Literature in Crisis: Understanding Modernism and Its Literary Movements

This blog is written as part of an assignment given by Magha Ma’am, focusing on the study of Modernism and its related literary and artistic movements. While studying modern literature, I realized that writers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were deeply affected by rapid industrialization, urban life, scientific developments, and the destruction caused by world wars. These changes created confusion, anxiety, and a loss of faith in traditional values and beliefs. Rather than offering comfort or clear answers, modern literature reflects the uncertainty and complexity of human existence. This sense of crisis led to the emergence of important movements such as Modernism, Stream of Consciousness, Expressionism, Absurdism, Surrealism, Postmodernism, Dada, the Comedy of Menace, and the Avant-Garde. Through this blog, I attempt to understand these movements in simple language and explain how literature uses new forms and ideas to express inner conflict, emotional struggle, and the search for meaning in a changing modern world.

1) What is Modernism?

Modernism is a literary and cultural movement that emerged in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, mainly as a reaction against traditional ways of thinking, writing, and representing reality. For me, Modernism represents a sense of break a break from the past, from fixed meanings, and from the belief that life is orderly and predictable. Modernist writers felt that the old forms of art could no longer express the confusion, anxiety, and fragmentation of the modern world shaped by industrialization, urban life, and World Wars.

Rather than offering clear answers, Modernism explores uncertainty, inner conflict, and the complexity of human experience. It focuses more on how people feel and think than on what simply happens.

Characteristics of Modernism

1. Break from Tradition

Modernism rejects traditional literary forms, fixed plots, and moral certainty. Writers experiment with new styles because old conventions feel inadequate to represent modern life.

2. Fragmentation

Modernist works often appear broken or disjointed. This reflects the fragmented nature of modern existence, where life no longer feels whole or meaningful in a simple way.

3. Focus on Inner Consciousness

Instead of external action, Modernism emphasizes the inner mind—thoughts, memories, emotions, and psychological states. Techniques like stream of consciousness show how the mind actually works.

4. Sense of Alienation

Modernist characters often feel isolated, disconnected, and lonely. This alienation comes from living in a rapidly changing world where traditional values no longer offer comfort.

5. Loss of Certainty and Meaning

Modernism questions absolute truth, religion, and moral stability. Life is presented as ambiguous, and meaning is something individuals must search for on their own.

6. Experimental Language and Style

Modernist writers play with language, symbolism, and structure. Their writing can be complex, indirect, and open to multiple interpretations.

In my understanding, Modernism does not try to comfort the reader; instead, it mirrors the confusion of modern life. It challenges us to think deeply, question everything, and confront the uncertainty that defines human existence.

2) Stream of Consciousness: Writing the Mind as It Thinks

Stream of consciousness is a narrative technique that tries to capture the inner life of the human mind the constant flow of thoughts, memories, emotions, and sensations that move through our consciousness every moment. Unlike traditional storytelling, it does not follow a clear plot or logical order. Instead, it reflects how thoughts actually occur: irregular, fragmented, and deeply personal.

While reading Modernist texts, I felt that stream of consciousness is less about what happens and more about how it is experienced. A small external event a sound, a word, a glance can suddenly trigger memories from the past or emotional reactions that have nothing to do with the present moment. Time collapses, and the mind moves freely between past and present.

Modernist writers used this technique because they believed that external reality alone cannot express human truth. The real drama of life happens inside the mind. To show this, writers often abandon conventional grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure, allowing thoughts to flow in a raw and unfiltered way.

Writers like James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and William Faulkner masterfully use stream of consciousness to reveal psychological depth. In Ulysses, Joyce presents thoughts exactly as they appear, sometimes without punctuation. In Mrs Dalloway, Woolf smoothly shifts between characters’ minds, showing how memory and emotion shape identity. Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury uses this technique to portray mental confusion and emotional trauma.

For me, stream of consciousness makes reading more intimate but also challenging. It demands patience from the reader, yet it rewards us with a deeper understanding of human complexity. It perfectly reflects the Modernist belief that life is uncertain, fragmented, and understood subjectively rather than objectively.

3) Expressionism: Giving Voice to Inner Feelings

Expressionism is a literary and artistic movement that focuses on expressing inner emotions rather than showing external reality. Instead of describing the world as it appears, Expressionism shows the world as it is felt—distorted by fear, anxiety, anger, or confusion. For me, Expressionism feels like an art of emotional truth, where feelings matter more than facts.

