Is Raskolnikov Really Insane? Commentary on Part 3 Chapters 2-5

There is quite a bit to talk about in this week’s reading, firstly is the editorial that Raskolnikov wrote about the morality of murder. According to Raskolnikov only certain people, he calls them “extra ordinaries” as opposed to the “ordinary” people, can murder rightly. He believes that these extraordinary people are those who have a new idea and if they kill for the idea, it is fine. He uses Napoleon as an example, which is fitting seeing how he acts towards those below him. The whole time he is explaining his beliefs, he is giving obvious signs that he is clearly in the state of mind and had the reason to murder the woman, yet nobody seems to be suspecting him. It seems like at his first encounter with any sort of police or detective, he is extremely suspicious and almost paranoid about them accusing him, yet he loses any sort of paranoia as soon as he is talking about one of his ideas. One example was when he toyed with the detective by asking him if he thought that he was the murderer and basically argued against himself in proof of his crime, yet the detective did not convict him. Or when Raskolnikov goes off about his editorial on murder, clearly hinting at his guilt, and the investigator seems to not take much notice.  The reason that I say that Raskolnikov identifies with Napoleon is the way that he feels the need to gratify himself by discovering someone in a situation where they are lower than him, and using what little he can control to help them so that he can feel in control of them. That might be why he seems to be falling for Sonia, because she is in a position where he would basically have complete control over her life based on his will as Raskolnikov thinks he is in a much higher position than she is. Also, Raskolnikov seemed to get himself into a similar situation with his previous fiancé and how she was somewhat ugly and was in a lower position than Raskolnikov giving him no reason to really marry her other than his intentions to feel like he has control over someone or something. Also, when Raskolnikov feels the worst is when he is not able to control what is happening around him, like when he did think he had a choice about what to do and had very little control over his life. When he regained control over his life to some extent, he seemed to return to his normal state, which is still not very normal compared to other people. I am also somewhat confused by Raskolnikov mixed messages in that at one point he feels compelled to turn himself in yet at another point he is terrified that somewhat might know the truth. At this point, I really do not know what to think about the story and I am waiting for it to make sense.