Notes From The Underground

Notes From The Underground is split into two parts. Part 1 takes place in the 1860s, when the Underground Man is 40 years old, and is a philosophical, diaristic reflection on life. Part 2 goes back in time about 15 years and describes some of the interactions the Underground Man had with various people in his life, including his coworkers, his former classmates, and a woman named Liza. The entire novel is told through the Underground Man’s eyes and experience. Although Dostoevsky’s tale is not always comfortable to hear, the story of the Underground Man showcases Dostoevsky’s deep understanding of psychology and human motivation, well before either of these sciences was developed.