by Fyodor Dostyovesky
Summer 2010
Welcome to AP Lit. This summer you will read, in its entirety, Crime and Punishment. This is one of the most highly regarded and morally complex books ever written. You will earn great respect by taking on this task and handling it.
You’re on your own to manage your time for reading this book, though I suggest you start early. Perhaps make a schedule for yourself. Find a reliably comfortable place where you can read and concentrate on a daily basis.
In addition to your assignments for Fearless Jones and your two choice books, you will complete for Crime and Punishment:
- Read the book from beginning to end.
- Complete EIGHT entries in the online discussion/blogging component.
- Write ONE AP essay from the choices of topics in the packet you received (prompts A-D).
- Take a test on your understanding of the characters, themes, and ideas in the novel within the first 2 weeks of the 2010-2011 school year. This test will be open-notes, but the only acceptable notes will be ones you have generated yourself--- not ones copied from another source.
The novel is broken into parts by the author:
Part 1, p. 1-86
Part 2, p. 87-194
Part 3, p. 195-279
Part 4, p. 279-359
Part 4, p. 359-437
Part 6, p. 437-533
Epilogue, p. 533-552
Tips for Reading
Crime and Punishment (1866) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
NAMES: Don’t be intimidated by the Russian names. Just read them. You can do it. If necessary, in your mind come up with nicknames for the characters. For example, Mr. Lebezyatnikov can be Mr. L. or just Leb. Remember that sometimes characters have nicknames in the text. See the “Translator’s Note” after the foreword for a list of characters’ names and nicknames.
SETTING: The book takes place mostly in Petersburg, Russia. This city is now known as St. Petersburg, which is located in the western part of Russia. The author sometimes deletes names of actual places and instead writes them as S----y Lane or the K----n Bridge.
ENJOY THE DIFFERENT STYLE: Dostoyvesky’s writing digs deeply inside the minds of his characters, especially Raskolnikov’s. The author explores characters’ souls, which can sometimes be dark and painful. Enjoy the trip!
TOUGH WORDS: Use a dictionary to figure out important words that you don’t know at first. You can use a print one or go online at dictionary.com. For example, Raskolnikov goes to visit a pawnbroker in the first pages of the novel. You need to know what a pawnbroker is in order to get what’s going on. Look it up if you’re not sure!
FOOTNOTES: If you see a term that has a number attached to it, that means that there’s a note at the end of the book that further explains that term. For example, on p. 14, Marmeladov refers to his daughter going out with a yellow pass. The term yellow pass is clearly important and has a little #5 next to it. That means to go to the end of the book (p. 553) and look up in the “Notes” section what note #5: yellow pass means. It means something that is crucial for understanding what Marmeladov is talking about.
HISTORICAL REFERENCES YOU DON’T GET: Look them up! Google is your best friend. For example, check out Napoleon on Wikipedia.
LONG SPEECHES: Just read them. The author uses long speeches for the characters. They often have great significance to the plot and themes and philosophical elements of the book. For example, Marmeladov’s drunken rant in Part 1 is full of foreshadowing for experiences and feelings that Raskolnikov (the main character) will encounter.
TALKING TO YOURSELF: It happens in this book. Characters often speak their thoughts aloud in ways that don’t really happen in 2010. Just go with it and enjoy the out-of-the-ordinary style.
READING SECTIONS MORE THAN ONCE: Do it. Parts of the book can be hard to understand and may require going back and re-reading in order to understand most of what’s going on.
NOT UNDERSTANDING EVERYTHING: It’s okay if you don’t follow every single word. Read Dostoyevsky’s text closely, and use other resources (other readers, sparknotes, etc.) when necessary to supplement your own reading. Reach out for assistance if you feel you’re missing something major.
GIVING UP: … is not an option. You can do this. You will do this. Don’t whine about it. Get pro-active and reach out for assistance if you need it; that’s a sign of strength and determination. Read the book. It will earn you massive respect from anyone you come across in your academic and professional life. Reading Crime and Punishment is an impressive achievement.
KEEP IN TOUCH: Email me at danbrownteacher@gmail.com or dabrown@seedschooldc.org with any and all questions/ideas/comments. I check my email every day. My cell # is 917-596-4826. Feel free to call or text with relevant questions. (If you text, be sure to identify who you are.)
Crime and Punishment Essay
This is due, printed out, at the beginning-of-class bell on the first day of AP Lit class.
Your essay should be 500-750 words and use proper spelling, grammar, and usage for a formal academic writing.
It will be scored according to the AP rubric (1 through 9) which is adapted on the next page for the “More Sinn’d against than Sinning” prompt. The same style of rubric will be applied to all of the essay prompts. Top scores always fit the description: “Well conceived, well-developed, and well-organized, these papers are marked by frequent and accurate references to the chosen work (Crime and Punishment), by an admirable ability to synthesize thought into a persuasive response, and by a mature control over the elements of composition… They clearly indicate the student’s ability to use a previously read work of literature to respond to the prompt in a fluent and cogent fashion.”
Grading Rubric Key
9 = A+
8 = A
7 = A-
6 = B
5 = B-
4 = C
3 = C-
1-2 = F
0 = 0
