I just finished reading CnP after like... three months? I finished other two shorter books in the meantime, and I wanted to share my thoughts.Keep in mind I just learned how to read this year.From my understanding, Dostoevski wrote a story about a pathetic and anguished young man, I came to pity Raskolnikof, and how poverty and apathy ended up corrupting him and the people around him. He made an effort to rationalize his most wicked thoughts and convince himself he was something else, but in reality he was just another poor, an educated one at least. Mostly I think Dostoevski criticises the liberals/progressives of his time thinking that their ideas would lead to men like Raskolnikof raising up and ruining Russia. Individualist, atheist and selfish men. Though I do not think Rodya was *evil*, he pays for the funerals of several people, he shows mercy for Sonya and his family and also saved some kids from a fire. Raskolnikof is a decent man at heart, maybe one who could have actually become a great man through good actions, but the wickedness of his environment didn't allow for that. He shows remorse and anguish because deep down he knew what he did was wrong, though he interprets it as weakness. Sonya and his family, but mostly Sonya, function as the one link that keeps Rodya attached to the collective and to God and away from total madness and hyperindividualism. In the end Rodya finds a chance to redeem himself because he accepts God and community life. It also talks a little bit about intellectuals and the bourgeousie and how they think they are hot shit but actually aren't. Then I'd think that Razumikhin represents the *good* kind of intellectual: a guy who is smart but does not think highly of himself and tries to help his community, while other characters like Svidrigailov are just total degeneracy. Idk.Also, why did Dostoevski hate poles?
