Sonia is an absolutely amazing, inspiring and courageous character in “Crime and Punishment.” In the 1800’s she rises up against sexism and prejudice to provide for her family while solidifying her faith in God despite the limits within her impoverished surroundings. Sonia remains a symbol of integrity, honesty and faithfulness to herself and the one’s she cares for on a daily basis. Sonia is the most extraordinary character because of her selflessness and willingness to sacrifice herself for the well-being of others. This is what makes her courageous. Her courage is evident in her sacrifice as a prostitute to provide for her broken family. Her courage is evident in her faithfulness to God. Her courage is evident in her loyalty to Raskolnikov when no one else helped him. She is the epitome of extraordinary. It is because of her courage that she pursues Raskolnikov to confess. It is because of her courage that she is able to survive as an impoverished prostitute while the rich and disloyal die. Her courage directs her to Siberia to remain loyal to Raskolnikov and be a link for him and his family in St. Petersburg while he did not love her. She leads Raskolnikov to redemption through Christ. She saves his life while leading him to human connection instead of isolation. Her character astonishes me and leads me to believe that she is the model of courage. She is willing to sacrifice everything for the greater being and that requires courage. I claim that courage lacks in today’s society because we are not willing to sacrifice like Sonia. We are not willing to put truly everything on the line for our families, friends or acquaintances. Society does not encourage isolation and we are discouraged to sacrifice our surroundings for the greater good. If today’s society wants courage, we need to embody Sonia.
