The life and suicide of Bertrand Zobrist in dan Brown`s Inferno: an existentialist perspective.

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viii ABSTRACT

Reza, Muhammad, 2015, The Life and Suicide of Bertrand Zobrist in Dan Brown’s

Inferno: an Existentialist Perspective. Yogyakarta: English Language Studies of

Graduate Level, Sanata Dharma University.

This thesis scrutinizes the life and suicide of Bertrand Zobrist in Dan Brown’s Inferno through existential perspective. Zobrist creates a virus that will make 1/3 of

population infertile. His action to release the virus shows that he is a man of action. However, by committing suicide before he sees the result of his action, he contradicts his initial action. In the notions of existentialism, his action to release the virus shows that he is an existentialist hero. Zobrist’s suicide, moreover, gives a new perspective

to death. Therefore this thesis focuses on the absurdity of Zobrist’s suicide after he

releases the virus.

Inferno is Dan Brown’s fourth novel published in 2013. It becomes the

primary source for this research. The analysis of this research is also supported by the data from books, journals, articles and e-books. All the data are obtained through library research and presented descriptively. Every action that shows the notion of absurdity is highlighted and is used as the basis of the discussion.

It exposes Zobrist’s effort to face the absurd, the world. Therefore, all his effort makes him an existential hero. During his effort, he exposes existential notion like anguish, perplexity, even, absurdity. His anguish is shown when he tries to convince Sinsky, the leader of WHO, about his idea to control the population. Furthermore, the notions of theistic and atheistic existentialism provide the basis of

discussion on the absurdity of Zobrist’s suicide. The suicide is a justification for his existence.

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ix ABSTRAK

Reza, Muhammad, 2015, The Life and Suicide of Bertrand Zobrist in Dan Brown’s

Inferno: an Existentialist Perspective. Yogyakarta: Program Pasca Sarjana Kajian

Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendiskusikan tentang hidup dan bunuh dirinya Bertrand Zobrist di novel Inferno karangan Dan Brown. Aksi Zobrist dalam menyebarkan virus dan kemudian bunuh diri adalah sesuatu yang problematis. Aksinya dalam menyebarkan virus menunjukkan bahwa dia adalah orang yang yakin dengan aksinya.Tetapi, dengan bunuh diri sebelum melihat hasil dari virus yang diasebarkan, dia menentang aksi pertamanya. Di dalam ide-ide existensialisme, apa yang dilakukan oleh Zobrist menunjukkan bahwa diaseorang pahlawan existensial. Bunuhdiri yang dilakukan Zobrist, lebih jauh lagi, memberikan makna baru pada kata

“kematian”.Oleh karena itu penelitian ini akan fokus pada absurditas dari bunuh dirinya Zobrist setelah dia menyebarkan virus.

Inferno adalah novel ke-empat Dan Brown yang dipublikasikan pada tahun

2013.Novel ini menjadi sumber utama dari penelitian ini. Analisis dari penelitian ini juga didukung oleh data dari buku, jurnal, artikeldan E-book. Semua data diambil melalui pembacaan padas umber-sumber yang sudah disebutkan dan di presentasikan secara deskriptif. Setiap aksi yang menunjukkan tanda-tanda absurditas akan digaris bawahi dan digunakan sebagai dasar dari diskusi dalam penelitian ini.

Zobrist berusaha keras untuk memerangi Absurd yang notabene adalah dunia itu sendiri. Dalamu sahanya, Zobrist menunjukkan tanda-tanda existensial seperti kebimbangan, kebingungan dan, bahkan, absurditas itu sendiri. Kebimbanganya ditunjukan saat dia berusaha meyakinkan Sinsky, kepala WHO, tentang ide dalam mengontrol populasi manusia. Lebihjauhnya, ide-ide dari eksistensialisme teistik dan ateistik menyediakan dasar untuk diskusi tentang absurditas bunuhdiri Zobrist.Ide-ide tersebut menunjukan bahwa bunuhdiri Zobrist tidak masuk ke dalam ajaran theistic atau ajaran atheistic.Bunuh diri yang dilakukan Zobrist adalah sebuah aksi yang memperjelas existensinya

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THE LIFE AND SUICIDE OF BERTRAND ZOBRIST IN DAN BROWN’S INFERNO: AN EXISTENTIALIST PERSPECTIVE

A THESIS

Presented as a partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Magister Humaniora(M.Hum.) Degree in English Language Studies

Muhammad Reza Student Number: 136332026

THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDIES SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2016

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STATEMENT OF WORK ORIGINALITY

This is to certify that all ideas, phrases, s€ntences, unless otherwise stated, are

the ideas, phrases and sentences of the thesis writer. The writer understands the fu}I

consequences including degree cancellation

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she took somebody else's ideas,

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LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA

ILMIAH

UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS

Yang bertandatangan di bawahini, sayamahasiswiuniversitasSanata Dharma:

Nama : Muhammad Reza

NomorMahasiswa :136332026

Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan

Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah yang berjudul

THE LIFE AND SUICIDE OF BERTRAND ZOBRIST IN DAN BROWN'S INFERNO: AN EXISTENTIALIST PERSPECTIVE

Beserta perangkat yang diperlukan. Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam

bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan

secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya

di

Internet atau media lain yang untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta

ijin

dari saya maupun memberikan

royalty _{pada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai}_penulis.

Demikian pernyataan ini yang saya buat sebenarnya.

Dibuat di Yogyakarta

Padatanggal:

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(8)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THESIS TITLE... i

APPROVAL PAGE... ii

DEFENCE APPROVAL PAGE... ii

STATEMENT OF WORK ORIGINALITY... iii

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS... iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS... v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS... vii

ABSTRACT...viii

ABSTRAK... ix

CHAPTER II: INTRODUCTION... 1

A. Background of the Study... 1

B. Importance of the Study ... 9

C.Research Question ... 12

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW... 13

A. Review of Related Theories ... 13

1. The Existential Philosophy ... 13

2. Atheistic Existentialism ... 15

3. Theistic Existentialism ... 30

4. Existentialist Approach to Literature ... 36

B. Review of Related Studies... 38

1. The Criticisms of Dan Brown’s Novel... 39

2. Nothingness... 44

3. Anguish and Anxiety ... 47

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5. Alienation... 54

CHAPTER III: CONTESTING THE ABSURD...58

A. The Loneliness of Men... 58

B. The Limitation of Hope and Freedom ... 70

C. Self and Social Alienation ... 76

CHAPTER IV: POINTLESS RELIANCE... 83

A. Suicide and the Existence of Man ... 83

B. God and Suicide ... 92

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION... 100

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vii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Praise to Gusti Allah, for the chances to learn so many lessons from most problems and obstacles in my life. I would like to express my gratitude to people who have supported me in developing my thesis. First and foremost, I would like to thank my thesis supervisor, Paulus Sarwoto Ph.D., for the time, attention, encouragement, and suggestion. Your guidance encourages me to learn more and enhance my knowledge. I would also like to thank my thesis reviewers, Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A., and P.

MutiaraAndalas, SJ, S.S., S.T.D. for spending time to review my thesis. Lastly, I thank my examiner Dra. NovitaDewi, M.S., M.A (Hons), Ph.D

I would like to express my gratitude to my parents, my Mom who always supports and encourages me in my every decision and my Dad who could always advise me when I am down, my little brother, WimpiPardede, for always asking me to play football and futsal together to refresh my mind. I would like to sincerely thank Rose Armen and her daughter, Lara Pradilla Rose, who are significant for my decision to take the graduate program. I would like thank my classmate of Graduate English Study Class B 2013, for the unforgettable experience. My gratitude also goes to my Graduate English Literature classmate for the friendship. I would also like to thank Dina and Gaby for helping me so much. I would like to thank Amy for her patience and support. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to all my friends whom I share joy and tears with that I cannot mention one by one. Best of luck for you guys.

