Sonya functions as an important character in the novel, Crime and Punishment. Her physical description symbolizes the suffering of humanity. The narrator describes Sonya as a “small thin girl of eighteen with fair hair, rather pretty, [and] with wonderful blue eyes” (335). Sonya's description of being “small” illustrates Sonya as a child. She is constantly described “very young...almost like a child” (425) and looking like “a little girl” (429). She is only “eighteen” and due to her father being a drunk and diminishing all of his income and leaving his family to starve, Sonya--”a respectable poor girl” (34)--has to give herself up to prostitution to earn income for her family. Sonya is respectable in the sense that she butchers her virtue by sacrificing her body to feed her family. Dostoevsky presents Sonya as a survivor from social pressures. She is a “gentle creature with a soft little voice”, but her actions of becoming a prostitute show strength and courage (35). She gives hope to humanity by continuing having faith in God and becoming …show more content…
They are both displayed as attractive. Raskolnikov is “exceptionally handsome, above the average in height, slim, well-built, with beautiful dark eyes and dark brown hair” (9). But, his looks are deceiving because he is the “perfect madman” (209). He is vicious by murdering two people, while his friend still believes he has “a noble nature and kind heart” (386). The contrast between Raskolnikov and Sonya is self-sacrifice. Sonya destroys her innocence for the good of her family. She allows the world to shame her for her father’s other children. Raskolnikov believes by killing the pawnbroker, he is helping society. Sonya’s self-sacrifice is completely different from Raskolnikov because she commits her acts with selflessness and love. In all, Sonya may be as attractive as Raskolnikov, but she is described as the salvation of humanity with her selfless attitude and caring