The first thing I noticed about Note from the Underground was that the book was written in the style of first person. During class some people thought this book was also similar to Catcher in the Rye. It is similar, yet the character is different. The narrator is a low rank government worker in Russia during late 1800s. The men is super depressed, hates humanity, and has really low self-esteem. He seems to be really pessimistic. When I noticed that the narrator was grumpy, I thought that this must have something to do with a corrupt society or talking about “human nature”. This main character is extremely self-conscious. Most people can understand the justice and revenge, but the narrator can’t because he has too much complexity in his brain which forces his mind to go underground. He also groups the population into two division. One is dishonest while other one is active. He believes that dishonest people are less conscious than Underground men since they can barely even think about the choice that he or she made. While the other group are most likely same as Underground Men having consciousness. I agree this statement. There are people who makes wrong decision and causing them to lie because they don’t want to be punished for consequence and this making them not candid. Also, more you are being dishonest, you are going to be feel more anxious and cannot plan the future decision one is going to make. I also like his idea of that everything can be explained that free will can be explained by science. I kind of like that because I saw Bill Nye debate with a Christian. I am not saying I oppose Christian, but I was motivated by it. Anyway I thought this book is going to be fun to read since it was written by Russian author, but it is really hard to analyze since the narrator’s mind is complex and deep.
Tony, I feel the same way about how the Underground Man is Holden Caulfield’s opposite but the Catcher in the Rye and Notes From Underground are very similar novels. The Underground Man is very pessimistic, and I had very similar feelings and thoughts when I first read his troubles and non-sense. He is dishonest and extremely hyperconscience while hating his place in this world. He wants to fit in but no one can understand his ideas and emotions, which, as you said, “forces his mind to go underground.” He wishes himself to be stupid so he doesn’t know all he knows, which is a burden to him, and so he could fit in with others and not be driven underground. I agree with your interpretation of the word “underground” and who sent the Underground Man there. Others and himself both drive his mind underground where few people live and no one is loved. The Underground Man’s mind is extremely complex, as you said, on the surface but he is just an exageration of most everyone’s emotions displayed on paper. Notes From Underground has been a challenge to read and analyze but shows me how everyone is similar but expresses their emotions in different exagerations.
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