Humans remain responsible and clueless. Human encounter existentialism in their very existence. Existentialism occurs every day, often in literature and plays. Many plays incorporate existentialism in its characters. In the play, “No Exit” or “Huis Clos”, Jean-Paul Sartre writes an absurdly clueless character who personifies existentialism in that he embodies absurdism with his ignorance to his own mistakes and attempts to avoid subjectivity in order to spare himself shame. Garcin embodies existentialism because he lives and breathes in absurd manners. Garcin exhibits absurdity because he believes that he preoccupies hell because he deserted his call to the army. Garcin cheated on his wife multiple times and caused her death. He cheated on …show more content…
Garcin brought another woman home. In doing this, he destroys any sense of sanctuary for his wife. He resides in hell because he regrets nothing. He focuses his energy on how he abandoned war, but he does not realize that he will remain in hell for eternity because he emotionally slaughtered his wife where she stood. He tore her heart from her chest and devoured it and spit it into the mouth of another woman. Garcin experiences no guilt because he competes continuously with Inez and Estelle for subjectivity. None of the characters experience any shame for their sins the others saw their sins and judged them so, their embarrassment at being judged led to shame. When someone sits in a room, the person rests as the subject of anyone watching them. When two people sit in a room, both subsist as subjects to each other. Garcin, Inez, and Estelle detest being the subject of one another and only feel shame when they become subject of each other. Garcin especially tries to avoid subjectivity by attempting to isolate himself from the girls. “I'd rather be alone. I want to think things out, you know; to set my life in order, and one does that better by oneself” (Sartre 80). Garcin does not comprehend his shame as long as he avoids subjectivity. He believes that his cowardice landed him in hell and he refuses to even approach the subject in fear of judgement from the
The novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, provides the reader with a character that possesses qualities both challenging to understand and difficult to endorse. These characteristics show themselves through the character’s desire and passion to pursue his dream. Jay Gatsby, an elusive, persuasive, and sometimes deceptive man displays such contrast in his moral foundation that leaves the reader questioning his true motives at nearly every action. There is an argument to be made that Gatsby is both great and not so great, making him the epitome of moral ambiguity. For example, Nick, another major character, who happens to be the narrator of the story, first describes Gatsby in the opening chapter of the novel as someone who he both
It is observable that Gatsby very much so educes many of the negative events that occur in his life. Obviously some exceptions apply because some events are simply unavoidable. Throughout the novel we find that Gatsby is a very resourceful character, he only allows certain aspects of himself...
In his lecture, Existentialism is a Humanism, Jean-Paul Sartre discusses common misconceptions people, specifically Communists and Christians, have about existentialism and extentanitalists (18). He wants to explain why these misconceptions are wrong and defend existentialism for what he believes it is. Sartre argues people are free to create themselves through their decisions and actions. This idea is illustrated in the movie 13 Going on Thirty, where one characters’ decision at her thirteenth birthday party and her actions afterwards make her become awful person by the time she turns thirty. She was free to make these decisions but she was also alone. Often the idea of having complete free will at first sounds refreshing, but when people
The strive for perfection and reaching for the impossible are the driving factors in the lives of Gatsby, and Hamlet. In both The Great Gatsby, by F.Scott Fitzgerald, and Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the theme of idealism is demonstrated as the main contributing factor into the evident downfall of both Gatsby, and Hamlet. Although each respectable character is faced with dissimilar scenarios, it is the similarities of Gatsby and Hamlet 's character traits that allow them both to be victims of their own idealism. Gatsby and Hamlet both lose their lover, leaving them to live heartbroken and lonesome lives. The tendency to masquerade their true personalities, weather it be to escape the past; or to plot the perfect revenge, displays the idealistic attitude of the two characters. Lastly, the obsession with perfection allows each character to bypass an opportunity to achieve their ultimate goal.
Gatsby is shown to be a narcissist time and time again. His relationship with Daisy and how he perceives her as well as his perception later in life shows his narcissism. The way he mistreats others also shows how small-minded he is. Even his condescending manner of speaking shows that his mind set is of one of himself, not of others. When he finally meets his untimely demise his absence of people who care for him illustrates how little he cared for other people. By developing Gatsby’s narcissistic character, Fitzgerald delves into the mind processes of narcissism and helps uncover why people develop this trait.
The identity of a person is created by how one precieves themselves to other people. With respect to Garcin of No Exit, this is very evident. He claims: "I'm no talker, I don't move much; in fact I'm a very peacful sort of fellow"(Satre 9) even though speaks and voices his opinion often. Garcin becomes more comfortable when he begins to realize his identity, "I'm no gentleman, and I have no compunction about striking a woman". Thomas Whitaker believes "Garcin...finally sees that one who identitfies conciousness with any role or ideal must submit to the unpredictable validating judgement of others"(par. 4). Garcin's identity becomes clear as soon as he enters the room when talking to the valet: "I tell you, I regret nothing"(Satre 24). This is also evidence that Garcin thinks of himself as a hero. Garcin's deludes himself by convincing himself that he did do the right thing: "I shan't be sorry for myself, I'll face the situation, as I said just n...
