John Mar E.

Suazo

September 4, 2020

BEED III

Ms. Kim Jaudian

Identify the key types of conflict that are present in Crime and Punishment. Using a table or a
graphic organizer, identify two or three examples for each type of conflict. There may be
more than one type, so it's important that you thoroughly analyze the novel. For each type of
conflict, include a brief explanation as to why you believe that this is a good example.

Individual vs. Society:.

Raskolnikov himself struggles to understand his own personal philosophy in

relationship to society as a whole while his friend Razumihin and the investigator,
Porfiry Petrovich, seek to ease societal conflict through legal, respectable means.

Internal vs. External: The conflict between the internal and external self is embodied
in the main character, Raskolnikov, whose very name includes the Russian word
“raskol,” or “split.” Much of this conflict is conducted through Raskolnikov’s dialogue
with himself as he struggles between his perceptions of himself and reality. Having
written and developed his own theory of how people operate within the confines of
society and morality, Raskolnikov considers himself exceptional and struggles
internally when he begins to realize that this may not be the truth. Many characters
express concern for Raskolnikov’s mental well-being, with even the knave
Svidrigailov remarking on how Raskolnikov struggles with his inner turmoil.

Man vs. Self : One of the first internal struggles surrounds Raskolnikov's decision to kill. On
one hand, he says to himself, 'Good God!... can it be, can it be, that I shall really take an axe,
that I shall strike her on the head, split her skull open …' In the next breath, he says, 'I knew
that I could never bring myself to it, so what have I been torturing myself for till now?'

This back and forth conversation with himself reveals the internal conflict. Later in the story,
Raskolnikov has the same type of exchange when deciding if he should confess.