Thursday, April 13, 2006

So what is existentialism, anyway?

Our official book for the last meeting was The Stranger by Albert Camus. I heartily thank Michelle for choosing it. Although there are no literature majors among us (at least I don't think so), this book prompted one of the most focused and sustained discussions I can remember. I especially like (and I know this is ironic coming from me) the fact that there was little mention of whether or not any one actually liked the book. We mostly talked about issues that the book raised, things about life and human nature. Sadly, our question about existentialism remained unanswered.

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posted by Sarah at 10:56 AM

4 Comments:

Blogger meesh said...

Just stumbled across your blog today. I remember reading The Stranger back in school and being very confused by it. I read it again a few years later on my own and it made more sense. It left me with the feeling that we have so very little control over anything. All the seemingly unconnected things that happen in the first half of the book serve to condemn the main character in the second half. Maybe existentialism is realizing that everythingis connected and everything is not connected all at the same time?

My brain hurts.

11:59 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Existentialism is a philosophical movement which emphasizes on individual existence, freedom, and choice....

4:17 PM  
Blogger Sarah said...

Thank you meesh and Lesley. My first comments -- I'm all choked up.

I like your takes on existentialism.

8:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I didn't realize it-- until you pointed it out -- that we (I) didn't ask the boring "Did you like the book?" question. (Which is what I usually ask when I'm not sure how to get the discussion rolling.) Has our club reached a discussion milestone? Have we set the bar a little higher?

6:14 PM  

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