“No Exit,” by Jean-Paul Sartre, is a play that illustrates three people’s transitions from wanting to be alone in Hell to needing the omnipresent “other” constantly by their sides. As the story progresses, the characters’ identities become more and more permanent and unchangeable. Soon Inez, Garcin, and Estelle live in the hope that they will obtain the other’s acceptance. These three characters cannot accept their existentialist condition: they are alone in their emotions, thoughts and fears. Consequently, they look to other people to give their past lives and present deaths meaning. Forever trapped in Hell, they are condemned to seek the other for meaning in their lives; even when given the chance to exit the room, the characters choose to stay with each other instead of facing uncertainty and the possibility of being detached from the stability of their relationships with the others. Without other people, the characters would have no reason to exist. Each characters’ significance depends on the other’s opinion of them; Garcin needs someone to deny his cowardliness, Inez yearns for Estelle’s love, and Estelle just wants passion with no commitment. This triangle of unending want, anguish and continual disillusionment because of the other is precisely Sartre’s definition of pure Hell.
Existentialism Existentialism is a philosophical movement that stresses individual existence. Human beings are totally free and responsible for their own actions. Another main idea of existentialism is the limitation of reason and the irreducibility of experience to any system. Man is not a detached observer of the world; rather, he "exists" in a special sense - he is "in the world." Stones, trees, and other objects do not share this existence, and man is open to the world and the objects in it.
To be without value or meaning permits the violation of norm behavioral standards. Existentialism is championed in the responsibility and free will of man. The world is utterly “worthless, meaningless, empty, and hopeless, … to use a favorite Existentialism, absurd”(Ross 1). A man must become unconventional by supplying an authentic meaning to life. Shakespeare’s character Hamlet in the play Hamlet, explores these existential principles as he seeks truth and understanding after his father’s murder. He attempts to establish order in a chaotic world full of betrayal, spying, and death. This leads to Hamlet’s inevitable downfall and the death of those close to him. Hamlet rises as the existential hero in Shakespeare’s Hamlet through his confrontation with moral responsibilities and the purpose of life. The existential ideal gives structure and meaning to the action of Hamlet.
The Great Gatsby is a romantic tale built upon lust, mistrust, love, and jealousy. This
In his defense of existentialism, Sartre first defines the unifying factor of existentialism, (for both atheist and deist alike), as the belief that existence precedes essence. To help illustrate his point he presents the example of a paper knife, an object that possess a set of qualities that enable it to carry out its purpose. He states that it would not have been created without a particular purpose, therefore its essence precedes its existence. (Sartre) Sartre rejects this idea when it comes to mankind and declares that humans in themselves have no nature and define themselves after coming into existence. This stems from his atheistic worldview, in which the rejection of a higher power leads him to accept the fact that humans are the “Creator”, the first to exist, and it is our job to give meaning to the rest of the world.
Existentialism is the epitome of the unknown. There is no straightforward explanation of what exactly it is, there is only certain characteristics and behaviors that describe existentialist views. Throughout today’s world, there are examples of it everywhere, it’s found in movies, books, songs, and just people in general. Existentialists are known to think and do for themselves only. They believe that to understand what it means to be human requires understanding of themselves first. Some very well known pieces of entertainment existentialism is found in are: Hamlet by William Shakespeare, The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, The Stranger by Albert Camus, and The Breakfast Club by John Hughes. The Stranger is a book written about a young man whose mother dies, which soon leads him to becoming acquainted with the feeling of not caring about what his actions do to others or himself. The main character Meursault starts helping his friend Raymond, carry out ways to torment his mistress. Out of nowhere while at the beach, Meursault shoots Raymond’s mistress’s brother. He is thrown into jail and tried, but he seems to not be affected as much as he should about his actions. He first finds it hard to live without cigarettes, women, and nature, but he soon finds out he doesn’t need any of those. After being sentenced to death, he is suggested to turn away from his atheism but later realizes that human existence has no greater meaning. This realization and acceptance is what truly makes him happy (Camus). Next, The Breakfast Club is a very relatable movie about high school students suffering the consequences of their actions in detention. The kids are all of ...
opinion on existential nihilism. Existential nihilism is the philosophy that life has no intrinsic meaning, and rejects all religious and moral conformity. The main character meursault, displays all of these traits throughout the book. Camus gives the reader an alternative outlook on the life and how there is no right or wrong way of living because in the end, whether that be sooner or later everyone is going to have the same end fate. Camus demonstrated his belief of existential nihilism through the external and internal
Existentialism tends to focus on the question of human existence — the feeling that there is no purpose, indeed nothing, at the core of existence. The term itself suggests one major theme: the stress on concrete individual existence and, consequently, on subjectivity, individual freedom, and choice. Sartre did not believe in God, so there was no place for the essence of humanity to be before human existence. For Existentialists like Sartre, the absence of God has a much larger significance than the metaphysics of creation. Without God there is no purpose, no value, and no meaning in the world. Existentialism posits that individuals create the meaning and essence of their lives, as opposed to deities or authorities creating it for them. Meursault, the main character and narrator of The Outsider, lives existentially and knows that his life will terminate one day. To Meursault, Life is all a person possesses, and there is no intrinsic meaning in life:
There are many different techniques and approaches to group counseling. The approach that I found to be the most interesting is the existential approach. “The existential perspective holds that we define ourselves by our choices” (Corey & Corey, 2014, p.114). This approach can be successful in therapy because it allows one to oversee one’s future. In this paper, I’m going to generally discuss the existential approach to therapy and where it can be used.