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viii ABSTRACT

Reza, Muhammad, 2015, The Life and Suicide of Bertrand Zobrist in Dan Brown’s

Inferno: an Existentialist Perspective. Yogyakarta: English Language Studies of

Graduate Level, Sanata Dharma University.

This thesis scrutinizes the life and suicide of Bertrand Zobrist in Dan Brown’s Inferno through existential perspective. Zobrist creates a virus that will make 1/3 of

to death. Therefore this thesis focuses on the absurdity of Zobrist’s suicide after he

releases the virus.

Inferno is Dan Brown’s fourth novel published in 2013. It becomes the

discussion on the absurdity of Zobrist’s suicide. The suicide is a justification for his existence.

(12)

ix ABSTRAK

Reza, Muhammad, 2015, The Life and Suicide of Bertrand Zobrist in Dan Brown’s

Inferno: an Existentialist Perspective. Yogyakarta: Program Pasca Sarjana Kajian

Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma

“kematian”.Oleh karena itu penelitian ini akan fokus pada absurditas dari bunuh dirinya Zobrist setelah dia menyebarkan virus.

Inferno adalah novel ke-empat Dan Brown yang dipublikasikan pada tahun

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1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis1.

This sentence is taken from Dan Brown’sInferno. It depicts Dante’s

detestation towards men who remain abstain in the time of crisis. That notion

becomes the groundwork of Dan Brown’sInferno. It is, in particular, depicted by

Bertrand Zobrist. He is the antagonist character whose ideology becomes the core of the story. He sees the world in a unique point of view and he believes that he, alone, is the one that will be able to cure the world. This thesis will acknowledge his contestation towards the world and his decision to commit suicide.

Infernois Dan Brown’s fourth novel. It puts Robert Langdon as the main

character and Bertrand Zobrist as the antagonist character. The story takes place in Florence, the place where Dante Alighieri lived before he was exiled due to political clash among political elites. Robert Langdon is a Harvard professor of symbology and European art. In the early part of chapter one, Robert Langdon suffers from a short memory lost. He tries to recall his memory by visiting the last event he

remembered. He gets a temporary amnesia from the attack during his journey to find Bertrand Zobrist. Initially, Langdon is summoned by Elizabeth Sinskey, the head of

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WHO (World Health Organization). She tries to prevent the catastrophe that will happen if Zobrist is able to execute his mission. After the attack, Langdon wakes up in the hospital without any recollections from the time before the attack. As a result, Langdon seeks his memory which is already lost. During his journey, Langdon discovers himself in the sphere of a conspiracy involving powerful and crazy scientist named Bertrand Zobrist. He is about to release a virus that will entirely revolutionize

men’s life. This virus is called Viral Vector. It is fabricated from the Black Death

virus, the virus that killed millions of people. However, instead of eradicating men’s

life, Viral Vector virus has the ability to make 1/3 of population infertile.

Another significant part of the conspiracy is The Consortium. It is a powerful underworld organization specializes in managing shadow outfit for covert operation. This organization has been involved in numerous operations all around the globe. The size of this organization is unthinkable. In addition, Dan Brown considers this

organization as a real entity, it does exist. According to his statement, The

Consortium is “a private organization with offices in seven countries. Its name has been changed for considerations of security and privacy”2. The Consortium facilitates Zobrist with a covert location in which he can spend all of his time to create the Viral Vector virus.

Teamed with Sienna Brooks, a doctor who works at the hospital where he was treated for temporary amnesia, Langdon tries to reveal the conspiracy and finds out the element inside it. When Langdon takes refuge inSienna’s apartment, Sienna finds

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a chemical tube in Langdon’s jacket. The tube can only be opened by Langdon’s

thumb. After he opens the tube, Langdon discovers a cave, which he suspects as the place where Zobrist stores the virus. In order to prevent the virus from going

worldwide, Langdon has to remember what he misses and how he gets amnesia.

Alongside with Sienna, Langdon trails his previous journey. On the process, he

finds a connection between the virus and Dante’sDivine Comedy. During his attempt

to imprint his memory, he is chased by a female killer named Vayentha. There are several encounters where Langdon has to give his best efforts to run from her. While avoiding the killer, Langdon and Sienna revisit the path where Langdon have crossed before he suffers from amnesia.

Florence is considered as the muse for Dante’s masterpiece, The Divine Comedy. Dante’s poem significantly contributes the outlook of the story. The Divine Comedy especially Infernobecomes the foundation of Zobrist’s ideology. The

Inferno is the one that invigorates his revolt towards the world, which he considers as

an absurd. The Infernodescribes Dante’s desperation on world’s condition and his

portrayal of hell. This work is the major stimulation of his mindset. He believes that

the world’s biggest problem is the people who live in it. He thinks that now men are lost in the “dark wood”3. Resembling Dante’s idea, Zobrist believes that the “dark wood” is the world itself. He sees the world as sinful place and he is trapped in it. He believes that every single man has the responsibility to make the world a better place.

3_{John Ciardi,}_{The Inferno; Dante’s Immortal Drama}_{of a Journey Through Hell (New York: Mentor} Book, 1982) 28

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Therefore he tries to fix the world and takes this matter into his own hand. He tries to mend the problem and make it right based on his own point of view.

Zobrist believes that twenty years from now, the world will collapse due to the lack of natural resources. He believes that human population needs to be reduced

rapidly. Therefore he proposes an idea of creating a virus to transform men’s life. To

create and release a virus becomes his ultimate deed. Zobrist finally decides to undergo his mission. He alienates himself and goes to a covert location in order to recreate the Black Plague virus. Zobrist, however, does not want to eradicate all men, he wants to diminish it. He tries to leave some selected men behind in order to rebuild the world. Langdon thinks that Zobrist will release a virus that has a similar character with the Black Pledge, but he is wrong. In his self-alienation, Zobrist modifies the virus. Instead of killing people, he recreates the virus to prevent people from procreation. He tries to make the whole world sterile.

For common men, Zobrist’s decision is absurd. Such resolution will never cross

the mind of a conventional individual. For most people, Zobrist’s strategy is madness.

However, his logical standpoint is clear and comprehendible. It shows the urgency of ahuman population. Therefore, men have to act promptly about it. Zobrist’s

distinctive idea is his identity.

Furthermore, suicide is the next indistinct episode of Zobrist life. He commits suicide by jumping from Badia Tower. When he decides to commit suicide, he officially becomes an absurd individual. His life is a picture of existential life.

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However, when he commits suicide, he verifies that his life is not as simple as a conventional man. He entrusts his life to no one. He believes in God, but as unique as his life, he possesses exceptional standpoint towards God. He cannot be pronounced as an atheist, but to call him a believer is an exaggeration.

Furthermore, discussing suicide is always challenging. Its uniqueness cannot easily be judged by using single perspective. It belongs to no ideology, let alone any theological teaching. Regarding suicide, Martini states that:

The complexity of suicide problems stimulates interpretations that can be compared not only with biological, physiological and/or psychopathological questions, but also with the sensitive universe of moral, philosophical and personological choices of the individual4. The statement shows the complexity of suicide. Single perspective is not adequate to decipher its complexity. However, this thesis is using single ideological base, existentialism. This thesis will explore suicide by utilizing the bond between existential idea and theistic or atheistic credo. In order to give ideological and philosophical perspective on such event, suicide has to be seen in every angle.

In order to be able to find the reason behind the life and the suicide of Bertrand Zobrist, existential ideas are employed as the base of the discussion. Therefore, ideas from major existentialist like Sartre, Camus and Kierkegaard are needed. In his book,

The Myth of Sisyphus, Camus states that:

4_{Mariano Martini, “Existential suicide and pathological suicide: historical, philosophical and ethical}

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Suicide has never been dealt with except as a social phenomenon. On the contrary, we are concerned here, at the outset, with the relationship between individual thought and suicide. An act like this is prepared within the silence of the heart, as is a great work of art5.

