Late Post (absent)

The Underground Man's interactions with the officer in Nevsky Prospect exemplifies the pettiness the Underground Man is capable of. He finds competitive sport in otherwise innocuous daily events. However, it seems as if Dostoevsky is hinting that the officer's posture is no less affected than the Underground Man's. The officer likely has chosen his aggressive disposition in full awareness of its affect on other people. If this is true, then the Underground Man is simply more willing to admit to the significance of the situation.