Reminders of Raskolnikov
~Blog Post #1~
Topic H
April 23, 2015
Madison Edwards
Immediately upon being introduced
to the atmosphere of Kabul in The
Swallows of Kabul, I was reminded of the heat, sickness, and discomfort of
St. Petersburg in Crime and Punishment.
Kabul is “a city in an advanced stage of decomposition” (Khadra 2). It is
described as: “Nothing but battle-fields, expanses of sand, and cemeteries”
(1). Throughout the first four chapters, I repeatedly noticed the general heat
and discomfort felt by the characters. Characters often feel cramped and
stuffy. As the day comes to a close, people in the streets are sun-scorched and
move slowly because their energy has been drained by the physical and emotional
strains that come with living in Kabul. This is similar to Crime and Punishment in that both books share this hot, restless,
and uncomfortable setting. In Crime and
Punishment, this atmosphere foreshadowed that a big event was about to
occur. I predict that something big will happen soon in the lives of our main
characters. Change is on the horizon.
In addition to the setting, the
actions of the two main characters are similar to those of Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment. As Atiq is
reflecting on his actions, “he thinks that he can’t keep walking the streets
indefinitely.” As he wanders the streets of Kabul, Atiq has “been trying to
flee his own reality” (48). Atiq and Mohsen both find themselves roaming the
streets questioning their purpose. People in Kabul are often ridiculed for
their sinful actions, so both Atiq and Mohsen constantly doubt themselves,
their actions, and their relationships with others, especially with their
wives. In Crime and Punishment,
Raskolnikov’s wandering around St. Petersburg is a big part of his character
development. I predict that most of the character development of Mohsen and
Atiq will occur in the streets of Kabul.
That is a really good prediction. I agree, the setting of both books, with the crowdedness and heat, gives off an air of hopelessness. Another connection that can be made is between Raskolnikov's murders, and Mohsen's participation in the stoning of the Prostitute. It seems as if both (disgusting) actions may have been motivated by the drive to just make something happen. With both characters living in environments where they feel hopeless and stuck, even an action as bad as murdering two women, or aiding in the stoning of one, is an action that they can physically see the effects of, which had to be rare in either setting.
ReplyDeleteThat is a logical prediction, and I agree with what you have stated. In any book, the setting is an important aspect that needs to be taken into account, espcially in these two books. Heat and humidty have proven to lead to tension as we read in Crime and Punishment. The town of Kabul has been taken over by evil people, and the city is falling apart. A once lush, prosperous town is now in rumble and struggling to stay afloat. The people are living in fear and are betraying their morals. With these types of feelings, it foreshadows that something will happen. Tension and struggle can only last so long before something or someone bursts. Also, when you explain the men strolling through the town, I agree that they can discover something about themselves. When people need time to think, they will tend to walk or "get some fresh air." I believe that this relates to Atiq and Mohsen because they both walk outside after something big happens in their homes; Atiq with the fight and Mohsen revealing his sin to his wife. So I believe that there will be a big event in this book.
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