Nasea by Jean Paul Sartre

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In Jean Paul Sartre’s 1938 novel, Nausea, the protagonist, Antoine Roquentin questions the existence and purpose of objects and himself. He ultimately discovers the answer to be nothingness for one creates their own meanings and connections to the past and reality. Roquentin is a victim of self-deception and through the narrative point of view and word choice conveyed, it is clear that he lies to himself that he must exist in the present to escape the meaningless past.
Roquentin speaks in the first person narrative, which conveys his attachment and curiosity about the link between time and existence. Furthermore, he questions then tells the audience what they should do, providing them with certainty and confidence that Roquentin’s belief is true. As he speaks in first person, he explains that he does not necessarily belong to a certain time, but rather moments of time. He thinks “the feeling of adventure” (INTRODUCTION ) is when time passes by and time causes the moments to just happen. Roquentin believes he did not see in the past because of his self-deception and constantly lies t...

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