Discussion: 1/29

Today in class, someone mentioned that the narrator tries to suppress his true feelings with a more resigned demeanor. He puts on a front that makes him appear to be a spiteful and bitter man, when, in reality, he is just the opposite. The narrator actually seems to be a sensitive man, but he does not want to be vulnerable, so he attempts to hide his true character. He even states, “in reality I never could become spiteful” (2). I believe that the narrator truly feels inferior, most importantly towards high-ranking officers, so he tries to gain whatever power he can, at his lesser job, to gain some sense of superiority. Another thing that interested me from today’s discussion was the topic of superstitions. I think that the narrator knows that he is smart enough to know that there is no validity behind superstitions; they are merely a part of faith. However, he cannot control it. Regardless of how intelligent the narrator actually is, there is no changing the fact that he must hang on to superstitions as a source of faith and hope.