Struggles of Meaning

Introduction

This paper will be discussing the themes of self-determination in No Exit and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. In discussion section we will be comparing and contrasting one character from the play and one character from the film relative to their struggles to create meaning. The paper will also demonstrate a reflection to the reading “Existentialism is a Humanism” closely and about how Sartre's philosophical point of view influences the themes of the play.

Discussion Analysis

Character Analysis

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Jim Carrey plays wonderfully the role of a man who after an awful break up with his ex-girlfriend, finds out that she erased the memory of his existence. He of course is furious and distraught and decides to do the same thing. With that said, it can show that this movie isn't a happy go lucky movie everyone loves. It is a gloomy, dark, angry film that shows the audience that you really don't know what have until it's gone. The Mise en scene in this film is what gives it true beauty (Grau, 12). The lighting, composition, and cinematography were really giving serious thought because the use of these stylistic devices engages the audience to understand and feel the films pain. The lighting for example was great because throughout the entire movie there was a dark scene and this played into the sadness and depression that was going on in the film. They used a lot of hard lighting which is bright light shined on the characters, this lighting showed all the pain in the characters. They also used low contrast light they showed the ongoing depression through the film.

No Exit

Garcin is a journalist from Rio and the first to arrive in the room. He was shot by a firing squad for attempting to desert during a war. He is also the best of the three prisoners at dealing with damnation. He recognizes that the three of them have been grouped together to make each other miserable and thinks that each of them should remain silent in their respective corners. He continually tries to make peace with himself and the people he hurt during his lifetime. He does not question his damnation, easily recalling how awful he had been to his wife. When given a chance to leave, he chooses to stay, hoping to convince Inez that he is not a coward (Sartre, 36).

Theme Analysis

No Exit Theme of Philosophical Viewpoints: Existentialism

Jean-Paul Sartre uses his play No Exit to explore many of the existentialist themes discussed in his philosophical treatise Being and Nothingness. Most prominently, No Exit focuses on the ideas of competitive subjectivity, the look and others, objectification, and bad faith. One of the characters in this play - Inez Serrano - comes close to having the perspective of an existentialist, maybe even that of Sartre himself. Her advice to her companions in hell resembles Sartre's arguments Sartre in Being and Nothingness.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Troy Jollimore discusses some of Nietzsche's philosophical concepts that arise in ...