Raskolnikov's Consciousness Quotes

“True life does not take place where large external changes occur, where people move, collide, fight, kill on another. It takes place where hardly-at-all differentiating changes are made….” When thinking through this quote from Tolstoy, I couldn’t help but to think of the involuntary and voluntary actions that human beings do every day.
Involuntary actions are not noticeable. These actions are performed without the person being conscious of them. These actions, such as the heart beating, are a crucial part of life. These actions are the driving force of life, regardless of mental consciousness. On the contrary, voluntary actions are actions that are purposefully done with intent, like grasping a ball. These actions are intentionally and consciously performed, no matter how difficult the task. Though the way these actions happen are often not understood, these actions are consciously performed.
In Tolstoy’s excerpt, “How Minute Changes of Consciousness Caused Raskolnikov to Commit murder”, Tolstoy explains that the changes in Raskolnikov’s consciousness were minute, yet caused colossal consequences. Raskolnikov’s change of
We first learn that Raskolnikov is the classic “college drop-out”, as we would define him in today’s terms. He lives in Petersburg, and lives a very small and uncomfortable life in a small garret. The first thing that we learn about Raskolnikov is that he is very secluded and absolutely crushed by poverty. He dreads meeting any one, especially his landlady. He is too embarrassed and broken to have any confidence to pull himself out of the small garret of his life, and into a new world of hope and prosperity. “He was hopelessly in debt…lost all desire to do so.” (1) I believe that this has the largest impact on his future perspective of situations, and especially his future thoughts and actions. He has already been changed by this, and this sets the stage for things to