Class Discussion (2/3/14) (Meagan Adler)

In today’s class discussion, I was particularly intrigued by the idea of the sense of belongingness that the narrator desperately wants but spites himself for wanting, for he says that “it would be quite enough to have the ordinary human consciousness” (pg.4).  I feel as if he is internally conflicted, for intellectually he cannot relate to society, but he desperately wants to be an insect so that he can associate with a group and feel as if he belongs.  I also found the idea that the narrator, in the times where he is “most capable of feeling every refinement of all that is ‘sublime and beautiful’” (pg.4), not only feels but does “such ugly things” (pg.4) in which he finds “despicable enjoyment” (pg.4); athough we all initially felt as if we could not relate to him in wanting to ruin happy moments, after the discussion I could contextualize the idea of wanting to destroy another person’s happiness because you, yourself are miserable.