Comment on Jessica

I think  its interesting to think that Raskolnikov has the devil and angel sitting at his shoulders because I think he is constantly stuck in between. Even thought he planned out the murders and knew what he was doing, I don’ t think anyone could have prepared him for the guilt, no matter what he is trying to prove. He seems like he puts himself in situations to get caught, but like you said he is paranoid that someone will find out. Maybe not because he is crazy therefore carless with his words yet overthinks his actions. Perhaps being caught would mean he failed in a sense that he was not good enough to get away with murder. Despite the guilt,  he still goes back and tries to justify his actions to himself that the old woman was not important to society. 

I think everyone that he encounters, like the woman who jumped off a bridge, shows a little more and more insight to Raskolnikov’s character. The artisan does in a way represent Raskolnikov’s guilt. Confessing would release a huge weight from his shoulders and he wouldn't have to fear begin chased or having to retrace his footsteps. Being proud for murder is a sickening idea but Raskolnikov shows many signs of it. I don’t think he sees his crime as something bad that happened because he believes he rid society of a worthless member. I did not initially think that the artisan could also represent the praise Raskolnikov may be looking for, but I think unconsciously Raskolnikov is looking for admiration.  

Is Raskolnikov Better Than Everyone?

Raskolnikov is pushing the limits of his freedom. He plays mind games with anyone who suspects he is the murder, and it does seem like he wants to get caught.  The huge variety of his interpersonal thoughts show the complexity of him as a person, and I still want to know more of  the background to what makes him who he is today. I am not sure if he has everything he wants all planned out, or if he is contemplating the value of his freedom versus the clarity of his conscious. I am even starting to question what confessing would mean to him. I am not sure if he would confess because its the “right” thing to do, or if he’s trying to prove something. Before, I was not really ready any signs of his arrogance  or thought that he thinks of himself above anyone else, but I am starting to see more of that. However, his superiority is somewhat true. Raskolnikov committed a crime that no one would have suspected he committed if he did not give up the hints to what he had done. In a way, Porify needs Raskolnikov more than Raskolnikov needs to be cautious with Porify. He could have gotten away with it and he knows it. It seems like Raskolnikov is comfortable with being the person with control in many situations. For example, when Marmeladov was dying Raskolnikov kept yelling out that “he would pay” when no one really asked, or when he said that he would not ask Marmeladov’s daughters to pray to him like they would to the priest; I found that to be strange, and  in a way, he wants people to look up to him. It’s almost like if you get a good SAT score, you don’t really just blurt it out, but you try to put yourself in situations or a conversation where you can somehow prove your intelligence to other people. I don’t think we can classify Raskolnikov’s character easily because he has many sides to him, and while reading you don’t really know how he’s going to act. He could be humble and give people with more need his money, but one could take that as he wants to show his superiority to others. Maybe he’s extremely guilty, or he’s just afraid of punishments. Even though Raskolnikov has the intelligence to carry out the perfect crime,  I still don’t see him as a criminal. 

Comment on Davis

    I agree with Davis and his views towards Raskolnikovs attitude. It's getting annoying how Raskolnikov constantly changes his personalities. At one point, you feel bad for him because he wants forgiveness and wants to be relieved of this guilt, and then the next he feels superior to everyone because he was able to take this women's life because her life wasn't worth it. I see this as somewhat ironic. Who is Raskolnikov to say that someones life wasn't worth it? Maybe this wasn't the nicest lady in the world, but then again Raskolnikov isn't doing anything with his life either. Raskolnikov dropped out of school and lives off of the money that his mother and sister send him. He doesn't even try to look for work, and he is now sick and going crazy because of the guilt that is growing in him because of the murder he willingly committed… that sounds like the complete opposite of "superman". 

    I think that Raskolnikov is finally getting discovered for what he did. His days of having his own personal guilt as his punishment are over. I think that soon he will be brought into some questioning of some sort and knowing his character, he will probably act out, making him seem even more suspicious. 

Part 3 - Ch 4-6

       Raskolnikov is finally suspected to be the murderer of Alyona. While reading through the pages where Raskolnikov and Razumikhin enter Porfiry's house, I felt very uncomfortable for Raskolnikov. It is the first time throughout the whole novel that Raskolnikov is being called out as a probable suspect for this muder, but he is still not being called out directly. Porfiry seems to be the first one to catch onto the fact that Raskolnikov could have been the murderer, and she decides to test him while they are all at her house, even in front of the policeman there, Zamyotov. It all started with Razumikhin messing around with him and joking about how nervous he gets when the murder case is brought up. I don't think he did this to throw his friend under the bus or anything because Razumikhin does not believe that his friend, Raskolnikov, was capable of committing the murder. Although once the article that Raskolnikov  wrote is brought up, things get a little more awkward. Razumikhin is quite shocked that his friend could think this way about something as serious as a murder. I don't even know why Raskolnikov would write something like that. I constantly get the feeling that he wants people to know that he committed the murder and got away with it because he is always dropping hints and saying weird comments that give off the idea that he could have killed Alyona, but now that people actually suspect him, he is trying to do everything he can to clear his name.
     Raskolnikov gets lucky again when he is able to avoids Porfirys "trick question" before they leave the house. He then for the first time discusses his involvement as a suspect for the murder with Razumikhin and in some way asks for advice. I think that at this time, Raskolnikov is really getting desperate and doesnt know what to do anymore. Its all becoming more real to him now that people actually suspect him to be the murderer. He is growing more and more desperate for forgiveness and a way to relieve his guilt, but at this point I have no idea how he will achieve that.

