Sunday, October 15, 2017

And Now, the End Is Near

Existentialism is an incredible idea that, if broken down, shows us that we must be true to ourselves and do what we believe in rather than listen to what society has to say about it. Being a high school student now, I have been told many times that I shouldn't pay attention to the social pressures and expectations exist today. Although difficult at times, I think that people are happier if they listen to this advice, even if at first it seems like a daunting task. From shoes to phones, society has constructed an idea that many people feel like they need to abide by. 

Yet the song "My Way" by Frank Sinatra, and The Stranger by Albert Camus, both challenge society's constraints, and glorify the existential idea. I do believe that the two classics approach the same idea but with different ways. In my opinion, Sinatra's song views existentialism from a positive light, referring to doing things "my way" and having no regrets in doing so. To me, the song means to live life to the fullest because in the end we all die, and that is why we must take advantage of every second we have. Camus, on the other hand, ends his book with a negative light with the death of Meursault. His philosophical analysis of life at the end of the book during Meursault's outrage with the priest undoubtedly relayed the existential idea to the reader, yet for me personally, ending with the death was a little dark. None the less, I think both works of art express the importance of being true to oneself and not conforming to society's ways.

1 comment:

  1. In your first paragraph I really like how you brought in the classic saying that everyone tells everyone. But you seem to take it in your own direction, many people take the advice but don't do anything with it. You acknowledge the fact that it's easier said than one but that once you take that leap, you're bound to be ten times happier. IN your second paragraph I really enjoyed how you compared and contrasted "The Stranger" with another form of art, which was a song. For me personally I viewed the ending of "The Stranger" not as a happy ending nor a sad one. I think it was more of an epiphany than anything and gave me a sense of calmness, but I do see where you're coming from regarding that he ended with a death. Which is sad most the time):

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