Chapters 1-2 Review

Before even starting this book, I asked around to find out what the book was about and what people thought about it after reading it. Every single person that I asked told me that not only did they love reading this book, but that it was also one of the best books that they have read. Once I bought the book I was very excited to start reading, and once I did, I was not disappointed. I found this book very easy to read and to follow along with. Although I have only read the first two chapters, the author already gives you an insight of the main character of the story. Raskolnikov is a tall and handsome Russian man. He is very conceited and considers himself to be superior to all those around him in his society. I think his attitude is what ends up causing all of his upcoming actions that eventually lead to his own demise. Because he already thinks he is better than everyone, that attitude will get him into trouble that will only make him realize that he is just as human as everyone else around him, and that he can not continue living as if he was superior to a whole society. 

Reaction: Chapters one and two on Crime and Punishment

Wendell Pfeffer

8/25/13

Crime and Punishment

Reaction: Chapters one and two

            As I begin to delve into this book I cannot but help imagine the sequence of events that are about to occur. I’ve never read any sort of literature that re-creates the structure of life during nineteenth century Russia, but I am about to find out. Once I started reading this book I was intrigued by how much I really enjoyed it.

 The story begins with introducing a man known as Raskolnikov, he is young man that lives in a bad atmosphere that is stricken with drunks, prostitutes and people living in poverty.  He clearly is in the same situation as everyone else, as in the opening of chapter one describes his debt towards the landlady and how it has put much pressure on him: “he was deeply in debt with the landlady and he feared meeting her.” The poverty and negative surroundings have also given him a negative response towards his life. He always comes to describe the strange and drunk people near him: “He looked around and at that moment he saw two drunks leaving the saloon.” During nineteenth century Russia everyone was living in poverty except the aristocrats. My mom was able to go to Soviet Russia in 1985 and the one thing that really amazed her was the people. They were living a life with no emotion; everything was gray and depressing. She wasn’t able to leave the hotel without the guide and it was prohibited to speak with anyone in the streets. They took her to a store that was mainly for tourists and the only thing that they had was sugar, coffee and vodka.

Another character that is mentioned in chapter two is Marmeladov, he seems to be a drunk retired government official that mourns over the suffering of him and his family. Raskolnikov meets him at a drinking tavern and they discuss over his issues. Marmeladov looks towards alchohol as a cure for all of his suffering, he even states: “the more I drink the more I feel it. That’s why I drink. Because when I drink, I look for compassion, I look for feeling.” He wants people to feel sorry for him for his suffering. This is the reason why he is talking about all his internal problems to Raskolnikov, he needs to relieve his anger and sadness.

So far I am really captivated by this book, I find the story line to be interesting and cant wait to find out what happens in the next few chapters.

Photo of a Yellow Ticket (Medical Card)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/Medical_ticket.jpg

Part 1: Chapter 1-2 Reaction and Character Development

When I first read the description on the back of this book, it sort of reminded me of another story that I had read with a similar theme to it. Even before opening the book, I tried to imagine what kind of events would transpire, just by having read the description. However, once I started reading, it was quite different than what I had imagined. So far, this book seems to discuss the concept of morality through its’ characters. 

The two characters we are introduced to in depth are Raskolnikov and Marmeladov. While the two characters are similar as far as their financial situations are concerned, their ethical codes are not the same. In the case of Rascolnikov, he seems to have this contempt of people, not wanting to be around them, as the narrator tells us when he is approached by Marmeladov. As I got further into chapter one, Raskolnikov seems to be in an unstable mindset. The first indication was that he has conversations with himself, which has been happening for a month. He also seems to have been planning on doing something very bad, and now is disgusted with himself as to why he was planning on doing it. The fact that this behavior had only started happened a month ago leads me to believe that he may have developed schizophrenia. The idea is plausible, since those who are born with schizophrenia usually suddenly develop symptoms when they are young adults, like Raskolnikov. 

Another character we come to encounter while reading is Marmeladov. He meets Rascolnikov at a drinking den, and he seems eager to share his life story with the young man. Marmeladov tells him of how he is basically a good for nothing drunk that is willing to do anything for his alcohol.  He also stresses the fact that he knows that what he does is wrong, and yet he keeps spending money on alcohol anyway. He even lets himself and his family rely on his daughter to make money by selling her body. As far as who I believe to be the worst character is at this point in the novel, it would be Marmeladov, because although he knows what he is doing is wrong and hates himself for it, he doesn’t put forth any genuine effort to fix his life. 

