Life and Death Communication (Crime and Punishment)

In Crime and Punishment, Feodor Dostoevsky puts a character in a situation of no return. Rodya embodies the human struggle to find meaning, purpose, and ultimately a reason to live. In addition to these philosophical struggles this man goes through, he also seems to come to a point in his life where he needs, arguably more than anything else, redemption that he can see, hear, and understand. To my surprise, Rodya really needed communication... from God.
Rodya desired an answer. Rodya went looking for an answer and even if he didn't find God and if the book ended in a completely different way, the fact that he has the boldness to look for an answer is what makes him a hero in my book.

I wonder if every human being comes to a point in their life where they become tired of communicating and wants to be communicated with. Of course, humans are communicated with every day, but I think Rodya (along with myself) wanted something completely different than every day jibber jabber. An answer. What a profound word.

Even if we take God out of the picture, the communication from Sonya meant the World to Rodya at the time. To literally hear another human being, not to mention one that he loved, tell him that she did not loath him for committing murder changed Rodya's life. Actually, it may have saved his life.

"Well, when one has no one, nowhere else one can go! For every man must have somewhere to go"

This quote proves the idea, but if I could change it I would say that "every man must have someone to go to." Beyond that, I think every man needs someone to truly communicate with. Svidrigailov had nowhere to go. He killed himself. I don’t know how much stronger of a message Dostoevsky could have sent than by having the one guy that could not receive validation in the form of communication shoot himself. It is as if he is saying that it is a matter of life and death. Even if Svidrigailov would not have killed himself, what did he really have to live for without a “Sonya” in his life?

I am realizing that there are two kinds of communication. One kind is inconsequential - frivolous even, but it is the majority of the communication most people experience every day. The other kind is a rare and more valuable type of communication that speaks to a person's soul (if you believe in that kind of a thing) and it can validate one’s existence. Communication has the power to bring redemption. If it wasn't so, the words "I forgive you" would not hold such significance for so many. Communication is all about giving voice to the emotions that make us human. Sure, you can feel love, but it will never be the same as hearing someone say the three words. Communication ends wars (or starts them), it finally unites prince charming with his girl, it saves people's lives, and in Rodya's case it led him to God. Wow.