Literary Analysis
When you write a literary analysis essay, you should focus on the  following elements: tone, diction, syntax, authors point of view,  structure, imagery, and dramatic context of a selection. As you explore  and analyze the prose below, make notes about the literary elements you  notice and begin to consider how the author develops his theme. 
The following is an excerpt from Fyodor Dostoevskys Crime and Punishment. Dostoevsky uses his story to explain how when a someone commits a crime, a guilty conscience and un-confessed sin causes more torment and anguish than the physical punishment or consequences for the crime. Tip: For enrichment, read the whole text of Crime and Punishment.
If he has a conscience he will suffer for his mistake. That will be his punishment–as well as the prison¦
Siberia.  On the banks of a broad solitary river stands a town, one of the  administrative centers of Russia; in the town there is a prison. In the  prison the second-class convict Rodion Raskolnikov has been confined for  nine months. Almost a year and a half has passed since his crime. There  had been little difficulty about his trial. The criminal adhered  exactly, firmly, and clearly to his statement. He did not confuse nor  misrepresent the facts, nor soften them in his own interest, nor omit  the smallest detail. He explained every incident of the murder, the  secret of the piece of wood with a strip of metal which was found in the  murdered womans hand. He described how he had taken her keys, what  they were like, as well as the chest and its contents; he explained the  mystery of Lizavetas murder; described how Koch and, after him, the  student knocked, and repeated all they had said to one another; how he  afterwards had run downstairs and heard Nikolay and Dmitri shouting; how  he had hidden in the empty flat and afterwards gone home¦The sentence,  however, was more merciful than could be expected, perhaps partly  because the criminal had not tried to justify himself, but had rather  shown a desire to exaggerate his guilt.

¦ In  prison, how it happened, he did not know. But all at once something  seemed to seize him and fling him at [Sonias] feet. He wept and threw  his arms round her knees. They were both pale and thin; but those sick  pale faces were bright with the dawn of a new future, of a full  resurrection into a new life¦Under his pillow lay the New Testament. He  took it up mechanically. The book belonged to Sonia; it was the one from  which she had read the raising of Lazarus to him¦But that is the  beginning of a new story–the story of the gradual renewal of a man, the  story of his gradual regeneration, of his passing from one world into  another, of his initiation into a new unknown life. That might be the  subject of a new story¦
 
    Literary Analysis- Prose Assignment Instructions
Instructions
You will write a literary analysis paper on the text presented in the last page (click here to see the text).  In your paper, explore how the author conveys his rhetorical stance  that when someone commits a crime, a guilty conscience and un-confessed  sin cause more torment and anguish than physical punishment.  You may include other references in addition to your comments on this  excerpt. Be sure to analyze tone, metaphor, simile, diction, style, and most importantly, the core meaning of the selections.
Criteria for This Assignment
Length and Formatting Requirements

One to three pages (750 to 1200 words), double spaced
Times New Roman, 12-point font

Content Requirements

Develop your topic and argument logically and cohesively.
Your thesis should drive the content of your essay.
State specific examples of the literary techniques in your essay  (for example, don’t just say the author uses his diction to convey his  message; be specific about how and why.)
If you reference additional sources, you must cite your sources in-text and in a Works Cited page.

As you work on the assignment, please review the note on plagiarism  if you have any questions as to what you may or may not use from the  presented materials and/or outside sources in your paper.