Something to Ponder...

I have a pal named Christopher.  More or less than three days ago, he was nearly run over by our English teacher, who just so happens to hate the pair of us.   Anyway, I am about to turn in a paper to said teacher.  She will hate it, but I figure I will post a small bite as food for thought.  The paper is on Crime and Punishment.  If you haven't read it, then please do.

Raskolnikov’s bitter attitude yet somewhat clean conscience displays his obvious loyalty to Nihilism.  He believes that if he were to have had stronger convictions and not confessed, his actions would therefore have not been a crime.  This is an interesting point.  A common cliche is “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”  Could the same not be true for crime?  Could not crime be solely in the eye of the beholder, and society just plays to the “eyes” of the common people?  If being a “sinner” depends on one’s definition of a “saint”, then perhaps one’s definition of a criminal depends on one’s definition of a crime.  If Raskolnikov was the ubermensch and had stronger conviction in the crime he committed, then he would essentially have been able to forgive himself.  However, he strips himself of his rights to the crime he commits when he conforms and confesses.  To Raskolnikov, the crime is confession, and the punishment is eternal remorse.