-Rachel Franklin

Part 1: Chapter 1-2 Response

       In just the first couple of pages I felt as if I could see everything playing out in my head. The story is surprisingly easy to follow and intriguing. The characters young Raskolnikov encounters in these first two chapters are all described in a negative light. The dark and mysterious descriptions of St. Petersburg give off a sense of eeriness and lack of hope within the town. Marmeladov, the drinking den’s “funny man”, tells Raskolnikov not to think of poverty as a sin because with poverty there is some hope but to think of destitute as a sin. Destitute, as Marmeladov describes, has a lack of hope. (17) Marmeladov thrives on the hope that anybody will have pity for him and for anyone else in the world. His drunken state is traced back to the guilt he has for allowing his daughter to prostitute herself to feed her brothers and sisters.

     Dostoyevsky leaves many unanswered questions in these two chapters that foreshadow what may happen later on. Why does Raskolnikov worry about how his top hat could be evidence to catch him? What could he possibly want to do? What is his dream and plan and why is it “such a monstrous act?” (pg. 12) The title, Crime and Punishment suggests that Raskolnikov will ultimately commit a crime that he cannot escape. A question that stuck in my head after finishing the two chapters was why is Sonya’s character so important that Dostoevsky writes almost an entire chapter about her?

-Jessica Morales

Part 1: Chapter 1-2 Original Thought- Mikaela Pyatt

In the first two chapters we learn less about the main character then we do about Marmeladov. Both he and Raskolnikov both seem to have had a brighter past, yet that past has seemed to crumple up from under them. I thought a really good image was of the horribly worn out hat from Zimmermann’s. Before, it was something nice and of value yet now no one would recognize that, somewhat like Marmeladov and Raskolinkov’s past lives. Marmeladov was just adding to the misfortunes of his live with the help of being an alcoholic, and could not get out of the whole he dug himself into. This book is probably about crime and punishment, and even though no actual crimes were committed thus far, I feel like Marmeladov was committing a crime against his family. He knew right from wrong and did not avoid the punishment from his wife. Maybe it suggests that subconsciously people know there should be some sort of punishment for them to reconcile with guilt from their actions.

            The first two chapters also left me with many questions about Raskolinkov. After being yelled at and called a “German hater” Raskolinkov became worried and said that  “For this business I should be as unnoticeable as possible…”. At first I thought it was just his bad nerves and paranoia but then after he left the old woman’s apartment he said, “What filthy things my heart is capable of”, then “and for a whole month I’ve been...” I think he is guilty of some crime. Possibly theft because when he left the old woman’s house he may have noticed how easy it would be to steal from her after thinking about her keys and how she is often home alone. Yet, I am still unsure. 

Part I: Chapter 1 - 2 by Davis Knuab

Having read just the first two chapters of this novel, I am already surprised at how much I like this book. Since it was written in the 1800s in Russia, I was expecting the story to be really difficult to understand, but it is written in vernacular that is surprised me. The only difficult part of this read so far is keeping track of the different names since they are all Russian names that are difficult to pronounce, let alone remember. The first character introduced is Raskolnikov. I cannot yet make out exactly what I think of him. I am assuming that he was born into money based on the fact that he is described as “a man of a education and not accustomed to drinking.” He is now living in virtually squalled conditions in horrendous conditions of poverty leaving me to believe that something must have happened to transition him to this state at such a young age. Several times throughout the first two chapters, it is written that Raskolnikov cannot believe he is thinking of “that” and that he is capable of doing “that”. I am predicting that the “that” to which he is referring is the robbing of his land lady Aliona Ivanova as he takes pays particular attention to where her valuables are located in her apartment, the layout of her apartment, and the schedule of her visiting sister. The next character introduced Marmeladov seems nothing more than a lowly drunk willing to sacrifice anything in his life for another drink. He repeats several times that he is not looking for pity, but it actually seems like is. Nobody could possibly pity a man who allows his young daughter to prostitute herself so that he can continue to stay sleeping on the couch in the brief periods he isn’t intoxicated. So far, the book is entertaining, but I am wondering how these two characters are going to be related. The only apparent commonality between them so far is the things that they are willing to do in desperation.  ~ Davis Knaub ~