Friday reaction - Notes from Underground

Wendell Pfeffer

This has been by far the most complex and intricate detailed book that I have ever read in my entire life. Fyodor Dostoyevsky really becomes immersed into his writing. The problem here is that he begins to rant about his inner thoughts and it really becomes irritating for the reader. One of the biggest problems is that he contradicts himself to such an extent– let me explain. Well, for example, lets say your reading a paragraph and then that paragraph clearly states that he is a spiteful or superstitious person and then the next paragraph completely throws you off because it says that he wants to be spiteful but is not. I do not know what he is trying to accomplish here, but he really has to stop incorporating repetitiveness into his writing. Another thing that I don’t like about Dostoyevsky’s writing in this short novel is his attitude towards life. He says that he is not happy with his life and he really wants to become more successful. He keeps complaining and nagging on and on saying that he has the brilliance, but is unable to be successful. I really do not like to see this because what I like to see is action and confidence– “talk is cheap.” Aside from the negative aspects of the writing in Notes from underground one positive idea in the novel is his belief in human consciousness. He believes that if a person has little to know consciousness like a child for example that you will become much happier and here I cannot agree more. This idea relates to Mr. Shapiro’s lecture, but more will come of this later on in the next reaction.