Original Text(~250 words)
PART I - CHAPTER VI Later on Raskolnikov happened to find out why the huckster and his wife had invited Lizaveta. It was a very ordinary matter and there was nothing exceptional about it. A family who had come to the town and been reduced to poverty were selling their household goods and clothes, all women’s things. As the things would have fetched little in the market, they were looking for a dealer. This was Lizaveta’s business. She undertook such jobs and was frequently employed, as she was very honest and always fixed a fair price and stuck to it. She spoke as a rule little and, as we have said already, she was very submissive and timid. But Raskolnikov had become superstitious of late. The traces of superstition remained in him long after, and were almost ineradicable. And in all this he was always afterwards disposed to see something strange and mysterious, as it were, the presence of some peculiar influences and coincidences. In the previous winter a student he knew called Pokorev, who had left for Harkov, had chanced in conversation to give him the address of Alyona Ivanovna, the old pawnbroker, in case he might want to pawn anything. For a long while he did not go to her, for he had lessons and managed to get along somehow. Six weeks ago he had remembered the address; he had two articles that could be pawned: his father’s old silver watch and a little gold ring with three...
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Summary
Raskolnikov wakes up after days of fevered illness to find his friend Razumikhin has been caring for him. More importantly, his mother and sister Dunya have arrived in Petersburg, summoned by Razumikhin's concerned letter. The reunion is emotionally charged - his mother is overjoyed but worried sick, while Dunya studies her brother with sharp, knowing eyes that seem to see right through him. Raskolnikov feels overwhelmed by their love and presence, especially knowing what he's done. He can barely look at them without feeling like a fraud. This chapter shows how guilt isolates us from the people who love us most. When we're carrying heavy secrets, even genuine affection feels unbearable because we know we don't deserve it. Raskolnikov's physical illness mirrors his psychological torment - he's literally sick with guilt. The contrast is stark: here are two women who've traveled far and sacrificed much out of love for him, while he's become someone they wouldn't recognize. Dunya's perceptive gaze suggests she senses something is deeply wrong, even if she can't name it. The chapter explores how our actions don't just affect us - they ripple out to hurt the people who care about us most. Raskolnikov realizes he can't simply return to being the son and brother they remember. His crime has created a wall between him and genuine human connection. This sets up the central tension: can someone who's done something terrible ever truly reconnect with love and family? The warmth of their reunion only makes his isolation more painful.
That's what happens. To understand what the author is really doing—and to discuss this chapter with confidence—keep reading.
Terms to Know
Psychological realism
A literary technique that shows characters' inner mental and emotional states in realistic detail. Dostoevsky pioneered this approach, showing how guilt and trauma actually affect the mind. It helps us understand why people act the way they do.
Nihilism
A 19th-century Russian philosophical movement rejecting traditional moral and religious values. Many young intellectuals like Raskolnikov were influenced by these ideas. It's the backdrop for his belief that he could commit murder without moral consequences.
Penance
The act of showing sorrow for wrongdoing, often through suffering or making amends. In Russian Orthodox culture, confession and penance were central to spiritual life. Raskolnikov's illness can be seen as unconscious penance for his crime.
Filial duty
The obligation children have to honor and care for their parents. In 19th-century Russia, this was especially strong - family loyalty was sacred. Raskolnikov's guilt is intensified because he's betrayed this fundamental bond.
Alienation
The feeling of being isolated or disconnected from others and society. This was a major theme in Russian literature of the time. Raskolnikov's crime has cut him off from normal human relationships, even with those who love him most.
Characters in This Chapter
Raskolnikov
Tormented protagonist
Struggles with overwhelming guilt as he faces his loving family. His physical illness mirrors his psychological breakdown. He realizes his crime has created an unbridgeable gap between him and the people who care about him.
Razumikhin
Loyal friend
Has been nursing Raskolnikov through his illness and contacted his family out of concern. Represents genuine friendship and normalcy. His care contrasts sharply with Raskolnikov's self-imposed isolation.
Pulcheria Alexandrovna
Devoted mother
Raskolnikov's mother who has traveled from the provinces to see her sick son. Her joy at their reunion and obvious love make Raskolnikov's guilt even more unbearable. She represents the family bonds he's betrayed.
Dunya
Perceptive sister
Raskolnikov's intelligent sister who seems to sense something is deeply wrong with her brother. Her sharp, knowing gaze suggests she may suspect his involvement in something terrible. She represents moral clarity and judgment.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to identify when shame is creating walls between you and genuine human connection.
