The development of Rousseau and Raskolnikov in Dostoyevsky's "Crime and Punishment" and Camus' "The Outsider"

In every society, it is important for individuals to adhere to a set of principles in order to maintain order. In Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment and Camus' The Outsider , however, both protagonists ignored the values of their society. Raskolnikov and Meursault felt their own beliefs were significant, and through their actions they were able to express them. As a result, one man was judged as a social deviant, while the other man suffered psychologically. Through …

…underwent a period of self discovery. Raskolnikov abandoned his earlier theory an accepted his rebirth into Christianity, while Meursault became firm in his beliefs and, in the end, was finally able to declare them. Raskolnikov and Meursault were not afraid to cross the boundaries their societies had set for them. They were free-thinkers, and although they were seen as heretics, men like these play an important role in the growth and improvement of any society.