It is important to capture Zobrist’s reason behind his life and suicide. It is worth

knowing because such ambiguity also occurs in the real world. People such as suicide bombers and other people who did unacceptable deed always have their own reason. Most of the time, other people do not care or do not want to understand their reasons. They accuse those people as monstrous and mad. However, to understand the real reason behind such ambiguous act is always problematic. Customarily the reasons are not as simple as people thought. Camus states that:

The worm is in man’s heart. That is where it must be sought. One must

follow and understand this fatal game that leads from lucidity in the face of existence to flight from light.

Camus argues that the real problem of suicide lies inman’s heart. It is nearly

impossible to explain it clearly. However, men need to, at least, try to reveal it because such understanding can lead people into a new perspective when they see such radical action. Camus, moreover, states that:

There are many causes for a suicide, and generally the most obvious ones were not the most powerful. Rarely is suicide committed (yet the hypothesis is not excluded) through reflection. What sets off the crisis is almost always unverifiable. Newspapers often speak of “personal sorrows” or of “incurable illness.” These explanations are plausible. But

one would have to know whether a friend of the desperate man had not that very day addressed him indifferently. He is the guilty one. For that is

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enough to precipitate all the rancors and all the boredom still in suspension6.

Every stream of existential perspective is required to see the life and the suicide

of Bertrand Zobrist. His action is morally wrong, but it doesn’t mean that he can

simply be pronounced as a monster, he has his own logical reason. In order to understand the reason, people need to consider a real life problem in which it might happen to everybody. An individual like Zobrist is, actually, not too special when it comes to the unfruitful reality of daily life. This world is full of people that able to do things, which in our mind illogical or unacceptable. One kills so many men just because of race differentiation. Other people kill millions of people just because they see God in a different perspective. As Camus states that “the worm is in man’s heart”.

It seems that there is no way to see or to determine the real reason forone’s action. It

means that it is possible for men to have no reason at all.

Through existential philosophy, an analysis will be generated from the event in which Zobrist is involved. Spreading the virus is one of the most important elements

of Zobrist’s life. It contains Zobrist ideology and a symbol of his resistance towards

the world. The reflection of his efforts will be captured and compiled. Those event compilations will be used as the evidence of how he becomes an existential hero through the process that he walks on.

Furthermore, this thesis also utilizes existential idea to discuss Zobrist’s suicide

since there are some elements of suicide that cannot be defined by religion or social

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values. Suicide tradition in Japan is one of the cases in which social value and

theological credo fail to clarify. Samurais kill themselves out of shame and failure. In a different society, this kind of extreme action is considered as erroneous and

unfounded. Thus, judging the suicide culture in Japan without knowing any

philosophy and the cultural background behind it will lead us into misdirected answer and judgment.

When Zobrist commits suicide, he justifies his action by saying that he creates

the virus for men’s greater good and for God. Zobrist believes that there is nothing

wrong with his decision. He believes that the final goal of his mission is to see the creator Himself. However, it is unfair to simply judge a man like Zobrist as a monster. Questions need to be established in order to obtain the logical reason for such action.As Camus states that “it is wrongly assumed that simple questions

involve answers that areno less simple and that evidence implies evidence”7, it is wrong to see suicide as a simple matter, it never been simple.

Similar toCamus, Sartre’s existential perspective is essential to the discussion. Sartre’s viewpoint towards the world and men’s existence will add important ideas

that can become the base of discussion on Zobrist’s life. Jean Paul Sartre explores men's character through the scope of philosophy. He finds that men should live freely. However, freedom has its consequences. People tend to confuse themselves in the process of selection. They are confused about what they should eat, wear, and

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believe. Free will is problematic and perhaps, it is the one that makes some people commit suicide, simply because they are free to do it.

Furthermore, Camus puts suicide as a philosophical problem which cannot be

determined by solely using social dogma. Zobrist’s suicide is a perfect example of

suicide complexity. Zobrist is significantly different from psychopaths that do everything for fun or passion. He seems to have a pure intention to save the world.

Utilizing Zobrist’s mission and his ideology as the foreground of the discussion,

Zobrist suicide seems to have more complexity than any usual cases.

In addition, Zobrist is a character whose appearance in the novel is

exceptionally low. He is recognized only by his action and by the narratives of other characters. Even so, Bertrand Zobrist is one of the most important characters in the

novel. His portion of appearance is an evidence of how men’s action is very important to their existence. Although he only has a low portion of appearance, it does not stop him to become one of the characters that significantly affects the story. B. Importance of the Study

Peter Conrad in his review for The Guardian writes; “Art at its best is a lie that

tells the truth. At its worst, as in Brown's Inferno, it is a lie that expunges the truth

and replaces reality with its own demented murk and noxious malarkey”8. Beyond the

8 _{Peter Conrad. “Inferno by Dan Brown – review”}_{.Web. May 2013.}

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fact that there are always supporters and detractors, Dan Brown’s novel is considered

as a novel that does not suit academic analysis9.

While all the supporters and the detractors argue about the quality of this novel, the academic study on it remains insufficient. This research will, hopefully, fill the niche left vacant. Every literary work deserves an opportunity to be studied disregard of its genre and class. Some experienced reviewers might consider this novel as nothing but junk, but academic studies should be conducted in order to see this novel in a sufficient point view. Corse, moreover, argues that:

“In reality, the literary classic has no universal value that makes readers

more vulnerable to the story. Rather, they are vulnerable to the prevailing discourse about the so-called universal that such a story indexes better

than competing stories.”10

Corse argues that classic literary works do not have the proximity to modern reader. The over generalization towards modern work will eliminate the possibility of motivating analysis on thousands of modern works. Therefore, sufficient study must be conducted in order to dispel the over generalization.

Another important matter of this study is about the idea of men’s existence and

its connection to freedom and suicide. Those notions will be able to give people new perspectives on various subjects for understanding the reason formen’s existence. An

individual will find it easy to decide their life direction once they understand the

reason of men’s existence. Related to the reason of men’s existence Sartre states that:

Peter Conrad. “Inferno by Dan Brown – review”.Web. May 2013.

<http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/may/19/dan-brown-inferno-review>

10_{Sarah Corse, Nationalism and Literature: The Politics of Culture in Canada and the United States.} (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1997) 8

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Man is not only that which he conceives himself to be, but that which he wills himself to be, and since he conceives of himself after he exist, just as he wills himself to be after being thrown into existence, man is nothing other than what he makes of himself11.

Sartre introduces the idea of abandonment, men are left alone and the only way to justify their existence is to create it. Men have no special purpose and they can be anything they want to be. For atheistic teaching, there is no higher power than man. Such idea illustrates the core of atheistic teaching. On the other hand, theistic

teaching considers man as part of God’s creation. Hence, man hasa special purpose in this world. Both are introducing great ideasof man’s existence. Consequently, discussion between theistic and atheistic teaching has to be conducted to support the analysis of this thesis.

One of the common things shared by both theistic and atheistic credo is the doctrine about existence and essence. Sartre puts a great example of atheistic

perspective toward man’s purpose by making an example from a production of a

book. When the producer tries to build a book factory, he has a concept of a book and the process of creation. The conception of a book exists first and then followed by the book. The result of book production will be used based on its essential point, to become a reading material. The book does not exist because of its essence, the book exists and then it develops its own essence12.

Based on theological teaching, man exist because God wants it, therefore all men have apurpose. However the question of “free will” arises. If men have a

11_{Jean Paul Sartre, Existentialism and Humanism (London: Methuen, 1948) 22} 12_{J.P. Sartre, Existentialism and Humanism, 20}

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purpose, why they have free will? Does free will mean that men are able to oppose their natural purpose? If God has a purpose for men, free will is not essential to men’s

life for everything has been planned. In contrast, if free will is essential, it means that

men’s purpose dogmatized by most religion is not relevant. C. Research Question

The research questions of this study are:

1) How does Bertrand Zobrist strive to face the absurd?

