The Stranger & “The Myth of Sisyphus” Background
Information
Read page 1244 of the World Literature textbook (the tan text).
Existentialism Basics
* A key belief is that existence precedes meaning; therefore, there is no inherent meaning in the
universe.
* The universe (the “other”) is meaningless, cold, and chaotic; yet man searches for meaning
and order. This attempt to find order or meaning in the universe is absurd.
* There is no order/structure in the universe outside of the self, so attempts to find order in the
world (through society’s or religion’s teachings) are futile.
* The individual (“consciousness”) can (and must) create his own meaning through his actions
and interpretations.
* This meaning is subjective since each individual must create it and there is no one Truth.
* Emphasis is placed on personal choice and responsibility.
* An existentialist must: (1) choose to reject traditional beliefs of finding meaning and order in
the universe because the universe is NOT meaningful or ordered and because social expectations
and religious teachings only give a false hope that the random chance of the universe can be put
into a structured order (2) create his own subjective meaning to pursue.
Man’s search for meaning has often left him feeling empty. An inkling of this idea can be
seen in some lines from well-known books. (not that these book’s are necessarily
existentialist, but these lines have a note of this philosophy in them)
Marlow in Heart of Darkness: “Droll thing life is - that mysterious arrangement of merciless
logic for a futile purpose. The most you can hope from it is some knowledge of yourself - that
comes too late - a crop of unextinguishable regrets.”
The lieutenant in The Power & the Glory: “[The children] deserved nothing less than the truth a vacant universe and a cooling world, the right to be happy any way they chose.”
Macbeth in Macbeth:
“To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
(See back.)
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”
The Preacher in the book of Ecclesiastes: “Thus I considered all my activities which my hands
had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after the wind
and there was no profit under the sun.”