Turning Points in Crime and Punishment Essay

In order to stimulate turning points in Crime and Punishment, Dostoyevsky uses coincidence and irony to create opportunities for Raskolnikov to make decisions. In the beginning coincidence, fate, and chance encounters are tools used to provide Raskolnikov with opportunities to make choices that will define him throughout the book, while irony is used later in order to display the repercussions of his decisions. Raskolnikov is able to complete his murder without being seen due to a series of coincidental events. As a result of his actions he makes other people suffer. He is then consumed by the ramifications of his action and surrounded by suffering people trying to assuage his illness consequently creating an ironic atmosphere.

Many coincidences occur in order to allow Raskolnikov and other character to evolve. This is demonstrated when Raskolnikov couldnt get the ax from the kitchen but was able to steal and return the janitors ax. The fact that Raskolnikovs success relied on coincidence establishes that he isnt the extraordinary man he thought he was. His late realization of this fact causes him to confess. While fleeing after committing his purge, he dropped a pair of earrings. This evidence allows the detectives to have a scapegoat and gives Raskolnikov more time to suffer and consequently confess as a result of not being an extraordinary man. His idea of ordinary and extraordinary men, as explained in his essay On Crime, conveniently explains his motives for the murder. After writing the essay he was coincidently provided an opportunity to apply his Napoleonic ideology. If he hadnt committed this murder he wouldnt have realized the flaw in his theory or the weakness in himself. Other coincidences allow insight into the true motives of characters. Because Luzhin, by chance, lives in the same building as Katherine Ivanovna, he has the opportunity to frame Sonia. But Raskolnikov can unveil Luzhins true motives behind the actions Lebeziatnikov witnessed. Another convenient placement is that of Svidrigailov. He lives next to Sonia which allows him to overhear Raskolnikovs confession. This consequently gives Svidrigailov the impression of leverage and displays his true purposes of pursuing Dunia. These coincidences establish situations where characters reveal their motley colors and develop as a result.

Fate on the other hand is utilized as a plot-pusher. Fate first progresses the plot when Raskolnikov overhears Lizaveta saying she wont be at the apartment at seven oclock. After hearing this Raskolnikov felt he had no choice and entered his room like a man condemned to death (pg.60). Later he also overheard a hypothetical discussion of the murder he was planning. These incidents catalyze the rest of the book. Raskolnikov was struck by this coincidence and felt as though is had actually been a kind of prefiguration, a sign (pg.64). These episodes demonstrate fate because Raskolnikov didnt initiate them but was rather influenced by them. He overheard conversations by mere chance and consequently decided that the murder was inevitable and that this was the best time to do it. Raskolnikovs success is dependent upon his luck of being concealed. As he passed through the gates he was shielded by a hay wagon and when he reached the apartment building the stairs were vacant. Although after he commits the murder he encounters mishaps, he is still able to escape without being seen by sneaking into the conveniently vacant apartment. These chances are deciding factors for Raskolnikov. His fate is determined by fate.

Raskolnikovs suffering is intertwined with the suffering of others due to coincidental encounters in the large city of St. Petersburg. After he has murdered---- Lizaveta walks in and as a result is killed. If she had only come home later she could have been spared. A few moments later Raskolnikov comes into contact with 2 men---- on the other side of----s door and is only spared because Koch leaves to help find the janitor. Another fatal encounter occurs at a gross pub. He meets Marmeledov whose death joins Raskolnikov and the Ivanovnas. Rask meets Sonia who he later confesses to and inevitably loves. Another victim of suffering on behalf of Rask is nikolai. His confession breaks off a heated scene between Porfiry and Rask. But he doesnt confess until after trying to commit suicide. Porifry notices his suffering and nik becomes a martyr. Luzhin adds to Sonias suffering because of her connection to Rask when he claims she stole money from him. But thankfully Leb and Rask were present in order to refute his accusations. He also ran into zamiotov at crystal palace and raz.

At this point in the book coincidences decrease while irony increases. Now rask must listen to the constant discussion of the murder. It starts at the police station when rask faints as a result of a reference to the murder. Raz analyzes the legitamiacy of the painters being guilty and laos concludes that the convict was unexperianced which contratdicts rask interpretation. Raz also defends rask against accusations that he is the villain of that he is mad. Rask even thinks about what would happen if raz knew the truth. But porfiry isnt fooled. He makes constat reference to the murder in order to instigate reactions out of rask like when he uses the image og the moth. He also makes a reference to another confession that correlates to rask circumstances. He even describes the symptoms of a typical criminal which exactly match the reactions of rask. Even though profiry knows he cant make rask confess even if he does offer a lowered sentence. Sonia had the most influence over his decision to confess. Zamiotov may think rask is crazy but ironically he is telling the truth to him.