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13 CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW

A. Review of Related Theories 1. The Existential Philosophy

Existentialism is a man-centered philosophy. Existentialism is considered as an aesthetic movement rooted in particular philosophical thought and supplanting surrealism at the center of European artistic fashion. Based on Cambridge Dictionary

of Philosophy, Existentialism focuses on the uniqueness of the human individual and

distinguished from abstract universal human realities13. From The American Heritage

Dictionary, existentialism is “aphilosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of individual experience in a hostile or different universe, regards human existence as unexplainable, and stress freedom of choice and responsibility for the

consequence of one’s act”14.

The escalation of existentialism movement in Europe is instigated by various reasons. One of the reasons is the limitation of science. People notice that there are few things that cannot be defined by science. The second reason, the most important reasonin the development of existential teaching, is the absence of God’s concept.

After World War II, people find themselves in the condition of failure. Logic,

13_{Robert Audi, Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy; Second Edition (Cambridge: Cambridge} University Press, 1999) 296

14_{The American Heritage Dictionary. “Entry: Existentialism ”}_{.Web. March 2015,} <http://ahdictionary.com>

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religion, and humanity are questioned during that time. During that dark time, existentialism comes to prominence in Europe, particularly in France.

Existentialism is frequently associated with the cultural movement of the Left Bank in Paris during the WW II and spread through writings and arts across Europe. Although France becomes the growing ground, Existential Philosophy did not originally invent by French philosopher. The teaching starts at Hegelian era where German philosophy becomes the beacon for European thinker15. The early stage of existentialism exposes a unique standpoint ofmen’s existence. Such circumstance

persuades Soren Kierkegaard to rebut certain stream of existentialism especially the

one that excludes God from men’s life.

The debate between Kierkegaard and Frederic Nietzsche, who is one of the most prominent existential philosophers at that time, then, initiate two lines of

existentialism, the theistic and atheistic existentialism. Kierkegaard and Nietzsche are considered as early existentialists. Kierkegaard is a devout Christian and Nietzsche is an ardent atheist. Both thinkers agree on the idea that individual is the center of concern rather than society.

Furthermore, the connection between existentialism and literature has been widely reflected through various works. Names like Sartre and Camus are widely known as the people who establish that connection through their work. Undeniably, the works of Sartre and Camus are powerful testimonials to the suffering of human life, absurdity, alienation, and their anxiety, which become the ‘identity’ of

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existentialism. In October 1945, Sartre conducted a lecture entitled Existentialism Is a

Humanism, which is subsequently published as a book. At the first time, Sartre

refuses to be called as an existentialist, but a few years later he accepts the label that he is, in fact, an existentialist philosopher. Along with Sartre, Camus is French existential philosopher whose works become very important to the development of existential philosophy. His writing is as important as Sartre’s whenit comes to the understanding ofman’s reason behind their absurd decision.

Existential philosophy concerns with the kind of existence we have, as opposed to the kind of existence had by rocks, plants, and animals. Although it is too early to say that men are the only species in the universe that has their own will, Existential

philosophy is an attempt to articulate the nature of men’s existence. The reason why

men exist and what men must do in life are the center of the discussion in existentialism. Central themes of existential philosophy, therefore, include the relationship between men and themselves and men with their society16. The

foreground of the existential study is men and any action that is taken by men in order to find the purpose of life.

2. Atheistic Existentialism

The movement of atheistic existentialism, especially in France, reaches a very successful state. Existentialism is more than just an ordinary movement. It is a new wave of philosophy that rejects the systematic assumption towards human being and

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how they should live their life17. Men believe that they have a particular purpose in this world and they need to do something in order to fulfill their purpose. However, existential philosophy rejects all that assumption and believes that men are the one who decides their own fate. The development of existential philosophy, then, leads European to some prominent names in the field like Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Albert Camus, Jean Paul Sartre, Gabriel Marcel, Karl Jaspers, and more controversially Martin Heidegger. Their works become the root of existential philosophy that prosperously develops through Europe especially after the WW II when people lost their faith to God, religion, and even humanity18.

One of the most prominent names in Existentialism is Friedrich Nietzsche. He is a major existentialist that opposes the existence of God and religion. Central to

Nietzsche’s philosophy is the idea of “life-affirmation”, which involves an honest

questioning of all doctrines which drain life's energies, however socially prevalent those views might be19. To believe in God is one of the views that, according to Nietzsche, need to be erased. However, instead of living uncontrolled life, Nietzsche suggests that there should be new ethic in life. He is known as the person who

proposes “willpower” as the substitution of God. He believes that “willpower” is the

soul of the world and is embodied by every single individual. He believes that

nothing will obstruct men for doing what men’s want.

17_{J.P. Sartre, Existentialism and Humanism, 2}

18_{J. Webber, The Routledge Companion to Ethics, 231}

19_{. Wicks, Robert. “Nietzsche”. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Edwin N. Zalta, editor. Web.} May, 2015 .<http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/nietzsche/>

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His opposition towards God and Religion is depicted in his statement of faith. Paul Roubiczek on Existentialism for and Against states that:

Nietzsche recognizes that Christianity has lost its hold over the majority of the Europeans, especially over the majority of intellectuals. For, as European civilization had been based on the Christian concept of God, the disappearance of faith must necessarily leave a void at the very heart of our civilization; instead of God there is nothing20.

Nietzsche declares that God is dead. He argues that God residesin men’s faith. When the faith disappears, the God’s conception will also vanish from men’s life.

Nietzsche, moreover, introduces the concept of nothingness. He argues that the

nothingness in man’s life will destroy man by discarding more and more values, beliefs, convictions,and concepts. Nietzsche states that “in the end we are confronted by nothingness as the core of our existence”21. Nietzsche, however, believes in an indescribable matter. Instead of thinking that there is a reason behind everything, he

thinks that there is a mystery behind the existence of man, “Nietzsche remains aware

that, despite all the problems which might be solved, the fact of existence still

represents an insoluble mystery”22.

The other prominent name in the realm of aesthetic existentialism is Martin Heidegger. He is a social expert who focuses his work on social philosophy. Heidegger believes that man is a conscious existence that develops their own faith. This notion becomes the basis of atheistic existentialism. The developments of this

20_{Paul Roubiczek, Existentialism For and Against (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1964)} 39.

21_{P. Roubiczek, Existentialism For and Against, 39} 22_{P. Roubiczek, Existentialism For and Against, 54}

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idea then lead existentialism to a more complicated scheme. Mentioned by Sanjiwan

Prasad, Heidegger believes that man is not a “thing” in the world, but more of a “being”23. Men are not mere being that respond to the event they occurred. Hence, they develop their own destiny through their own experience.

To some extents, Heidegger shares similar values with Nietzsche especially in

the notion of God’s existence. They both believe that God needs to be expelled from

men’s life.Heidegger believes that there will be a time when man will create his own value. It means that God is no longer needed by men. Heidegger sees Nietzsche

famous declaration, “God is dead”, as the expression of his nihilism and to show that

the time has come for men to take their faith into their own hand.

Heidegger, however, does not agree with Nietzsche’s idea on supermen.

Nietzsche stated that philosophical revolution in men’s life will lead men to the era where supermen take control, the men who responsible to nothing but himself24. Heidegger believes that the idea of supermen is the substitution of God. For men really want to expel God from their life, they must not replace God with another entity. If God is replaced by another entity it means that men have not accomplished a higher philosophical understanding of self25. Disregarding the difference on the idea of supermen, both Heidegger and Nietzsche shares that same idea of God and His unnecessary existence.

23_{Sanjiwan Prasad, “Religion and Atheistic Existentialism”,}_{Journal of Philosophy 1-5 (April. 2004):} 619.