You have the foundation. Now let's look closer.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"Am I really going to tell them? The thought flashed through his mind. No, I mustn't, I'll keep quiet."
Context: As he struggles with whether to confess to his family
Shows how guilt creates a prison of secrecy. He wants connection but knows the truth would destroy their love. This internal conflict drives much of his psychological torment throughout the novel.
"She looked at him with such pain, such infinite love, that he almost broke down."
Context: Describing his mother's reaction to seeing him
The pure love of family becomes torture when you believe you don't deserve it. This moment shows how our actions affect not just us, but ripple out to hurt those who care about us most.
"Dunya's eyes were fixed on him with a strange, searching look."
Context: As Dunya studies her brother during their reunion
Suggests that those who know us best can sense when something fundamental has changed. Dunya's intuition creates additional pressure on Raskolnikov, as he realizes he can't hide forever.
Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
Thematic Threads
Guilt
In This Chapter
Raskolnikov can barely look at his mother and sister, feeling like a fraud receiving their love
Development
Intensifying from earlier hints to full psychological torment
Isolation
In This Chapter
Despite being surrounded by caring people, Raskolnikov feels completely alone with his secret
Development
Deepening from physical withdrawal to emotional disconnection
Family
In This Chapter
His mother's joy and Dunya's perceptive concern highlight what he's lost through his actions
Development
First major appearance of family dynamics and their power
Deception
In This Chapter
He must pretend to be the son and brother they remember while hiding his true nature
Development
Evolving from self-deception to deceiving those he loves most
Identity
In This Chapter
The gap between who he was and who he's become is painfully visible in their presence
Development
Continuing fragmentation as his crime reshapes his sense of self
Modern Adaptation
When Mom Shows Up Unannounced
Following Rodion's story...
Rodion wakes up on his friend Marcus's couch after three days of what he told everyone was food poisoning. Really, he's been sick with guilt since he anonymously reported his elderly neighbor Mrs. Chen to immigration—she'd been subletting to him cheap, and when she raised his rent, he snapped. Now his mother and sister have driven twelve hours from their small town because Marcus called them, worried. His mom fusses over him, bringing homemade soup and medicine money she can't afford. His sister Dina watches him with sharp eyes, asking pointed questions about his 'stomach bug.' Their love feels suffocating. Every 'honey, you look so thin' and 'we're so proud of you trying to make it in the city' makes him want to crawl under the blanket. He can't look at their faces without seeing Mrs. Chen's confused expression when the ICE agents knocked. His mother keeps stroking his forehead like she did when he was little, and it takes everything he has not to confess right there. But how can he tell these two women who sacrificed everything for his education that he destroyed an old woman's life over two hundred dollars?
The Road
The road Raskolnikov walked in 1866, Rodion walks today. The pattern is identical: guilt creates an unbearable wall between us and the people who love us most. Their genuine affection becomes a mirror reflecting our unworthiness.
The Map
This chapter provides a navigation tool for recognizing when shame is isolating you from love. When receiving care feels painful rather than comforting, that's guilt talking—and guilt is information about something that needs addressing.
Amplification
Before reading this, Rodion might have just pushed his family away, claiming he needed space. Now he can NAME the pattern—guilt isolating him from love—PREDICT where it leads—deeper shame and loneliness—and NAVIGATE it by choosing connection over concealment.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
What physical and emotional state is Raskolnikov in when he wakes up, and who has been taking care of him?
- 2
Why does Raskolnikov feel like a fraud when his mother and sister show him love and affection?
- 3
Think of a time when someone's kindness felt hard to accept - what makes genuine care sometimes feel uncomfortable?
- 4
If you were Dunya and sensed something was deeply wrong with your brother, how would you approach the situation?
- 5
What does this chapter reveal about how our actions affect not just ourselves, but the people who love us?
Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Guilt Walls
Think of a time when you struggled to accept praise, affection, or kindness from someone who cared about you. Write down what you were carrying (guilt, shame, a secret) that made their care feel uncomfortable. Then identify one small step you could take to either address what you're carrying or let someone trustworthy help share the load.
Consider:
- •Notice the difference between healthy humility and guilt-driven deflection
- •Consider whether the people who love you might be stronger than you think
- •Remember that isolation often spreads pain rather than containing it
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 7: The Deed
The coming pages reveal the gap between planning and reality, and teach us shock affects moral processing. These discoveries help us navigate similar situations in our own lives.