Question

Read this excerpt from Fyodor Dostoyevsky's novella Notes from the Underground:

I have been going on like that for a long time — twenty years. Now I am forty. I used to be in the government service, but am no longer. I was a spiteful official. I was rude and took pleasure in being so. I did not take bribes, you see, so I was bound to find a recompense in that, at least. (A poor jest, but I will not scratch it out. I wrote it thinking it would sound very witty; but now that I have seen myself that I only wanted to show off in a despicable way, I will not scratch it out on purpose!)
Which part of this excerpt most clearly reveals that the narrator has monstrous qualities?
A. I only wanted to show off . . .
B. I was rude and took pleasure in being so.
C. I was a spiteful official.
D. I did not take bribes . . .

Answer 1

B. I was rude and took pleasure in being so.

Step-by-step explanation:

Dostoyevsky frequently investigated his characters' self analysis by having them portray what they resembled in detail. Like in "Crime and Punishment", where Raskolnikov has respectable excellencies and makes arrangements to kill an old woman in the meantime, the storyteller of "Notes from the Underground" additionally appears to be emphatically engaging the peruser, since he depicts himself as a casualty of conditions, who had some tremendous highlights as an approach to safeguard himself from a merciless world.

What appears to be colossal about the previously mentioned piece of the extract is that in addition to the fact that he knew he was inconsiderate, he likewise expressed to appreciate it, and bunches of impolite individuals out there have no clue they are so.

Answer 2

The part of the excerpt which most clearly reveals that the narrator has monstrous qualities is the one we find in letter B: I was rude and took pleasure in being so.

Dostoyevsky often explored his characters' self criticism by having them describe what they were like in detail. Like in "Crime and Punishment", where Raskolnikov has noble virtues and makes plans to kill an old lady at the same time, the narrator of "Notes from the Underground" also seems positively appealing to the reader, since he portrays himself as a victim of circumstances, who had some monstrous features as a way to defend himself from a cruel world. What seems monstrous about the aforementioned part of the excerpt is that not only did he know he was rude, he also stated to enjoy it, and lots of rude people out there have no idea they are so.