1. Dostoyevsky Literary Devices- Crime and Punishment and The Idiot
Ben Horner

2. Tone – Crime and Punishment
Book often shifts tone:
frantic and confusing (prior to and directly after murders)
Intimate (during Raskolnikov’s conversations with his mother
Hopeful (Raskolnikovs confession and rebirth)

3. Tone - The Idiot Straight-forward
Hopeful, with some pessimistic views-people can be inherently evil
Shows eventual failure

4. Imagery- Crime and Punishment
The Neva serves to reflect Raskolnikovs life:
he must cross it to find freedom
it is calm-as his life may one day be
Raskolnikov often relies on water to cleanse him and as he falls further into delirium the less effect the water has
Stagnant water during Raskolnikov’s fourth dream represents his inability to escape his insanity
Final delirium shows Raskolnikov sitting along the Neva- finally at peace

5. Imagery-the Idiot Uses imagery to describe characters:
“their complexions generally appeared to have taken on the colour of the fog outside.”,
“grey, fiery eyes”

6. Voice – Crime and Punishment
Raskolnikov is primary focalizer-
His point of view is adopted by third person narrator
Much of the book can be seen as Raskolnikov’s monologue
Dialogue also plays a key role in moving events along and revealing motives
Dostoyevsky also gave the reader insight into Raskolnikovs dreams

7. Voice - The Idiot Communicates much of the book through conversation
Lacks any major plot-narrator plays diminished role as a result

8. Irony - Crime and Punishment
Sonia is a prostitute but also helps Raskolnikov find salvation
Raskolnikov only finds freedom once he has been sentenced
Raskolnikov thought he was making the world a better place by killing Alyona Ivanovna

9. Irony – The Idiot
Only irony was found in fact that Prince Myshkin, the only truly positive character, eventually fails