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
I agree with Jessica, I really enjoy how easy this story is to read. It is especially surprising, because this story was originally written in Russian. As to the atmosphere in Petersburg, I thought that it was just this particular area in the city. Raskolnikov discusses the fact where he lives is the worst part in the city, so I think how destitute this region is plays a major role in the overall moral of the area. For example, a driver can definitely feel a different energy driving through Overtown as opposed to driving through Bal Harbour. The people are, for the most part, faced with far greater adversities in the more impoverished regions. I am not sure how Jessica felt, but I personally felt sick when I read in the story that Marmaledov had done such an awful thing to his daughter, but still was still seeking pity from others. He seems like the last person on earth to deserve any sympathy. The questions Jessica brought up are definitely valid. I was wondering the same thing about the top hat. I think that he wants to blend in with everyone in the region in order to not stand out after the crime that he will predictably commit, but the top hat does not allow him to do that. I predict that Marmeladov’s daughter may play a role in the crime that Raskolnikov may commit due to the fact that the author spoke so much about her, like Jessica said, and that she is obviously willing to do whatever she can to take care of her family. ~ Davis Knaub ~
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