S. Prasad, “Religion and Atheistic Existentialism”,Journal of Philosophy, 620 25

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Nietzsche and Heidegger are the “father” of existential philosophy. Therefore, both names are included in this thesis. The discussion of atheistic existentialism, then, leads this doctrine to the concept of alienation that is promoted by Hegel; men are abandoned in this world. The key of atheistic existentialism lies in the freedom of men and their alienation. Hegel states that:

“The concrete person, who as particular is an end to himself, is a totality

of wants and a mixture of necessity and caprice. As such he is one of the principles of the civic community. But the particular person is essentially

connected with others.”26

This idea shows that Hegelian philosophy believes in the singularity of men’s

existence. In the sense of individual life choice, there is no other entity that controls men. Hegel believes that the concrete men are driven by their consciousness. Thus, alienation is one of the most important ideas that have been advertised by most of atheistic existentialists.

Self-estrangement and self-recognition are the core of alienation. This idea is developed based on the authenticity of individual life choice. Daronkolaee and Hojjat in A Survey of Man's Alienation in Modern World state that Hegel believes the authenticity of man resides in their own life:

"To be authentic is to be trueto one׳s own self, to be one׳s own person, to do one׳s own thing. Authenticity doesn’t need of course to imply

eccentricity. Eccentricity can be inauthentic, while conformity to standard practices can be authentically chosen"27

26_{G.W.F Hegel, The Philosophy of Right. (Ontario: Batoche Books, 2001) 154.}

27_{E.N Daronkolaee and M.B Hojjat, “A Survey of Man’s Alienation in Modern World: Existential} Reading of Sam Shepard's Buried Child and True West”,International Journal of Humanities and Social Science 2.7 (April 2012): 204.

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Furthermore, Taylor Carman in Authenticitystated that “’Authentic’ (Eigentlich) is one of Heidegger’s favorite words, and it occurs throughout ‘Being and Time’ in

both technical and non-technical terms. Informally, and in ordinary speech, the word is emphatic and simply means 'Real’ or ’Actual’”28. Based on that idea, authenticity puts men in solitude territorial where there is no external factor that will be able to affect them. In this state, men are being themselves and take no other consideration except their own consciousness.

Another prominent name in atheistic existentialism is Jean Paul Sartre. Unlike other prominent names like Hegel or Nietzsche, Sartre, on the other hand, does not proclaim himself as an atheist, but the label atheist naturally emerges from his philosophy. The foundation of Sartre’s existentialism is the idea that existence

precedes essence. It means that God is not important for God is an essence. God is a concept which in the term of position is located below the existence of man, God is created by man. As Sartre stated that God only exists when men are in despair29, he believes that the existence of God is created by men. He says that men have no

purpose. Therefore men need to find their purpose. Sartre states that “Existentialism

is a doctrine that makes human life possible and also affirms that every truth and

every action imply an environment and human subjectivity”30. He argues that base on

“existence precedes essence” the existence of God is philosophically illogical because

28_{E.N Daronkolaee and M.B Hojjat, “A Survey of Man’s Alienation in Modern World: Existential} Reading of Sam Shepard's Buried Child and True West”,International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 203

S. Prasad, “Religion and Atheistic Existentialism”,Journal of Philosophy, 622 30_{J. P. Sartre, Existentialism and Humanism, 18}

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people believe that God is an essence that precedes existence. Men, on the other hand,

are the one that can be defined by the term “existence precedes essence”.

“He (men) materializes in the world, encounters himself, and only

afterwards defines himself. If man as existentialist conceives of him cannon be defined, it is because to begin with he is nothing. He will not be anything until later, and then he will be what he makes of himself. Thus, there is no human nature since there is no God to conceive of it. Man is not only that which he conceives himself to be, but that which he wills himself to be, and since he conceives of himself only after he exist, just as he wills himself to be after being thrown into existence, man is

nothing other than what he makes of himself”31.

Sartre believes that the choice of action is a choice of oneself. It means that choice is necessary for men to determine their existence. He believes that men are

nothing until they decide themselves to be something. The philosophy of men’s

existence that is promoted by Sartre is also agreed by other philosophers.

Kierkegaard, who is promoted theistic existentialism, also agrees with this concept32.

Similar to Hegel, Sartre promotes the idea of alienation. However, Sartre’s

alienation concept is slightly different from the one that is promoted by Hegel. Sartre explains that alienation occurs when an individual ignores the responsibility of their freedom. He states that:

One aspect of alienation is ignorance. It is a mode of inter-human relations. Its type is that of refusal in the sense that to be judged ignorant by others acts as a cause does on my freedom. When I am ignorant in solitude, either I'm unaware that I am ignorant or I know it, it must be mentioned that in the first case, to be unaware of my ignorance clearly is not equivalent to knowing what I am doing, but the double negative lifts from ignorance its limiting exteriority. My knowledge is limited by

31_{J. P. Sartre, Existentialism and Humanism, 22}

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nothing, since my unawareness of it is nothing. There is no outside to consciousness or to knowledge. There is just an impulse toward the project, toward understanding, toward truth which is positive. There are affirmations but no consciousness comes along and puts them between parentheses. There is a finite but not limited positively, my freedom is still completely there33.

Men are “blessed” with freedom. Nonetheless, there is an ethic that men must

follow. One’s freedom must not disturb other’s freedom. It is the fundamental concept of freedom. When the responsibility fails to emerge in the action of an individual to exercise freedom, the only result that will be gained by such individual is alienation. Accordance with Sartre, people look at others in the way they want to be looked. When they come across uncommon entities, men tend to assume that those entities are erroneous. When someone uses uncommon clothing, people consider them as strange depiction, but it is actually their freedom to choose what they want to

wear. One’s freedom to judge other should not intersect others’freedom. Such practice is the reason of alienation towards an individual. When an individual tries to look like other even though it does not fit them, it is possible to count such action as self-alienation.

Furthermore, in Existentialism is Humanism, Sartre proposes the idea of abandonment; men are left alone in this life. Sartre proposes the case of Abraham as the example of abandonment. Abraham was commanded by an angel to sacrifice his only son. It is humane to ask if the one who gives a command is truly an angel or is he truly Abraham? If it is so, so where is the proof? For existential philosophy,

33_{Sebastian Gardner,}_{Sartre’s Being and Nothingness: A Reader’s Guide}_{(London: Continuum, 2009)} 294

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especially the one that promoted by Sartre, men are condemned into life. As the result of the condemnation, men need to take responsibility for their own life. In the case of Abraham, even when the one who gives the command to Abraham is truly an angel and this command is really coming from God, it is Abraham who decides whether he will fulfill the command or not.

The story of Abraham is an example of why men shall not falsify their action as

a portrait of faithfulness since the only force that influences men’s action is their own will. Since there is no proof of the “unseen force” that called as God, every force that

affects men’s decision wouldcomefrom their inner self. Sartre states that “if an angel

appears to me, what prove do I have if it is an angel? Or if I hear a voice, what prove is there that they come from heaven and not from hell, or from my own subconscious,

or some pathological conditioning?”34

Sartre, moreover, argues that even without God, life will be the same. Men just need to find another ethic, instead of regarding themselves to the ethic that allegedly created by God. For Sartre, men are condemned into life. Therefore men need to responsible for their own life. Sartre states that:

We are left alone and without excuse. That is what I mean when I say that man is condemned to be free: Condemned because he did not create himself, yet nonetheless free, because once cast into the world, he is responsible for everything he does35.

34_{J.P. Sartre, Existentialism and Humanism, 26} 35_{J.P. Sartre, Existentialism and Humanism, 29}

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Abraham is the one that decides to follow the command. Abraham’s endeavor

depicts the responsibility that should be taken by all men. The sense of loneliness and self-responsibility in making a decision is what existentialist called as the

“abandonment”. The idea of abandonment is the idea that men have no help to take

any decision, they are left alone. Even when there is an assist, they, themselves, is the one that needs to decide whether he needs that assistance or not.

