Sai Muttavarapu

Period 5

“Crime and Punishment” Reflection

The Lazarus story is probably the most important part of the book. It

relates both to Sonya and Raskolnikov, and serves as guidance for both their

lives. In the Lazarus story, Jesus performs a miracle to raise Lazarus from the

dead to the living. When Sonya reads Raskolnikov the story, he claims that he

does not believe in the story, but he can relate to it because he is also alienated

from the society. His death is metaphorical because only his soul dies by being

separated from the people he loves most, making him wish for the same miracle

to happen to him and start a new life.

When you compare the story to Raskolnikov and Sonya, you can make a

comparison between Sonya and Jesus. Just like Jesus helped Lazarus come back

to the living, Sonya helps Raskolnikov confess for his murder that is causing him

so much pain and solitude. By confessing, Raskolnikov can restore back to the

living just as Lazarus did. Even though Raskolnikov believes his murder can be

justified, he still feels guilt and loneliness deep inside. When he confesses, he can

conquer his guilt and alienation and become a new person again.

Sonya has suffered throughout the book including sacrificing herself to

being a prostitute, later losing her father and mother. It could be true that Sonya,
who is very religious, symbolizes Jesus, but her poverty and self-sacrifice are a

metaphorical death as well, and she can reshape her life to the Lazarus story to

escape the situation she is in right now.

Sonya and Raskolnikov are very different from each other, one being very

sacrificial and the other having too much pride. The other difference is that

Sonya is very religious and Raskolnikov does not believe in God. He says “But

maybe there isn’t any God,” (Page 321). Although these differences exist between

Sonya and Raskolnikov, they still need each other to be able to come out of their

sufferings.

The Lazarus story also provides as foreshadow, and we can predict that

Raskolnikov will recover from his insanity and return to humanity. We can also

predict that he will confess because he needs to stop his emotional confusion

that is causing him to become insane.