Prompt 01
Essay task
AP LiteratureIB Language & LiteratureCollege Intro LitDual Enrollment
In Notes from Underground, Dostoevsky’s Underground Man claims that people will ultimately turn away from rational self-interest and logical utopian systems in favor of irrational free will, even if it leads to their own suffering. Write a well-structured essay in which you argue whether the Underground Man's rejection of rationalism represents a coherent philosophical stance or is merely a reflection of his own psychological issues. Use specific examples from the text to back up your argument, and consider how Dostoevsky employs the narrator's unreliability to complicate or reinforce his critique of Enlightenment ideas.
Guiding Questions to Consider
- How does the Underground Man conceptualize freedom, and is his definition logically sound?
- In what ways does his behavior in Part II (the "Apropos of the Wet Snow" section) either support or contradict his philosophical claims in Part I?
- What is Dostoevsky's perspective on the Underground Man — does he endorse, satirize, or show sympathy for this character?
Requirements
- Establish a clear, arguable thesis in your introduction
- Incorporate at least three pieces of textual evidence with analysis
- Address a counterargument to your viewpoint
- Conclude by linking the Underground Man's struggle to a larger theme about human nature or society