This movement developed in the early twentieth century, especially in Germany, during a time of war, social unrest, and rapid change. Artists and writers felt that traditional realism could not capture the emotional pain and psychological tension of modern life. As a result, Expressionist works often appear intense, exaggerated, and sometimes disturbing.

Examples of Expressionism

• Art: Edvard Munch’s painting The Scream is a famous example. The distorted face and swirling background visually express intense fear and inner panic rather than a realistic scene.

• Drama: German Expressionist plays like Georg Kaiser’s From Morn to Midnight show characters as types rather than individuals, highlighting emotional and social struggle.

• Literature: Franz Kafka’s works, especially The Metamorphosis, reflect Expressionist ideas. Gregor Samsa’s transformation into an insect symbolizes alienation and inner despair.

• Film: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari uses twisted sets and dark shadows to reflect madness and psychological disturbance.

Why Expressionism Matters

Expressionism helps us understand how deeply modern life affects the human mind. It reminds us that reality is not only what we see outside, but also what we feel inside. For students, Expressionism is important because it teaches us to read emotions, symbols, and psychological meaning rather than only events.

4) Absurdism: Living in a Meaningless World

Absurdism is a philosophical and literary idea that explores the conflict between the human desire to find meaning in life and the silence or indifference of the universe. In simple words, Absurdism says that humans keep searching for purpose, logic, and order, but the world does not give clear answers. This clash between our expectations and reality creates what is called “the absurd.”

For me, Absurdism does not say that life is hopeless. Instead, it shows that life is confusing and strange, and we must learn to live with this confusion rather than escape from it.

Examples of Absurdism

• Albert Camus – The Myth of Sisyphus: Sisyphus is punished to push a rock up a hill forever, only for it to roll back down. Camus uses this to show the absurd condition of human life and argues that we must imagine Sisyphus as happy.

• Samuel Beckett – Waiting for Godot: Two characters wait endlessly for someone who never arrives. Their waiting symbolizes the human search for meaning in a world that offers none.

• Everyday Life Example: Repeating the same routine daily while still questioning the purpose of life reflects the absurd experience.

Why Absurdism Matters

Absurdism helps us face reality honestly. It teaches that even if life has no fixed meaning, we can still choose how to live, rebel against meaninglessness, and find freedom in acceptance.

5) Surrealism: Exploring the World of Dreams

Surrealism is a literary and artistic movement that focuses on the unconscious mind, dreams, and imagination. Instead of showing reality as it appears in daily life, Surrealism presents a strange, dream-like world where logic does not apply. For me, Surrealism feels like a bridge between reality and dreams, where the impossible becomes possible.

The movement developed in the early twentieth century, influenced by Sigmund Freud’s theories about the unconscious mind. Surrealist writers and artists believed that true creativity comes from freeing the mind from rational control and social rules.

Surrealism encourages us to think beyond logic and reason. It shows that imagination, dreams, and hidden desires shape human experience as much as reality does. For students, Surrealism opens new ways of understanding creativity and the human mind.

6) Postmodernism: Questioning Truth and Breaking the Rules

Postmodernism is a literary and cultural movement that questions the ideas of fixed truth, absolute meaning, and grand explanations about life, history, and reality. If Modernism tried to find meaning in a broken world, Postmodernism goes one step further and asks: Is there any single meaning at all? For me, Postmodernism feels playful yet critical it does not give final answers but keeps questioning everything.

Postmodern writers believe that reality is constructed through language, culture, and perspective. What we accept as “truth” depends on who is telling the story. As a result, Postmodern works often blur the line between fact and fiction.

Postmodernism teaches us to be critical readers and thinkers. It reminds us that meaning is not fixed but created through interpretation. For students, it encourages questioning authority, embracing multiple perspectives, and enjoying creativity without rigid rules.

7) Modernism: Searching for Meaning in a Changing World

Modernism is a literary and cultural movement that developed in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, during a time of rapid change, industrial growth, and world wars. Traditional beliefs, social values, and artistic forms began to feel outdated. For me, Modernism represents a sense of break from the past and an attempt to understand life in a world that no longer feels stable or certain.

