Sartre not only illustrates Garcin to display self-deception by failing to achieve consciousness, but also not overcoming being-for-others. To start off, Garcin is very concerned whether he is a coward or not, because of his decision to run away to Mexico from Rio because of a fight. This ultimately led him to his faith, but he is worried about what others think of him because of his decision. He fails to overcome being-for-others for this reason, since he needs to know what he is. Sartre agrees when he writes, “‘...Well Estelle, am I coward?’ ‘How can I say? Don’t be so unreasonable darling. I can’t put myself into your own skin. You must decide that for yourself.’ ‘I can’t.’ ‘...You must have reasons for acting as you did.’ ‘I had.’ ‘Well?’
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He looks towards Estelle to find out what he is, he cannot decide for himself. From this, Garcin is lying to himself, he claims he cannot decide what he is, but in reality, he can. This is self-deception because Sartre’s belief is that one has full consciousness, free will, and cannot pretend one does not have it. Garcin does not need Estelle’s opinion to validate himself and his reasons. Nevertheless, Garcin continues to lie to himself that he does not have control over what he is, as Sartre writes, “‘...A thousand of them are proclaiming I’m a coward; but what do numbers matter? If there’s someone, just one person, to say quite positively I did not run away, that I am not the sort who runs away, that I am brave and decent and the rest of it--well, that one person’s faith would save me. Will you have that faith in me?’” (23). Basically, Garcin wants a person who knows him well enough to decide the absolute truth, whether he is a coward or a courageous man. Those who say he is a coward does not bother him because they do not know why he truly ran away. However, now he already stated his reasons to the other characters for running away, and now wants to confirm the
He looks towards Estelle to find out what he is, he cannot decide for himself. From this, Garcin is lying to himself, he claims he cannot decide what he is, but in reality, he can. This is self-deception because Sartre’s belief is that one has full consciousness, free will, and cannot pretend one does not have it. Garcin does not need Estelle’s opinion to validate himself and his reasons. Nevertheless, Garcin continues to lie to himself that he does not have control over what he is, as Sartre writes, “‘...A thousand of them are proclaiming I’m a coward; but what do numbers matter? If there’s someone, just one person, to say quite positively I did not run away, that I am not the sort who runs away, that I am brave and decent and the rest of it--well, that one person’s faith would save me. Will you have that faith in me?’” (23). Basically, Garcin wants a person who knows him well enough to decide the absolute truth, whether he is a coward or a courageous man. Those who say he is a coward does not bother him because they do not know why he truly ran away. However, now he already stated his reasons to the other characters for running away, and now wants to confirm the