Absurdism in Paul Bowles’s Let it Come down (1952)
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Date
2020-09
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Université Mouloud Mammeri Tizi Ouzou
Abstract
This research aims to study the issue of ‘absurdism’ in Paul Bowles’s Let it Come down
(1952) by making reference to Albert Camus’s theoretical concepts on the absurd and revolt,
included in “The Myth of Sisyphus” (1955) and “The Rebel” (1956). The main objective of this
dissertation is to expose the struggle of the modern man against his absurdist existence. First,
we have dealt with the conceptions of ‘meaninglessness’ and ‘purposelessness’ as the main
absurdist features that are represented within the novel. We have also discussed the concept of
‘alienation’ as an outcome of absurdism. Second, we have explored the way the protagonist of
the novel embraces the absurd, focusing mainly on the notions of ‘rebellion’ and ‘freedom’. As
a major result, this study reveals that absurdity still has a significant impact on the contemporary
man. For this reason, both the central and the secondary characters of the narrative fail at
grasping any meaning in their lives.
Description
30cm ; 56p.
Keywords
absurd, meaninglessness, purposelessness, alienation, rebellion, freedom.
Citation
Literature and Interdisciplinary Approaches