Existence Before Essence
Explain the concept of existence before essence.
- You are not born with a sole purpose yet
- You determine that purpose for yourself
- Hence, you exist first before you have an essence
How does Meursault apply the idea that reason is impotent to deal with the depths of human life to his own life?
- He does not use reasoning to make his own decisions
- Ex. Murder of the Arab
- He does not really think about his actions and does not deeply consider his decisions beforehand
Who said “God is dead?”
Friedrich Nietzsche
How have Meursault’s actions contributed to anguish in his life? Do you think he experiences anguish?
- Apathy puts him in difficult situations such as killing the Arab
What is Sartre’s atheistic view of freedom?
- Condemned to freedom
- Man must accept individual responsibility for his own becoming as well as for the rest of man
How does Meursault’s attraction to the physical relate to existence before essence?
- Meursault makes his existence meaningful through his relationship with the physical world
How do Meursault’s foils portray that reason is impotent? Use specific examples.
- Raymond: Beats up his girlfriend yet still wants to pursue her somehow
- Salamano: Beats up his dog but cries when it runs away
What is the cause of man’s growing impotence? What does Anderson suggest to solve this problem?
His growing impotence is due to “the giving of life itself by an entire generation to mechanical things.” He states that the desire for a greater army, navy, taller public buildings and more has sterilized modern life. His solution to this problem is to return to the simple things in life: nature. He claims that we should become more animal-like and reconnect with nature
Faulkner once said, “There are no longer problems of the spirit. There is only one question: When will I be blown up?” How does Meursault’s life parallel this?
- Meursault’s revelation at the end of the novel is that death is inevitable not to be focused upon or worried over
What is the religious existentialist view of freedom?
- Always include God as a factor
- God gives the responsibility to man
- Man of faith over Man of will
How does Meursault’s agreement to help Raymond relate to existence before essence?
- You make your own new choices because you do not have to follow preconceived opinions
- Meursault is making his own choice to help Raymond before coming to the conclusion that Raymond is a bad guy
- Therefore, Meursault is living his life first before judging others on their lives
How is there an absence of reason in Meursault’s and Marie’s relationship?
- Meursault is very apathetic to romantic feelings yet agrees to marry Marie
- Although she can tell that he is apathetic, Marie continues to stay in this relationship
- Meursault does not love her, yet Marie accepts this somehow
In the article it says, “Exteriorization is the source of slavery, whereas freedom is interiorization.” Explain this quote.
Slavery equates to alienation because man is rejected from society and stripped of his basic human rights. Therefore, exteriorization is alienation and slavery because man is excluded from others. On the other hand, interiorization is acceptance because man is included. This inclusion leads to freedom because man is acknowledged, and not just a head in the “Lonely Crowd.”
Quick! Debate: Do you think Meursault’s morals are evident in his actions and choices?
- Lack of judgment towards what is normally considered ‘bad’
- apathy
How does a faith like Abraham relate to the religious existentialist view of freedom?
- Sacrificing one’s own will to God’s will
How does Meursault’s revelation at the end relate to existence before essence?
- Meursault accepts that death is inevitable
- If death is inevitable, then the best way to live life is to make it meaningful for YOU
How does this portray reason as impotent to deal with human life?
The allegory of the cave: Men are chained in a dark cave and are only able to see confused echoes of sounds. One of the men breaks free and can see the shadows of the objects invisible to the others. That man comes back and tells the others of his discoveries, but they do not believe him and threaten to kill him.
- Reason is useless here because although the man saw the truth, his life was put in jeopardy
Why has authors shifted from portraying man as a figure of power during the nineteenth century to a figure of weakness after World War I.
Prior to World War I, man was seen as invincible and all powerful. However, after experiencing all the death and destruction during the war, man’s image of power and prestige was shattered. Humans were now viewed as helpless, weak, and faceless when confronted with natural forces.
“It’s impossible to speculate/generalize about human life, because each man’s case is irretrievably his own” How does this quote relate to the topic:
[Being asked about Raymond’s girlfriend] “I didn’t think it was anything but that it was interesting. I said you can’t ever be sure, but I understood his wanting to punish her”
- Meursault doesn’t make an opinion about Raymond’s treatment of his girlfriend because he believes he can’t judge him
Recall a part of the story that represents the atheistic view of freedom and prove how it relates.
- “As if that blind rage had washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world.” (Camus 122)
How does Meursault’s behavior at Maman’s funeral relate to existence before essence?
- It is socially acceptable to cry or at least be sad at a funeral
- Meursault does not follow this social etiquette despite others' judgment because he lives his life in the way that HE wants to live
Debate: Is reason truly impotent to deal with the depths of human life?
- Yes (Ex. Conformists use it to survive everyday life)
- No (Ex. People should live the way they want to live, not according to preconceived reasoning against others)
How is Meursault alienated?
He is alienated because he does not express emotion and he doesn’t conform to social normalities. When his mother dies, he doesn’t mourn or grieve. When asked if he would marry Marie, he says yes, but claims he doesn’t love her. Moreover, he is indifferent to murdering an Arab and feels no guilt or remorse for his actions. Meursault is an outsider because he is detached from the world and its standards.
“Each of us must make moral decisions in our own lives which involve anguish” How does this relate:
“It occurred to me that all I had to do was turn around and that would be the end of it... The trigger gave...and there, in that noise, sharp and deafening at the same time, is where it all started.”
- In killing the Arab - a moral decision - he is imprisoned and sentenced to death
Not all authors that express existentialism in their works are existentialists. Support or refute this claim. Give a specific example. (BONUS: 100 POINTS)
True
Example: The Sound and the Fury by Faulkner