Notes from Underground

If the Underground Man is an unreliable narrator, can you believe the version of events he describes? If not, how do you understand the truth of the text?

The Crystal Palace and the underground are spatial metaphors for different ideologies. What other spatial metaphors does Dostoevsky use in the text, and what is their significance?

In your view, is the Underground Man’s argument against rationalism convincing? Why or why not? Did the “gentlemen” of Dostoevsky’s day find it convincing? Support your response with research into Russian intellectual movements of the mid-19th century.