Existentialism is a focus on the individual, a focus on their existence, free will, and death. An important note, however, is that there are many interpretations of existentialism, be it more optimistic or pessimistic. The books The Metamorphosis by Kafka, The Stranger, by Camus, and Hunger by Steve McQueen all have similar ideas, with imprisonment, death, and a life crisis being major components of each story. As a result, they all have similar existential themes. Metamorphosis, The Stranger,…
The E Word: Existentialism Remember, do not call out the philosophy-that-shall-not-be-named. This taboo shames the Roman stories about heroes and insults life as it is. What is life without a purpose, determined before birth? What will the world be with wandering inhabitants, nonchalantly wasting air because there are no set paths for these poor souls? There has to be a predestined purpose for these devastated creatures, so they can peacefully pass on,content that they accomplished a goal. This…
In Existentialism and Human Emotions, Sartre addresses specific charges against existential thought, defends existentialism, and situates his own ethics of existential thought among other thinkers. Sartre begins addressing the charge that existential thought is in the same ethical realm as nihilism, meaning that if there is no transcendent meaning or objective standard then there is no inherent meaning in the world and, in result, that nothing matters. Sartre explains this nihilistic view of…
because of the traits he possess of an existentialist creature. Existentialism is shown in multiple parts of Grendel that are clearly demonstrated in depth. Primarily, we are free from predetermined nature. Following, humans are free from determination by accommodating influences of outward sources. Lastly, we determine our own human nature by choice, upon which our values are created on. These illustrations create the existentialism monster Grendel is. Grendel has a drive to explore…
slowly lost confidence in God. Therefore, people devoted themselves to the idea of Existentialism. John Killinger, an expert of Existentialism states, “...existentialism is not a philosophy, but a corrective; and, as a corrective, it speaks to all philosophies. It sits in judgement upon any system that loses man from its center and loses sight of the peculiar freedom of man as its goal” (Killinger 26). Existentialism is not a religion. It is a way of self-identifying and a way…
In “Existentialism is a Humanism” by Jean-Paul Sartre, he explains his take on existentialism through an atheist’s point of view. His also describes humans are in charge of life decisions and are responsible for other people around them. There is no good or bad in his world but, the choices you make are valued as good. Sartre first introduces God does not exist because of this, he believes humans are thrown into existence and begin to create our own paths in life. We create our own lives…
Existentialism, by definition, is a philosophical theory or approach that emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible agent determining their own development through acts of free will. Simply stated, existentialism has a special regard to an individualist approach and the sense of free will. This is very different from nihilism which is defined as the rejection of all religious beliefs and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless. There are…
between existentialism and humanism. Some of the many differences between the two are that existentialism sees no inherent natural tendency toward growth but rather emphasizes growth as a choice. Meanwhile, humanism sees the desire for human growth and actualization as natural and automatic. Another difference between these two would be that existentialism assumes people are naturally neutral, neither good or bad. Humanism however, assumes people are naturally and basically good. Existentialism…
nature through themes of freedom, responsibility, and death. In “The Monkey’s Paw,” Jacobs demonstrates these themes progressively through his characters and their actions after a cursed talisman eradicates all limitations. Arash Farzaneh defines existentialism as the measurement of humankind’s “responsibility when facing a universe devoid of laws.” Fundamentally unbound by religious conviction, humankind is required to take responsibility for their actions accordingly if they are to be truly…
decisions. Sounds like freedom, right? Surprisingly, it’s not as good as it sounds. The article “Existentialism 101” describes a philosophy in which each person creates their own moral code and are defined by the choices they make. The short story “The Guest” is about a man who gives a prisoner the choice of being free or going to jail. “The Guest” illustrates the philosophy written about in “Existentialism 101” in various ways throughout the story. In “The Guest”, Daru can be seen as an…