After all, the Choice is Yours
Existentialism is a humanism, sure, if one were so inclined, since after all it is ones’ choice to choose if they are a true existentialist. Any and all human philosophies can be used as a guide to ones’ path in life in their own morality, however, until it becomes inconvenient then it is tolerable to deviate off ones’ path to make it work for themselves. The basic foundation of existentialism is, existence precedes essence and there can be no human nature if this is ones’ belief, as Descartes puts it, in a sense; “I think therefore I am”. These traits and actions are portrayed throughout the stories of Albert Camus, The Stanger, Raymond Carvers, Short Cuts and Woody Allen’s movie, Crimes and Misdemeanors.
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Meursault mirrors Sartre’s description of existentialism in his absurd view of the world and life in general, by demonstrating that nothing really matters, since everyone must live and die, what we do in between is irrelevant. The paramount description relating to Sartre’s existentialism and Camus portrayal of such justification, is when Marie asked if she could marry Meursault and his reply was, “I said it didn’t make any difference to me and that we could if she wanted to”. Therefore, he dons the choice onto Marie, however the true insignificance to Marie’s proposal is what is being upheld in his decision. Sartre states “You are free, therefore choose that is to say, invent. No rule of general morality can show you what you ought to do: no signs are vouchsafed in this world”. In other words, Meursault’s negligible response of insignificance and purposelessness is his choice and his expression of not caring regardless, but if she wanted to get married it was tolerable with him, may sound as a justification, and however becomes Meursault’s right choice. In abstract; David Drake states, in his article, “Sartre: Intellectual of the Twentieth Century” that, “I feel no solidarity with anything, not even myself: I do not need anybody or anything” (32). Meursault was content with his life, whether the rest of the world approved was a non-factor for him. After all, the choice was his.
In Raymond Carvers, Short Cuts, (1993), a book with ten stories and
As I have stated earlier Abigail wants John Proctor, She and John proctor had an affair in his household as she served them in it. She was so desperate she tried to kill John Proctor’s wife basically using witchcraft, aka drinking blood. Betty says, “You did, you did! You drank a charm to kill John Proctor’s wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!” (919); Abigail already has a bad image going for her since she was fired from her job for “no reason”. If we are counting the girl already has a terrible reputation, she had her fun with a married man but after getting kicked out, but she is STILL pursuing him. You are young there are many single young men out there, get something better to do with your life, you are out here letting people
Camus uses many different aspects of existentialist philosophy throughout the entirety of the novel. One aspect of existentialist thought that is used in the novel, is that “existence is always particular and individual—always my existence, your existence,his existence” ( “Existentialism” ). This can be seen through various characters, but most importantly through the protagonist, Meursault. In one scene of the novel, Meursault says, “Then he asked me if I wasn’t interested in a change of life. I said that people never change their lives, that in any case one life was as good as another and that I wasn’t dissatisfied with mine here at all” (Camus 40). In this scene Meursault is talking about how his boss offered him a new job in Paris in part because he thinks Meursault would enjoy the new change in life. This relates back to the existentialist thought that everyone's existence is particular to their own, because Meursault doesn’t really care to start over in a new city, whereas someone such as his boss believes that many young people would love to.
In Meursault’s world, no action needs reasons to explain them. The irrationality of his actions versus the need for others to justify it through moral lenses exemplifies absurdity. In Myth of Sisyphus, Camus writes, “…absurdity springs from a comparison…it bursts from a comparison between an action and the world that transcends it” (“Myth” 10). Absurdity comes when the society tries to explicate an action or an idea that’s not ‘usual’ or ‘normal.’ To Camus, however, there is no ‘normal’ and ‘usual,’ because the universe’s irrationality cannot be explained and categorized. This belief resides within Meursault’s only two active interactions with the universe: his relationship with Marie and his killing of an Arab. When Marie asks him why he wishes to marry her, he writes, “I explained to her that it didn’t really matter and that if she wanted to, we could get married” (The Stranger, 41). Between marrying and not marrying Marie, there is no change and importance to Meursault’s life. In society’s effort to justify marriage, the couple is expected to love each other and the situation Meursault is
To support this claim, Sartre gives the example of Cocteau’s story Round the world in 80 Hours and the phrase “Man is magnificent!” Sartre rejects this claim, that “Man is magnificent,” because it is invalid to transcribe the accomplishments of one person onto another because in doing so, it assumes that all people are the same and confines them into the definition of others, not what they define themselves as. However, existentialism is a form of humanism in the sense that existentialism promotes the concept of abandonment, that each person is left to their own devices and must decide who and what they are. Additionally, each person creates their own value by looking outside one’s self, and constantly reflecting on how to improve - everybody has the potential to be great, not just a select
Meursault's character is the determining factor in his conviction and sentencing. His social rebellion is deemed immoral and abominable. The reader and the novel's characters both try to rationalize Meursault's actions in order to give his life meaning. But according to Meursault, life is meaningless and consequently needs no justification.
