| General Absurdism | The Stranger | The Metamorphosis |
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What is absurdism?
Absurdism is a philosophy based on the belief that the universe is irrational and meaningless
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Give 2 examples on how The Stranger relates to absurdism
Meursault shows no emotion, he has no meaning for life, and his on,y certainty is death.
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How does Kafka show absurdism in the Metamorphosis?
He shows that Gregor was a self sufficient worker and that he has “picked a strenuous career” as a salesperson. Also, his family thinks of Gregor as a burden when he turns into a bug and can no longer support his family.
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How is absurdism different than existentialism?
Existentialism is the belief that through a combination of awareness, free will, and personal responsibility, one can construct their own meaning within a world that intrinsically has none of its own. While absurdism is the belief that the universe is irrational and meaningless.
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How is Meursault killing the Arab relate to absurdism?
Because Meursault has claimed that when he killed the Arab, that one less person has no significance to the world
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Do you think Gregor have always been an absurdist or was the absurdism through Gregor’s transformation?
Gregor was always an absurdist because he does not want to go to work and believes that the only meaning in life is working for his family. When he transforms into a bug, he then starved himself to death believing that there is bad in the universe.
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What are 2 ideas from absurdism?
Absurdists believe that the world is so absurd that you can’t expect to find meaning in it anywhere
The search for meaning brings and individual into conflict with the world |
How is Meursault a stranger?
Meursault is a “stranger” in society. Thus meaning society fails to recognize him as a person with different morals rather than a monster.
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Do other characters, besides Gregor, have an absurdist outlook?
Gregor’s father because he does not believe in working and just to stay at home.
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How can we tell an idea from Literature is absurd? (Name at least one example)
Suicide: escaping existence
Acceptance: accepts death, accepting the absurd Leap of faith: an individual denies religion A character is isolated The physical world is significant- it trumps emotional or social reactions |
What is the meaning of this quote regarding absurdism?
“What awaited me back then was always a night of easy, dreamless sleep” ( Camus 97).
Meursault's favorite hobby is to sleep. This relates to absurdism because it demonstrates the importance of the physical world to Meursault. Even though he has no emotional reactions to anything, his physical aspects are still important to him.
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How does this quote relate to absurdism?
“ He remained in this state of empty and peaceful reflection until the tower clock struck three in the morning, he still saw the outside the window everything was beginning to grow light, then without consent his head sank down to the floor” ( Kafka 49 ).
At the end of the book, Gregor accepts death. He has come to terms with it and is accepting the absurdity. His death is insignificant to him, he has no purpose to live.
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How did absurdism start?
Absurdism began with the writings of the 19th century Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard
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“Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don’t know” ( Camus 3).
What is the meaning of this quote regarding absurdism?
The Death of Meursault's mom. Meursault is not affected by his mother’s death, he has no emotional response.
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“ When he heard his mother's words, Gregor realized that the monotony of family life, combined with the fact that not a soul addressed a word to him, must have addled his brain in the course of the past two months” ( Kafka 13 ).
How does this quote relate to absurdism?
When Gregor transforms into a bug his family does not accept him. He begins to realize that life and family is pointless. His alienation makes him realize the absurdity of his own life.
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