Crime and Punishment presents a number of contrasting character relations and family interactions. Raskolnikov, the main character, seems to have no real father figure in his life. Therefore, as one observes Rodya's influence on society, his family background must be taken into consideration. In general he appears to have a negative affect on society. He murders two women, deceives his friends and family, acts cruelly, even to those he loved, and appears unable to portray a consistent personality. People around him feel hurt because of him. The question then becomes, why? Why would someone with such a brilliant mind, loving mother and sister, and opportunities for success brood over his life to the point of murder? What brings Raskolnikov to murder? It seems from his explanation to Sonia and himself that he considers himself extraordinary, not bound by society's rules. However, to the reader, its seems that Rodya performs these acts because he searches for his worth, looking for a purpose. Therefore, when he observes Napoleon and other conquerors, he fancies their rise to power. He assumes that they had to step out of the bounds of society to achieve their success and their historical fame. Consequently, Rodya thinks of himself in the same light. He concludes that to achieve success he must step outside societal bounds. There is no father figure present in Rodya's life to tell him his worth. Therefore, he searches for his worth in other ways. Without a father figure in the family, Rodya appears to suffer from insecurity, which leads to a negative societal outcome.
Another important character in Crime and Punishment is Sonia. She seems to have both a positive and negative influence on society. Her circumstances at home lead her to prostitution. However, her intentions are noble. In another light, she encourages those around her with her innocence and, from the epilogue, she seems to bring happiness to all who knew her. Sonia lives within at least some kind of family unit with a father and mother and siblings. But again, there is brokenness in the family. Her father suffers from drunkenness and Sonia lost her mother at an early age. However, with the presence of her step mother, and at least some kind of father figure, Sonia's influence on society strikes one as being more positive than Rodya's influence. This appears to communicate that parental figures play an important role in children's success in society. On the other hand, one must notice the inherent differences in personalities between characters such as Rodya and Sonia. There are other elements of their personality that contribute to their influence on society. Their family environment is not the single most important element in their eventual influence on society.
One last observation about Crime and Punishment's message on the importance of relationships in one's influence on society appears in Svidigralov and Rodya. Svidigralov ends up with no one to confide in and no family to rest on. He, therefore, commits suicide. However, Rodya has relationships that keep him afloat. This clear contrast in outcome for two individuals who appear to resemble each other provides evidence that humans need relationships. Humans are relational beings, and the importance of their relations may determine life or death.
