Definition and Examples of a Writers Notebook

Dostoevskys Crime and Punishment Quotes and Analysis

Russian author Fyodor Dostoevskys Crime and Punishment was originally published in 1866 as a series of monthly installments in the literary journal The Russian Messenger, but has since gone on to become one of the most influential works of literature of its time, riddled with numerous quotes ranging from a poor mans murderous thoughts to the guilt felt in the aftermath of a crime. The story focuses on Rodion Raskolnikovs moral dilemmas and mental suffering after he formulates and successfully plots to kill a pawnbroker to take her money, arguing that with the money he takes from her he can do good that would offset the crime he committed in murdering her. Like Frederich Nietzsches Ubermensch theory, Dostoevsky argues through his character that some people even have the right to perform such vigilante actions as murdering an unscrupulous pawnbroker for the greater good, arguing multiple times that murder is okay if done in the pursuit of the greater good.​ Quotes About Pity and Punishment With a title like Crime and Punishment one can correctly assume that Dostoevskys most famous work is riddled with quotations about the idea of punishment, but it can also be said that the author implored his punishers to have pity on the guilty and suffering the narrator must endure for committing his crime.   Why am I to be pitied, you say, Dostoevsky writes in Chapter Two, Yes! Theres nothing to pity me for! I ought to be crucified, crucified on a cross, not pitied! Crucify me, oh judge, crucify me but pity me? This question lends to the idea that there should be no pity given to the guilty — that it is not for a judge to pity the felon but to punish him appropriately — in this case, the speaker argues by crucifixion. But punishment does not only come in the form of a judge reaching a verdict and sentence for a criminal, it also comes in the form of a guilty conscience, wherein the morality of the criminal himself is pitted as the ultimate punishment. In Chapter 19 Dostoevsky writes, If he has a conscience he will suffer for his mistake; that will be  punishment — as  well as the prison. The only escape from this personal punishment, then, is to ask forgiveness of mankind and of God. As Dostoevsky writes at the end of the 30th chapter, Go at once, this very minute, stand at the cross-roads, bow down, first kiss the earth which you have defiled, and then bow down to all the world and say to all men aloud, I am a murderer! Then God will send you life again. Will you go, will you go? Quotes on Committing Crime and Acting on Impulses The act of committing murder, of taking another persons life, is discussed multiple times throughout the text, each time with the implication that the speaker cannot believe he is about to commit such a heinous act. From the very first chapter, Dostoevsky makes this point clear as a contention element of the protagonists life, writing Why am I going there now? Am I capable of that? Is that serious? It is not serious at all. Its simply a fantasy to amuse myself; a plaything! Yes, maybe it is a plaything. This is almost a justification for the speaker to act later on impulse, an excuse to give into his carnal desires, painting murder as a mere plaything. He argues this concept again, coming to terms with the reality of committing murder, in chapter five wherein he says 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...that I shall tread in the sticky warm blood, blood...with the axe...Good God, can it be?   Would the crime be worth the moral implications, or the known punishment for such an act? Would it defy the very idea of living a good life itself? Dostoevsky also answers these questions through a variety of quotes in the book Quotes on Life and the Will to Live Especially given the idea of committing the ultimate crime of taking someone elses life, the ideas of the will to live and living a good life come into play many times throughout Crime and Punishment. Even as early as chapter two, Dostoevsky discusses the possibility that mankind may have its ideals of a good life skewed, or at least that mankind is in and of itself skewed from a good reality. In Chapter Two, Dostoevsky writes What if man is not really a scoundrel, man in general, I mean, the whole race of mankind — then all the rest is prejudice, simply artificial terrors and there are no barriers and its all as it should be. However, in Chapter 13, when faced with the idea of being punished by being put to death, Dostoevsky visits an old adage of waiting for death for eternity being better than actually dying in a moment to observe the reality of a persons will to live: Where is it Ive read that someone condemned to death says or think, an hour before his death, that if he had to live on some high rock, on such a narrow ledge that hed only room to stand, and the ocean, everlasting darkness, everlasting solitude, everlasting tempest around him, if he had to remain standing on a square yard of space all his life, a thousand years, eternity, it were better to live so than to die at once! Only to live, to live and live! Life, whatever it may be! In the Epilogue too, Dostoevsky speaks of this hope, mans never-ceasing desire to continue breathing for at least one more day, saying of the two characters that they were both pale and thin; but those sick pale faces were bright with the dawn of a new future, of a full resurrection into a new life. They were renewed by love; the heart of each held infinite sources of life for the heart of the other.

