Absurdism And Existentialism In Their Novels English Literature Essay

Absurdism And Existentialism In Their Novels English Literature Essay The theme of absurdism used by Franz Kafka and Albert Camus does full justice to bring out the pathos in both The Outsider and The Metamorphosis by Albert Camus and Franz Kafka. They establish the unsettling existence of the both the protagonists. The present situation of the narrators brings to life incidents that justify their unpleasant situations and what they are going through in their respective lives. Where existentialism questions mans existence in a particular social system; absurdist investigates characters that are placed in society that is devoid of God and how syllogism and parody loom large over the entire situation. Hence The Outsider and Metamorphoses have existentialism and absurdism as the philosophical tools that take these stories ahead. In The Outsider, for instance, Mersault does not regret the death of his mother but instead goes to watch a comedy film and indulges in a love affair with his girlfriend while In The Metamorphosis Gregor wakes up to find himself transformed into a vermin and his life changes from that point on. The effect of the absurdism soon takes over the lives of both the characters unwittingly and they are faced with questions about their own existence which makes both the novels existentialist in their themes. Existentialist philosophy in a way proves the importance of human individuality and liberty. Camus concretizes an absurdly dramatic story of a man who has no emotions in him evidently in the opening lines Mother died today. Or maybe yesterday, I dont know. I had a telegram from the home: Mother passed away. Funeral tomorrow. Yours sincerely. That doesnt mean anything. It may have been yesterday. He- does not even feel obliged to justify his reason behind such odd and discourteous avoiding of any emotional involvement. Speaking briefly with the director of the home, Mersault tells him that he did not feel any guilt at having sent his mother away. He even declines an invitation to view the body, but keeps vigil with it overnight, in accordance with the custom. When asked by the undertaker how old his mother was, he replies Fairly, for in truth he doesnt know her exact age. His going for a swim with a woman of his acquaintance at an inopportune time proves once again futility of his life. As an embodiment of absurdism, Mersault doesnt see any need to fulfill or dispel the discomfort from the minds of the people as his nature was very offending to other people. He seemed completely inhuman, and never believed it was important to live up to the expectations of others and follow etiquette. According to me, every human being goes through the kind of unpleasant and embarrassing situations Mersault and Gregor face but it principally depends on how a writer decides to detail and sketch these characters. There is a funeral procession, in the heat of the day, across the parched, sun-drenched landscape, and once again, Mersault is disturbed by the light, the sun, and the heat, and feels unable to concentrate. This uncanny effect to the point of blinding ones vision evinces unjustifiable discomfort Mersault exudes towards the society. The Outsider is set in Algiers, where our protagonist Mersault, who was a bachelor, is leading a life that questions his existence. He does not show any interest in his job and does not believe in socializing with other people around him. As the story goes ahead, the reader gets to see the quirkiness of Mersault towards the world with conflicting emotions that make him commit a deadly crime. This marked nature of Mersault is brought out in the narrative in many incidents in the book; one of them being in chapter four where he is not at all concerned about Raymond torturing his wife. He responds matter of factlyAt about 3 in the morning there was a knock on my door and Raymond came in. I didnt get up. I sat at the edge of my bed. He didnt say anything for a minute and I asked him how it had gone. He told me that he had done what he wanted to do but shed slapped him and so hed beaten her up. Id seen the rest. I told him I thought that this time shed really been punished and he ought to be pleased. Mersaults brusque attitude towards other people around him reckons him as an outcast. I feel that the writers philosophical stance is unique, as he puts immense emphasis on the belief of absurdism and we need to understand what absurdism is ? Absurdist fiction is the manifestation of certain beliefs that dominated the works of a number of playwrights during the middle of the 19th century. This form of fiction implies that in a world that is devoid of God, the existence of human being shall have no strong foundation, it would be meaningless. The absurd elements in such plays and fiction were the fact that man has been thrust into a world where he cannot survive on his own instincts but is maneuvered by a force invisible to him. He is caught up in paradoxical situations and finds no reprieve by communicating or logical action. His actions and dialogues turn out to be a mockery of his own existence. The best part about the narrative is that it does not preach with a message but at the same time does tend to ask us some important questions about humans and their social existence. The narrative is kept simple but is compelling nevertheless. Therefore, the work is a reflection of Camuss moral axiom. Like Camus, Kafka too was existentialist and adapted to an absurdist way in carrying the narrative of his stories ahead as traces of his style are evident in his letter to Max Brod. In Franz Kafkas The Metamorphosis, the absurdist and existentialist elements form the main parts of Kafkas narrative. The story begins with the line When Gregor Samsa awoke from troubled dreams one morning; he found that he had been transformed in his bed into an enormous bug. After realizing that his life would never be the same again Gregor starts realizing certain truths about his existence which had not come to his realization before. He starts to reflect on his own being. Till the day before he had been a hardworking salesman who looked after his family but now he cannot continue the same life anymore. Now after Gregors transformation his parents and sister realize that they shall now have to look after Gregor and start making a living of their own. This leads Gregor into a state of depression which he can only observe but cannot do anything about it. His family is robbed of happiness and normalcy and though they are trying their best to cope with it, their disparity is clearly evident in these lines of the second chapter- Now his sister working with her mother had to do the cooking too; of course that did not cause her much trouble since they hardly ate anything. Gregor was always hearing one of them pleading in vain with one of the others to eat and getting no answer except thanks, Ive had enough or something similar. They all knew the unpleasantness they had to confront but none of them had an answer to it. I think that both the stories are existentialist and absurd in their narratives, and they both create a long lasting impact on readers and create a serious sense of debate about human existence and the acceptance of social rules. The Outsider is a well juxtaposed prose of absurdism and existentialism. Mersault is a social outcast and his further actions only make him an object of ridicule in his own society. One cannot see any kind of redemption for Mersault in his predicament; he is doomed and destined for a fatal end. The parts of the story where Mersault is wallowing in self doubt are existentialist in theme and the parts where he is unsuccessfully trying to find out the answers that can legitimize his actions are absurdist. Kafkas Metamorphoses sees Gregor going through an amalgamation of emotional, physical and mental dilemmas. His physical transformation into a vermin is the main culprit. This transformation creates an emotional and mental mayhem in him. It can be said about Gr egor that he has the answers but is in search of the questions. So, the Metamorphoses begins in an existentialist way but ends with an absurdist plot.

