Russia in the time of Crime and Punishment experiences widespread political debate and reform, and the intellectualism that had flourished in Russia for many years branched into several schools of thought. No one group had united goals or methods but encompassed wide ranges of people with various political beliefs; Dostoyevsky often participated in such groups and maintained throughout his life an interest in intellectualism and politics. He uses his knowledge of the inner workings of Russia’s progressives to develop realistic characters with connections to his current culture. Dostoyevsky’s characters such as Sonia, Lebeziatnikov, and Luzhin reflect different political tropes in late 19th century Russia and provide suspense, humor, or conflict to the novel’s plot. …show more content…
Her utilitarianism and faith connect with the Pochvennichestvo, a division of intellectuals focused on humbling themselves and cooperating with the Russian Orthodox Church to spread social reform. Though Dostoyevsky does not portray Sonia’s religiosity as a hindrance to her development, Raskolnikov views it as a weakness. His Nihilism’s direct opposition her Utilitarianism drives her to attempt to change him despite his resistance. Sonia uses her faith and Utilitarianism to push Raskolnikov down the most moral path. These efforts confuse Raskolnikov and nurture his internal conflict between guilt and pride, drawing out suspense in Crime and Punishment. Without the contrast between Sonia’s and Raskolnikov’s beliefs, the novel loses much of the conflict that draws out the interlude between Raskolnikov’s crime and