Crime and Punishment

This book was so long I feel that there is a lot to talk about so I'll just hit the main points. First, St. Petersburg as an environment: hot, miserable, poor, dirty, and often cramped. This might have shaped Raskolnikov because this extra pressure on his already deteriorating mental state might have pushed him over the edge once and for all, although i have no proof of this. Also, the environment in terms of what event occurred during the book may have really affected Rasky. From the meeting with Marmelodov, and the death by trampling of him, to the shady meetings with Svidrigalov and Porfry have certainly affected Rasky's decisions. Not to mention the problems with Donya and his mother that really affected Rasky. I think the most notable people who influenced Rasky were Raz and Sonya. Because Rasky loved these people in his life they really affected him. Also, their beliefs most closely mirrored what Rasky wanted to be. Sonya's purity and Raz's honesty affected when and how he confessed.

The most notable environmental influence was the destitution of Sonya's life which cause her to sell herself on the street for her family. A connection which was made early in the book, and was later proven that Sonya was indeed a good person and was not fallen because of her forced "profession" to save her family.

Katrina’s childhood was the only one mentioned (other than the children’s) and is obvious because of the impact it had on her life later. Because she was raised as aristocracy, she never allows herself to be shamed by her lifestyle. She also puts up the fight against her landlady because of her respect of herself that Katrina truly believes she deserves.