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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ClassicNote on Notes from UndergroundThe Underground Man, as the protagonist is generally referred to, introduces himself in the opening of the first chapter. A footnote by the author informs us from the start that this protagonist is a fictional character but that people like him must exist in the present cultural setting. The footnote lays out the goal of the first part of the novel, which is to explain how such individuals come into being. The Underground Man begins by stating that he is sick, spiteful, and unpleasant. He explains that his liver is diseased but he refuses to see a doctor out of spite even though he respects the medical profession. He is forty years old and used to work for the civil service, but was a very rude official and tortu
The Underground Man tells us that although he is very proud, if he were slapped in the face he would still probably feel pleasure from despair and humiliation. Most fascinating is the treatment of consciousness in this chapter. The Underground Man agrees that human beings are creative and love to build roads. There seems to be, however, another advantage that seems more important than any of these though it doesn't seem to fit into any of these categories. The goal human beings strive for is always two times two equals four, and while searching for it is life, finding it is the beginning of death. This is a hint that he is not merely attacking the rationalist utopia out of spite. This one advantage that opposes all other human advantages is free will. The role of dreams and fantasies becomes extremely important in the second part of the novel, where the Underground Man continually has recourse to dreams so as to avoid the facts of his own life. When told ahead of time what each choice will lead to, the gambler can no longer take the same pleasure in the game. The final conclusion is that enlightenment and rationality are necessary for the creation of a utopia. This is because what human beings need is not virtuous desire but independent desire. In the end, while he knows that there is no one to be angry with for the existence of these laws, it still hurts. The Underground Man does not have an understanding, however, of how others would be able to distinguish between a lazy man and someone with inertia caused by consciousness. The idea that the Underground Man cannot find any features that are central to his personality and thus has no character is also brought into question. The situation is no longer complicated by the inability to carry out revenge.
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