POST:Reactions to Notes from the Underground (closes Sun)

This story has blown me away so far for various reasons. The combo of Dostoyevskys' unique style and the strange tale of the Underground Man has made this one of the hardest, but most interesting stories i have ever read. The content of the story really has me wondering how much of it is from Dostoyevskys' own crazy life. The part of the story where Dostoyevsky states that the underground man may be fictional, but actually exists in society is one of the most interesting sections of the first half. I believe that this was an extension of the resistance to the government that Dostoyevsky advocated throughout his life. This indirect way of conveying the horrors of society is a clever tactic by the brilliant Dostroevsky and adds another dimension to the already intriguing story.

my initial thoughts of Part 1 of this story were he's very emotional. It seems he's on an emotional rollercoaster where the first pages make it difficult to read because he's so gloomy and boring. I had to re-read the first 10 pages about ten times! But then he started picking himself up telling stories that makes you think he may not be so bad. Now hes back down again. This is why it's difficult for me to read. Not one of my favorite books!

Part one is different than anything I have ever read. I think Dostoyevsky did a good job of writing part one just like someone would think. The main character thinks about random things and then changes his train of thought or analyzes what he just said. It reminds me of when you have a conversation about something and then wonder how it went so far off topic. Although this makes the book extremely hard to read it also helps the reader get inside the main character's head. While I don't agree with or understand a lot of Dostoyevsky's philosophies I respect him for thinking thoroughly through everything he writes.

I like this story because it is fast paced with all the complaining he does. I find it somewhat amusing, as long as it doesn't get too annoying. I find it interesting because it is not often that you read the writings of a grumpy, disgruntled man. It offers some diversity to the book, as opposed to ones I normally read. I feel like something big will happen to keep me reading in order to find out what happens next. I like that feeling.

I won't lie. I didn't really like it. I feel like he is just talking about flaw after flaw about everything and complaining way too much. I find it kind of depressing and I really just don't care about it that much.

At first I didn't like this book at all. I had a difficult time understanding and following it. That also partly had to do with the fact that I was getting sick of the complaining and the rambling. Although the more I read, I began to become more comfortable with the way Dostoyevsky writes and also more curious as to why the character is the way he is. I am definitely looking forward to see what's going to happen in the end.

With part one of the novel it can seem strange, and hard to understand. But as you go on into the second part of the novel, you can start to see and develop where he acquired his different beliefs and behaviors. You can see the deep intelligence that he possesses through the different thoughts and ideas he has. Throughout the first few chapters you can see that he has many ideas and thoughts that constantly run through his mind.

The D man does make a difficult read, with sentences that really make my head spin but what i enojoyed the most about part one of the book was the way his ideas did actually make sense in the most bizarre ways. His comparison of the acute man to a mouse was completely appropriate when thoroughly explained. Although it was often difficult to understand what he was saying, when i finally got it, it was like... EPIPHANY!

So while the worst part was trudging through all his odd sentence structure, the best part was the sense of accomplishment i got out of actually being able to make any sense of it, and entirely logical sense at that.

The one aspect of this book, which struck me directly off the bat, is Dostoyevsky's effectiveness in creating his tone. With most literary works, it takes the author a chapter or two to really set the scene, but with Notes from the Underground I caught myself wondering how long until this man shoots himself after the first page.

I'm not completely sure what page it was when I realized it, but Dostoyevsky is absolutely brilliant. The entire first part is him rambling, and I started to get the idea that the main character is really an image of himself, at least in certain aspects. Just the ideas that he included in part one... There was so much there and it all seemed so random, but it all seemed to tie together in one way or another. Its hard to explain what some of it mean to me, because a lot of it seemed relative to what I have been thinking about involving life in general. I guess I would say that I am very interesed inexistentialism, and because everything in part one includes many different aspects of it, I really enjoyed reading it, even though it was very difficult to get through at times.

When I first started to read the book, it was really difficult because the narrator's idea and comments were inconsistent and contradictory. He saids one thing, he will say the opposite the next. There wasn't much motivation for me to read at the beginning, but I know it takes some time to get into any novels, so I know it would get more exciting later on. And the second part of the novel really gives an explanation to the behavior of the narrator.

ok so... can there be a more difficult man in the world? i have to give dostoyevsky credit... he's some kind of a literary GENiUS because i've never read a book with so much going on at one time EVER iN LiFE. all of this is ONE man's view on life (or what he believes is his view of life)?? CRAZiNESS. Super hard read, but interesting enough to keep turning pages. Guess i'll be giving kelso two bucks for the book cuz that sucker is highlighted & written on on almost every page. How else would we be able to keep up w/ whats going on??

