discussion questions 5

Víctor Sánchez

5. In what ways are Marmeladov and Raskolnikov alike? One of the themes of this novel is that through love and forgiveness, a man can be rehabilitated or reborn. In what way(s) does the character of Marmeladov help to illustrate this theme?

Marmeladov and Raskolinkov are very similar in many different ways, first of all they are both fighting with the real world, with the lack of work, the different social classes and with the thing that their families are suffering. They are both fighting with their own demons. They both are poor, they were wealthy in a moment but then they lost everything. Raskolinkov was a student but then he dropped out because of the economic situation his family suffer and now he is selling and pond his things to have money. In the other way Marmeladov has lost everything because of the alcohol, his job and mainly the respect of his own family.   Raskolnikov does not work, he also receives all his money from his mother. Another thing it´s that they are very proud they think they can do anything.

Maremladov Illustrates Raskolinkov by showing him the thing he should not do. He tries to show Raskolinkov that all the things he has already done are not to be proud of, that he is still young and has a future to live.

And he expose this by showing how he is gratefull with Sonya and Katerina for what they are doing to give his family the opportunity to keep fighting. And he accepts that everything is his fault, he is a nice man that recognizes the reality of the things. He feels totally guilty and it´s really regretful. And he also says that he will have the forgivness og god in the doors of heaven.