Quote Interpretation

This close-reading worksheet is designed for Grades 10-12 and guides students through the interpretation of five significant quotes from Crime and Punishment. For each quotation, students explain the quote’s meaning in their own words, analyze why it is important within the novel, and connect it to a broader theme (such as guilt, suffering, redemption, or moral conflict) or to character development, particularly Raskolnikov’s psychological struggle. The activity encourages careful attention to Dostoevsky’s philosophical language and ideas.

Learning Goals

• Literary Quote Analysis (Upper Secondary ELA) – Interpret complex quotations accurately and thoughtfully
• Theme Development – Connect individual lines of text to major philosophical and moral themes
• Textual Interpretation – Analyze how language reveals character psychology and conflict
• Analytical Writing – Write clear, complete-sentence explanations supported by the text

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Aligned with high school literature and analysis standards
• Supports Close Reading – Encourages students to slow down and unpack dense, abstract language
• Philosophical Engagement – Helps students grapple with ideas of guilt, suffering, conscience, and morality
• Builds Essay Readiness – Strengthens skills needed for quote-based paragraphs and literary essays
• Flexible Use – Ideal for novel units, small-group analysis, assessment, or discussion preparation
• Low Prep – Print-and-use worksheet with structured prompts and response space

This quote interpretation worksheet helps students engage deeply with Crime and Punishment by examining how Dostoevsky uses language to explore moral and psychological complexity. By explaining, analyzing, and thematically connecting key quotations, learners strengthen close-reading skills, analytical writing, and their understanding of the novel’s enduring philosophical questions.

This worksheet is part of our Crime and Punishment Worksheets collection.