"The Crime" (Alexia Barrios)

In Chapter 5 Part 3, Rodia’s Article The Crime is mentioned and discusses the rationale behind committing murder and the article definitely is a embodiment of Rodia’s personal beliefs on the subject. Porfiry brings up an interesting aspect of the articles that suggest, “that there are certain persons who can…that is, not precisely are able to, but have a perfect right to commit breaches of morality and crimes and that the law is not for them.” (246) This argument that certain people or “extraordinary men” (247) are above humanity and have the right to break the law and violate certain moral codes, such as murder is one that in my opinion proves once again that Rodia possess a superiority complex. He continually uses this rationale as justification for him committing murder. Interesting, Razumihkin, one who has previously shown to have a strong moral compass automatically rejects this notion while Rodia states that Porfiry has stated it “perhaps even perfectly” (247) and how it “gave him pleasure to admit this” (247). It proves that they are polar opposites when it comes to their morality.

As usual, the internal conflict that Rodia is experiencing intensifies, as he has to continue avoiding suspicion while dealing with his unpredictable emotions.  It is obvious in my opinion that the police suspect him as a suspect in the murder since Rodia has put himself in situations where he made the impression that he was the murderer.  These attempts were as if he was beginning for the police to discover his guilt and end his psychological torment, but as of right now he is still in the clear and on the road to getting away with murder. Rasumikhin, during a conversation with Rodia, admits “frankly that I (Rasumikhin) noticed it in them long ago, this idea.” (255) This idea being that Rodia was in fact that murderer, but then brushes it off based on how the police handled the conversation since they did not attempt to “hide their game” (255) when discussing the crime.

Rodia’s dream is an event that I also found to be very interesting. The fact that the murder occurred but the pawnbroker but “at every blow of the axe the laughter and whispering from the bedroom grew louder and the old woman was actually shaking with amusement.” (264) This was then followed by an stranger standing in the doorway watching him and leaving him to wonder “Is it still a dream?” (264) This leaves me to believe that Rodia again is having a mental breakdown as I am left unsure whether this stranger is a result of his fading mental state or an actual new character that will be further discussed as the plot continues.