Modernist writers believed that old ways of storytelling could not express the confusion, anxiety, and complexity of modern life. Instead of focusing only on external events, they turned inward to explore human thoughts, emotions, and psychological struggles.

Modernism helps us understand how deeply historical and social changes affect human thinking. It shows that life is not always logical or orderly, and meaning must often be created by individuals themselves. For students, Modernism teaches us to question tradition, explore inner reality, and accept uncertainty as part of human experience.

8) Dada Movement: Art Without Rules

The Dada Movement was an artistic and literary movement that began around 1916 during World War I. It started in Zurich, Switzerland, as a reaction against war, violence, and the strict rules of traditional art. For me, Dada feels like a loud protest a way of saying that when the world itself makes no sense, art should not try to make sense either.

Dada artists believed that logic, reason, and traditional values had failed humanity, especially because they had led to war. So instead of creating “beautiful” or meaningful art, Dadaists created works that were absurd, random, and shocking.

The Dada Movement teaches us that art does not always have to be serious or meaningful. Sometimes, rejecting meaning itself becomes a powerful message. For students, Dada helps us question authority, tradition, and the idea that art must follow rules.

9) Comedy of Menace: When Laughter Feels Uncomfortable

The Comedy of Menace is a type of modern drama where humor is mixed with fear, tension, and a sense of threat. The audience laughs, but at the same time feels uneasy, because something dangerous or disturbing seems to exist beneath the comedy. For me, Comedy of Menace feels like laughing in a dark room—you are amused, but you are never fully relaxed.

The term is closely associated with the plays of Harold Pinter, who showed how ordinary situations can suddenly become threatening. In these plays, danger is not always visible or explained clearly. Instead, it is suggested through silence, pauses, strange dialogue, and power struggles between characters.

Examples of Comedy of Menace

• Harold Pinter – The Birthday Party: A simple birthday celebration turns frightening when mysterious strangers arrive.

• Harold Pinter – The Dumb Waiter: Two men wait in a room, receiving strange orders, creating tension and dark humor.

• Everyday Example: A casual conversation where polite words hide anger or threat reflects the idea of menace beneath normal behavior.

10) Avant-Garde Movement: Art That Dares to Be Different

The Avant-Garde Movement refers to art, literature, and ideas that are bold, experimental, and ahead of their time. The term avant-garde comes from a French word meaning “advance guard,” which suggests artists who move forward before others and challenge what is considered normal or acceptable. For me, Avant-Garde represents the courage to break rules and question tradition.

Avant-Garde artists believed that traditional forms of art could no longer express the realities of the modern world. So they experimented with new styles, shocking themes, and unconventional techniques. Their work often confused or disturbed audiences, but it opened new paths for creativity.

The Avant-Garde Movement encourages creativity without fear. It reminds students that art is not just about following rules but about inventing new ways of expression. Many ideas that once seemed strange later became influential and widely accepted.

Rewriting Biography: Gender and Inner Life in Orlando

This blog is as a thinking activity assigned by Prakruti Ma'am. 

Through this blog I reflect my understanding on Virginia Woolf's Orlando - A Biography.

Virginia Woolf’s Orlando is a modernist novel that challenges traditional ideas of biography, gender, and identity. Through the extraordinary life of its protagonist, who lives across centuries and changes gender, Woolf explores how identity is shaped not by biology alone but by time, society, and cultural expectations. This blog examines one selected chapter from Orlando and uses an AI image generator to visually interpret Orlando’s gender and clothing in that chapter. By translating Woolf’s literary description into a visual form, the blog aims to understand how clothing and gender function as symbols of social identity and inner continuity in the novel.

1) What is “Stream of Consciousness”?

Stream of Consciousness is a narrative technique that shows the continuous flow of a character’s thoughts, feelings, memories, and perceptions as they occur in the mind.

Instead of focusing only on external actions, the writer enters the inner mental world of the character. Thoughts may appear fragmented, associative, or non-linear, just like real human thinking.

Virginia Woolf uses this technique because she believed that human reality exists more in the mind than in outward events.

How has Woolf employed Stream of Consciousness in Orlando?

In Orlando, Woolf does not use stream of consciousness in a very dense or confusing way (like in Mrs Dalloway). Instead, she blends it with fantasy and biography, making it accessible and playful.

