Alex's reaction to Part III, Chapters 1-3

The first three chapters of Part III of Crime and Punishment were not exactly what I expected. I did not appreciate this portion of the novel nearly as much as Part I and Part II. These chapters focused mainly on Razumhikin’s attraction to Raskolnikov’s sister, Dunya. This digression in the novel’s central plot, the murder of the Ivanova sisters and Raskolnikov’s internal punishments that result, did not appeal to me at all. Before I began reading Part III, I was excited to see how Raskolnikov would continue to suffer and how the story would continue to unfold. However, I felt that these chapters did not fulfill my curiosities the least bit. On the bright side, by failing to heavily discuss the murders, Dostoyevsky has maintained a high level of suspense. Therefore, I am still looking forward to reading the remaining chapters of Crime and Punishment. Based on my previous readings, I believe it is appropriate to conclude that as an author, Dostoyevsky never fails to bring something interesting to the table. Therefore, I do believe that Razumikhin’s infatuation with Dunya will eventually have a significant role in the overall context of the story. Moreover, Dostoyevsky caught my attention during a conversation between Raskolnikov and Dunya in chapter 3. In this discussion, Razumikhin was instructing his sister not to marry Luzhin. After exclaiming that her motives for marrying this man are despicable and “sordid,” Dunya responds that she is “guilty of no one’s death.” What really captured my attention here was how Raskolnikov reacted to this comment— he fainted. This demonstrates how Raskolnikov’s anxieties over getting caught for the murders continue to intensify. I find it quite interesting how those who spend time with Raskolnikov are not making the connection between him and the murders. Every time the crimes are mentioned, Raskolnikov responds by fainting or reacting in an extremely malicious manner. However, they perceive Raskolnikov’s guilt as the result of a serious illness. I hope that someone will eventually discover the real reason for Raskolnikov’s suffering.. 

-Alex