Of Selflessness In Crime And Punishment By Fyodor Dostoevsky

Normally, selflessness leads to being treated respectfully; but for Sonya, an eighteen-year-old prostitute, is treated disrespectfully for her selfless acts. One can show disrespect in many different ways. When someone accomplishes a selfless deed, they are congratulated for accomplishing it, and held in high esteem. But for Sonya, she is not congratulated, she is disgraced. Throughout Fyodor Dostoevsky’s, Crime and Punishment, Sonya is found as a disgrace and worthless. Though her intentions are selfless, she is seen as selfish. When someone is selfish, they only care for themselves and put themselves first. To be selfless, is to put others first and not yourself. Selflessness ties into love. When one is selfless towards a person, they show
For her family’s survival, Sonya gives up herself and becomes a prostitute. She did not have to become a prostitute, but, because Sonya is selfless, she is willing to go to great risks to take care of the ones she loves. All of the remarks she gets in response to her prostitution are negative and disrespectful. Sonya is willing to allow others to abuse her in a sexual manner, so she can receive money and fend for her family. People look at Sonya and only see her actions, but not the reason to why she is a prostitute. While Sonya is speaking to Raskolnikov, he disrespects her and says, “[y]ou laid hands on yourself, you destroyed a life…your own”, then he replies again with, “you’ll end up in the Haymarket” (pg 329). Others, and Raskolnikov, believe that Sonya is a prostitute for herself, but she is a prostitute to benefit her own family. She is disrespected and disgraced upon for her actions that are plans to help. Having prostitution as Sonya’s career, opens many opportunities for people to make disrespectful remarks about her overall wellbeing. Sonya is not even seen at the same level as the others because of her job. Her job is so looked down upon that people respond to her as if she is a monster, or not worthy of one’s respect. Sonya is disrespected for being a prostitute even though she intends for this to be a selfless act. While at the memorial dinner Sonya over hears these women speaking,
Displaying her love for Raskolnikov and Katerina makes it seem as though she gets attached to people too easily, which can lead to even bigger problems. Sonya did not mean anything of it other than expressing her love to the ones she cares about. She is looked down upon for loving and taking care of them. Sonya is disgraced when people hear she is a prostitute. Being a prostitute is always looked down upon. But Sonya did not become a prostitute for her own benefit, but for the benefit of her family. She is willing to sell herself’ so her family can survive; but this act of selflessness is found corruptive because the others do not know the reasons behind Sonya’s choices. Sonya is also looked down upon for taking in the children when Katerina cannot anymore. Though the purpose of Katerina giving the children to Sonya, is actually a punishment, Sonya is selfless and decides to take care of the children. She is faced with many situations and remarks showing her disrespect even though her intentions are acts of selflessness. Sonya’s selfless actions result with her being disrespected instead of