What Notes from the Underground seems to say about human progress

The underground man seems to accept the idea of human perfection. He says that "previously man saw justice in bloodshed and exterminated whomever he wished with a clear conscience; whereas now, though we consider bloodshed to be abominable, we nevertheless engage in the abomination even more than before" (p 1319). The is telling us that he believes that human perfection is unrealistic. That no matter how much we, as humans try to better ourselves, we still fail. Even with scientific observation and reasoning, our free will will overtake us and we will act badly. The 18th century scientists believed they could devise a way to predict free will and in-turn the human race will act justly and be kind to all; however, the underground man knows this will never happen.

Mr. Covey's identity being the cause and effect

Mr. Covey let his identity, his job as a slave-breaker, become who he was. When a person lets their job dictate who they are as a person it can have horrible effects on their personal lives and the lives of the people around them. Mr. Covey may not have been an angry person in nature, but his job as a brutal slave-breaker, turned him into an infuriated, mean man. Thus causing him to believe that without his job title he would be nothing. Mr. Covey seems to honestly believe that without his job he would be degraded to the level of a slave and be shunned by the farming community. He runs his plantation so strickly because if he did not run it this way he would not be the man he is known for being. He even goes so far as to not send Fredrick to a public whipping for fear of people believing he can no longer break slaves like he used to. In doing this Mr. Covey loses who he claimed to be a religious man and becomes a tyrant.

In-Class paragraph on Narrative of the Life

The causes of human suffering in this passage (pages 949 and top of page 950) that we read was that Fredrick messed-up with his assigned task. He was sent out to the woods, on the coldest day of the year, to gather firewood. He was sent out with two unbroken oxen and, like unbroken oxen do, one ran away and tipped over his cart, almost killing him in the process. Later, after breaking the cart on the properties fence Fredrick tells his master what has happened and he is whipped severely for this. However, Fredrick should have have never been given two untamed oxen in the first place. It is rather obvious that his master gave him these particular oxen in an attempt to cause Fredrick to mess-up; which he did, causing him to mess-up his assignment.

What Narrative of the Life of a Slave seems to say about Human Suffering

Narrative of the Life of a Slave tells us, in a way never told before, that human suffering is never justifiable, even when it is inflicted on someone or something different than what is the norm of society. The human suffering the slaves endured just because of the color of their skin was horrendous. To read such sad stories of families being torn apart was so sad. To read about all the vicious acts imposed upon innocent people truly changes a person. I read this book many years ago in high school, but not with the same knowledge and insight I have gained over the years. This book touched me in ways I never expected. I couldn't help but picture myself at that time; have to decide weather to own slaves or what to do if i was born into slavery myself. I don't think that I have enough personal strength to persevere like the character's in this story did. And to know that it's a true story makes it all the more moving.

"She stands-she sits-she staggers-she falls-she groans-she dies-and there are none of her children or grandchildren present, to wipe from her wrinkled brow the cold sweat of death, or to place beneath the sod her fallen remains. Will not a righteous God visit for these things?" This quote perfectly describes what the narration is saying about human suffering. This old grandmother has lived her life as a slave, whose sole purpose was to raise children. She literally gave her life to her children, including raising her own master, and in the end it meant nothing; because she was a slave!

Hard Work Part 1

Thinking about the old woman's story, hard work never really paid off for her. She was born royalty; the only time she ever had things good was before she actually had to work for them. After her fiance was murdered by his mistress she and her mother set off on a trip to visit the altar of St. Peter's in Rome. While traveling over seas their boat was taken over by pirates. She was stripped and searched, taken into slavery and raped.
All of this lead to her witnessing her mother being murdered and her running into an old teacher who promised to take her home; but ended up selling her into slavery again; this time to a soldier. This soldier took her with him on a battle and the army ended up cutting off half her buttock and eating it! All of the hard work she did when she was a slave the first time and all the times she was raped and even after watching her mother being quartered to death she still had not yet endured the worst part. Thus, causing her to eventually being resold into slavery and having half of her buttock cut out of her and eaten by the very people that owned her! This goes to show that hard work really does not pay off; if anything it just leads to more hard work and suffering.

What Candide seems to say about Human Suffering

To me, Candide is saying that without human suffering there would be no happiness in the world. Every time Candide faltered or was hurt by someone or something he found someone he loved but that he thought he had lost forever. Thus making all that hurt and sadness he felt almost disappear. He struggled so much through everything yet never gave up searching for his true love. This seems to show that human suffering does nothing for the heart. They say what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. And this story proved that to the fullest.
I have never heard such horrible stories as these people endured yet they still prevailed. Even the woman who lost half her butt still kept going because she knew life was worth living. The barbarianism described in this story was horrendous but without it Candide, and all the others, would never have been able to understand how lucky they were to have one another. It was interesting to hear how each one of them "died" yet never really died.
It was amazing to hear Pangloss's philosophy on cause and effect. Without the cause of human suffering: other humans; there would be no effect: happiness after surviving the suffering. Thus is it true, cause and effect is what makes the world go 'round; and without it we would cease to exist as human beings.