Madie's Response to Alex P.5 Ch.4

Both Alex and I were pretty surprised to see Raskolnikov confess, however, we both expressed the same thoughts that we were expecting it at some point. I liked Alex's idea that he confessed to Sonia because he needed an outlet and she was the most reliable. Sonia would understand that people make mistakes, and she would be most forgiving and understanding. Further, I think that he not only went to her because of what Alex said, but also because she is the only character with whom Raskolnikov has any sort of deep relationship. He trusts her enough to confess the murder to her. We both share the same surprise to Sonia's reaction when she says she will not leave him even though he is a murderer and has no reason to be. This may be in part due to the reasons that were mentioned above. Also, I think Alex may be right when she suspected Raskolnikov of lying again during his justification of the murder. It is questionable wether or not he did it to feel superior, he jumps around with his justifications of why he did the crime. I agree with Alex, I would feel more respect for him if he was more upfront and didn't try to sidestep everything. It will be interesting to see his confession to the police, and how/if his character changes from here.

Alex's reaction to Part 5, Ch. 4

Wow! I was surprised when Raskolnikov confessed his crimes to Sonya, even though I expected a confession to come sooner or later. I think Raskolnikov was looking for an outlet to express his guilt and to get things off his chest without directly turning himself in. Sonya is obviously a better listener and advice-giver than Porfiry or any other members of authority would be. However, I think Raskolnikov decided to talk to Sonya in particular because she understands the idea that people make mistakes and that life is difficult. Therefore, she was the least likely to judge Raskolnikov and the best person to give him some direction on what he should do in order to resolve his guilt. I was also surprised when Sonia promised not to abandon Raskolnikov, even after he expressed his feelings of superiority over other people. It was interesting to see Raskolnikov state that his motive for murdering the pawnbroker had nothing to do with his poverty or how Alyona treated him personally. Despite what he says, I doubt Raskolnikov committed his crimes to feel superior and be like Napoleon. It would not surprise me if he was just fabricating another elaborate excuse to cover up his mistakes. In fact, I would have more sympathy for Raskolnikov if he just told the truth, because killing to sate your hunger is more justifiable than killing to be superior. At the end of this chapter, Raskolnikov seems to finally have started on the path to overcoming the guilt he has felt since the murders. His self-analysis is particularly honest and rational, and this itself seems like a tremendous step towards accepting the wrongfulness of his crime. I was quite pleased when Raskolnikov finally came to grips with the fact that he is part of the society and the lower class that he thinks so poorly of. In my opinion, this was the most satisfying part of the chapter because Raskolnikov’s arrogant personality was really starting to get annoying. I am looking forward to reading about Raskolnikov’s confession to the police and what his punishment will be.

Madie's Reaction P.5 Ch.4

Finally, he confessed! I've been waiting for this moment since the beginning of the book! Raskolnikov confesses to Sonia in a long drawn out explanation which doesn't even involve him saying it outright. He implies it to her, and she becomes upset, but not for what he did at first, but for his suffering. She embraces him as if to comfort his suffering. If I were her I would not have reacted this way! I would have been horrified but she doesn't seem to feel this way. And it is the same when he explains why he did it. He seems to avoid the question using metaphors of Napoleon, but he eventually comes to a conclusion. He says that he did it to get a better life, and finally he transcends to his reasoning that he needed to be "daring" in order to be a man. He emphasizes that he only did it to "dare" not to steal or for money but to dare because no man had before him. He states that "power is only given to him who dares to stoop and seize it." He is basically saying that he killed her to gain some sort of power. Throughout this Sonia is not rejecting him like I thought she might have. She seems to almost pity the pain he inflicts on himself because of it. She doesn't understand why he did it, but ultimately blames it on the Devil and not him. Faithfully, she decides not to abandon him. She hugs him and kisses him, and gives him support. However, now the burden is on both of them. Since Raskolnikov confessed to her, now they both have the truth wearing them down. Sonia even gives him one of her crosses and they both "bear the cross" of his actions. When Raskolnikov is finished he realizes that instead of feeling the load lighten as he had suspected, it had only become heavier and more painful. This confession did not do what he had hoped. Sonia tells him that the only way to be free of it is to turn himself in, and Raskolnikov will not do that. I am intrigued to see what happens to Raskolnikov now that he has confessed.

