Sisyphus Research Paper

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The journey of life is full of hardships and tribulations, which is a fact in our world that we have to live with. Since birth, we are faced with challenges that test our capacity to survive. As such, it is inevitable that many would doubt the often troublesome effort we place in maintaining our existence, which is only exacerbated when one considers all the factors that come into play that are beyond our control. Such pondering culminates in the question of whether our presence in this world is the result of some cosmic power, a grand engineer of sorts, or perhaps we are just the residue of chaos, an anomaly created by the eternal, random universe? The mythical story of Sisyphus shares the tale of an inconsequential and insignificant life. It is a life that is bound by fate and is, if contrasted with the other grandiose legends of the Greek world, a life that is of little enduring value. Given its predetermined fate and current imprisonment in the Underworld, Sisyphus’ life is one that is difficult to justify. His predicament however is one that captivates the curiosity and intrigue of many within the contemporary audience. The oppressive and hopeless situation Sisyphus is entombed in satiates our sick hunger for witnessing despair. It is then ironic to consider that our enjoyment of such a spectacle blinds us to the fact that the myth of Sisyphus is a mirror image of our lives. Many of us are tragic heroes with very ambitious goals and hopes, fuelled by a passionate desire to cherish our lives to the fullest. We continually chase the expectations and standards we place upon ourselves, and we try to justify our failures as opportunities to improve. In addition, we often tell ourselves that “life has not truly started yet”, that the best is yet to come. It is the despair and bleak story of Sisyphus that guides us in planning for our journey. It is with the despair and ruin exemplified by such stories as Sisyphus that we learn to improve our lives and plan greater destinations. In doing so, we avoid tying a boulder to our lives and stagnating …show more content…
If the journey of life can be represented by an infinite building with an endless supply of rooms, then we are born in the very heart of it, surrounded by vast opportunities and options. The rooms before us all vary in their dimensions and qualities, and they all appeal differently to our tastes. Each room leads to new opportunities and no same path can be taken by the same people: some may try to explore a multitude of rooms, while others may be satisfied with one. Such a journey will undoubtedly lead some unsatisfied with their discoveries, and a few may even question the purpose and value of such an arduous task and as stated by Nagel, “…how would it help if they mattered a million years from now” (Nagel 813). With a finite life, we are forced to adapt to such circumstances and carry on despite our displeasure. We cannot fully predict our future, and one would be wasting away his time in obsessing over a safe path to choose; we will have to trust that whatever room we decide to enter, that we commit ourselves fully in the opportunities before us. While it is firmly established that Sisyphus is doomed for all eternity, the myth does not fully provide an opportunity to fully understand Sisyphus’ perception of his fate. Perhaps he is

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