Sartre elaborates his idea of abandonment by the story of a man that he met when he was in jail. He met a Jesuit scholar who lived in pain his whole life. His father died and his family lives in poverty. Then, he had a scholarship from a Jesuit school. Instead of feeling happy, he feels that the school is giving him a scholarship because of pity. It makes him live as inferior to other students. In the age of twenty, after this Jesuit man fails his military exam, he decides that there is no secular destiny for him and the only destiny left is the destiny of religious man. He decides to join the Jesuit Ordo. This man deciphers the sign of life and not the destiny. He is a model of

“abandonment”.The man from the jail is free to become anything else, but he decides to become a religious man. People might think that is a destiny, but for existentialist like Sartre, the decision that taken by that man is pure from his own thinking.

In addition, Sartre also promotes the idea of despair. Sartre claims that

“despair” is simpler than “abandonment”. However, this idea consists of a complicated philosophical understanding ofmen’s life. It is an idea in whichmen need to do anything without hope. Sartre explains that in every action that is taken by

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men, there is more than one possible result that men will get. Therefore, men need to expel good hope. Despair exposes the unfruitful truth of men’s life. It denies any

ideal condition that is assumed by men. Therefore, people accuse existentialism as a pessimistic philosophy. Sartre declines that acquisition. He explains that the

construction of existentialism is based on the realistic condition of life. The key of

“despair” is to expel any dream and hope. Sartre clarifies that nothing exists in men besides their action. He states that:

Reality alone counts, and that dream, expectations, and hopes only serve to define a man a broken dream, aborted hope and futile expectation; in other word, they define him negatively, not positively. Nonetheless,

saying “you are nothing but your life” does not imply that the artist will

be judged solely by his work of art, for a thousand other things also help to define him. What we mean to say is that a man is nothing but a series of enterprises and that he is the sum, organization, and aggregate of the relation that constitute such enterprises36.

According to the statement above, existentialism is an optimistic philosophy. It counts men as the main actor of their own life. Hence,“despair” denotes that men

should abandon all their hope and do whatever they need to do since hope, dream, and expectation does not determine their life, their action does. The idea of despair shows the difference between existentialism and other philosophies that are based on an idealistic life form. Existentialism acknowledges the possibility of loss and failure in any decision that is made by men.

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Another existential idea that is majorly used in this thesis is the one that

promoted by Albert Camus. Resembling Sartre, Camus does not involve God’s

concept in his philosophy. He is a literary figure that focuses his work on

existentialism. Comparable to Samuel Becket and Harold Pinter with their Theater of the Absurd, Camus’ literary work contains existential elements and absurd stories. He becomes one of the most prominent existentialists after The Myth of Sisyphus is

published. He depicts the absurdity of men’s life through the story of Sisyphus’

useless labor. Sisyphus is condemned by gods to roll a rock up to the top of a mountain, only to have it roll back down again. It displays an absurd labor. It makes Sisyphus envisioned as an absurd individual. He has meaningless existence and

monotonous everyday’s life without anypurpose. Camus believes that men are in the same condition with Sisyphus, men are dissatisfied with the world, but they feel isolated and helpless to change it.

Absurdity isone of the most discussed ideas in the history of men’s existence.

Ancient people who strive for immortality have experienced such absurd condition. Their faith in gods and goddess was challenged by misery and pain, which they believe caused by their gods and goddess. The absurd conflict is resulting in

invincible heroes like Achilles and Siegfried. They become the representation of men who believe that they have been trapped by the absurdity of their own existence. Men have been tried to escape from their absurd existence through courage, heroic actions, and through the power that was gained either through knowledge like Odysseus or by unlimited physical strength like Achilles.

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However, differences are established between ancient and modern views of absurdity. Ancient men try to escape from the absurdity through courage and power, but modern men are completely understood that they have no way to escape from absurdity. As portrayed in The Myth of Sisyphus, Camus perceives that modern men are like Sisyphus. He is an individual who trapped by his own absurdity since he has no power to change it. Unlike ancient hero, Sisyphus does not have any knowledge or strength to fight the absurd.

In addition, Camus also formulates a philosophical approach to suicide. He

states that “suicide has never been dealt with except as a social phenomenon. On the contrary, we are concerned here, at the outset, with the relationship between

individual thought and suicide”37. He believes that there is a philosophical

explanation for suicide, which he describes in one of his essays, “The Absurd Reasoning”. He describes suicide as the connection between the absurd reasoning of life and man’s longing for death.

A world that can be explained even with bad reasons is a familiar world. But, on the other hand, in a universe suddenly divested of illusions and lights, man feels an alien, a stranger. His exile is without remedy since he is deprived of the memory of a lost home or the hope of a promised land. This divorce between man and this life, the actor and his setting, is properly the feeling of absurdity. All healthy men having thought of their own suicide, it can be seen, without further explanation, that there is a direct connection between this feeling and the longing for death38.

A. Camus, “The absurd Reasoning”,The Myth of Sisyphus and other Essays, 2 38

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Camus puts suicide as philosophical problem, but as absurd as the reason for

suicide, he also believes that not every problem has its answer. He states that “it is

wrongly assumed that simple questions involve answers that are no less simple and

that evidence implies evidence”39. Camus, then, puts hope as one of the reason of

suicide. He states that “hope of another life one must “deserve” or trickery of those

who live not for life itself but for some great idea that will transcend it, refine it, give

it a meaning, and betray it”40. Camus uses the absurd story in The Myth of Sisyphus to

describe men’s situation infinding a meaning in the universe which does not provide it.

Camus introduces us to the philosophy of the absurd. The word“absurd” itself

is a familiar word, but yet people do not really understand the meaning of it. Camus states that Absurd is, in simple word, something contradictory. He says that:

If I accuse an innocent man of a monstrous crime, if I tell a virtuous man that he has coveted his own sister, he will reply that this is absurd. His indignation has its comical aspect. But it also has its fundamental reason. The virtuous man illustrates by that reply the definitive antinomy existing between the deed I am attributing to him and his lifelong principles. “It’s absurd” means “It’s impossible” but also “It’s contradictory.” If I see a

man armed only with a sword attack a group of machine guns, I shall consider his act to be absurd. But it is so solely by virtue of the disproportion between his intention and the reality he will encounter, of the contradiction I notice between his true strength and the aim he has in view41.

A. Camus, “The absurd Reasoning”,The Myth of Sisyphus and other Essays, 3 40

A. Camus, “The absurd Reasoning”,The Myth of Sisyphus and other Essays, 4 41

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Based on the passage, absurd is a contradiction between the reality and the goal. Derived from thatidea, most men are absurd for men’s mind and body is always in divorce. Absurd is when people’s hope contradict the fact that they have. Every

suicide cases enclose absurdity. Therefore it can be seen as an absurd occurrence. One of the greatest strength of mankind is to survive. It means an individual who desires death and upholds self demise is an absurd individual. Men have survived from many devastating events. They survive from Black Plague that kills millions of people and WW II, which more than 60 million people are died. It is an evidence of

men’s surviving aptitude, it is their instinct. Instinctively, when someone tries to throw something to you, you will duck or protect the target that they aim. That is the

example of men’s survival instinct. Based on that idea, suicide is an absurd case because it is an indicator that the individual who commit it denies their own nature.

Another type of absurdity that exposed by Camus is the absurdity of life. In the story of The Myth of Sisyphus, Camus sees that men are trapped in their own

freedom. If Sisyphus was condemned to do what he does, he is an example of men who trapped in their own idea for a man always has his own idea and decision. God condemned him to the underworld, but he still needs to choose whether he is going to accept his fate or not. By doing so, it is and indicator of acceptation. Sisyphus accepts his condemnation. What he is doing is, undeniably, absurd. However, for he is accepting his fate, Sisyphus shall be seen as a happy individual. This doctrine contemplates a very deep philosophical idea of man and his existence. The story of

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Sisyphus exposes men’s anxiety on whether life has meaning or not. This question is

the question that, in some points, leads men to suicide.

