Jean-paul sartre quotes

It is the source of Sartre's especially famous phrase "L'enfer, c'est les autres" or "Hell is other people", a reference to Sartre's ideas about the look and the perpetual ontological struggle of being caused to see oneself as an object from the view of another consciousness. The original title, Huis clos 'closed door' , is the French equivalent of the legal term in camera from Latin, 'in a chamber' , referring to a private discussion behind closed doors.

Jean-paul sartre existentialism pdf

They had all expected torture devices to punish them for eternity, but instead, find a plain room furnished in the style of the French "Second Empire". She refuses to believe that they have all ended up in the room by accident and soon realizes that they have been placed together to make each other miserable. She deduces that they are to be one another's torturers.

After arguing, they decide to confess to their crimes so they know what to expect from each other. Despite their revelations, they continue to get on each other's nerves. Garcin is constantly interrupted by his own guilt, however, and begs Estelle to tell him that he is not a coward for attempting to flee his country during wartime.

This causes Garcin to abruptly attempt an escape. After he repeatedly tries to open the door, it suddenly and inexplicably opens, but he is unable to bring himself to leave. The others remain as well. She refuses to be persuaded, observing that he is obviously a coward and promising to make him miserable forever. Garcin concludes that, rather than torture devices or physical punishment, "hell is other people.

As Estelle begins to laugh hysterically at the idea of them being dead and trapped together forever, the others join in a prolonged fit of laughter before Garcin finally concludes, " Eh bien, continuons Joseph Garcin — He is a journalist who lived in the barracks in Rio and died after refusing to fight in an unnamed war. His cowardice and callousness caused his young wife to die "of grief" after his execution.