The Bible and Crime and Punishment
Dosteovsky's novel Crime and Punishment depicts the Biblical account of Jesus' path to crucifixion burdened with a wooden cross through the character of Raskolnikov. After committing a cold-blooded murder he experiences mental anguish, and in a defeated state, confesses, and accepts the consequences of his crime.
Although the novel begins by focusing on the crime itself, the majority of the book discusses Raskolnikov's struggle through denial and redemption after the murder has been committed. His own "greatness" leads to his denial of God, and his attempt to suppress his conscience causes insanity and sickness. However these negative consequences force him to acknowledge his rectitude and realize his need for confession.
The prostitute, Sonya, helps Raskolnikov take a step toward redemption by discussing with him the Biblical account of Lazarus' revival from death. This scene depicts his inability to comprehend Sonya's God, and epitomizes his refusal to cling to a higher being. Raskolnikov's incessant pursuit of hindering Sonya's faith characterized the frustration and struggle he experienced because of spiritual issues. However, his path to confession progressed during their conversation because of his hidden desire to understand Sonya's faith. With her aid, he took a step toward redemption foreshadowing her action in raising him from the "dead." Sonya pleads with him to wear her cross and confess to his heinous crime. However, he refuses to accept this burden. This directly parallels with Jesus' refusal to die before his proper time.
The climax of the novel takes place after Raskolnikov's realization and acceptance of his consequences. He visits Sonya and receives her cross. Through this action, he accepts punishment and ironically, his life. This gift's benefactor, Sonya, carries significance in this allusion to the Bible. Sonya, a sinner through the world's eyes, bestows her cross on Raskolnikov. In addition, she gives him the strength to live again. Jesus was given the cross to carry by the people, sinners by definition of the Bible. By his actions, he gave life back to the people that condemned him to death.
Raskolnikov's tread to police headquarters for confession paralleled Jesus' trudge to crucifixion with his cross.
When people temporary gather in a public place and members might interact, but do not identify with each other and will not remain in contact that is a crowd (Ferris & Stein, 152), however I believe that the Hutus represent more of a group, which is a collection of people who share some attribute, identify with one another, and interact with each other (Ferris & Stein, 152). Most of the Hutus worked together and continue to make contact with one another to keep the fighting going, where as I see the Tutsi’s being more of a group until they started to fight back. The Hutus and Tutsis made their own subculture because they differentiated by their own distinctive values, norms and lifestyle (Ferris & Stein, 107). They made it so murder is okay, as long as it is the Tutsi side that is being killed. The Hutu celebrate when they kill hundreds of Tutsi or use them as slaves. All this fighting is over something they cannot control, their ascribed status. Ascribed status is an inborn status, usually difficult or impossible to change (Ferris & Stein, 142). They do not get to control who they are, and only the choices they make changes them as a person. The Hutu do not see it as this way though. They believe that because of this status they keep getting the shorter end of the stick so
Surprisingly when he confesses she does not react with fear or judgement but her reaction is strangely compassionate. She “[flings] herself on his neck and [holds] him tightly in her arms” (424) and he is shocked. The mercy that she shows him is God-like. Raskolnikov's exclamation "I killed myself, not the old crone!"(430) reestablishes the concept of death through sin and exemplifies the idea that he feels he has lost his life and his soul through his sin, which is a religious ideal. Sonya answers him saying "Accept suffering and redeem yourself by it." In this scene Sonya becomes, more clearly than before, a Christ-figure for Raskolnikov. He comes to her seeking salvation. Rodya tells her, "That's why I came, because I'm wicked."(428) He comes to her for help and seeking to shift his burden onto her. Jesus came to save sinners, by taking upon himself the burdens of mankind. Her incomprehensible...
Burger obtained permission to replicate Milgram’s experiment with some slight modifications that made it ethically suitable. "People learning about Milgram 's work often wonder whether results would be any different today," Burger says. "Many point to the lessons of the Holocaust and argue that there is greater societal awareness of the dangers of blind obedience. But what I found is the same situational factors that affected obedience in Milgram 's experiments still operate today." Burger found that even 50 years after Milgram’s study, people are still prepared to inflict pain on another when told by an authority figure. Another example of a replication of Milgram’s study is seen in the French documentary Le Jeu de la Mort (The Game of Death), produced in 2010. The experiment was recreated with an additional feature of criticism through implementing a reality television segment. The scenario was presented as a game show pilot where volunteers were given €40 with no chance of winning any money from the game, as this was only a trial. Only 16 out of 80 participants ended the game before delivering the highest-voltage punishment, proving that the experiment aims are still relevant and similar
Sofya made Raskolnikov realize, through acceptance, love, and sin, that he is not the “Superman” he thought and believes he is, and instead woke him up from his dream. The man became aware that his murder could not be reasonable in anyway, and that he cannot change the cards that are deal, just how he plays the hand. He agrees to spend time in prison to repent his sins. Although Sofya made a radical change in Raskolnikov’s personality, she is always by his side, and given him full support and comfort through the tough times that he has. There is no doubt that the existence of Sofya in Crime and Punishment breaks the narrow-minded view that kept a firm grip on Raskolnikov, and brings him back on the ground.
In Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov's initial crime, failure, and acceptance of mistakes are his road to overcoming his ego, as well as self discovery.
Data collection includes an extensive clinical and or forensic interview of the person/child in question; Interview of the collateral sources; behavioral / bonding observations; administration and interpretation of appropriate and required objective and standardized neurocognitive, psychological, and forensic tests; and through review of available records. Data analysis and integration comprises of synthesis of information received from the interviews, collateral sources, testing and the records. During this process special emphasis is on looking at the consistencies and inconsistencies in the data. Consideration of special needs of the child and families, available resources, and cultural factors are an integral part of this process. Finally, case is formulated based on the theoretical knowledge, legal presumptions, care and safety doctrine and scientific principles. Subsequently, the referral question is answered with maximum clinical/psychological certainty. All these steps are performed in the most ethical manner and the evaluator is to uphold the highest professional standard of practice of
...ing to compensate for them. As his guilt is almost done eating him inside and out, Raskolnikov finally admits and with a new love, he points his life in a whole new direction. Svidrigailov’s moral ambiguity seems to play a smaller part in the whole picture than Raskolnikov’s, making a subplot for the story and adding details to make it more exciting.
Torn between his sense of morality and his belief in nihilism, Raskolnikov becomes estranged from society. Nihilism is the rejection of all moral and religious principles and even that life is meaningless. Throughout the novel, Raskolnikov is trying to relieve the tensions between these two extremes. In the beginning, Raskolnikov has hit a low point within his life. He feels helpless because his sister is marrying for money to help his family, he is beyond poverty and cannot even afford to pay rent, and he has no job. Raskolnikov feels at the mercy of the world and completely and utterly helpless. He hates having to rely upon the Pawnbroker for help and even money. When the idea first pops into his head to murder the pawnbroker, it starts to become a potential reality. The ideology of murder is masked behind Raskolnikov’s belief that it would be for the greater good to eliminate the pawnbroker because of her mean spirited nature. Driven mad by the possibility of a choice, which Raskolnikov convinces himself exists because of nihilism. Raskolnikov because of his torn morality goes between extreme submissiveness to over powering those around him. Overall, Raskolnikov decides to commit the murder in an attempt to see if he can transcend his morality. This is what Terras refers to in the context of The Brothers Karamazov, where tensions between Raskolnikov’s façade and his true self are creating an external and internal struggle that causes him to have a
The main character in Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov, has nihilistic ideas, which ultimately lead to his own suffering. Raskolnikov, an impoverished student, conceives of himself as being an extraordinary man who has the right to commit any crime. He believes that as an extraordinary man that he is beyond good and evil. Since he does not believe in God, he cannot accept any moral laws. To prove his theory, he murders an old pawnbroker and her step sister. Besides, he rationalizes that he has done society a favor by getting rid of the evil pawnbroker who would cheat people. Immediately after the murders, he begins to suffer emotionally. Raskolnikiv “[feels] a terrible disorder within himself. He [is] afraid of losing his control…” (Dostoevsky 95). He becomes ill and lies in his room in a semi-conscious state. As soon as he is well and can walk again, he goes out and reads about the crime in all the newspapers of the last few days. The sheer mention of the murder...
As part of a "rest cure," her husband forbids her from exercising her imagination in any kind of way. Then we begin to see both her reason and her emotions rebel at the treatment as she turns her imagination onto seemingly neutral objects (the house and the wallpaper) in an attempt to ignore her frustration. The negativity she feels influences the descriptions of her surroundings, making them appear uncanny and menacing. Isolation from the excitations of the external world actually make one suffer more. Therefore, there is no doubt that she would definitely direct her attention towards the weird apparition in the wallpaper, which is actually the projection of
In this situation, the religions of Buddhism and Hinduism would probably be the most similar. Both of
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In Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, Raskalnikov undergoes a period of extreme psychological upheaval. By comparing this death and rebirth of Raskalnikov's psyche to the story of the resurrection of Lazarus, Dostoevsky emphasizes not only the gravity of his crimes, but also the importance of acceptance of guilt.
Baker, Kimberly. "Assisted Suicide Advocates Forget Hope a More Powerful Force Than Death." LifeNews.com. 2 Nov. 2010. Web. 30 Jan.