Camus stresses the importance of understanding the value of life. He believes that this is the key to decipher the philosophical problem of suicide. Based on the story of Sisyphus, even without meaning, without solution, without faith, life is worth to live. When man can truly accept his fate without hope and expectation, he can truly be happy.

3. Theistic Existentialism

Based on the recognition of higher power, existentialists divide themselves into two different streams, atheistic and theistic existentialist. Soren Kierkegaard is an existentialist who vocally represents theistic existentialist. He was a Freudian before Freud, and his writings are full of what we know as depth-psychology42. Kierkegaard always believes that there is an absolute paradox in man’s life, God.

Soren Kierkergaard persists to see existentialism as the part of his faith.

Kierkegaard defends his faith in an ethical self. Kierkegaard introduces the concept of

“absolute paradox”43to the world of existential philosophy. He believes that

unquestioning philosophical reason alone, without believing the “absolute paradox”,

will prevent people from understanding God and His power, prevent them from faith. Philosophically, Kierkegaard explains that faith appears alongside risk. He says that:

John Killinger, “Existentialism and Human Freedom”,The English Journal 50.5 (May, 1961): 305 43_{P. Roubiczek, Existentialism For and Against, 9}

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“Without risk there is no faith, and the greater the risk the greater the

faith; the more objective security the less inwardness (for inwardness is precisely subjectivity), and the less objective security the more profound

the possible inwardness”44.

He, furthermore, promotes three level of men’s faith, total faith commitment

where a person progresses from a life of mere pleasure (aesthetic), to a life of rules and obedience (ethical), and finally to a life of total faith that one seeks passionately after God (religious)45.

For Kierkegaard, every thinker needs to connect to the paradox. Socrates is an example of a thinker who connects himself to the notion of paradox. He spends most of his life to understand human being, describes his curiosity towards himself

whether he is as monstrous as Typhoon or just a normal human being with numerous limitation. Every thinker needs to acknowledge the paradox of his own thinking.

Kierkegaard states that “a thinker without a paradox is like a lover without passion: a

poor model”46. Kierkegaard’s philosophy is an apparatus to explore men’s faith

towards God. It makes him become one of the most important names in the domain of existentialism. The time Kierkegaard promotes his philosophy; atheistic teaching is striving through Europe. Therefore there are so many philosophers that question

Kierkegaard elaboration on God’s concept. He answers that doubt in his book, Repetition and Philosophic Crumbs. He says that:

44_{Walter Kaufmann, Existentialism from Dostoevsky to Sartre (New York: Meridian, 1956) 117} 45_{Malachi. Existential Wars: Kierkegaard versus Nietzsche. Web. November 2010.}

http://www.christiancadre.org/member_contrib/mal_existential.html

46_{Soren Kierkegaard, Repetition and Philosophic Crumbs ( New York: Oxford University Press,} 2009) 111

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But what is this unknown thing against which the understanding, in its paradoxical passion, collides, and which, in addition, disturbs even a

person’s self-knowledge? It is the unknown. But this cannot be another person, to the extent that he knows what a person is, nor can it be any other thing he knows. So let us call this unknown God. This is just a name we give it. It can hardly occur to the understanding to want to prove that this unknown thing (God) exists. For if God does not exist, then it would be impossible to prove he did. But if he does exist, then it is foolish to try to prove it, in that I have assumed this existence is not doubtful the instant the proof begins, since an assumption, to the extent that it is an assumption, cannot be doubtful, otherwise I could not get started, understanding, as I would, that the whole thing would be impossible if there were no God. If, on the other hand what I intend by

the expression ‘prove God’s existence’ is to prove that the unknown,

which exists, is God, then my expression is unfortunate, because then I would be proving nothing, least of all that something existed. I would merely be developing the content of a concept47.

The key point of his explanation is that men will not be able to explain whether God really exist or not. However, men who understand life will indeed understand

God’s existence. He also states that if he insists to proof the existence of God, he will ends up proving nothing since God’s existence is different with the existence of men for men’s existence can easily be proven. Based on Kierkegaard elaboration; there is an unstoppable force that affects human life. His existence depends on how men understand their relationship towards themselves and life. Men are able to call that force anything. However, people commonly call that force as God.

The philosophy of God is not the only doctrine Kierkegaard promotes. He also

promotes the originality of man’s thinking. Kierkegaard says that “to give up all the

results of rational thinking, of scientific reasoning, and to surrender to the inner voice which tells us that there is a different reality, a sphere of a different kind,

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transcending reason”48. There are always two forces that affect men’s life, the rational

thinking and the inner voice. The contestation between those forces is the process every man needs to endure. It is an important process for confusion is the beginning of understanding. Kierkergaard believes that men who undergo such process will be able to understand God’s existenceand experience the truth of faith.

Furthermore, Kierkegaard explains the originality of men’s idea as the core of

existentialism. Kierkegaard is a devoted Christian, but when it comes to faith, he

explains that the originality of men’s faith is significantly important. For Kierkegaard

“it does not matter what I believe to be true: what matters is only how I believe it. A

false idol sincerely, fervently worshiped is worth more than the true "creed" taken over second-hand”49. For the relationship between man and his God is the ultimate relationship, he particularly opposesmen who duplicate God’s concept from others, but declares himself as a faithful worshiper. Men’s relationship with their parents, or their children, is a describable connection. Hence, men’s connection with God is

indescribable. Therefore, men’s connection with God has to be original for no individual is able to explain such indescribable connection. Men’s connection with

God involves the ultimate paradox and subjectivity. It will only depend on men’s

personal understanding. Kierkegaard’s idea of men’soriginal feelings toward God is, perhaps, unacceptable tocertain theological system. Kierkegaard’s elaboration is an

48_{P. Roubiczek, Existentialism For and Against, 10}

49_{Henry W Nordmeyer, “An Existentialist Approach to Literature”.}_{The Modern Language Journal} 33.8 (Dec. 1949): 586

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ethic that exposes a unique relationship between men and their God. Therefore, such notion is, in some points, poles apart from theological credo.

Kierkegaard states that the truth is “subjectivity”. Within subjectivity, the

connection between men to themselves and their society will lead them to ultimate relationship between them and God50. Although Kierkegaard is a devoted Christian, his work is mostly criticizing the church. He believes that being Christian does not always mean that a person need to blindly follow what the church says because the relation between men and their God is the ultimate relationship and it can only be determined by men and God Himself.

The debate between atheistic and theistic existentialism shows that both ideas

hold their ground for God’s existence and religion. Sanjiwan Prasad in his study on

atheistic existentialism and religion provides illuminating understanding on the debate between both sides. Prasad shows that based on Heidegger and Sartre, atheistic existentialism provides men with logical study of religion and God.

He states that atheistic existentialism declares an idea that can be an important foundation for religion and God. He states that:

At the very outside it may be said that Atheistic Existentialism, by rejecting religion in on sweep, has admitted religion in the mood of

religion in the mood of indifference. Even though religion is only religion

at adversity–only in being rejected, the fact remains that the grounds of rejection are more or less not so much convincing as they appear to be so.

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True religion speaks of the involvements and commitments without

which life’s goal cannot be realized. It is true that many distortions of

religion have completely neglected the fact and have taken to the purely rational ways for establishing points, but the true religion spirit always emphasizes the importance of subjectivity and emotional commitments. In this respect, then Atheistic Existentialism will appear to be on the side of religion at least for all intents and purposes. Thus we come to an interesting conclusion that in Atheistic Existentialism there is a scope from true religion51.

