God!" he cried, "can it be, can it be, that I shall really take an axe, that I shall strike her on the head, split her skull open... that I shall tread in the sticky warm blood, blood... with the axe... Good God, can it be?"

"Why am I going there now? Am I capable of that? Is that serious? It is not serious at all. It's simply a fantasy to amuse myself; a plaything! Yes, maybe it is a plaything."

"Go at once, this very minute, stand at the cross-roads, bow down, first kiss the earth which you have defiled, and then bow down to all the world and say to all men aloud, 'I am a murderer!' Then God will send you life again. Will you go, will you go?"

Diction:

"It began with the socialist doctrine. You know their doctrine; crime is a protest against the abnormality of the social organization and nothing more, and nothing more; no other causes admitted!..."

"You are a murderer," the man answered still more articulately and emphatically, with a smile of triumphant hatred, and again he looked straight into Raskolnikov’s pale face and stricken eyes."

"Ah, it's not picturesque, not aesthetically attractive! I fail to understand why it is more honourable to shell some besieged town than to destroy by the blows of an axe"

Comparisons (similes) :

 "He stopped short and was still as death. But all was quiet, so it must have been his fancy. All at once he heard distinctly a faint cry, as though some one had uttered a low broken moan"

"it is as if he had two separate personalities, each dominating him alternately"

 "while the direction of the actions is deranged and dependent on various morbid impressions--it's like a dream"

Allusion

“I wanted to make myself a Napoleon,” states Raskolnikov, “and that is why I killed her.” His is murder of the pawnbroker serves for him two purposes: to prove he is above the law, and to establish the truth of his superiority.
 "Why am I to be pitied, you say? Yes! There's nothing to pity me for! I ought to be crucified, crucified on a cross, not pitied! Crucify me, oh judge, crucify me but pity me?"

 "I did not bow down to you, I bowed down to all the suffering of humanity"

Personification

"His legs felt suddenly weak, a cold shiver ran down his spine, and his heart seemed to stand still for a moment, then suddenly began throbbing as though it were set free"

 "Raskolnikov’s burning and intent eyes grew more penetrating every moment, piercing into his soul, into his consciousness"

"tears stood in their eyes"

Characterization Part 2

1. One example of indirect characterization is the way the author describes Raskolnikov when he commits murder, describing his phyiscally actions. Whereas Dostoyevsky practices direct characterization when he portrays Raskolnikov's thoughts of anxiety and paranoia during and after the deed. Another example might be Raskolnikov and his ex students jacket throughout the novel the author uses it to indirectly describe Raskolnikov as an ex student and some what of a quiter, on the other hand Raskolnikov also thinks of himself as a quiter and often times Dostoyevsky communicates that to the audience through Raskolnikov's thoughts.

2. The whole story is written through the eyes and voice of the main character Raskolnikov, which is why I did believe there to be much of a switch between writing styles specifically syntax and or diction.

3. The protagonist in this novel is most definitely a dynamic and round character. He has so many sides to him and his personality, at first he comes of as self absorbed and arrogant but over time Dostoyevsky reveals that he is actually a kind hearted person and is capible of emotions and deep feelings.

4. After reading crime and punishment I felt as if I had met Raskolnikov himself, the way the author described his character so precisely and truely developed his character through out the course of the story mad me feel closer to him. I not left as I knew him, I sorta felt like him, I felt like I experienced what he had and over come he had in some crazy way. Ranging from his deep depression to his murders to his love for Sonia. "Murderer!" he said suddenly in a quiet but clear and distinct voice.
Raskolnikov went on walking beside him. His legs felt suddenly weak, a cold shiver ran down his spine, and his heart seemed to stand still for a moment, then suddenly began throbbing as though it were set free. So they walked for about a hundred paces, side by side in silence.
The man did not look at him.
"What do you mean... what is... Who is a murderer?" muttered Raskolnikov hardly audibly.
"You are a murderer," the man answered still more articulately and emphatically, with a smile of triumphant hatred, and again he looked straight into Raskolnikov’s pale face and stricken eyes"