Fyodor Dostoevsky's Notes From Underground
In Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Notes from Underground, the underground man claims that he is inactive. It is this so called “inaction that I found interesting and I was reminded of the underground man while I read Jean-Paul Sartre’s easy, “Existentialism is a Humanism.” The underground man is totally aware that he alone is responsible for his choices, or lack thereof, and suffers the anguish of his choices before he even makes a decision. This is precisely what causes his inaction and provides him with existentialist qualities. The underground man is sub-consciously, an existentialist, in terms of Sartre’s essay. To make the subject clear, this is how I interpreted Sartre’s “Existentialism is a Humanism.” The three biggest points that struck me pertain to: “Man is nothing else but that of which he makes himself”, “man is
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(Sartre, 1940) The first point only makes sense to me because of its truth. I chose to go to Simon Fraser University to pursue a career that pertains to the World Literature program. This choice alone is what will construct me into the person that I will become. The second point is the result of the first point. Unfortunately, my decision to attend SFU has resulted in loss of sleep, lack of funds and a diminished social life. Thus, I am in anguish. Finally the last point and probably the most controversial point is that I have the freedom to make the decisions I make. For instance, today I had the freedom to totally change the subject of my essay. Despite the anguish it has put me through I changed my topic (twice) and now here I am writing about the underground man and existentialism. I have argued with people on this subject; I will say, “We are all free to make the choices we
(Sartre, 1940) The first point only makes sense to me because of its truth. I chose to go to Simon Fraser University to pursue a career that pertains to the World Literature program. This choice alone is what will construct me into the person that I will become. The second point is the result of the first point. Unfortunately, my decision to attend SFU has resulted in loss of sleep, lack of funds and a diminished social life. Thus, I am in anguish. Finally the last point and probably the most controversial point is that I have the freedom to make the decisions I make. For instance, today I had the freedom to totally change the subject of my essay. Despite the anguish it has put me through I changed my topic (twice) and now here I am writing about the underground man and existentialism. I have argued with people on this subject; I will say, “We are all free to make the choices we