Nausea
Novel
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Jean-Paul Sartre
Nausea Summary
Background:
Jean-Paul Sartre first named his book Melancholia. He got this name from a picture by Albrecht Dürer. His friend, Simone de Beauvoir, called the book his "Factum on Contingency." Sartre started writing it in 1932. He worked on it in the army and in Berlin. In Berlin, he read Husserl’s books but did not take classes. Sartre finished the second draft there. At first, the book was not acc...
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Nausea Theme
Themes:
Existence and Meaning: The book shows how life doesn't have a clear purpose or meaning. The main character, Roquentin, feels "nausea" when he realizes that everything just exists without reason. He learns that people must create their own meaning in life.
Freedom and Responsibility: Roquentin learns that people are free to make their own choices. But with this freedom comes responsibi...
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Nausea Characters
Major Characters:
Antoine Roquentin – Roquentin is the protagonist of Nausea
Ogier P. – Generally referred to as “The Self-Taught Man” of the Bouville library
Anny – An English woman who is Antoine Roquentin’s ex-lover
Monsieur Fasquelle – Monsieur Fasquelle owns the Café Mably
Minor Characters:
Lucie – Lucie is the charwoman (or cleaning lady) of the Hotel Printania, where Roquentin...
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Nausea Literary Device
Symbols/Symbolism:
Nausea: The feeling of nausea is a symbol of Roquentin’s realization that life has no meaning. It shows his discomfort with existence.
The Stone: When Roquentin picks up a stone and feels sick, the stone symbolizes how objects, and life itself, can feel meaningless and strange to him.
The Sea: The sea represents the vast and empty nature of existence. Roquentin feels lost...
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Nausea Quotations
Quotes:
“I am alone in the midst of these happy, reasonable voices.” (Chapter 2, Antoine Roquentin)
Explanation: Roquentin reflects on his loneliness, feeling disconnected from the people around him while sitting in a café and listening to conversations.
"I am alone in this white, garden-rimmed street. Alone and free." (Chapter 12, Antoine Roquentin)
Explanation: Roquentin walks through the st...
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Notes
Explore 9 detailed notes related to Nausea. Each note provides in-depth analysis, explanations, and critical insights.