Comment on Morales

I really enjoyed Jessica’s comparison of the story of Pinocchio to Raskolnikov’s faltering mental state. It makes this story seem less complex than the vocabulary in which it is presented. I noted also what Jessica noted about Porfiry and how close Raskolnikov comes to telling the truth about the crime. Unintentionally, Raskolnikov shows his guilt by his facial expressions and nervousness when around the police and Porfiry. I, like Jessica, thought the mysterious figure, or the “artisan” may be a figment of Raskolnikov’s imagination, possibly even his conscious. His conscious seems to be following him around, like a shadow, saying nothing but serving soley as a reminder of what he has done to make him feel so guilty. The only thing that the man says, calling him a murderer, is the truth. He says no lie nor does he threaten Raskolnikov in anyway. This makes me believe that he isn’t a real person. Had a real person known that Raskolnikov committed the murder of the old lady, they would have most certainly told the authorities.  I could see the artisan as the devil, in some sense, in that he seems to just be waiting for Raskolnikov to make another mistake like the one he already has done. Overall, Jessica brought up some incredibly valid points. 

Response to Davis

    Davis mentions that Raskolnikov continues to struggle with his, what seems to be a never ending, conflict. He is can never decide if he wants to tell someone about what he has done or if he wants to keep living with his guilt. We see that he has moments of sanity but for the majority of the time he is still "ill". The article Davis mentioned, to me, seems to portray Raskolnikov's views on getting away with murder and how society treats the "rule-breakers" in each class division. According to Raskolnikov, if you are part of the "extraordinary"then you are more likely to get away with committing a crime than if you were in the "ordinary" group. It was interesting to read his reaction when Porfiry brought up the article. He starts to get nervous but then believes he can outsmart him. Even though in his mind, Raskolnikov did not seem suspicious, it looks like Porfiry suspects him, just as Davis stated. I have to agree with Davis' comment that "Raskolnikov may not be as confident in himself as he makes himself out to be." We are told as readers that Raskolnikov believes he has done nothing wrong but his actions tell us that he is unsure if he will get away with the murder. It is obvious that he is scared of what will happen to him but suppresses that fear by thinking too highly of himself. This fear is only brought up when people look at him a certain way or if he is dreaming. 

Forgive Me Father For I Have Sinned (Part III: chapter 6)

         Almost every child has watched or heard the story of Pinocchio; the story of a boy whose nose grows as he lies with a cricket representing his conscious. Jiminy cricket’s character and actions help the mind, the human and the living soul to make a choice. He focuses on right vs. wrong and good vs evil. While Jiminey Cricket is not walking around with Raskolnikov, an angel and devil are, in a way, sitting on Raskolnikov’s shoulders in these chapters even though he struggling to cope with his overwhelming emotions, his guilt, and wanting to execute his theory. In this section of the book, caught between guilt and his theory, Raskolnikov confesses his actions, to a point, and begins contradicting himself, while being prodded by those who suspect his involvement in the case. Out of paranoia, other people’s actions, the questions and facial expressions of Porfiry, and the encounter with the stranger (the artisan in the street) guide him towards impulsively checking for missed evidence and retreating to solitude. 
      While reading this section of the book, it was hard to distinguish if the artisan was real or just a figment of Raskolnikov's imagination. In my opinion, the artisan represents Raskolnikov's guilt. When the two men walk down the abandoned alley, the artisan does everything Raskolnikov does expect speak. The only time the artisan is heard is when he tells Raskolnikov he is murder. While Raskolnikov speaks in a hushed tone, the artisan speaks at him not to him. It is almost as if the artisan is yelling at him to wake up from his fake reality and confess. After this strange encounter with the artisan, Raskolnikov suddenly is on his couch dreaming. His dream in my perspective resembles his silent cry for salvation. He dreams about a church where one reflects on his sins and confesses. Raskolnikov subconsciously wants to be forgiven for his actions and wants to release the burden of his guilt.  
        When he wakes, Raskolnikov starts to wonder where the artisan came from. He describes the artisan as knowing everything and "rising from the ground". When reading this I connected the artisan with the devil. The devil, just like God, watches everything you do, just from below, waiting for you to mess up. The word "artisan" describes someone who is skilled in a certain profession but at the same time is interested in art. Poe described murder as an art form, something to be praised for. In recent t.v. series such as Dexter and American Horror Story, the murderers view their acts as something they should be proud of not thrown in jail for. Even though the artisan can resemble Raskolnikov's guilt, he could very well resemble someone who is praising Raskolnikov for his barbaric actions. 
      

