Reaction Part two: chapters 1 - 3

Wendell Pfeffer

Reaction: Part II Chapters 1 – 3

            It seemed by the end of part one that the crimes Raskolnikov committed would actually not affect him but that actually turned out to be false.  Raskolnikov is unable to sleep and remains frantically nervous constantly reminding himself whether or not he left a trace of blood at the crime scene. Raskolnikov’s sense of remorse might be the punishment that is in store for him, but I think there will be more to come: “Can this be the punishment already beginning?’ Raskolnikov asks himself while feeling guilty about the atrocities he committed. Finally after that horrible night Raskolnikov finds himself in the police station for his debt to the land lady. At first he thought that he might get in trouble with the police for his crime but thankfully he wasn’t brought for that reason.  Raskolnikov remains incredible unstable when he later hears one of the detectives discussing about the murders of the pawn lady and her sister, out of desperation he passes out.

            I think these series of events are going to play out in the next few chapters; the police are becoming overly suspicious over Raskolnikov after he passes out. He ultimately fears the worst but currently Raskolnikov is just angry and tries to find someone to talk to in the second chapter. Razumikhin tries to help Raskolnikov in any way he can but Raskolnikov refuses. Out of anger he goes and takes a walk by himself and returns home. His lack of sleep forces him to fall into a deep slumber; he dreams about the landlady and is woken up by Nastasya.

            Raskolnikovs internal remorse is now beggining to invoke a sense of punishment within him. After that dream of the landlady Raskolnikov becomes delirious and incredibly frail. He is surrounded by Nastasya, his good friend Razumkhin, a stranger and the landlady. His associated mental problem and remorse cause Raskolnikov to not be conscious for four days, his sense of guilt has really begun to take a toll on him. All of those people around him are looking after him; he can collapse at any given moment. Ultimately, I think that Raskolnikov guilt will pass and that he will eventually commit a few more crimes in the next few chapters.