1. Focus on Orlando’s Inner Life
   Woolf often shifts from external events such as Orlando changing clothes, travelling, or living through centuries to Orlando’s thoughts about identity, time, love, and gender.
   The novel moves freely inside Orlando’s mind, showing how identity is fluid and evolving.

2. Fluid Sense of Time
   Orlando lives for more than three centuries, yet time flows according to mental experience rather than clock time.
   This reflects stream of consciousness because inner time (psychological time) matters more than historical time.

3. Gender and Self-Reflection
   When Orlando changes from man to woman, Woolf focuses not on physical shock but on Orlando’s thoughts and perceptions.
   The character reflects inwardly, showing that consciousness remains continuous, even when gender changes. This emphasizes Woolf’s idea that identity is mental, not fixed.

4. Narrator and Mind Movement
   The narrator frequently comments on Orlando’s thoughts, moods, and shifting emotions. This creates a sense that the reader is moving inside Orlando’s consciousness, not just watching from outside.

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Why is this Technique Important in Orlando?

Through stream of consciousness, Woolf:

• Challenges fixed identity

• Shows gender as psychological and social, not biological

• Breaks traditional linear biography

• Emphasizes inner truth over external facts

2)What did the literary movement of The New Biography emphasize?

The New Biography was a modernist literary movement (early 20th century) that reacted against traditional biographies, which focused only on facts, dates, and achievements.

Writers like Virginia Woolf believed that such biographies failed to capture the true essence of a person.

The New Biography emphasized:

• Inner life and psychology rather than just external events

• Subjective truth instead of absolute factual accuracy

• Imagination and creativity along with facts

• Fluid identity, not a fixed personality

• The idea that a human life cannot be fully explained through documents alone

Woolf famously argued that biography should show “the life of the mind”, not just the life on paper.

How can we discuss The New Biography in the context of Orlando?

The New Biography in the Context of Orlando:

Virginia Woolf’s Orlando is an important example of The New Biography, a modernist literary movement that challenged traditional life-writing. The New Biography moves away from factual accuracy and emphasizes inner life, psychological truth, imagination, and subjectivity. In Orlando, Woolf experiments with the form of biography to show that a human life cannot be fully represented through documents, dates, and historical records alone.

Orlando as a Parody of Traditional Biography:

Woolf presents Orlando as a biography, but she deliberately parodies its conventions.

• The novel includes a biographer-like narrator.

• It refers to historical events and periods.

• Portraits and documents are mentioned to create realism.

• Orlando lives for more than three hundred years.

• Orlando changes gender.

• Historical accuracy is openly mocked.

Through these exaggerations, Woolf exposes the limitations of traditional biography and suggests that facts alone cannot explain a person’s life, which is central to The New Biography.

Emphasis on Inner Truth over Factual Detail:

Instead of focusing on dates, achievements, and public events, Woolf shifts attention to Orlando’s inner experience. The novel explores Orlando’s thoughts, emotions, creative struggles, and changing self-awareness. By privileging psychological depth over factual detail, Woolf reflects the New Biography’s belief that inner truth is more meaningful than external record.

• Focus on thoughts rather than events

• Emotional growth instead of achievements

• Psychological development over historical accuracy

Fluid Identity and Selfhood:

Traditional biographies assume that identity is fixed and stable, but Orlando challenges this idea. Orlando’s identity is shown as fluid, layered, and influenced by time, gender, and society. Even after the gender transformation, Orlando’s consciousness remains continuous, suggesting that personality is not biologically fixed.

• Identity changes with time and society

• Gender does not alter consciousness

• Selfhood is layered, not singular

Blending Fact, Fiction, and Fantasy:

Woolf intentionally blurs the boundary between reality and imagination in Orlando. She combines real historical figures with fictional events and fantastical elements. This blending allows Woolf to reveal emotional and psychological truths that strict documentation cannot express.

• Use of real historical settings

• Inclusion of fantasy and imagination

• Truth presented through creativity, not facts

Woolf’s Personal and Subjective Vision:

Orlando is inspired by Woolf’s relationship with Vita Sackville-West, making the novel personal and reflective. This emotional involvement transforms biography into a subjective form rather than an objective record. Woolf suggests that personal vision can capture the essence of a life more truthfully than detached narration.

Through Orlando, Virginia Woolf redefines biography as a form that values inner reality over factual accuracy. By mixing parody, imagination, and psychological insight, she demonstrates that a human life cannot be confined to dates, gender categories, or historical facts.

