In Crime and Punishment, the reader must be aware of the split in Raskolnikov's personality. The first clue Dostoevsky gives to this can be found in Raskolnikov's name itself which refers to the Russian word for "split" or "schism. One of Raskolnikov's sides shows a repulsive, cold-blooded murderer. The other presents a sensitive, compassionate and generous image.
Dostoevsky picks the name Raskolnikov for a reason. In Russian, the word "raskol" means "split" or "schism". This split personality is the key to understanding Raskolnikov and either sympathizing with him or turn against him.
Raskolnikov possesses a strong desire to do evil, to commit murder. He does this in order to test his theory that extraordinary men have the right to commit crimes. Obviously, he believes himself to be brilliant and extraordinary. This is when his self-centeredness is emphasized.
Raskolnikov also desires to do good. This is displayed when he gives away most of his money to random people. He wants to save the Marmaledovs from poverty, and his sister from an unhappy marriage. He is so concerned with other's salvation, that he often doesn't consider his own.
By creating this dualism, Dostoevsky leaves it up to the reader to decide what sort of punishment he deserves. We must determine whether Raskolnikov is a tortured man who made a mistake, or if he is simply a criminal and deserves severe punishment.