Crime and PunishmentSection 1: Meaning of the TitleThe title Crime and Punishment is significant in the fact that Raskolnikov, the main character, commits a crime and faces punishment. This punishment is not only going to prison, but also psychological punishment. His action haunts him throughout the story. In the end, however, he goes to prison. This book shows that if someone commits a crime they will face punishment of some kind. Section 2: Author The author Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote his book Crime and Punishment based on life experiences. For example, he spent a long time in prison because he was part of a socialist party. He changed his views later on and this shows in some of his other characters. Dostoevsky was very poor and suffered from epilepsy. Its main character, Raskolnikov, suffers a lot like Dostoevsky. Section 3: Setting The setting of the book is St. Petersburg, Russia, in the 1860s. This also happens to be when it was written. However, the book also contains many things that are true of the time period. Many of the problems and ideas in the book are real, and Dostoevsky took them from his personal experiences and beliefs. Section 4: Plot Raskolnikov, a very poor and sickly former student, is planning a crime. He passes by an old woman's house to pawn a watch and stops at a bar after meeting Marmeladov. Marmeladov is a drunk who drank for five days and abandoned his job. He tells Raskolnikov about his family and takes him to his house where Raskolnikov is immediately told to leave. The next day Raskolnikov receives a letter from his mother telling him that his sister will soon get married to a rich man and that they are coming to St. Petersburg. Petersburg. While in a local tavern she hears some people talking about how the world would be better without the old pawnbroker Aloyna Ivanova and later on the streets she learns that the next evening she will be alone. She doesn't sleep well that night and the next day she finds, accepts and takes a fake object to pawn for her. Raskolnikov then goes to her apartment and kills her. While he is rummaging for money, Lizaveta, the old woman's sister, enters and he kills her too. Raskolnikov then barely escapes with any luck. The next morning he frantically searches for traces of blood on his clothes.