Dylan Kirsch

9/2/13
Period 4

Literary Influences
During the winter semester of my junior year, my English teacher Mr. Quinn,
assigned us a project that involved reading a book and then making a PowerPoint on
the meaning of the book. Out of the many different choices, I chose to challenge
myself with the hardest book that required teacher approval. Notes from
Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky made a significant first impression on me, and
has had the most profound influence on my view on literature.
Notes from Underground was written in 1864 but takes place in the late
1840s and 1860s in St. Petersburg, Russia. Dostoevsky pioneered existentialism
with this novel, which is extraordinary since in this time period religion was still
very important to society. Existentialism is the belief that not everything is based on
god, and you do not need to cater your life to religion. Dostoevsky expresses this in
Notes from Underground by narrating the notes from a nameless narrator in the
first part. These notes are basically just a rambling by the narrator on what is wrong
with his life, and what he views as wrong and strange in society. The lack of literary
devices in the first party of the book accounts for much of the confusion for the
reader.
In the second part of the book, the setting and plot are revealed; within
which the narrator explains what happens in a part of his life. Towards the end of
the book, the narrator meets a girl, but indicates that he does not love her. But in
actuality, the narrator practically devotes his life to the woman; a woman he barely
knows. When the narrator realizes that things cannot work out, he becomes
Dylan Kirsch
9/2/13
Period 4
distraught and does not know what to do with himself, so he writes the notes. Thus,
not until the second part of the novel does the reader understand why the narrator
wrote down his humbled thoughts.
The book is written backwards in order to give a sense of chaos in the
beginning, but at the end the connection is made from beginning to end. This book,
that I chose, has given me greater interest for classic and modern literature, and has
sparked my interest in existentialism. The way the book was written backwards
confused me and flustered me initially. After reflecting on this literary decision, the
writing is extremely clever and well thought out by Dostoevsky. I believe that good
books are those you can look back on and constantly find something new; an idea,
an image or a fascination. When I look back on Notes from Underground, the most
substantial point that I looked over before was the thought and effort it took to
write this book; both in the organization, and in the actual writing.
When this book was written, it would have been extremely controversial. The
time period is that of the Russian Czar, and what the Czar did not accept, was
therefore illegal. Dostoevsky was arrested at one point for his writings, and sent to a
Siberian work camp as punishment. This sparked my interest into some of
Dostoevskys other works, and many are on the Russian hierarchy or judicial
system. Dostoevskys life and writings influenced some other writers too.
While doing this project, I only saw it as a book. But afterwards, I now
appreciate the meaning behind Notes from Underground. Along with the works of
Dostoevsky, my researched sparked my interest in Albert Camus, who also writes
existential books. The Stranger by Albert Camus, and Notes from Underground by
Dylan Kirsch
9/2/13
Period 4
Fyodor Dostoevsky, are the two books that I will cherish forever for their ability to
capture my attention and pull me into the book. Classic books are the majority of my
book collection, and I believe that everyone should read them for their lessons and
literary value.