Supporting Prayer in Public Schools Essay -- Religion

â€Å"Our Father†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Denied For centuries, the debate has existed whether or not to allow prayer in public schools. Many Americans feel it is not right of the schools to teach religion. With all the diversity associated with the United States, public schools cannot select one standard religion to practice, due to the cultural and religious differences in the country. Not only are schools the storm center of controversy involving religious differences, they are the principal institution charged with transmitting the identity and mission of the United States from one generation to the next. If we fail in our school policies and classrooms to model and to teach how to live with differences, we endanger our experiment in religious liberty and our unity as a nation. According to the First Amendment of the Constitution, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof (usconstitution.net). The writers of the Constitution made it an important point in protecting freedom and religion. The writers then even stressed the importance of being able to be in any religion that suited a person. â€Å"The First Amendment of the Constitution removes government from the realm of religious belief and practice so that the state can neither subvert nor manipulate religion to serve secular, public ends† (Keynes and Miller 177). It is pure ignorance for someone to think that one religion is accepted throughout the world. No man or woman should be forced into a specific religion, quieted by peers, or not allowed to gather as a group of students just to pray. â€Å"A Congress that allows God to be banned from our schools while our schools can teach about cults, Hitler and even devil worship is wron g, out of t... ...reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what you have done in secret, will reward you† (Matthew 6:5-6 Holy Bible NIV). It would be beneficial to all if the advice set forth by Matthew the Apostle, was followed both in private life and mirrored with public schools. Works cited U.S Constitution Online. Steve Mount. 12 May 2008. 6 November 2008. Religion and Prayer in the US Public Schools. B.A. Robinson. 2006 October 11. Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. 6 November 2008. Keynes, Edward and Miller, Randall K. Court vs. Congress. North Carolina, Duke University Press, 1989. http://books.google.com/books?id=_Ebb2wsxkF4C. 6 November 2008 Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

