Comment on Alexa's Thesis

I think your thesis is interesting in that it is going to allow you to really study the individual characteristics that Raskolnikov has. I feel that there is a lot to write about in this thesis, especially considering the wealth of mental issues that seem to plague Raskolnikov and it will be interesting to see how those might affect his perceptions of “right” and “wrong.” It is also interesting because this thesis should be able to touch on the fact that he seems to be trying to get as far away as possible from the social norms of the day and trying to reject them with his entire person. The only thing that I am unsure about in your thesis is your claim that Raskolnikov feels that his actions were all noble and that he was never wrong, because there were clearly points in which he felt like he did something wrong, like when he killed lisaveta, the pawn brokers sister, even though he intended to save her. Yet this argument could be used within your essay to try to explain how it would support your thesis, and how his actions transcend the obvious and the moral rectitude can be found in all of his actions, given you dig deep enough into his psyche.