In the first section of crime in punishment we are introduced primarily with the poverty theme.
The main character Raskolnikovis , a former student now facing poverty is introduced. He lives
in a small closet like room, he hasn’t paid his rent for months. Dostoevsky represents the
destructive effects of poverty through the character Semyon Marmeladov. Marmeladolv was a
former public official who lost his job and became an alcoholic. He lost all his money, moved his
entire family to an apartment barely apt for human life. His older daughter was forced into
prostitution in order to help her family. He uses any money presented to him to buy drinks. He
is aware what he is doing is wrong, yet can’t bring himself to stop. Drinking is Marmeladolv’s
only way of escaping the fact his family is poor and starving. He serves as the real image of what
Raskolnikov fears to become. The small amount of money Raskolnikov has comes from the
pawn lady named Alyona Ivanovna. She was an evil old woman, with a unpleasant appearance.
In a way she served as Rodka’s parallel. While he was handsome, poor, and lacked social skills.
She was a greasy, old woman with tons of money, who can control everyone due to her money.
In the first part of the novel we are also presented with Dunya, Rodka’s sister. She is willing to
marry a man she does not love to help her brother economically. This is what brings
Raskolnikov to the edge, and he decides to finally follow through his plan. This action of finally
killing Ayona, did not come without intense moral debate. However, he realized the world can
benefit from the elimination of one corruption individual versus witness the corruption and
sacrifice of his sister. In the second part of the novel we witness the mental down toll this act
has on Rodka’s mental health. He is a dellurious, and ill stricken. Many times in this part of the
novel he comes close to confessing his crime. He seems to be separating himself more and
more from society, whenever he has any time of communication with another individual he
comes off as crazed and unstable. These chapters primarily deal with the mental punishment
Rodka has to deal with after the crime.