Estimated time: 60 minutes

Think about and discuss these questions from your reading with your teacher.

1. Raskolnikov is very poor but still gives money to the Marmeladov family. What does this tell us about his character?
2. Part 1 Chapter 4 opens with, "His mother's letter had been a torture to him..." Why is he tortured?
3. How does Raskolnikov convince himself that murdering Alyona Ivanovna will be easy - "...there could not be such a morbid reaction, that his reason and will remain unimpaired at the time of carrying out his design."
4. In reality, how does Raskolnikov react to his crime?

Freewriting

After pondering and discussing these questions with your teacher, choose one to complete a freewrite. If you are unfamiliar with freewriting, here are a few tips:

• Keep your pencil moving. Don't stop. Just brain dump onto your paper.
• Have a set amount of time. Set a timer and write for the full amount of time.
• Ignore all grammar and spelling. Don't let editing slow down the process. These are not important in this instance.
• Pen and paper aren't the only ways to freewrite. Feel free to type on the computer. Not only does this accomplish the task, but it builds typing skills.
• Share your freewrite with us in the comments below.