The Harsh Reality of Racism Free Essays

Black Boy, a novel by Richard Wright, is a heart-wrenching story about the harsh reality of racism, prejudice, and hostility that are revealed through the struggles of one young black boy. The young black boy is desperately trying to understand the cruel and negative world he is living in. This young black boy is on a mission to be educated and be successful. We will write a custom essay sample on The Harsh Reality of Racism or any similar topic only for you Order Now Richard Wright is determined to succeed in life. Richard’s success is based on his determination and drive to overcome obstacles that he would face on a day to day basis in all aspects of his life. Richard was growing up in a time period that was both discouraging and hostile to blacks attempting to obtain an education and become successful. Through all of his hardships and obstacles, Richard continued to have a positive outlook on life. A positive outlook kept Richard focused on his dream to leave the south and eventually be free from all racial and prejudice matters. During the early twentieth century, racial issues, along with very strong prejudice feelings ran throughout the south. The Jim Crow laws separated the blacks from the whites and led the blacks to believe they were not important. Seating arrangements on busses, drinking from different water fountains, and even the arrogance of not being allowed to eat at counters in public restaurants were examples of some of these laws. Therefore, very little emphasis was placed on the education and success of a young black boy. In order for Wright to be successful, he had to pursue an education and overlook the strong prejudiced feelings he was faced with. These were hard times for blacks, but he worked hard to overcome his obstacles and reach for what he believed in. He did this during a time when there was no desire to see a colored person overcome the chances and be successful. Richard Wright’s determination to succeed, and to overcome the social forces fighting against him was facet of southern culture that was familiar to all who lived, or even passed through the South during this time. The races showed no initiative of coming into contact with one another. However, there was a fear among them. Although he had fear, his curiosity about the races was not eliminated. For example, Richard once ventured into a white neighborhood attempting to sell his dog for money to buy food. On that day, he saw a glimpse of a world he had never seen before. Wright saw things such as I tucked her under my arm and went for the first time alone into a white neighborhood where there were wide clean streets and big white houses. Finally a young white woman came to the door and smiled. I waited on the porch, marveling at the cleanliness, the quietness of the white world. (69) Richard now understood that whites lived so much better and he wondered why he and his brother had spent so many days doubled over in pain from the hunger they had come to know so well. Wright uses prejudice and racism throughout his autobiography to encounter some of the most ludicrous moments that he had to experience while growing up in the South. For example, when Wright responded to the question on what he wanted to do in life, the lady turned to him and told him he was wasting his time trying to become a writer, knowing he was a Negro as stated in this quote: â€Å"Then why are you going to school?† She asked in surprise. â€Å"Well, I want to be a writer,† I mumbled, unsure of myself; I Had not planned to tell her that, but she had made me feel so Utterly wrong and of no account that I needed to bolster myself. â€Å"To write stories,† I mumbled defensively. â€Å"You†ll never be a writer,† she said. â€Å"Who on earth put such Ideas into your head nigger head?† â€Å"I didn†t think anybody ever would,† she declared indignantly (Wright 147). It was unheard of being someone of importance and being black at the same time. Another good example of the prejudiced lifestyle of Wright was when he accepted his first job as a porter for a in a clothing store. Wright was forced into washing floors and was not allowed to come into contact with people who entered the store. In Richard’s early life, many social roadblocks threatened to make it more difficult for him to hold on to his dream. Race and prejudice created challenges, but the true challenge came in an entirely different form. The true challenge was to become an accepted black man in a white mans society. Richard Wright became successful in a country that did not encourage him or to create opportunities for blacks. He succeeded in spite of personal hardships, racial adversity, constant hunger, and the lack of educations. Richard Wright fought the battle and came out victorious. Wright became a man who was not defined by his color, but by his talent. His talent was recognized because his strength and determination led him to succeed. How to cite The Harsh Reality of Racism, Papers

