Crime and Punishment

Sarai AlvarezAnayib FigueroaIliana Lopez Yanez

1996 Prompt

August 26th 2014Mr. Ciolino

Period 5

1996 Prompt

The British novelist Fay Weldon offers this observation about happing endings. “The writers, I do believe, who get the best and most lasting response from their readers are the writers who offer a happy ending through moral development. By a happy ending, I do not mean mere fortunate events –a marriage or a last minute rescue from death – but some kind of spiritual reassessment or moral reconciliation, even with the self, even at death.” Choose a novel or play that has the kind of ending Weldon describes. In a well-written essay, identify the “spiritual reassessment or moral reconciliation” evident in the ending and explain its significance in the work as a whole.

The Important Parts

… “happy ending through moral development” …

Happy ending = “spiritual reassessment or moral reconciliation.”

IDENTIFY the “happy ending”

AAAAANNNNNDDDDDD …

“explain the significance in the novel as a whole”

Openings

Opening A

Literature, more than being a source of entertainment, is  aimed to contribute to society on moral levels. In the Russian novel Crime and Punishment (1866), author Fyodor Dostoevsky finalizes the novel in a way that instigates moral development within society. Throughout the novel, Raskolnikov battles with who he is, which is constantly influenced by his location;  however, by the epilogue, he is able to triumph over his existential crisis and find who he is again, once he is no longer amidst the chaos.

Opening B

Throughout the expansion of a novel, the chapters within shape the story while the ending delivers the message. Throughout the novel Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, the protagonist is under constant influence by his surroundings, which corrupt him morally and cause further conflict within the novel, such as his superiority complex and his emotional isolation from the individuals around him. It wasn’t until the protagonist, Raskolnikov, was imprisoned in Siberia and truly isolated from his surroundings that he underwent an epiphany and realized what he had become and who he wanted to be.

Opening C

Everybody suffers different phases throughout their lives. As a result, when one phase in person’s life ends, another one begins for good. This new phase is a good opportunity to analyze everything that someone has done wrong in the past. Very often, these situations have a spiritual reevaluation, which has a positive effect in that person's life. An example of this situation can be seen in the novel Crime and Punishment (1866), where Fyodor Dostoevsky illustrates an example of spiritual reassessment and moral reconciliation through Raskolnikov's life and the freedom he experiences after he finally finds himself.

Recap

First part: Allude to the idea of moral development or change.

Second part: Introduce your novel.“AP Readers, this is Crime and Punishment. Crime and Punishment, these are the readers that will judge you.”

Third part: Focus the novel specifically to the prompt.Why Crime and Punishment? Because its happy ending is caused by Raskolnikov’s change.

Thesis

Thesis 1

By reconciling Raskolnikov to his own identity, one formed from his own ideals (instead of those extrinsically inspired), Dostoevsky provides a spiritual epiphany, one that guides the protagonist to become genuine. This reconciliation becomes evident through Dostoevsky’s writing structure and characterization.   

Thesis 2

It was due to the isolation that Raskolnikov underwent in prison that caused him to reflect and come to the realization that he wasn’t the superior human being he had previously believed himself to be, thus inspiring him to be genuine and true to whom he really was. Dostoevsky’s structuring of the text combined with his usage of characterization provides a glimpse at the complexity of the human mind as evidenced by the complexity of the novel’s ending and the conflict within Raskolnikov’s mind.

Thesis 3

In the novel Crime and Punishment, Dostoevsky focuses his attention on the development of human nature through the novel’s protagonist in order to illustrate the spiritual change that people go through based on their life experiences through his writing structure and use of characterization.

Recap

You want to mention Raskolnikov; he’s the one that “gets” the happy ending.

Mention his spiritual change –a result of his isolation/change in surroundings.

Include a very general idea of rhetorical devices used.

We used writing structure andcharacterization. Are there more? Of

course.

Examples

Example 1

"How it happened he did not know. But all at once something seemed to seize him and fling him at her feet. He wept and threw his arms round her knees. For the first instant she was terribly frightened and she turned pale. She jumped up and looked at him trembling. But at the same moment she understood, and a light of infinite happiness came into her eyes. She knew and had no doubt that he loved her beyond everything and that at last the moment had come." - Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment, Epilogue 2

The Quote ParaphrasedHighlight the change in Rodion’s and Sonia’s relationship.

“He loves her.” So what?That’s a key for Raskolnikov’s change. In the beginning of the novel, he wouldn’t have had enough mind space of even thinking about falling in love.

Why does he love her? That’s debatable.But, Sonia is his savior in a way. She guided Rodion to confess and to embrace religion.

^Part in purple answers “spiritual reassessment and moral reconciliation” part of prompt.

Writing Structure or Charactarization? Both.W.S.: Raskonikov’s thoughts become a lot clearer in the

Epilogue (compared to the rest of the novel).C: He notices a change within himself in relation to

others.

Main Idea AppliedWriting Structure

At the end of the novel, Dostoevsky develops Raskolnikov’s transformation through the writing structure.

Raskolnikov’s thoughts are a lot less confusing.

Significance: Stress the influence of surroundings on one’s morale.

Characterization

At the end of the novel, Dostoevsky applies characterization to describe Raskolnikov’s transformation.

Raskolnikov seems more human.

Significance: Stress the reconciliation between Raskolnikov and his humanity.

Example 2

"They wanted to speak, but could not; tears stood in their eyes. They were both pale and thin; but those sick pale faces were bright with the dawn of a new future, of a full resurrection into a new life. They were renewed by love; the heart of each held infinite sources of life for the heart of the other." - Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment, Epilogue 2

The Quote Paraphrased

Rodia and Sonia.

Chance for a new beginning.

Main Idea Applied

At the end of the novel, Dostoevsky develops Raskolnikov’s character in order to illustrate the change occurred due to Sonia’s influence in his life.

Significance: Demonstrate how influential surroundings can be. Develop the importance of human interactions.

Example 3

"Seven years, only seven years! At the beginning of their happiness at some moments they were both ready to look on those seven years as though they were seven days. He did not know that the new life would not be given him for nothing, that he would have to pay dearly for it, that it would cost him great striving, great suffering." - Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment, Epilogue 2

The Quote Paraphrased

New life.

Pain and suffering are the cost for starting anew.

Viewed in terms of characterization.

Main Idea Applied

Nearing the end of the novel, Raskolnikov acknowledges that restarting his life will take some sacrifice.

Explain how this Raskolnikov is different from the pre-epilogue Raskolnikov.

Significance: He is no longer a victim of oppression. He accepts hardships as a way to move forward, not as an obstacle.

Example 4

"But that is the beginning of a new story – the story of the gradual renewal of a man, the story of his gradual regeneration, of his passing from one world into another, of his initiation into a new unknown life. That might be the subject of a new story, but our present story is ended." - Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment, Epilogue 2

The Quote Paraphrased

The story comes to an end because the message has been delivered.

Reflect on “What was the message of the story?” ^The answer to this will help you answer the prompt.

Main Idea Applied

Look at your paper.

Last question.

Good luck

Remember the structure of a body paragraph:-Introduce your device.-Paraphrase the example.-Explain why it’s a happy ending.-Connect it to significance of novel.