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Psychological Sanity Essay

1596 Words7 Pages

Brandon Banks
AP Literature Per. 3
Mr. Backen
9 November 2015
The Psychological Sanity The nature of human sanity is one theory that has sent authors on a never-ending journey that balances between reality and fantasy; thus, each book begs the reader to answer the question of where each protagonist falls. Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, published in 1866 is one of the first novels to explicitly examine the psychological phases that a criminal encounters beginning with the crime and exploring the punishment. However, Dostoevsky wrote this 542 paged novel with an inquisitive methodology, he presented the ruinously brutal crime within in the first few chapters, and then he followed by an extended maniacal punishment. Dostoevsky …show more content…

At this moment in the novel, the repressed Raskolnikov has confessed to Sofya “Sonia” Marmeladov about the murders: he has killed the pawnbroker, Alyona Ivanovna and her sister, Lizaveta Ivanovna. Yet, his confession’s sincerity is questioned as he follows by stating a denial that only an empty depraved man would divulge. Specifically, he states, “But how did I murder her? Is that how men do murders” Do men go to commit a murder as I went then? I will tell you some day how I went! Did I murder the old woman? I murdered myself, not her! I crushed myself once for all, for ever … But it was the devil that killed that old woman, not I.” (Pg. …show more content…

In addition, this passage includes a particular statement Dostoevsky utilizes specific diction in the second part of the passage as he displays two attributes of Raskolnikov, which are his ignorance and narcissism. Lastly, the third part of the passage illustrates Raskolnikov’s denial of any personal activity or involvement with the murders, but rather he was possessed by the devil. Furthermore, an exploration of the first part of the passage will show the true essence that Dostoevsky illustrated within in those four questions. These four questions exist to allow the reader to gain an insight on Raskolnikov’s mind. The first question – “But how did I murder her?” – emphasizes that he doesn’t believe that he murdered the woman; in spite of the fact that if the reader glances back at the real crime one would see that it was not just one woman, it was the pawnbroker and her sister. Dostoevsky utilizes specific diction to stress the actual mental state of Raskolnikov with the use of “her” rather than “them” or “both women”, as to present the assumption that he is insane. The second

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