Prasad argues that Atheistic Existentialism can be very helpful for people to see the real religion. Based on that idea, disregarding all the differences, atheistic existentialism and religious point of view can walk side by side in specified circumstances. This conception is important to this thesis since Zobrist is a complex individual. In order to deeply analyze Zobrist in the extent of existentialism, there should be a bridge between atheistic and theistic teaching. The ambiguity of

Zobrist’s life and suicide has to be seen from both theistic and atheistic teaching.

Zobrist exposes the life of religious man. However, when he commits suicide, he is not a person that pictures the life of a religious individual. Therefore, he is unique. His action has to be seen through the scope of atheism because suicide often connected to atheism or to an action of a non-believer. The major theme of the debate between theism and atheism concentrates and focuses on whether religion and God exist or not. However, the study from Prasad exposes that the debate can be deepened to the core value of both teachings. He shows that both sides have a similar understanding on several items. Suicide is possibly one of the ideas that are shared

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by both teachings since both sides share positive life attitude which is the opposite attitude of suicide.

4. Existentialist Approach to Literature

Existentialism is a philosophical movement which rejects the idea that the universe has any clues about how a man should live. It only focuses on individual existence, freedom, and choice. Existentialism becomes prominent when reason considered as thehigher institution of human life and become the basis for all men’s

decision; there is no higher element than the reason itself52. The phenomenon appears in this situation, then, leads Existentialist philosopher to elaborate theoretical

overview towards men’s reasoning.

Existentialism is a philosophical teaching that can be applied to the study of literary work. Hence, it is very important to determine which theme and stream of existentialism that will be used as the apparatus for the analysis since there are numerous types of existentialism. The key of existential perspective is its freedom and its openness toward the situation on the story, which will all leave to the creativity of the writer. Nordmeyer states that:

It seems to be of the essence of a truly existentialist approach that there is nothing dogmatic, nothing stereotyped, nothing professional about it whatsoever. Like idealism, like realism, existentialism-as another mold of human reaction to the otherness beyond-harbors many antagonisms within itself53.

52_{Tan Tijen, “Existentialism And Samuel Beckett’s Two Plays:}_{Endgame and}_{Happy Days”}_(Middle East Technical University, 2007) 10

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Existentialism is a philosophy which upholds freedom. Therefore, freedom shall become the major policy of its application. In the correlation with literary work, existentialism provides a bifocal that can be used to obtain values which cannot be extorted by other philosophies. Existentialism provides a list of questions that is able to accurately assail specified matter in an exceptional way. Therefore, freedom must be the ultimate policy that upholds the utilization of existentialism in the field of literature.

Accurate questionsmust be constructed to explore the mystery of men’s

existence. Men rarely see deeper to themselves. Therefore, constructing a perfect question is highly important to help them understand the merit of curiosity.

Kierkegaard is the example of an individual who utters accurate question towards his life. Insteadof asking about “what is Christian?” or “is there any historical evidence

about Christian?”he asks himself a very personal question such as "How do I become

a Christian?”54. He is the example of an individual whose curiosity puts him in the peak of his logic. Existentialism is the philosophy that tries to encourage men to create such questions. Therefore, subjectivity and freedom need to be endorsed in the

process of seeking men’s existence.

One of the most important things in existential philosophy is the originality of

men’s idea. Sartre states that men are what they are willing to become. Therefore, it is men’s obligation to maintain their subjectivity toward life. An individual possibly

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thinks that truth is based on major appointment. However, major existentialists believe that the truth resides in every single human being. Originated from

Kierkegaard, he states that “it does not matter what I believe to be true: what matters

is only how I believe it. A false idol sincerely, fervently worshiped is worth more

than the true "creed" taken”55. It means that the truth is a custom conception built by

individual’s mind. Truth shall not be based on others’opinion.

As philosophical perspective, existential philosophy is free to seek its answer in

the way it’s compatible. Thus,a guideline is still needed on the application. Existential philosophy can be used as the bifocal to seek the truth behind the character. It can be used as the parameter to expose the intention of the writer in writing such work. Existentialism is a men-centered-philosophy and it praises freedom of choice while, also, exposes man reality of pain and sorrow. It will be reliable to be used as the spectacles to see character’sproblem.Writers’ problem can

also be discussed by this philosophy. Due to its versatility, existentialism can be applied in every angle of study to analyze literary work.

B. Review of Related Studies

This chapter contains previous studies related to other Dan Brown’s novel and other works that have been studied by using ideas of existentialism. It might not directly relate to the novel, but theoretical wise, such notions have been used by some researcher. This chapter will mostly show other works of Dan Brown and other

55_{H. W. Nordmeyer}

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To perform an immense project is burdensome. Nevertheless, Zobrist is willing to do it. He is at the disposal of mankind. It confirms his moral decency. He is not a madman. He is a man with a strong will to change the world. To be that kind of man is not an easy task. The moral value of this story is pictured in his bravery and his willingness to bear the responsibility.

Moreover, Zobrist undergoes alienation. He suffers from physical and

ideological alienation. Zobrist’s physical alienation is pictured by other’s decision to make him the enemy. He is chased by authorities, which force him to take refuge in a remote and unreachable area. He cuts all ties from the world he previously lives. His only friend is The Provost. After The Provost joins the authority, Zobrist is in

complete physical alienation. Furthermore, he also suffers from ideological

alienation. No one acknowledges his idea. Even when the evidence is obvious, no one supports his idea. His ideology is estranged. His idea is considered as a blasphemy for mankind, therefore he is a stranger.

In the end, Zobrist commits suicide. Based on theistic and atheistic credo suicide is a blasphemy. Theistic principles consider suicide as an act of confrontation towards God. Life sanctifies by the creator, therefore ending it means denying God’s existence. Based on theistic doctrine, suicide is a picture of a useless act for there is no other place except life. Suicide is frequently seen as a rejection of existence. Therefore it does not fit any existential teaching for its core dwells in men’s existence.

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However, unlike mundane suicide, Zobrist’s suicide does not resemble

refutation of life. He resembles fortitude of life rather than an attempt of obliterating desperation. Suicide is a blasphemy when death is taking for granted. However, Zobrist does not utilize death as a place to refuge from life. He utilizes it as a media to confirm his existence in life. Similar to Achilles, Zobrist considers death as a ride for immortality. He compares himself to Jesus, Martin Luther King, and Socrates. He believes that his death will not prevent him from life. He believes that death will make him even more alive.

Therefore, Zobrist suicide cannot be seen as an attempt to deny existence. It has to be seen as an effort to reinforce existence. The impact after the suicide is massive. Langdon, Sienna, The Provost and Sinsky are collaborating to unravel the puzzle left by Zobrist. Camus affirms that no one will able to advise the taste of death for death is indescribable. However, Zobrist’s suicide does not aim to surrender to the paradox. It strives for the immortality of his deed. Such notion is an illustration of absurd reasoning. He chooses to die in order to live forever.

Given all the existential deeds and the absurd reasoning, it can be concluded that he is an existential hero. He is an existential hero for he is insinuating

abandonment and alienation in his decision. He is an existential hero for he is able to give new meaning to death; he chooses to die in order to live forever. He abandons all optimism towards God and the authority. Therefore he decides to create a virus. It is an unfruitful reality that men are the root of the apocalypse. Thus, men should be the

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one who solves the problem, not God. Zobrist declares his stance. He chooses to take action even if all men pronounce him as a monster. He is a mad man, he is a savior.

Zobrist’s theological absurdity is a problem that worth further research. He is a true believer. However, he merits God and religion unlike typical believer. Hopefully, this thesis can be the entrance point of further study on existential being and absurd reasoning. Moreover, this study can be used as the entrance point to academically investigate Dan Brown’s novel sincethere are only few proper studies retained by Brown’s novel. In addition, this thesis is developed in order to increase awareness for philosophical problem akin to alienation and suicide.

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106

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The life and suicide of Bertrand Zobrist in dan Brown`s Inferno: an existentialist perspective.

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