I have been reading Crime & Punishment for school and I was wondering if staircases held any significant symbolism.  They seem to pop up at significant times, such as during the murder and Raskolnikov's dream about his land lady being beat.  Does anyone know anything about this? You oppinions would be valued? 

I've done a little research.  Some believe that it has religious implications and some believe it may have connections to the floor theory, in which the floor a character lives on represents their spiritual hierarchy. Do these theories have any validity?