Saturday, January 19, 2013

Reactions To The Underground Man

Okay, I absolutely loved the Underground Man and I just had to be sick during the class discussion. It has to be my favorite piece that we read all year. While reading it, I was simply overwhelmed by the layers in the story. Honestly, I don't think I could read it just once and claim to have a full understanding of the Underground Man because there are three different ways to look at the Underground Man. First, you have to read it and just figure out what he's saying on the surface level. He says things about society and about himself. You need to accept everything he says at true. But then, you have to look beyond that because people lie and the Underground Man is not exception. There's someone behind the words he writes on paper who at some times has a completely different meaning than what is said. You have to read the Underground Man doubting everything he says. Then, you have to read it and try and figure out what Dostoevsky is trying to say, because the author can be trying to say something through the contrast of the first two readings. (I hope this is making sense). I mean, you almost have to read any substantial book in such a way, but because the Underground Man is so complex, I felt like I could read the novella a dozen times and still miss so much.

2 comments:

Michell D said...

I also enjoyed reading The Underground Man, I just didn't liked how self centered he was. I realize that the entire work consisted of him talking to himself, but I enjoyed how it was written. I also liked disciphering through his truths vs lies and how he sculpted his stories, although it did become tedious at times. Overall I have what I liked and didn't like about the novella, and I think i have more of a positive feeling about the book. I feel that we could all benefit from reading the story again.

Michell D said...

I also enjoyed reading The Underground Man, I just didn't liked how self centered he was. I realize that the entire work consisted of him talking to himself, but I enjoyed how it was written. I also liked disciphering through his truths vs lies and how he sculpted his stories, although it did become tedious at times. Overall I have what I liked and didn't like about the novella, and I think i have more of a positive feeling about the book. I feel that we could all benefit from reading the story again.