Canadas Institutional Landscape and The Governmen Essay Example For Students

Canadas Institutional Landscape and The Governmen Essay ts Ignorance of Farmers NeedsSaskatchewan farmers have been continually ignored in Canadasinstitutional landscape. Never has the situation been more evident as it iswith the possibility of Quebec separation. The Canadian governments ignoranceof farmers needs has caused a cynical view of the political process in the eyesof farmers. One of the major sources of the cynicism is that Canadian federalinstitutions are developed so that most political of the clout is developed fromthe east. The eastern domination of the House of Commons, and indirectly theSenate, means that Saskatchewan wheat farmers do not have a strong voice inCanadian political decisions. But what does the Saskatchewan lack ofrepresentation in Canadas political institutions in Ottawa mean? What canSaskatchewan wheat farmers do to rectify the situation? And, following a Quebecseparation what can wheat farmers do to uphold their livelihood? The intent ofthis report is to focus on the actions Saskatchewan wheat farmers can t ake toensure their success in the future. A focus on the recent political policydecisions by the federal government, the need for intrastate institutionalreform, and effects of a possible Quebec separation will all be analyzed. The current institutional landscape of Canada has not acted favorablyfor Saskatchewan wheat farmers. The development of the institutions, ie. theHouse of Commons and the Senate, and the policies that have developed from theseinstitutions have continually ignored the needs of prairie farmers, emphasizingthe cynicism Saskatchewan wheat farmers have towards the political process. Theantipathy towards the political institutions has developed because of recentcost-cutting initiatives and deregulatory procedures by the government and bymis-representation of farmers needs in government today. The failure ofSaskatchewan wheat farmers to express their needs in the Canadian politicalarena successfully, when compared to other constituencies, is based on the factthat Saskatchewans representation in Canadas political institutions is weak. The result is the development of policies contrary to what would be accepted byfarmers. Saskatchewan wheat farmers, in accordance with most constituencies inthe west, have desired a institutional change to the Upper House in Canada. In1867, when the institutions were developed, the goal was to develop twodifferent political bodies. One, the House of Commons, would represent theCanadian people by means of elected representatives in a representation bypopulation scenario. The second, the Senate, would be a source of sober secondthought. In its creation the senate was intended to protect the ideals ofindividual regions. However, to the chagrin of Saskatchewan wheat farmers, theintended regional focus of the senate never developed and, hence, the senate hasbeen an institution that has been the focus of a lot of antipathy from the West. The drive for modifications to the Senate has been pressed by Saskatchewan wheatfarmers in an attempt to uphold their livelihood in a nation in which theyreignored. The development of intrastate federalism in the senate is typically themost desired institutional change. Intrastate federalism aids in bringingregional representation to the national political arena. The desire forregional representation in the Senate is held in high demand by Saskatchewanwheat farmers. The most prominent suggestion is for a Triple E senate (equal,effective, and elected) instead of the current form of the Upper House. Supportfor a Triple E senate is virtually guaranteed by Saskatchewan wheat farmer,because their views would have better representation in a central politicalinstitution which historically has ignored their needs. The reasoning behindthe lack of regionalism in the Canadian senate is based on two important factors. First, Canadian senators were not selected by provincial legislatures orgovernments, but rather were appointed by the federal government Secondly,Canadians opted for equal representation by region rather than equalrepresentation by province. Thus, the senates actions are extremely similarto the actions of the House of Commons. To answer the question of what Saskatchewan wheat farmers need to do touphold their livelihood concentrates on the necessity for a senate reform basedon intrastate federalism. The hope is that by doing so Saskatchewan farmerswould have a strong voice in the national political arena. However, modifyingthe senate is an extremely arduous task. Senate reform would most likely haveto follow the current amending formula of the seven-fifty rule. The