Fyodor Dostoevsky, in his work Crime and Punishment, makes it clear from the beginning that Raskolnikov, his somewhat unconventional protagonist, is in a “disturbed mental state ” (Dostoevsky, 13). Derived from the Russian word for "schism", Raskolnikov's very name suggests his dual personality. Raskolnikov's dichotomous personality is revealed primarily in his reaction to the crime, the way he treated his mother and sister, his relationships with Sonya, and his attitude towards human contact. The “extraordinary man” side of Raskolnikov's personality shows us the destructive nature of self-centeredness, which he ultimately manages to escape from, thanks to the more tender and emotional side of his personality. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Although Raskolnikov constantly tries to rationalize and justify his crime, the murder burdens him with a sense of self-loathing as he realizes the stupidity of his selfish “extraordinary man” theory. Raskolnikov considers himself part of an elite echelon of "supermen", who possess the unofficial right to commit a crime, if the act leads to the benefit of humanity. He “[allows] his conscience to overcome certain…obstacles” and places himself above social mores, committing intentional murder primarily to prove his theory (Dostoevsky, 308). Raskolnikov's subconscious, however, recognizes this faulty reasoning and a sense of revulsion begins to form in his mind. Raskolnikov manages to consciously justify his theory; however, his semi-conscious daydreams show that, in some way, he is aware of his moral shortcomings. One of Raskolnikov's daydreams is an incident from his childhood. He dreams of killing a mare by some drunken farmers. As a child, Raskolnikov cries over the horse's suffering. His compassionate reaction to this brutal act indicates his deep ambivalence about committing murder. The suffering he experiences in this daydream can be interpreted as an indicator of his eventual repentance for the crime he committed. In another dream, Raskolnikov's murder victim returns to haunt him in his dreams. In this dream he tries to kill the old lady but this time his shots have no effect. We can see, once again, that the crime scene torments Raskolnikov's subconscious. The old lady who refuses to die in his dream suggests that Raskolnikov instinctively senses the flaws in his theory. Later, while in Siberia, Raskolnikov dreams of a society infected with a terrible virus that makes people violent and aggressive while also giving them the illusion of being morally correct. We know that Raskolnikov is a victim of this kind of “plague” and the spread of this plague to humanity is described as something akin to doomsday in Raskolnikov's dream. This dream suggests that Raskolnikov recognizes his own psychological illness and the chaos that accompanies his theory of "extraordinary men". Dostoevsky implies that Raskolnikov's internal struggle to “cross” the line of accepted moral conduct is futile since it is impossible to ignore the sanctity of life and humanity through selfish goals. Dostoevsky implies that Raskolnikov's internal struggle to "cross" the line of accepted moral conduct through selfish goals is futile since, ultimately, the softer, more emotional side of Raskolnikov's personality is stronger and reminds him of the consequences of ignoring the sanctity of life and humanity. Raskolnikov alternatesisolation and an intense desire for human contact due to his dichotomous personality. From the beginning, “the soul [is]… affected by a dark sense of alienation… [of] infinite loneliness” (Dostoevsky, 126). His theory of the "extraordinary man" separates him from "ordinary" people and forces him into solitude. However, this alienation becomes dramatically more acute the moment he commits his crime; “at that moment it seemed to him as if with a pair of scissors he had cut himself off from everything and everyone” (Dostoevsky, 140). As the novel continues, we find Raskolnikov trying to reintegrate into the social fold. At one point, he finds the isolation so oppressive that he begs Polenka, Katerina Ivanova's little daughter, to love him and pray for him. Polenka's one kiss, a simple gesture of love, leads Raskolnikov to declare, "life was still possible... her life had not died along with the old woman" (Dostoevsky, 227). Raskolnikov's desire for Polenka's kiss and prayers is evidence of the emotional side of his personality. Although his darker side forces him to withdraw from society, his more human side suffers from self-imposed isolation and ultimately forces him to seek human contact. The destruction that self-centeredness causes to his soul is challenged by the human contacts he makes, such as Polenka's kiss, and this leads him to believe that he can still escape this destruction. Raskolnikov is painfully torn between devotion to his mother and sister and an inexplicable aversion to their mere presence. However, their unwavering support helps sustain him despite his ailing mind and conscience. In the eyes of his mother and sister, Raskolnikov has always been “the focus of all their hopes.” His mother, in fact, often "did nothing but live in... waiting to quickly receive a letter from her beloved Rodya" (Dostoevsky, 641). Raskolnikov's self-centeredness rejects his family's oppressive dependence on him. Furthermore, Dunya's decision to marry Luzhin to help the family makes Raskolnikov feel inadequate in providing for them, which angers Raskolnikov. It is possible that Raskolnikov becomes angry because his inadequacy clashes with his belief that he is an extraordinary man destined to benefit the human race. At one point, we find him reflecting on his ambivalence towards his family, stating: “…how I loved them! Why do I hate them now? Yes, I hate them physically…” (Dostoevsky, 327) However, Raskolnikov definitely possesses fraternal feelings, as he categorically protects Dunya both from “prostituting herself” by marrying Luzhin, and from Svidrigailov, who seems evil and immoral. In fact, Raskolnikov is more dependent and attached to the support of his family than he realizes. He doesn't understand that their devotion to him is partly what sustained his faith in life and kept him from committing suicide. It is also important to note that although Raskolnikov persists in denying his wrongdoings in relation to the murder, he begins the path to repentance by first recognizing that he "had made [his mother and sister] miserable" (Dostoevsky, 618). This recognition marks the beginning of Raskolnikov's acceptance of his guilt. Meeting his mother near the end of the novel, Raskolnikov declares that "[he] has always loved her... [and] will never stop loving her" (Dostoevsky, 613). The remorse Raskolnikov feels for making his family suffer demonstrates his human desires and the potential he has to escape self-centeredness to embrace humanity instead. Raskolnikov's ambivalence is best depicted in his relationship with Sonya, whose selflessness becomes the key to his salvation. Nowhere is Raskolnikov's duality more blatantly evident than during his conversations,.