crime and punishment Essay

Submitted By pele04
Words: 798
Pages: 4

In Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel Crime and Punishment he has two crucial characters, Raskolnikov and Sonya. Raskolnikov, a tormented human, and Sonya, his light in a dark room. Sonya has the capability of saving Raskolnikov from himself but as the story progresses the light begins to dim. To agree with the claim that Raskolnikov spiritual regeneration is “unrealistic” is to except the fact he is incapable of love because his own pride is paradoxical. Therefore the idea that he is forever hopelessly doomed is incorrect. There are three main points that support the fore more. The first at which being, no one in a labor camp is capable of living up to Raskolnikovs “suspended moral accountability theory”. Secondly, to find someone as spiritually guiding as Sonya in the labor camp is nearly impossible. Lastly, he was capable of feeling intensely about Sonya and if he was able to feel that and have passion for something then the capability to do it again is there. The people in the labor camp are those who are already damaged, committed crimes and have gone through their own experiences that have ended them there. Raskolnikov was claimed to be an atheist and because of that attacked by an inmate. The incident shows the type of people he was surrounded by. The atmosphere of the labor camp was close-minded he was surrounded by people unremorseful of the same crimes he had committed. Any slim lesson that could be possibly learned by the people he was with, if any, was easily escaped because of his pride. His ego was so big that he couldn’t listen to any wisdom from another laborer with the thought of his theory that he was better then everyone else. The population in the labor camp was that of degenerates. “The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie, comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him or around him and so loses all respect for himself and for others”. The lie is his theory that he is better then everybody else. He believes this theory so much he has his pride before all else. Raskolnikov pride is regained with the combination of being in these surroundings and the loss of Sonya. Sonya offered to Raskolnikov something that he couldn’t find in anyone else, which was devine spiritual guidance unlike any other. Despite all his pride she never gave up on Raskolnikov. Sonya was capricious. She offered assistance to help “we’ll go suffer together and we’ll bear the cross together!” The Author believed that the sharing of sins among friends was important and necessary for spiritual redemption. Which again supports the argument disagreeing with the article. If that is true, sharing of sins among friends, then Raskolnikov being in the labor camp and not having that opportunity as freely slimmed his chances of his recovery of spirituality. After confessing his sins and then being put into a labor camp such as that could ruin any ones spiritual thoughts and question