seven-fiftyrule declares that any amendments made to the constitution have the support oftwo-thirds of the provincial legislatures (seven, in the current Confederation)containing fifty percent of the population agreeing to the modification. Themodifications would be difficult to achieve because the politicians in the east,who currently hold a lot of the clout in the current landscape, would be opposedto any changes that would see them lose power. Upon Quebec separation senatereform would be even more difficult to achieve. Without Quebec, Ontario currently has 49.8% of the remaining population. According to Statistics Canadademographics from July 1st, 1996. So, using the current amending formulawithout Quebec in confederation , the likelihood of Saskatchewan farmers havinga voice in central political institutions becomes even less likely asmodifications to the institutions would only be possible if all the provinces,besides Ontario, were in favor of the change. Without provincial representation in a central institution the needs ofSaskatchewan wheat farmers will be continually ignored as the provinces with thelargest population continue to develop policies to achieve their own goals. Onesuggestion has been modification to the House of Commons, however, this seemseven more unlikely then reform to the Upper House. The goal of the senate inits creation, as was noted earlier, was to provide sober second thought.Regional leaders can argue that the senate does not fulfill the goals it wascreated to attain, and hopefully modify the senate to attain the regional needsthey desire. The House of Commons intent was always to be an elected body thatwas selected through representation by population and, thus, modifications tothe House of Commons are less likely then changes to the Senate because theintentions of the House of Commons have been achieved. The fact that the institutional landscape in Canada currently favors theeast can be seen in three recent policy initiatives by the federal government. The policy changes have not been beneficial to farmers in Saskatchewan, andcontinue to be focused on what will help the east develop. The policy changeshave involved 1) the elimination of the monopoly the Canadian Wheat Board had;2) deregulatory initiatives involving the creation of the North American FreeTrade Agreement (NAFTA); and, 3) a cost-cutting policy initiative that saw theelimination of the Crows Nest Pass Agreement. Each policy change has causeddeep cuts at the roots of Saskatchewan wheat farmers. A focus on the policychanges shows that the policies have gained some support in other provinces,namely Alberta, but the policies have considerably hurt Saskatchewan farmers. Motorcycle EssaySurvival for the common farmer in Saskatchewan has become increasingly moredifficult as the federal government continues on its policy changes based on theidea that bigger is better, to the demise of the common farmer. One of the alleviating factors during the abolition of the crow was thepossibility of Saskatchewan wheat farmers to use the St. Lawrence Seaway as ameans of finding lower costs to farmers. However, with the possible separationof Quebec, the use of the St. Lawrence Seaway is unknown. Depending on theagreements made by the Quebec and Canadian governments following separation theprice of transportation may go up even further as Saskatchewan wheat farmerswould lose a possible location to ship their grain. This would assuredly causean influx of prices in transportation costs to farmers as the Canadian PacificRailways would undoubtedly continue its trend of charging high prices to prairiefarmers transporting their goods to the west, to combat the expenses of gettingthrough the treacherous Rocky Mountains. Exports are a concern to Saskatchewan farmers on a whole, but more so tothose involved in the egg, poultry, and dairy aspects of agriculture. Egg,poultry, and dairy are produced under a Supply/Management organization. Inother words, there is a strict management of goods to ensure that farmersproduce only what will satisfy domestic needs. When the system worksefficiently no surpluses or shortages of egg, poultry, and dairy are created inCanada. If Quebec were to separate, especially with Quebec being a primarydairy producer in Canada, a number of initiatives would need to be developed toensure that there is neither a shortage or surplus of goods. The repercussionsof this would involve the need for farmers in Saskatchewan to focus more ondairy production, so that the needs of the nation are matched. Also, egg andpoultry producers in Saskatchewan may be down-scaled or forced to close as thegoods they produce would no longer be needed by the rest of the country. Toprevent any developing problems it is imperative that the Saskatchewan farmershave some voice in the political discussion following a Quebec separation. Theoretically, we