Well, I worked today.  Same as every Sat. and Sun.  Today was especially disappointing due to my requesting the night off work and still having to go in... Lame.  Thats what I get for working at a video store I guess.  So I'm trying to get myself into a mentality of reading instead of playing video games all the time... and it is hard.  I'm sure anyone who has played or is playing World of Warcraft can understand my trouble. 
  
On the Reading front.  I'm still not where I should be in Pride and Prejudice.  Every time I pick up the book I get a page in or so and fall asleep, it making it hard to read a novel like that.  I need to get another 50 Pages in tomorrow... or today... depending on how you look at it.  Because of my Reading of Pride, I can't read the far more interesting book Crime and Punishment that I so long to read and finish. 

I find that I am really liking Crime and Punishment for only being 17 or so pages into it.  Dostoevsky is a very talented writer.  Jane Austin < Fyodor Dostoevsky.  'Nof said.

Meanwhile in reading/paperwriting news, I didn't really have a chance to read much today.  I'm working on finishing a book that needs to be read by next week because that it top priority.  The book I am currently reading is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin.  I'm just trying to get it out of the way so I am read something Good.  Just kidding if there are any Jane Austin fans out there.  Honestly I can't get into Pride and Prejudice, I think it is a boring story and I don't fully understand the satire, but I'm sure it is good for some people... maybe.

I have started Crime and Punishment and have already found some interesting points about world view as I stand right now.  First of all, I am already in love with the dark nature of Raskolnikov.  Maybe I just love dark characters but I know already that I will fall in love-- in a bad way maybe-- with this character.  I found the 5 page rant by Marmeladov very interessting as well.  The way no one pays any attention other than Raskol and no one cares I think is noteworthy.  It shows Raskol pays attention to society. 

If I'm way off base with anything I ever say, please don't hesitate to let me know.  I can handle it... trust me.

Couple of questions:  What is the money system in this time in Russia.  They mentioned Kopecks and something about Rouples (or something).  I just need to know what order they go in and that that's money, not... rubies... or anything else.  Also Poor Knight suggested I read different other books.  I would like to stick with Crime and Punishment, because I have always wanted to read it, and now this gives me an excuse to do so.  But if there is 2 more books to complement the way Dostoevsky feels in Crime and Punishment please let me know.  I pick the three largest books by Dostoevsky at borders and I would like to read one of his shorter stories to save me time. 

Thanks already, I was so shocked when I read in my email that I already had responses.  I figured it would take at least a couple of days to get a good response.

This is a journal of a Paper, a really hard Term Paper.  This started on Fyodor Dostoevsky's forums and now I will post it here as well.  I'm going to repost my original post now.  Enjoy. 



    This post is a mixture of a Journal and an advice column.  I am currently a Senior at my Christian High School in Lansing, IL.  I am currently taking an AP English (Advanced Placement) and we, as a class, just got an assignment.  We have a Term Paper due around May 25th about a single author and their world view.  We have to read 3 novels by the author and then use 5 secondary sources.  We then have to form this into an 8-10 page paper with a fully written first draft due on April 7.  Being the natural scholar that I am I wanted to pick an author that would be interesting and would be a challenge.  Who else would I pick than the interesting and intriguing... Dostoevsky.

      Today I went out after much contemplating and bought the 3 Novels by Dostoevsky; Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov, and The Idiot.  I started reading Crime and Punishment and am only about 14 pages into it right now.  (BTW my translation is the one done by Pevear and Volokhonsky for all three) 

      So you might be asking yourself, what is the point of this forum... Well.  First of all I just thought it would be interesting for some of the guys out there to see a journal of a high schoolers first travel through the world Dostoevsky creates.  I have never read anything of Dostoevsky before this paper and only knew a little about the story for Crime and Punishment.  Second of all, I need help.  I will periodically update this and let you know how my reading is doing.  I will update with more on the assignment, what exactly I am looking for and what I need help from.  I need you to help bounce Ideas off of.  Dostoevsky is supposed to be very strong in his world view but I still may need help determining what it is.

      The first question I have to ask you is... What do you think of the Books I picked for this assignment.  Do you have any good ideas for secondary sources (good essays ((even if they are your own, I promise I won't steal)), Biography, etc...).  And Lastly... What do you think of this Post... Long I know but I'm sure the next won't be as long.  What do you think of the Idea of keeping a journal of my essay writing experience.

      Thanks in advance for any input or ideas you throw into the ring.