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Crime and Punishment

by Fyodor Dostoevsky

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Student Question

Why does Rodion kill the pawnbroker in Crime and Punishment?

Quick answer:

Rodion kills the pawnbroker because he perceives her as rude and unpleasant, and he plans to rob her. He knows she keeps pawned items in a trunk and wears the keys around her neck, making her an attractive target for theft. He also kills her sister, who unexpectedly arrives during the crime, to eliminate a witness. His actions are driven by desperation and a flawed philosophical justification for murder.

Expert Answers

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The pawnbroker is an unattrative and unpleasant woman who is perceived by him as being rude. He visits the pawnshop 1)to pawn his watch, and 2)to make plans for robbing the pawnshop. He knows she keeps the pawned items she takes in in a trunk in the back room of the shop, and he knows she wears the keys around her neck. He kills her because he wants to rob her, and he kills her sister because she comes home during the crime.

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