Gabe's reaction to Alex's part 5 ch 3

I completely agree with Alex that this chapter was exciting! I think we are all happy that Luzhin finally got what he deserved, and was actually turned in by his roommate. I also though tthat Lebezyatnikov was an insignificant filler character, but deep down I knew that there had to be some importance in placing him in the story. Based on the past chapters, almost every character so far has ended up playing a role in the story despite the fact that they seemed insignificant at first. I also agree with her when she states that it was satisfying to see his plan fail. Although Raskolnikov committed a villainous act, I can not help but feel some sort of sympathy for him. On the other hand, I completely despise Luzhin and I feel as if he is a true villain. The way he treats Dunya and the way he thinks and acts truly disgusts me. The fact that he would go so low as to attempt to frame Sonya, who although is a prostitute still has some dignity and seems like she is a good girl, by putting money in her pocket and accusing her of stealing. I also am cheering for Sonya as she still shows faith and God and begs for forgiveness. She is pure on the inside and is simply working as a prostitute to support herself and her family. I think Alex's analysis on Raskolnikov's conflicting moral codes is both interesting and accurate. The fact that he performs both compassionate and immoral behaviors makes Raskolnikov even more interesting of a character. I disagree with Alex about feeling sorry for Katerina. If anything I feel sorry for her family, but to me she is just as bad as Luzhin. She puts her own self esteem issues before her own health and the health of her family. She is rude and disrespectful to her guests, but I do agree with Alex that Raskolnikov will probably offer his apartment to them since he has helped their family out multiple times in the past.

-Gabriel

Alex's response to Part 5, Ch. 3

I agree with Madie and Gabe, what an entertaining chapter! We all pretty much enjoyed seeing Luzhin get fucked over in the end by Raskolnikov and (especially) his roommate, Lebezyatnikov. The fact that Luzhin wanted to frame Sonya for theft, after everything that she has put herself through (prostitution) to bring money to her family, made Luzhin’s true character shine through. Like Madie said, Gabe’s argument that this chapter secures Luzhin's position in the list of villains and makes him even more unlikable than before (is that even possible?!) is easy to agree with. I also agree with Madie’s argument that the fact that Luzhin’s plan was against Sonya, who is arguably the nicest character in the novel, really illustrates his immoral characteristics. I agreed with Gabe that it was noble of Lebezyatnikov to foil Luzhin’s plan, which probably explains why I was so intrigued with Madie’s counterargument to this point. She mentioned her belief that Lebezyatnikov’s motives were less to help Sonya and more just to get back at Luzhin. Although I initially thought otherwise, Madie makes a valid point and it is hard to say what really motivated Lebezyatnikov to take a stand. Nonetheless, Lebezyatnikov did become more likeable to the readers and like Gabe said, justice was finally served. Finally, Madeline, Gabriel, and I all felt some sympathy for Marmeladov’s family after they were evicted from their housing unit. Gabe made a good point when he said that this situation could have been avoided if Katerina had not let her pride overtake her rational judgment. I am excited to see what happens next.

- Alex 

Alex's reaction to Part 5, Chapter 3

This was a bittersweet chapter for me. I absolutely loved the fact that Lebezyatnikov spoiled Luzhin’s plan! To be honest, before this chapter, Lebezyatnikov annoyed me. He just seemed like another insignificant character that digressed from the novel’s central plot. However, Luzhin is probably my least favorite character in the novel, and to see his plan get ruined and illustrate the real bad guy was extremely satisfying! Especially since part of Luzhin’s plan was to make Sonya look as if she was at fault. Despite the fact that she is a prostitute, I have gained respect for Sonya over the course of the novel. I feel bad that she lives in such miserable conditions and has forced herself into prostitution in order to help her family. The fact that Sonya still has hope that God will forgive her of her sins makes her one of the few positive characters in Crime and Punishment, which at times can be relieving. I was also happy when Raskolnikov stood up against Luzhin in support of Dunya, revealing that Luzhin probably wanted to slander Sonya in order to get back at Raskolnikov for ruining his engagement and to prove to Dunya that Raskolnikov is disrespectful. Why Raskolnikov does this was not entirely clear to me. On one hand, he could be selflessly helping Sonya out and fighting against Luzhin's injustice. On the other hand, he could be helping her in order to prevent Luzhin from ruining his relationship with his sister and as a result, the rest of his family. Raskolnikov's conflicted moral code leads me to believe there is some of each side in his actions. By protecting Sonya while embarrassing Luzhin, Raskolnikov killed two birds with one stone. On the other hand, I felt bad that Katerina Ivanova’s family was evicted from their housing unit. Although she has had poor behavior lately, I believe she was acting out of her low self-esteem, poor health, and to convince herself that she is in a better reality. The fact that Katerina no longer has food or a home foreshadows that she will die soon. However, I do believe that Raskolnikov’s feelings and friendship with Sonya is genuine, and he will not want her family to suffer or be homeless. Therefore, I believe that Raskolnikov will probably offer his apartment to Sonya and her family some time in the coming chapters.

