Crime and Punishment

Raskolnikov goes from being confirmed in his beliefs about murder to completely shaken by its ramifications. Initially he is justifying his murder but then becomes paranoid and uncomfortable with his situation as a result of his actions. Raskolnikov is frail until the end of the novel. Dealing with the guilt, uncertainty, and paranoia of his crime turned him into a character who could crumble at any moment. He is entirely frail without a resource to fall back on. By the end of the novel, we know that through Sonia, Raskolnikov finds faith and realizes something out there is bigger than himself. Raskolnikov is a fragile man until he finds God. Crime and Punishment reveals that what determines whether a man is strong or fragile is having something to rely on. Without support, a man will collapse, but support enables a man to be strong.