· What is the importance of Svid coming in at the very end? Cliffhanger?
· Who was the anonymous whisperer? The unknown merchant? P.228
· Awakening as motif—a turning point or epiphany seems to happen immediately after an awakening…
· Rodya awakens before Svid enters (not really asleep—the only person who can’t awaken is the one who is pretending to be asleep)
· Doors as motif—a barrier—a means of keeping something secret
· What about Rodya’s justification of crime?
For most significant advancements, there’s sacrifice…does Rodya really believe what he’s written?
If so, what good was Rodya hoping to bring?
· Rodya sees himself as the extraordinary person…he says at one point that he didn’t kill a human being but a principle
· Does Dostoevsky approve of the Superman idea? Depends on how the story ends…
· Rodya is struggling with the outcome of the murder
· Do you think that Rodya is a superman? Internal struggle is proof that he is not a superman…the fainting…
· He had petty reasons for the crime…not a superman principle…he rationalized that he was ridding the world of the old crone…what was his intention?
· Was the murder selfish or selfless? Originally, he did it for himself…
· Is the superman label created by what others think or what the person himself thinks of himself?
Which is more important? He doesn’t see himself as one, that’s what makes him feel so miserable…
p.256—trying to convince himself that he is right for killing Aloyna
From the murder, he is evolving more into a true superman in a moral sense…
· How do I know who these supermen are? He must accomplish something to prove it…
· Living by your own standards and morals as a defining factor of the superman and that your standards are superior to others..Leopold and Loeb case…the court recognized it as a mental illness
· Room as motif—often Rodya is alone and entrapped in rooms
· Part of the superman theory is that he would better the world by changing the world to better fit his standards
· What do you think there are either ordinary or extraordinary people? A bizarre theory…based on acts as evidence…overman vs. underman…
· The Hollowmen vs. the others
· Effecting a social change as proof of being an overman…morality as relative (subjective)…
· Should there be a punishment for Rodya’s actions? People who live by the superman theory are anamolies and subject to punishment—
· Rodya’s change in morality? Living much more outside of himself now…the struggle has shown some doubt…on p.247 the really great men must have great sadness…the fact that he feels the need to justify his actions is a search and discovery of morality…although not showing regret, he is searching for a moral justification
· His connection with Sonya indicates a change in his stride…p.257 why don’t they weep, why don’t they moan (Lizaveta, Sonya)…
· 246—if has a conscience he will suffer for his mistakes (Rodya’s conscience as the punishment)
· Who was the anonymous whisperer? The unknown merchant? P.228
· Awakening as motif—a turning point or epiphany seems to happen immediately after an awakening…
· Rodya awakens before Svid enters (not really asleep—the only person who can’t awaken is the one who is pretending to be asleep)
· Doors as motif—a barrier—a means of keeping something secret
· What about Rodya’s justification of crime?
For most significant advancements, there’s sacrifice…does Rodya really believe what he’s written?
If so, what good was Rodya hoping to bring?
· Rodya sees himself as the extraordinary person…he says at one point that he didn’t kill a human being but a principle
· Does Dostoevsky approve of the Superman idea? Depends on how the story ends…
· Rodya is struggling with the outcome of the murder
· Do you think that Rodya is a superman? Internal struggle is proof that he is not a superman…the fainting…
· He had petty reasons for the crime…not a superman principle…he rationalized that he was ridding the world of the old crone…what was his intention?
· Was the murder selfish or selfless? Originally, he did it for himself…
· Is the superman label created by what others think or what the person himself thinks of himself?
Which is more important? He doesn’t see himself as one, that’s what makes him feel so miserable…
p.256—trying to convince himself that he is right for killing Aloyna
From the murder, he is evolving more into a true superman in a moral sense…
· How do I know who these supermen are? He must accomplish something to prove it…
· Living by your own standards and morals as a defining factor of the superman and that your standards are superior to others..Leopold and Loeb case…the court recognized it as a mental illness
· Room as motif—often Rodya is alone and entrapped in rooms
· Part of the superman theory is that he would better the world by changing the world to better fit his standards
· What do you think there are either ordinary or extraordinary people? A bizarre theory…based on acts as evidence…overman vs. underman…
· The Hollowmen vs. the others
· Effecting a social change as proof of being an overman…morality as relative (subjective)…
· Should there be a punishment for Rodya’s actions? People who live by the superman theory are anamolies and subject to punishment—
· Rodya’s change in morality? Living much more outside of himself now…the struggle has shown some doubt…on p.247 the really great men must have great sadness…the fact that he feels the need to justify his actions is a search and discovery of morality…although not showing regret, he is searching for a moral justification
· His connection with Sonya indicates a change in his stride…p.257 why don’t they weep, why don’t they moan (Lizaveta, Sonya)…
· 246—if has a conscience he will suffer for his mistakes (Rodya’s conscience as the punishment)
I agree strongly with one of the earlier points that Rodya cannot be a superman, though Dostoevsky clearly wanted the audience to consider it. Hitherto and directly after the murder Rodya acts as a superman especially in his justifications but the weakness he displays from then on (excessive sleeping, fainting, indecision, constant hesitation, internal struggle) prove the opposite is true.
ReplyDeleteRodya's reasons for the murders were petty and selfish, caused by his pride (later in part four Dunya is shown to be equally as prideful as her brother, but in a dignified way, this shortcoming is Rodya's downfall).