Alienation and Absurdity across Cultures: A Comparative Existential Reading of Notes from Underground and Parasite

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative exploration of existential themes in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Notes from Underground and Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite, two works that, despite originating from vastly different cultural and historical contexts, converge in their depiction of alienation, absurdity, and the search for meaning. The study examines how both texts portray individual and collective responses to oppressive societal structures, with Notes from Underground focusing on internal rebellion against rationalist ideology and Parasite emphasizing systemic resistance to socio-economic inequality. Through close textual and cinematic analysis, the paper highlights the Underground Man’s philosophical alienation and retreat into introspection as a form of existential defiance, contrasted with the Kim family’s pragmatic yet morally ambiguous efforts to assert agency within a rigid class hierarchy. The absurdity of existence, expressed through the Underground Man’s rejection of logic and the Kims’ futile struggle for upward mobility, emerges as a shared motif, demonstrating the inherent chaos and unpredictability of human life. Furthermore, the analysis explores the psychological and social dimensions of isolation, emphasizing the need for human connection amidst despair. By situating these narratives within the broader framework of existential philosophy, the paper reveals how both works articulate the human desire for self-definition and dignity in a world that often undermines autonomy and meaning. The study underscores the universality of existential struggles, illustrating how literature and film reflect enduring human concerns across time and culture.

Keywords: Existentialism, Alienation, Absurdity, Psychological Isolation, Social Stratification, Notes from Underground, Parasite, Human Agency, Class Conflict, Rebellion and Resistance