Notes from the Underground

The novel features an anonymous narrator who, feeling alienated and insignificant, recounts his painful existence with sharp irony. He rejects societal norms, choosing isolation over conformity in a world he views as an 'anthill.' Meanwhile, the narrative intertwines with themes of duality and the darker aspects of identity, as seen in the story of a government clerk who meets his exact double, blurring the lines between reality and madness. This exploration of human consciousness marks it as a significant work in existential literature.