- Alex 

Madie's Response to Gabe P.5 Ch.3

I agree with Gabe that this chapter was very entertaining to read, as Luzhin's horrible plan gets crushed by his roommate, and Raskolnikov. He starts by immediately directing his attention towards Sonya, accusing her of theft and when it turns out she does have the money he planted there, Luzhin seems to think his scheme has worked. I agree with Gabe, that this chapter secures Luzhin's position in the list of villains. His plan makes him even more unlikeable than before. further, the fact that he frames Sonya, who is a nicer character, really shows his immoral characteristics. I thought that it was interesting that Gabe called Lebezyatnikov noble for calling Luzhin out on his plan. I'm not sure if I agree he is noble for doing it because I feel that his motives were less to help Sonya and more just to get Luzhin. Perhaps he did it with good intentions to help Sonya, which would make it a good deed. Nevertheless he does become more likeable for going against Luzhin, and saving Sonya from being framed. Gabe brings up a good point that he felt like justice was finally served. I agree with this, I felt a sort of satisfaction when everyone turned on Luzhin. Additionally, when the Marmeladov's are evicted I felt sorry for them. However, like Gabe said, this could have been avoided if Katerina had not let her pride overtake her better judgement. Now they don't have money or a home. Further, Katerina is sick! She doesn't seem to be leaving her family in a good place if she gets ill. Gabe says that Raskolnikov may try and help out the family again, and I agree. Raskolnikov feels a connection to Sonya and if she needs help I think he would try to help her out if he could. 

- Madie

Madie's Reaction P.5 Ch.3

In this chapter, we see Luzhin's scheme to frame Sonya come to light. He bursts into the house right in the middle of Katerina's fight with her landlady, and instead of helping her, he immediately accuses Sonya of stealing money from him. This was his plan at the beginning to frame her. Katerina Ivonova, who has been trying all night to prove her nobility, is outraged and gets angry at Luzhin. She tries to turn out Sonya's pockets to prove her innocence but finds the money. However, Luzhin's plan doesn't go as planned, when his roommate shows up telling everyone he saw Luzhin frame her and put the money there. This is where Raskolnikov steps forward to tell everyone that Luzhin did it probably to get at him. Luzhin believed that if he could get Sonya to look like a thief then Raskolnikov would look bad since they hang around together. It is through this act that Luzhin's deep hatred for Raskolnikov shows. The fact that he was willing to frame an innocent girl to make Raskolnikov look bad says that he really hates him. However, the worst part is that by the end of the night the Marmeladov's are evicted from their home. They are losing everything and on the night of Marmeladov's memorial as well. The family is devastated. It will be interesting to see what happens to the family, especially since Katerina is obviously ill. 

- Madie

Alex's response to Gabe and Madie; Part 5, Ch. 2

It is easy to conclude that Madie, Gabe, and I all agree that Katerina should definitely not be spending most of the family money on Marmeladov’s memorial due to the fact that the family no longer has a steady source of income now that Marmelodov is gone. My partners and I also agree that pride is Katerina Ivanova’s motivation. I thought It was interesting that Gabe originally respected Katerina for spending a large portion of the money on her husband’s memorial service and believed she was being noble. However, Gabe soon realized that Katerina was not doing this out of love for her husband, but to appear as a member of a higher, more respectable class. Gabe brought up an interesting point when he said that by boasting about her family coming from nobility, Katerina was clearly sending out the opposite message. Madie and I also agree that Katerina’s family is the furthest thing from aristocratic. With a stepdaughter who was forced into prostitution and an alcoholic husband, Katerina is in no position to argue that her family is even the slightest bit noble. Madie and Gabriel made interesting points when they stated that Katerina’s pride might possibly end up hurting her family in the future. Both of my partners also mentioned that if Katerina dies, her children will be left with no parents and it is likely that they will not be able to support themselves. I definitely agree with this statement and I am worried about their children, especially Sonya. Also, I agree with Gabriel in that I do have some sympathy for Marmeladov’s widow, despite her outrageous behavior. Gabe mentioned that Katerina was trying to convince herself that she and her family were not in such a horrible situation, and I agree with him. I believe that this also justifies her behavior to some extent. I am looking forward to reading about what will happen to Katerina in the following chapters.

- Alex

Alex's reaction to part 5, chapter 2

Pride seems to be a large motivator for the characters in this novel. In this chapter, Katerina Ivanova’s pride gets in the way causing her to make irrational decisions. First, she spends the majority of the money that Raskolnikov gave her family on Marmeladov’s memorial brunch. Rather that thinking about all of the mouths she has to feed and the limited amount of money in her pocket (especially now that Marmeladov— the family’s main source of income— is dead), she tries to throw a lavish memorial to enhance her and her family’s reputation. Several times throughout the service, Katerina claims that she comes from a “noble, even aristocratic” family. As the reader, we know that this is far from the truth. She was married to an alcoholic, her daughter is a prostitute (although she did it for good reasons), and it is likely that her family will starve to death now that Marmeladov is gone. Her pride also motivated her to insult the poor, low- class guests who attended the memorial service. I found this action to be extremely pathetic on Katerina’s part. These guests came to support her during a sad period of her life. Rather than insulting them, she should be accepting their gratitude and mourning her husband. In my opinion, this chapter symbolized the collapse of Katerina’s character. She is completely out of line with her decisions and continuously behaves inappropriately. Also, the declination of her physical health becomes apparent in this chapter. During the service, Katerina coughs up blood and appears particularly ill. I am curious to see how much longer Katerina will make it due to her newly discovered health conditions.  

-Alex