While reading Orlando, I realized that Woolf is less interested in recording events and more focused on showing how identity is experienced from within.

 

3) How, according to Woolf, do men and women experience the world differently?

Different Social Freedom and Authority:

Virginia Woolf shows that men and women experience the world differently mainly because society grants men greater freedom and authority. In Orlando, when Orlando lives as a man, he enjoys independence, social respect, and legal power. He can move freely in public spaces, speak without hesitation, and pursue ambition without social judgment. This reflects how patriarchal society privileges male experience and allows men to feel confident and secure in the world.

Restrictions and Expectations for Women:

When Orlando becomes a woman, her experience of the same world changes drastically. She faces social restrictions, moral expectations, and constant observation. Woolf highlights how women are expected to be modest, obedient, and dependent. Female Orlando becomes more cautious and self-aware, not because of inner weakness, but because society imposes limitations on women’s behaviour and freedom.

Are these differences the result of biology or social practice?:

Continuity of Consciousness

Woolf clearly suggests that gendered differences are not biological. When Orlando changes sex, the character’s inner consciousness, memory, creativity, and personality remain the same. This continuity proves that the mind and soul are not determined by biological sex. Woolf uses this idea to challenge the belief that men and women are naturally or mentally different.

Society Shapes Gendered Experience

What truly changes after Orlando’s transformation is how society treats her. As a woman, Orlando is judged differently, restricted legally, and expected to behave according to social norms. This shows that gendered experience is shaped by social conditioning and cultural practice, not by nature.

Clothing as a Symbol of Social Control

Woolf uses clothing to symbolize how gender roles are constructed. The clothes Orlando wears determine how others respond to her. Although her identity remains unchanged, different clothes lead to different social treatment. This reinforces Woolf’s argument that gender is performed and socially enforced, rather than biologically fixed.

Woolf’s Feminist Vision in Orlando:

Critique of Patriarchal Structures

Through Orlando’s dual experience, Woolf critiques the patriarchal system that limits women’s opportunities. She suggests that women’s supposed inferiority is not natural but created by historical, legal, and economic inequalities. Orlando becomes a feminist experiment that exposes the unfair distribution of power between genders.

Through Orlando, Virginia Woolf argues that men and women do not experience the world differently because of biology, but because society assigns them different roles, freedoms, and expectations. By allowing one character to live as both man and woman, Woolf powerfully reveals how gender is a social construct rather than a natural destiny.

While reading Orlando, I understood that Woolf is not dividing men and women as opposites, but questioning the system that creates inequality between them.

4)   Chapter 4 – Orlando as a Woman in the Victorian Age

Orlando appears as a woman living in the Victorian era, dressed in heavy, restrictive clothing typical of the time. She wears a long, layered gown with a tightly fitted corset, high collar, and full skirts that limit her movement. 

The fabric is dark and formal, symbolizing social restraint. Her posture is graceful yet constrained, reflecting how society controls women’s behaviour. Despite the elaborate dress, her face remains thoughtful and intelligent, suggesting that her inner consciousness is unchanged. 

The setting includes a Victorian interior with subdued lighting, emphasizing social order, propriety, and gender expectations. The image should convey the contrast between Orlando’s free inner self and the restrictive female clothing imposed by society, as depicted in Virginia Woolf’s Orlando.

 “Nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes it’s awful.”
 

 - Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot

The present blog is based on a classroom task which is assigned by Dr. Dilip Barad Sir that required viewing critical videos related to existentialism.

This blog reflects on the major themes discussed in the videos, raises five thought-provoking questions inspired by them, identifies my favourite video with reasons, and finally examines the key learning outcomes derived from this analytical exercise

Video 1: What Is Existentialism?

I am impressed by this video because it does not treat existentialism as a difficult or distant philosophy. Instead, it connects philosophical ideas directly to real human experiences like freedom, anxiety, despair, faith, and personal choice. The explanation of the Existential Triangle individuality, freedom, and passions helped me understand how these ideas are interconnected in everyday life. The video also impressed me because it does not give ready-made answers; it encourages the viewer to think independently and question the influence of society or the “herd.” Most importantly, it presents difficult emotions such as anguish and despair not as weaknesses, but as signs of an authentic and conscious life. This honest and personal approach made the philosophy feel relevant, meaningful, and deeply thought-provoking.

