Characters and Plot
Who is the unnamed narrator of Notes from the Underground?
Who is the Underground Man?
What is the name of the group of disgruntled workers who broke machines during the Industrial Revolution?
Who are the Luddites?
What does the Underground Man say about the role of consciousness in human suffering?
That increased consciousness often leads to greater suffering and alienation.
Who wrote Notes from the Underground?
Fyodor Dostoevsky
When was Providence College founded?
1917
In which city does the Underground Man live?
What is St. Petersburg
What is the name of the building that held the "Great Exhibition" in 1851? (hint: an english soccer team was named after it)
What is Crystal Palace?
Does the narrator believe people always make logical choices?
No, he thinks people often act against logic and reason.
What is the “Underground” in the title symbolic of?
Isolation and rejection from society
Who is the most recent NBA draft pick out of Providence College?
Devin Carter (2024)
What profession did the Underground Man retire from?
What is a civil servant
What energy source was discovered during the revolution to power engines and machines?
What is steam?
What does the Underground Man say about free will?
People value free will so much that they choose suffering or irrational actions to preserve it.
Why does the Underground Man criticize the idea of “men of action”?
Because he envies their decisiveness but also despises their simplicity.
Did Washington State beat its rivals, the University of Washington, this weekend?
Heck No
What kind of attitude does the Underground Man have toward society?
Negative, cynical, alienated, similar words
Which industry had to develop for the railroad system to be able to spread as rapidly as it did?
Iron/steel
What is the role of “spite” in the Underground Man’s philosophy?
It explains why people may act destructively or irrationally to assert their freedom.
What event does the narrator recall involving a group of former schoolmates?
An uncomfortable dinner where tensions rise.
Where did Dr. Johnson attend college?
Caroll College
Who is Liza in the novella?
A young prostitute who the Underground Man tries to help but ultimately alienates.
What was one job that was classified as a "skilled profession"?
Jeweler, tailor, etc
How does the novella explore the theme of self-consciousness?
By showing the narrator’s intense self-reflection leading to paralysis and alienation.
Why does the narrator reject pure reason?
Because humans value free will and often act irrationally to preserve it.
Where did Professor Johnson teach as an associate professor from 2005 to 2009
Augustana University