Poisonwood Bible

Major Works Data Sheet

AP Literature and Composition

1st Period

Title of Work: Crime and Punishment

Author: Dostoevsky

Date of Publication: 1866

Genre: Fiction Thriller

Characteristics of the Genre:

Dostoevsky employs tension and psychological

measures to create suspense throughout the

novel.

Historical Information about the Period

of Publication:

Biographical Information about the

Author:

The book was written prior to the Russian

Revolution. Russia is still under the control of

the tsar. Crime and Punishment’s only real

references to the outside world include

mentioning nihilism.

Plot Summary

The main character is Raskolnikov. He is arrogant and self centered, and resides in the city of St. Petersburg. He slowly builds up the courage to kill a woman, and thinks of himself as too good to get in trouble for what he has done. Slowly, the guilt eats away at Raskolnikov, who realizes that he is not impervious to guilt. He begins to feel suspicious that everyone around him knows what he has done. Raskolnikov as a character is distanced from his friends and family and tends not to interact with anyone socially. He does meet a man named Marmeladov in a tavern, and escorts him home to his wife Katerina Ivanovna, but even this act is more of curiosity than of honest compassion. When taking Marmeladov home, Raskolnikov meets Sonya, his daughter who resorts to prostitution to support his family. Raskolnikov is attracted to her and believes he identifies with her because she has committed moral wrongs. He falls in love with her, but is caught by a detective for the murder of Alonya and her daughter, and is sent to Siberia for his crimes.

Despite this, Raskolnikov finds happiness in Siberia and believes he will be able to find a better understanding of himself there.

Description of Author’s Style

Example that Demonstrates Style and

Explanation:

Dostoevsky writes in third person omniscient

and thus the readers are aware of

Raskolnikov’s thoughts and perspective.

“He, like everyone, had heard that there were, especially in Petersburg, progressives of some sort, nihilists and so on, and, like many people, he exaggerated and distorted the significance of those words to an absurd degree.”

Memorable Quotations

Quotation and Speaker

Significance

―What was taking place in him was totally unfamiliar, new, sudden, never before experienced. Not that he understood it, but he sensed clearly, with all the power of sensation, that it was no longer possible for him to address these people in the police station, not only with heartfelt effusions, as he had just done, but in any way at all, and had they been his own brothers and sisters, and not police lieutenants, there would still have been no point in this addressing them, in whatever circumstances of life.‖-Part II, Chapter I

This is Raskolnikov’ s realization that his

murders have completely isolated himself from

everyone around him. His separation is

complete and he is now truly alone.

―The old woman was a mistake perhaps, but she’s not the point! The old woman was merely sickness . . . I was in a hurry to step over . . . it wasn’t a human being I killed, it was a principle! So I killed the principle, but I didn’t step over, I stayed on this side . . . All I managed to do was kill. And I didn’t even manage that, as it turns out . . .‖ –Part III, Chapter VI

Raskolnikov is anxious because he is an unsuccessful murderer. He is unable to dismiss the guilt and realizes that he is not the superman that he thought he was. .

Major Characters

Character’s Name Role (What role

does this person

have in the story?)

Significance (Why

is this character

significant to the

story?)

Character Triats

Raskolnikov

Protagonist

He is the main

character

Troubled alienated

and moody

Pulcheria

Mother

Provides maternal

figure

Worried and poor

Dunya

Sister

Engaged to Luzhin,

how things were before the murder

Smart and proud

Marmeladov

Father

Spends all of his family’s money, fathers Sonya

Irresponsible, drunk

Katerina

Mother

Wife of Marmeladov

Originally elite

Crazy

Sonya

Love interest

Daughter of Katerina, prostitute, teaches R

about God, Convinces R to confess

Timid, shy, nervous

Polya, Kolka, Lenya

Children of M

None

None

Svidrigailov Ivaovich

Dunya’s former employer

Convinces himself

that Dunya loves him and rumors are

started

Evil

Marfa Petranova

S’s wife

Spreads rumors about Dunya, possibly murdered by S

Kind

Razumikin

Raskolnikov’s friend

Takes care of R and fam. Falls in love wth

Dunya

Friendly, social, humble

Porfiry Petrovich

Related to Marfa

R’s antagonist

Sly and cunning

Pytor Petrovich

Luzhin

Dunya’s fiancée

Wants to marry

Dunya because she is poor and humble;

tries to frame R and shame Sonya

Arrogant and vain

Alonya Ivanova

Pawnbroker

Murdered by R and

robbed

Mean, hateful, rich,

miser

Lizaveta

Alonya’s sister and

Sonya’s friend

Killed by R

Dumb, honest

Andrei Lebezyatnikov

Luzhin’s roommate

Studied new philosophies

Self-centered

Zossimov

R’s doctor

Suspects R is mad

Young, smart

Nastasya Petrovna

Servant

Aids R when he is ill

Kind, critical, nosy

Ilya Petrovich “gunpowder”

Police official

R confesses the murder to him

Hot-tempered

Zamytov

Junior Police Official

Suspects R of murders after

conversation in tavern

Nikolai “Mikolka”

Painter

Confesses to the

murders

Description of the Settings and the

Mood the Settings Create:

Significance of the Opening Scene:

Takes place in St. Petersburg and Siberia in the

mid 1860s. St. P was the economic capital of

Russian and the majority of the novel takes

place during summer. R sees St. P as a poverty

stricken place full of vagrants and drunkards

where he cannot be alone and peaceful. This is

why he finds himself in Siberia.

The opening scene describes the setting, which

is hot and on the verge of explosion. R scouts

out Alonya.

Major Symbols, Motifs, Images

Significance of Ending/Closing Scene

The major symbols, motifs, and images are:

-America

-Nature versus the City

-The cross

-Lazarus

-Illness

Crime and Punishment ends in Siberia where

he is imprisoned for seven years. Dostoevsky

hints at R’s acceptance of Christianity and R

does not seem to repent but has a chance of

living with Sonya after exile.

Possible Questions for Discussion:

1. Detail the idea of alienation throughout the story. 2. Discuss Raskolnikov’s view of others in Russian society. 3. How do these two factors contribute to Raskolnikov’s decision to commit his

crime? 4. Describe how Raskolnikov comes to feel guilty and suspicious of others. 5. Why does Raskolnikov like Sonya? 6. How does Sonya help Raskolnikov grow as a person?