Crime and Punishment

This is a great book! I was not expecting to be so pro-Christianity but I suppose it makes sense for 1860s Russia. However it is not a Christian book outright; the book deals with suffering, whether it be self-inflicted or not. Christianity is viewed as a solution to suffering; but paradoxically will lead to suffering. Raskolinov was given the choice to hold the suffering within by committing suicide or running off to America (which might be Savidrigaliov for committing suicide) or embrace eight years of suffering in Siberia to which Christianity supports what is just by confessing one's sins.

There were so many emotional moments from Raskolinov's discussion with Marmeldov and his whole miserable life story to Raskolinov's final meeting with his mother. The characters were very well developed and even antagonists like Luzhin were given time to explore their mentality and why they are doing it. Raskolinov can be considered the antagonist but those around him do not want him to suffer without God but to suffer with God as Porfidry suggests. This shows that suffering does not have to be in isolation.

Dostoevsky likely experienced much suffering in his life to speak of it in such raw and illogical methods.