Research Paper On The Undergroundman
The Underground Philosophy The Underground Man lives in a paradoxical state between accepting society, while also resenting it. This mindset has affected his way into integrating himself into civilization. Usually, a person who questions such norms, while also not being sure of his own intentions, is viewed as insane. Conversely, this is not the case, The Underground Man thinks on a philosophical state, which essentially separates him from the society that he is trying to understand. A factor in living within a society is being able to interact with others. The Underground Man shows that he struggles with that concept. He wants to properly interact with other people, but he does not fully understand how to do that. He wants to experience
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The Underground Man, especially after losing his job at the civil service, shows no interest in his life. Working a dead-end job only to afford food, is not the typical American dream. The Underground Man lives his life through endless suffering. This is due to his resentment, and appreciation, towards his life and the environment he lives in. In his mind, he will never succumb to anything. There is evidence of this in the quote, “And now, I’m living out my life in my corner, teasing myself with the spiteful and utterly worthless consolation that an intelligent man cannot make himself anything and that it’s only the fools who manage to do that” (Dostoyevsky 5). People of his intelligence know the truth of the world and understand that everyone will die, and all their accomplishments will be worth nothing. Knowing this, there is no point in trying to make his life better. The Underground Man’s depression plays a part in his suffering. His depression has sunk to the point that at any point of happiness that he reaches, he sinks even deeper. In the quote, “The more recognized goodness and the whole question of the ‘sublime and beautiful,’ the deeper I sank into the mire and the more capable I became of completely immersing myself in it,” it is evident (Dostoyevsky 7). This level of suffering increases the barrier between him and
The Underground Man, especially after losing his job at the civil service, shows no interest in his life. Working a dead-end job only to afford food, is not the typical American dream. The Underground Man lives his life through endless suffering. This is due to his resentment, and appreciation, towards his life and the environment he lives in. In his mind, he will never succumb to anything. There is evidence of this in the quote, “And now, I’m living out my life in my corner, teasing myself with the spiteful and utterly worthless consolation that an intelligent man cannot make himself anything and that it’s only the fools who manage to do that” (Dostoyevsky 5). People of his intelligence know the truth of the world and understand that everyone will die, and all their accomplishments will be worth nothing. Knowing this, there is no point in trying to make his life better. The Underground Man’s depression plays a part in his suffering. His depression has sunk to the point that at any point of happiness that he reaches, he sinks even deeper. In the quote, “The more recognized goodness and the whole question of the ‘sublime and beautiful,’ the deeper I sank into the mire and the more capable I became of completely immersing myself in it,” it is evident (Dostoyevsky 7). This level of suffering increases the barrier between him and