Comment on Davis Part 3: 4-6

Wendell Pfeffer

Comment on Davis Part 3: 4-6

            Davis makes some really good implications from his latest reading of the novel.  Davis I found it really interesting when you began to discuss about Raskolnikovs mentality issues. You state that he has “a multiple personality disorder throughout the book.” I think this point you made is really interesting, however, I can’t seem to agree with it. Before he committed the murder he was acting like a normal human being. But later on in the novel when he committed the murder problems regarding his psychology really started to kick in. Like you said, “he would act like a calm and collected innocent individual” and then a “sporadic suspect of some unknown crime.” This change of behavior is only being influenced by his guilt of ever committing such an atrocious crime – that’s really it he doesn’t have a disorder.  Furthermore, most of what you said regarding the conversation Porfiry and Raskolnikov had together I agree with; the article he wrote is making Raskolnikov seem guilty in front of Porfiry. Other than that I really like the comment you made about Raskolnikov and how you were actually “rooting for him.” I felt the same way and maybe it is for the reason that he makes himself looks morally right and just while making the victim’s of his crimes look bad. Also Davis I disagree with the statement you made about his dream. The dream is in an indication of what will happen in the next few chapters, it foreshadows what is to come.  

Part 3: 4-6

As usual, these last few chapters portray Raskolnikov struggling with a conflict within his consciousness that makes its way into his actions causing others to question his sanity. The main occurrence in these chapters is the visit to Porfiry Petrovich’s home in which he makes himself appear guilty through his once again bizarre behavior. It almost appears that Raskolnikv has multiple personality disorder throughout this book. He alternates between appearing as a calm and collected innocent individual and other times a wildly sporadic suspect of some unknown crime. This is the first point in the story, however, that readers are given some sense as to why exactly Raskolnikov committed the murder. The article that Raskolnikov wrote “On Crime” basically describes somebody, assumably Raskolnikov, as a “superman” of sorts who is above all of humanity and with it, the moral code. Essentially, Raskolnikov seemed to be saying that he is above the entire world and what he did was not actually wrong, because he does not live by the rules and regulations of the society that he lives in. However, this article only seems to make himself appear guilty to Porfiry when he comes to get his pawned watch. As each page goes on, readers inherently lose any sympathy for Raskolnikov. At the beginning of the book, I somewhat rooted for Raskolnikov, because he seemed to be trying to live out some type of Robin Hood persona. Now, however, he seems to just be justifying his actions with the fact that he is better than everyone, and that the woman that he killed hadn’t a life worth living. As these last few chapters wind down, it appears as though Raskolnikov may finally be headed towards the literal punishment through legal means. Porfiry obviously suspects Raskolnikov of the crime trying to trap him with the question about the painters. Both Raskolnikov and Razumikhin agree that the police are beginning to suspect him as a murderer probably leading Raskolnikov to his dream about trying to kill Alyona, but failing. In this dream, she only laughs as he tries to kill her making him seem incompetent and delusional. This dream indicated to me that Raskolnikov may not be as confident in himself as he makes himself out to be. 

Part III: chapter 4, 5 and 6

Wendell Pfeffer

12/7/13

Reaction: Part III chapters 4, 5 and 6

            By the end of Part III the story already gives the reader a sense of where it is heading. But before that in chapters 4 and 5 there are many important events that lead towards the mind-blowing occurrences in chapter 6. What I noticed in chapter 4 was a possible relationship between Sonia and Raskolnikov - they were giving each other the lovable look, making loving gestures towards each other and Raskolnikovs mother even noticed a bond between both of them. I personally believe Raskolnikov likes her due to the fact that he feels sorry for her, all the pain she has had to go through, of her being a prostitute etc. Another reason to add on towards this notion is she also is the daughter of Marmeladov. Dunia on the other hand does not like Sonia and dislikes the bond that her brother and Sonia have with each other. Maybe it’s for the reason that she does not like the idea that her brother likes a prostitute or maybe she feels a form of jealousy. What I also noticed was Razumkhins rather strange behavior towards Raskolnikov. It seemed apparent in chapter 4 that he really wanted Raskolnikov to visit Porfiry because maybe he’s suspicious of Raskolnikov. Although, it seems unlikely at the end of their conversation when they begin to walk on the street, away from Porfirys house. After the conversation in chapter five I really began to start to fear for Raskolnikovs future because there is a more than likely possibility that he will be accused of the murder. During the conversation Porfiry really made Raskolnikov seem guilty – the combination of his pale face, incessant words and strange behavior really put Raskolnikov in an uncomfortable place. Also when Porfiry spoke words about the recent crime of the old lady and his sister Raskolnikov lost control of himself. Porfiry on the other hand seemed really calm during the conversation, this really made Raskolnikov uneasiness stand out, especially when he Raskolnikov got up to leave randomly.

            Chapter 6 was by far the most important chapter out of part III for the one and only reason that someone in his society knows the true person within Raskolnikov – a murderer. What is really unique about this idea in the novel is how does he know. Did he see him commit the murder himself? This will play out in the next couple of chapters. Other than the artisan himself Raskolnikovs dream was also a really important part in the chapter 6 because it foreshadows the next coming parts in the novel – people finding out that he is the true and real murderer not the painter.