At first reaction I thought that the style of writing was a liitle difficult to absorb, I felt like I was missing the big ideas of the novel. But overall I didnt mind it to much, it was unique, it was new(to me) and overall I found it quite interesting. Now after getting use to Dostoyevsky's style of writing things kind f flip floped for me. I could now read between the lines and, from what i felt, could decipher most of the novel. Unfortunatly my, uhhm attention span for the book dropped quite a bit. Whether I was weighted down form trying to comprehend or form what i was comprehending i'm not really sure, maybe its a little of both. All I know is that i find it harder to continuosly read the book, kinda makes me feel I was shot with traquilzer dart that was intended for elphant.

After reading this novel I was left with a strange feeling because I didn't know how to feel about the book although now I understand the book more when we discussed it in groups. The ending was sad and I myself thought the underground man and Liza would have an actual realtionship either a romantic relationship or just a close friendship. But it turned out, in the end, that the underground man just couldn't give himself a chance to let his real feelings out. Throughout the novel he alienated himself from people and tried to have realtionships but it just seemed like he was a drastically different person with each character in part two. With Liza he was sensitive and sentimental, with Zherkov he was rude and seemed stuck-up, and with his boss he seemed needy. Because the underground man was so different with all of these characters I think this made it difficult to have realtionships with people. He tried to be so intellectually superior that it seemed to get in the way with himself and Zherkov and himself Liza.

First I appologize for the late reply for this topic, but nonetheless I feel it important to state my opinion on the Notes from the Underground.

I absolutely loved and hated the book. My first reaction was practically inward laughter at how absurd Mr. U.M. really was, his thoughts, everything. I had to reread many times pages at a time since my thoughts would wonder at each of his words and I would get lost. Part 1 was exceedingly difficult and by the end I was thoroughly thwarted and confused. I did not understand what could have possibly pushed him underground, to push him to these thought-provoking words and phrases. As I read it I could tell that the writer (his name is too difficult to spell off-hand) was brilliant, and his intelligence moved slyly through the work and I could imagine him smiling at seeing all of his readers struggle, fidget, and complain as they suffered through the work. I know that I did.

The second part I loved, the first part I hated. I loved the story, I loved to understand how everything unwraveled for Mr. U.M. and how he finally came to deterioration and to the underground of his life. Liza played a large role in how he fell apart at the seams, and crumbled to nothingness.

Then there was a third part for me. Last tuesday we were asked to read for 20minutes, but as I had finished the book already I had no idea what to do. Mr. Kelso suggested I reread Part 1. It had completely changed. It morphed into something completely new, something more complex and layered because then I knew the story behind it, I was in the mode of his mind and I could gently peel the meanings and hidden connations behind his words. I could somewhat get into his mind and think what he thought and agree with it- or disagree with it. No matter what I was still aware of his thoughts more clearly than the first time through.

So I highly suggest those of you who have 15 minutes to spare to reread Part 1 of Notes from the Underground.

In our discussion in class today, thursday, I found two themes (with some contribution from my group 3) within Notes from the Underground. I had come up with them before had because they are themes of life and I just applied them to this book and it fitted perfectly.

1. Become the Victor through your tribulations, not the Victim.

Mr. U.M. overcame his tribulations with the officer and became the victor by becoming on equal ground with him and not letting the officer push him around. He got noticed and he accomplished his goal despite that it was trail for him before hand. Also, Mr. U.M. let his tribulations overcome him at the end, and therefore became the victim and the underground man through his trail and tribulations. He complained what he brought unto himself for he should have become the victor. Instead he is miserable underground as a the complaining victim. The writer (I state again that his name is too hard to spell off-hand) was certainly telling the readers to overcome their own tribulations in their life and become victorious from them, rather than becoming the victim and complaining. If you get hurt, don't sit around and complain, suck it up and overcome it and become stronger because of it. If you fail a test, overcome your complaining feelings and blaming it on the teacher. It is your own fault. Overcome yourself and your bad habits, become the victor of your bad tests, learn what you need to do and not become the victim to your bad habits. Know your bad habits and tribulations, overcome them, and create an alternative that will bring you success and happiness. Don't go underground.

2. What you think about is what becomes reality.

If you think you can't, you won't. If you think you can, you will. Mr. U.M. believed that he would become on equal footing with the officer. He did. He believed that he was a tyrant and could never love. He never loved after Liza and all the events happened to his bidding: he never got Liza and he would never get anyone else or love anyone else because he determined his own fate that he would never love and that he was incapable to love anyone at all. It became true.

