"If it doesn't make you weep and worship -- read it again!"

It's always so interesting to listen to a person talking about something he or she is truely passionate about, so hearing Dr. Burton pick apart some topics on the life of Dostoevsky pertaining to Crime and Punishment was a treat. Literature aims to evoke such enthusiasm as he has about this influential author.

Learning about the background and context of the composition of Crime and Punishment helps deepen some of its meaning and put certain issues and topics into perspective. I love when authors draw from their own experiances to create a believable character - it adds so much depth and truth. Dostoevsky created Raskolnikov to be very similar to himself in a number of ways, and I can't help but imagine that at times he could have been considered to be literally writing about himself on some level, whether consiously or unconsciously.

Another point Dr. Burton addressed that caught my attention was that the issues raised in Crime and Punishment are extremeley relevant today. Though written hundreds of years ago, society and humanity are still dealing with the same problems.

Finally, I was intrigued by the topic of existentialism. I liked how Dr. Burton gave the analogy that existentialism seeks to rip off the mask of "I'm ok" to reveal the true inner turmoil and angst of human beings. This is what happens in Crime and Punishment. The reader gets to see into Raskolnikov's inner being and experience what he is going through psychologically as he contemplates, executes, and reflects upon the murder. It is this attempt to really draw the reader into the feeling of the story that makes it so effective.

Did Raskolnikov Repent?

What would the story of Crime and Punishment be if not for Raskolnikov's final repentance? His contrition for committing the crime restores that essential aspect of hope in an otherwise "depressing" tale. When Raskolnikov technically confesses his guilt in committing the act he is not genuinely repentant for it, but only wishes to relieve some of the agony that has come with keeping the secret for so long. For quite some time in prison as well, he reflects on his crime not with remorse but with examination - he still does not see the sin in his action because he believes he is a "superman" and therefore above the law. However, hope is nearly personified in Sonia, for she is the one without whom Raskolnikov would most likely have never accepted the true weight of what he had done. Because of Sonia's love Raskolnikov is able to look outside of himiself (overcome his pride) and eventually come to humility and true repentance.

Mere Christianity Quote

"And here comes the catch. Only a bad person needs to repent: only a good person can repent perfectly. The worse you are the more you need it and the less you can do it. The only person who could do it perfectly would be a perfect person - and he would not need it" (57).