Hy Dairies, Inc. Essay

Analysis Rochelle Beauport an assistant brand manager for HY Dairies and is one of the few women of color in brand marketing management. She played a prominent role in increasing the organization’s sales volume, and market share by improving sagging sales of their popular gourmet ice cream. This achievement did not go by un-noticed; Rochelle’s boss, Syd Gilman the vice president of marketing promptly offered Rochelle a promotion to a lateral position of market research coordinator. Syd justified assigning the role of market research coordinator to Rochelle because it gives her broader experience, and access to high profile work, which would enhance her career. Syd took the same path to the office of vice president of marketing; Rochelle thought this promotion was a demotion in â€Å"job status† and not a route to top management, and an implied assumption of racial inequality. Syd obviously overestimated Rochelle’s belief of moving to market research coordinator wou ld be the same as his, and now Syd’s false â€Å"consensus effect† has threatened Rochelle’s values and dedication to HY Dairies. Concept Complexity Complexity is the distinct role or identity that people perceive about themselves; to this point Syd did not see himself as stereotyping Rochelle because he did not view the promotion as a negative but rather a preparation for her future with the company. The lack of communication in this case study shows everyone has their perception of things and if you do not open the lines to effective communication you can cause issues within the organization. Self Concept Self-concept has a more varied effect on behavior and performance; Rochelle  defined herself as a person who overcomes challenges, specifically her role controlling a product that directly affected HY Dairies’ profitability. This â€Å"opportunity† resonated as a restriction in career growth and not an advance in her career in brand management. Ms. Beauport views this new job that could hurt her career. Without clarity on the position from Syd, Rochelle now examines her self-concept and defines herself as a â€Å"black woman with no future in brand management.† Recommendations Syd and HY Dairies must be aware of perceptual biases, and to do that, HY Dairies must know that it exists. In Syd’s and Rochelle’s situation, it is obvious that diversity awareness a necessary requirement. This process if implemented, attempts to minimize discrimination, this makes employees aware of systemic discrimination. Awareness of perceptual biases reduces biases by making employees more mindful of their thoughts and actions. HY Dairies should also minimize perceptual biases by increasing self-awareness; from this insight, employers have an enhanced understanding of biases in their decisions and behavior. If Syd used self-awareness when considering offering the promotion to Rochelle, he would have displayed authentic leadership and able to explain to Rochelle his vision of her in the role of market research coordinator. Discussion Questions Apply your knowledge of stereotyping and social identity:  Within this case study both stereotyping and social identity came into play. The employee identified herself as a minority, feeling as if the job offer was a negative due to her skin color and gender. The employee further felt she was being stereotyped for being a woman due to the lack of communication from the vice president. If the vice president took the time to explain the reasons for the new job offer and where he saw his employee’s future, it could have eliminated the feelings his employee felt. What other perceptual errors are apparent in this case study: Perceptual errors that are apparent in this case study is the employee felt she was being discriminated against due to an experience at her previous employer. She made the assumption that the job offer was a negative when in fact it was a positive. Another perceptual error was the vice president felt he communicated the promotion  well to the employee, when in fact he was very vague in the job offer. He could have explained the reasons behind the promotion, further explaining his previous position and his future goals for her within the organization. What can organizations do to minimize misperception in these types of situations: In order to minimize misperception in stereotyping situations an organization must implement effective communication throughout the organization. Implementing programs such as diversity training for all employees, with additional training for supervisors to learn ways to maintain fair employment practices where employees feel comfortable. It is important that all employees are held accountable and if anyone, regardless of position, violates a policy that there are consequences to ensure employees have faith in the organization and its leadership.

Robindra Rachana Bangalir Janmagata Adhikar - 2164 Words

Pg1Pg1 www.TheOnlineGK.wordpress.com , www.AllCurrentAffairs.tk www.BharatNewsPortal.blogspot.com , www.IBPSExamination.blogspot.com Current affairs 2012 for All Competitive exams | Current Affairs July 2012 quiz | gk questions | current affairs for civil services|General knowledge| IBPS | SBI | Bank po|RRB|SSC|State PSC|MBA Entrence|Railway exams. So enjoy reading†¦? :) 1. Wrestler-actor who died recently at the age of 84 ? Rustam-E-Hind Dara Singh Read More 2. How is Oscar Pistorius known in the sporting world? An athlete who would compete in London Olympics (individual 400 metres and 4 * 400relay) 3. Who will replace Mark Thompson as BBC director general in†¦show more content†¦Puducherry 35. What is the length of world s longest cable-stayed bridge built by Russia? 1,104 meter link Valdivostok and Russk y Island 36. Who won against Usain Bolt in the 200 metres final event? Yohan Blake 37. What is the budget estimates for Manipur state set for 2012 -2013? Rs.3,500 crore 38. How man y listed companies on BSE and NSE will be facilitated with electronic voting by their shareholders for all postal ballot resolutions? Top 500 listed companies 39. Name the Barclays chairman who quit recently. Marcus Agius 40. Which of India s forest area has been added to list of world heritage sites by the United Nations Organisation? 1,600km long Western Ghats 41. Australia is set to play an ODI against which emerging cricket nation in Middle East in August 2012? Afghanistan 42. Expand GGCL. (Hint: Gas) Gujarat Gas Company Limited 43. Where is the National Electrical Summit 2012 scheduled in India? Vadodara, Gujarat 44. Name the Baroda state s visionary ruler whose 150th birth anniversary would be celebrated by FGI Business Centre. Sayajirao Gaekwad III 45. Who is the Indian business person among 27 global leaders appointed b y the United Nations to eliminate malnutrition? Pg6Pg6 Vinita Bali 46. Which state boards in India are suggested b y State Bank of India to be listed? State Electricity Boards 47. Expand NDS-OM.