Jean Paul Sartre (1905-1980)Jean Paul Sartre (1905-1980)

Professor of Professor of philosophy at Le philosophy at Le Havre (1931)Havre (1931)

studied in Berlin studied in Berlin (1932)(1932)

took part in the took part in the Resistance Resistance

Nobel prize in 1964Nobel prize in 1964

Some important works:Some important works:

Nausea (1938)Nausea (1938) The Wall and Other Stories (1939)The Wall and Other Stories (1939) Being and Nothingness (1943)Being and Nothingness (1943) The Flies (1943)The Flies (1943) Existentialism Is a Humanism (1946)Existentialism Is a Humanism (1946) No Exit (1947)No Exit (1947) What Is Literature? (1947)What Is Literature? (1947)

The Wall (1939)The Wall (1939)

““the best introduction to the heart of Sartre’s thought” (Kaufmann).the best introduction to the heart of Sartre’s thought” (Kaufmann). contains central existentialist motif: confrontation with deathcontains central existentialist motif: confrontation with death solitary hero compelled to choose values that define what it means solitary hero compelled to choose values that define what it means

to be a human beingto be a human being Sartre “felt the need to assert the individual´s freedom in the face of Sartre “felt the need to assert the individual´s freedom in the face of

an increasingly totalitarian world situation” (Pitts).an increasingly totalitarian world situation” (Pitts).

Other important themes:Other important themes: an absurd worldan absurd world man’s highest value: man’s highest value:

integrityintegrity all men are freeall men are free need to choose our own need to choose our own

valuesvalues creative freedom as law creative freedom as law

unto itselfunto itself existence precedes and existence precedes and

governs essencegoverns essence essence is a succession essence is a succession

of choicesof choices other themes?other themes?

Some questions to discuss in Some questions to discuss in groups:groups:

1.1. What does Pablo’s intention to “die What does Pablo’s intention to “die decently”/cleanly mean?decently”/cleanly mean?

2.2. What does it mean that Pablo thinks his life is What does it mean that Pablo thinks his life is “only a sketch”?“only a sketch”?

3.3. Why are love, frienship, political cause all Why are love, frienship, political cause all emptied of meaning? What does it mean that emptied of meaning? What does it mean that they are?they are?

4.4. Why does he refuse to betray RamWhy does he refuse to betray Ramón Gris?ón Gris?5.5. How do you interpret the ending?How do you interpret the ending?6.6. What does the wall symbolize?What does the wall symbolize?