The reason that why Bill of rights can be established is the anti federalist thought the constitution only stipulated that power from government, and the citizen can not get any power from it. In 1788, at the beginning of the United States, all the citizens want the freedom and democracy, then The “Bill of Rights” is here. The birth of the Bill of Rights, is the most basic principles of personal freedom and limited the central government.
The Merriam – Webster Dictionary defines existentialism as a chiefly 20th century philosophical movement embracing diverse doctrines but centering on analysis of individual existence in an unfathomable universe and the plight of the individual who must assume ultimate responsibility for acts of free will without any certain knowledge of what is right or wrong or good or bad (Merriam, 2011). In other words, an existentialist believes that our natures are the natures we make for ourselves, the meaning of our existence is that we just exist and there may or may not be a meaning for the existence, and we have to individually decide what is right or wrong and good or bad for ourselves. No one can answer any of those things for us. A good
Jean-Paul Sartre is a French philosopher who makes his claims based on a combination of two philosophical traditions – existentialism and phenomenology. Sartre himself is an atheistic existentialist. He summarizes his claims regarding existentialism with three words – anguish, abandonment, and despair (25). In this paper, I will talk about Sartre’s definition of existentialism, its relation to essence, Sartre’s views on the moral choices and how they relate to art.
Although it seems like a heartless and ridiculous response to the subject matter, Meursault's existentialistic honesty makes him heroic. In a way, Meursault loves Marie, but his problem with communication is one of the root cause for his alienation because his response never satisfies the society.
In our society today, men and women perform distinctly different roles which are based on nothing more than their biological gender. Although these roles do not hold true for each individual, the majority of people live out their lives in accordance with these extremely pervasive roles. Society tends to assign classes of social roles to "male" individuals and classes of social roles to "female" individuals (as society perceives their sexes). These gender roles limit what both males and females can and cannot do. Gender roles enslave individuals and force them to be what others want them to be.
To fully understand an account of subjectivity by Sartre and the ambiguity pointed out by de Beauvoir in the human condition, one must be familiar with sketch of freedom Sartre draws. For Sartre, each and every human condemned to freedom— everyone is radically free. Any attempt to deny or ignore one’s freedom is an act of bad faith. Now, one might immediately question the validity of the statement everyone is radically free given the obvious limitations on every individual's freedom of choice. Physical and social constraints cannot be disregarded when considering the way in which we make choices. In Existentialism is a Humanism, Sartre does not have a problem with these constraints, for freedom is not defined by the ability to act. Freedom is the ability to choose. There is also more to freedom than just the ability to choose. Consider the following case, it is one easy for many of us to relate to, a college student is deciding to study what to study. We must recognize that whatever discipline is chosen will send the student down a different paths with different consequences.
In addition, Meursault cannot find a solid place in society. He lives alone due to the death of his mother. Society cannot accept the manner in which Meursault addresses his mother’s death. Since he thinks that “Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, [he doesn’t] know” (Camus 3), society believes that he does not care that his mother dies. Everyone judges him because he does not relate to the rest of the people. Meursault receives immense criticism at his trial concerning his murdering another man. At his trial, Meursault can “feel how much all these people [the jury] hated” (Camus 90) him. The jury does not commend him or even regard him with understanding about his mother’s death. Some people react to death without actually reacting to it; Meursault subconsciously chooses to do so but receives condemnation. Both characters experience isolation from society.
I consider myself an existentialist. There are two basic approaches to this philosophy: either one rejoices in the freedom of the idea that a higher power is not imposing rules and purpose onto our existence, or, one sinks beneath the burden of responsibility that this bequeaths. Existentialists like Sartre, who can only see the bleak and meaningless aspects of living, have missed the opportunity that this philosophy gives to structure and guide their lives based on their own inner moral principles. I think that the inability to cope with inherent absence of meaning points to a dependence on the guidance of a higher power: in effect, a reluctance to take responsibility for oneself. I see existentialism as an incredibly liberating
Existentialism developed in the more extensive feeling to twentieth century rationality that is focused upon the investigation about presence and of the best approach people discover themselves existing or their existence as a whole. Existentialism takes its name from those philosophical topic of 'existence ', this doesn 't involve that there will be homogeneity in the way presence will be on be comprehended. On simpler terms, existentialism will be an logic worried for finding self and the intending from claiming an aggregation through spare will, choice and also personage obligation. Existentialism turned into prominent following those Second World War. In spite of seeing its philosophical viewpoint is little spot complex,
From the beginning of the novel, Antoine battles the governing forces of both the absolute and the relative for any aspect of individuality in an overwhelmingly meaningless world. He fights passionately and dizzily against the physical nausea that stirs in him, existence being both superfluous and erratic, and the unscrupulous monster (time) that conspires against freedom. Throughout the novel, Sartre never directly defines freedom because doing so would be contradictory to freedoms organic and unnamable nature, leaving the reader to discover freedom alongside Antoine. Antoine, after acknowledging his innate purposelessness, realizes that within the insignificance of life lies the potential for