could simply import from Quebec after separation is made toensure that the demand of Canadians are met by Quebec supply. However, thesolution is not an easy one because the cost of dealing with Quebec would likelybe a high one due to an increase in transaction costs. Transaction costs are,the costs arising from finding a trading partner, negotiating an agreementabout the price and other aspects of the exchange, and of ensuring that theterms of the agreement are fulfilled. Simply put there would be an influx inthe transaction costs between Quebec and Canada as the trading agreement ismodified. Again Saskatchewan farmers, upon Quebec separation, are faced withyet another hurdle to clear in their attempts to uphold their lifestyle. In sum, the political policy development that has been developed in theEast has seriously effected Saskatchewan wheat farmers. They have lost a meansfor protection from a fluctuating market because of modifications to the price-support structure of the CWB, which could be extremely detrimental with thedevelopment of a new country and unstable economy. The internationalcompetition, witnessed through the eastern politicians focus for free trade, hascaused the price of grain to drop considerably because of the elasticity ofwheat caused by an increase in competition and substitutes. Finally, the risingtransportation costs, due to the elimination of the Crows Nest Pass Agreement,has meant that Saskatchewan wheat farmers spend more money to get their productto a market which has gotten progressively worse. Saskatchewan farmers areforced to spend more money to get their product to a weak market, which couldget weaker in a new developing country due to an unstable economy and theincrease in transaction costs. The importance of the institutions ability to steer Canadas policyneeds to be analyzed here to ensure its power and importance is understood. Institutions are like channels or grooves along which economic, ideological,cultural and political forces flow. Simply, the power of politicalinstitutions is not an abstract quality . With the branches of government builtunder the principle of representation by population the political clout is goingto be held where the largest population is held, the east. The result is thatof small constituencies are weakly represented in national governments whichfail to realize the practical implications their policy developments have toconstituencies not prominent in the east, such as Saskatchewan wheat farmers. The policies the national government have developed in recent events havespoiled the agricultural community in Saskatchewan. However, a change to thepolitical institutions would cause a change in the policies that the governmentscreated simply because the grooves would cause policies to follow a differentpolitical, cultural, and economic flow. Canadian political institutions have a serious effect on policydevelopment in the nation. With the power being held almost solely in the eastsmall constituencies, such as Saskatchewan wheat farmers are forced toconcentrate on methods to modify the institutions so that they serve their needs. Recent policy developments have had a detrimental effect on Saskatchewan wheatfarmers growth and the only means for farmers to prevent this in the future isto modify the institutions. However, Quebec separation poses a difficultproblem for Saskatchewan wheat farmers. Not only does separation mean that theeconomy farmers rely heavily on will drop but it separation also means thatinstitutional reform is even less likely. The situation is not futile, andalthough the road is a difficult one Saskatchewan wheat farmers have facedadversity before. It appears that their unity and strength will be called uponagain as they attempt to gain representation in Canadas national institutionsbefore their lifestyle becomes a concept of the past. BibliographyKeith Archer et al., Paramters of Power: Canadas Political Institutions. Scarborough:Nelson Canada (1995), pg. 180. Canadian Dimensions- Population and average growth rates, Canada, the provinces,and territories. Statistics Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, July 1st, 1996. Website: http://WWW.StatCan.CA/Documents/English/Pgdb/People/Population/demo02a.htmDavid Roberts, Farmers worry report wont bring change, The Globe and Mail(July 11, 1996), A9. Terry Johnson, After the Crow, new hope in the country, Alberta Report (August21st, 1995), 15. Richard Gwyn, End of an Era, Calgary Herald (August 1st, 1995), A5. Terry Johnson, After the Crow, new hope in the country, Alberta Report (August21st, 1995), 15. Robin Bade et al., Economics: Canada in the Global Enviroment. Toronto: AddisonWesley Publishers Ltd. (1991), pg. G-13. Keith Archer et al., Paramters of Power: Canadas Political Institutions. Scarborough: Nelson Canada (1995), pg. 3. Category: History