You can see it in your own lives, it is apparant. If you think you'll pass a test, you probably will. If you think you'll fail a test, you probably did. You do better when you think you will, and you do worse and laugh at yourself when what you do follows through as being the worse. You'll say "I told you so". It happens in life. If you want to go to college, you'll find a way to get there. If you want a job, you'll find a way to get a job. If you need money, you'll find a way to get money. If you want a snickers bar, chances are you'll find a way to get a snickers bar. If you want to see someone, to hear from someone and think about them often, surprisingly something happens that they'll call you or someone will talk to you about them. If you think about always having your space in a parking lot, usually 95% it will be there. IF you think that there's never a space that you want to have, you'll never find a parking space that you want.

The examples go on in the story. It's really penetrating because you can vividly see his thoughts. What he thinks about repeatedly is what becomes true. The writer is telling us that we need to be careful on what we think repeatedly on a daily basis, chances are that what we wish for in our thoughts on a continual basis, the universe will correspond to that thought and make it come into reality.

I enjoyed the first part of this book so much. But I’ll admit, I had to re-read it a few times to grasp the [many] concepts. What I noticed when I initially read it was that the character seemed malevolent and threatening but then I realized that this man is just an introspective person. A bit mysterious in his intentions though. But he is clever. His thoughts are well thought out even though he digresses quite often.

At first I really didn't understand this novel much at all...but after the group work on friday...i think i now have a preety good grasp as to what he is trying to get across.

I feel like the main theme of this novel is the ability of choice. The Underground Man uses his ability of choice and refuses to fall in line. This is an extremely exsistential view. While most people are getting by in life and letting life act upon them, The UM is acting upon life...even though it means lonlieness, suffering, and bitterness.

Liza is the perfect example of someone letting life act upon them. She could have me so many different choices but she refused to lead a road less traveled. The UM points this out to her and explains she could of been so perfect if she just made her own choices.

Overall, not my favorite piece of literature, but very well written none the less.

As I read part I, I have this idea that he is in a prison. He keep talking about the stonewall, and how one can't get past it. His arguement over freewill and the law of nature can be symbolic and really represent his struggle for freedom of the mind regardless of his physical restrain.
After I read part II, however, I understand that part I was the U.M's reflection and justification (at some point) of his choices in the past. The "most advantageous advantage,..., which comes under no classification and against which all systems and theories are continually being shattered atoms" (17) reflects his desire for freewill. The U.M make many incongruous choices in part II, not so much for the benefit of his immediate interest, but to prove to himself that he has the freedom of choices.

At first I was confused on his rambling. He started on one subject and slowly diverged into another; only later to return to the original topic. This book was quite out of the ordinary for sure, i've never read anything like it.

Now that I have finished Notes From the Underground, I think that I understand the book as a whole more. Yes, the introductory chapters were a little confusing, but I think that it is more the perception of a man who has no conflicts with leading a depressing life that makes readers frustrated. The Underground Man is so unique to literature that I think it takes a little bit of time to get to understand him and enter his persona. Once you start thinking and viewing the world like him, it becomes a lot easier to empathize and predict his reactions and behavior.

at first this book was nothing more than confusing to me. over a period of time i began understanding the novel and its theme concerning the imperfection of man and the mentality of a man far from perfect. Dostoyevsky portrays his existential views through a number of characters and events throughout the book. its still a difficult read but i think im doing better with it

When I first started reading the book, I was completely confused about where the UM was and what the main plot was. Soon enough though, I began to catch on. I also didn't like the pessimistic attitude of the UM and wanted to stop reading since it started to make me feel depressed. Since the beginning of the first paragraph, he lied a lot, therefore I didn't know what to consider as true and what to consider as false. Overall, my first reactions to the novel were completely negative.

When i first started to read Notes from the Underground, i did not like it. I thought it was confusing and that Dostoevsky's writing style was too repetitive. However, i found myself enjoying it more when i got to the second part. For me, it was easier to understand and i enjoyed all of the Underground Man's stories. Also, after finishing the book, the group talk on friday helped me understand any questions i still had. Although it wasnt my favorite book, i am happy i had the chance to read it.

I personally found this a tough read, but then again most people did as well. The first part of the novel was very difficult and scatered but as it moved into the second section the story was a lot easier to understand and read. My initital reaction during like the first 15 pages of the book was that I would never finish and was completely confused, but as I read on I was able to catch up with what was going on and enjoy the book.