“I am a sick man…I am a wicked man”

What is modern about our readings this week?  What is particularly “western” or “eastern” about the narratives?  Is The Blind Owl a “Persian” story, Notes from Underground, Russian?  How might we read these books as literature, outside of their contexts?  Is it possible to do so, as art or as literature?

Do either of the narrators gain perspective, perhaps a moment of change?

It seems obvious that Dostoyevsky and Hedayat would agree that thinking too much, having the ability to see all sides of an issue or problem, leads to paralysis, what Tocqueville describes as the falling into the self.  How might solipsism be prevented or ameliorated?

Take a look at pg. 62 of The Blind Owl.  Hedayat speaks of a “real face” that emerges at the end of life.  What does he mean by this?

What do the two stories tell us about the relationship between the mind and the body?  Are the grotesqueries in The Blind Owl limited to the psychological, or does it extend to the physical (for example, the scenes from the butcher shop…)

Related to the above:  What are we to make of the closing comment by Richard Pevear in the Foreward to Notes from Underground, specifically his assertion that what “bedevils our century” is “that habit of substituting the psychological for the moral, of interpreting a spiritual condition as a kind of behavior?”

Sadegh Hedayat’s grave, Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France

12 thoughts on ““I am a sick man…I am a wicked man”

  1. This guide offers a thoughtful look at analyzing digital media sources and understanding how online content shapes research and interpretation. After reading educational resources like this, I often play BitLife which is a life simulation game where your choices influence every stage of a character’s life, making each story feel unique and engaging.

  2. The connection between Sadegh Hedayat and The Blind Owl is fascinating, and seeing his grave at Père Lachaise adds even more depth to his literary legacy. After reading thought-provoking stories like this, I often play BitLife which is a life simulation game where every decision shapes a unique life path, making each playthrough feel like its own story.

  3. The connection between Sadegh Hedayat and The Blind Owl is fascinating, and seeing his grave at Père Lachaise adds even more depth to his literary legacy. After reading thought-provoking stories like this, I often play BitLife which is a life simulation game where every decision shapes a unique life path, making each playthrough feel like its own story.

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  7. Thank you to the author; the observation that excessive rumination and the ability to see every side can produce decision paralysis, what Tocqueville calls “falling into the self”, is insightful and provoking. Sprunki Game puts players into a decisive rhythm, where quick reactions matter more than endless analysis, offering a clear image of how to move beyond paralysis. Consider practical steps to prevent or mitigate solipsism — increase social engagement, seek external feedback, and commit to concrete actions; I can outline specific strategies if you would like.

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