Comparing Isolation of the Protagonist in The Trial and Nausea

669 Words2 Pages

Isolation of the Protagonist in The Trial and Nausea

Kafka and Sartre provide effective settings for their novels by presenting their protagonists in isolated environments. Each character experiences very slight contact with other people, and the relationships they do have with the other characters exist at a superficial level.

In The Trial, Joseph K. is placed on trial for an offense about which he is told nothing. As he attempts to discover the reason for his indictment, he experiences a great deal of inner torment and feelings of estrangement from those with whom he comes in contact.

In Nausea, Antoine Roquentin experiences many of the same nauseating emotions which leave him with many questions and few answers. He is also searching for meaning. Although in a different context, Roquentin is much like Joseph K. in that his circumstances in life have led him to feel quite alone.

In each novel, the protagonist observes a stereotypical societal group from which he attempts to be completely disassociated. The protagonist rejects their actions and what he perceives as...

Open Document