Video 2: The Myth of Sisyphus: The Absurd Reasoning (Feeling of the Absurd)

Why I Am Impressed by The Myth of Sisyphus

I am impressed by Albert Camus’s The Myth of Sisyphus because it dares to ask the most honest and uncomfortable question: is life worth living? Instead of avoiding this question or covering it with comforting beliefs, Camus faces it directly and seriously.

What impresses me most is Camus’s idea that the absence of meaning does not automatically lead to suicide. This challenges a common assumption that life must have a purpose to be worth living. His argument feels bold and refreshing because it refuses easy conclusions and emotional reactions.

I am also impressed by how Camus explains the feeling of the absurd. He shows that absurdity is not something distant or rareit begins when we stop living mechanically and start thinking. This made me reflect on my own daily routine and question how often I truly live consciously.

Another reason I am impressed is Camus’s intellectual honesty. He does not offer false hope, religious comfort, or ready-made answers. Instead, he encourages us to stay with the problem and examine it logically. This commitment to truth, even when it is uncomfortable, makes his philosophy powerful.

Finally, I am impressed by Camus’s suggestion that continuing to live in full awareness of life’s absurdity is itself a form of courage. Rather than escaping through death, he proposes facing life as it is. This idea transforms existence from something meaningless into something deeply human.

Video 3: The Myth of Sisyphus: the notion of philosophical suicide 

Why This Impressed Me

This report impressed me because it explains Albert Camus’ idea of the absurd in a very clear and engaging way. It shows that the absurd is not something inside humans or the world alone, but a conflict between our search for meaning and the silence of the universe.

I was especially impressed by the explanation of philosophical suicide. The report clearly explains why Camus criticizes thinkers like Kierkegaard. Instead of living with the absurd, they escape it by taking a leap of faith. Camus believes this destroys intellectual honesty, and this idea made me rethink how people often choose comfort over truth.

Another strong point is the use of simple, everyday examples, such as routine moments in daily life, to explain complex philosophical ideas. This makes the philosophy easier to understand and more relatable.

The report also impressed me because it focuses on choosing truth over comfort. It does not give false hope or easy answers but encourages us to face reality honestly.

Overall, I am impressed because the report stays true to Camus’ philosophy. It teaches us that the absurd is not something to escape from, but something we must accept and live with consciously.

Video 4: Dadaism, Nihilism and Existentialism

I am impressed by this piece because it challenges the common belief that Dadaism was meaningless or purely chaotic. Instead, it presents Dada as a powerful and conscious response to the violence and moral failure of World War I. The essay explains how Dada was not about destruction for its own sake, but about questioning false values and creating space for new ways of thinking. I am especially impressed by how it connects Dadaism with philosophy, language, and existentialism, showing its deeper intellectual purpose. The strong language and thoughtful arguments make the movement feel relevant even today, which makes the essay engaging and impactful.

Video 5: Existentialism - a gloomy philosophy 

I am impressed by this writing because it completely changes the way existentialism is usually misunderstood. Instead of presenting it as a dark or pessimistic philosophy, it explains existentialism as a source of strength, courage, and liberation. The idea that despair is a diagnostic rather than the final condition is especially powerful—it shows that confronting suffering is the first step toward meaningful action. I also admire how the text emphasizes responsibility and choice, making freedom feel serious and purposeful rather than careless. Overall, this piece makes existentialism feel relevant, hopeful, and deeply human, not gloomy or detached from real life.

Video 6: Existentialism and Nihilism: Is it one and the same?

I am impressed by “Beyond the Void: Why Existentialism is the Antidote to Nihilism” because it completely changed the way I look at existentialism. Instead of presenting it as dark or depressing, the essay shows it as a philosophy of courage and resistance. What affected me most is the idea that meaninglessness is not something to fear but something that calls us to act. The discussion of individuality in Kierkegaard, value-creation in Nietzsche, and rebellion in Camus made me realize that existentialism places responsibility back into human hands. I especially connect with the contrast between passive acceptance and active rebellion, because it reflects how easy it is today to feel tired, detached, or powerless. Rather than encouraging despair, this essay motivates the reader to confront the void and choose engagement, struggle, and self-creation. That empowering message is what truly impressed me.

Video 7: Let us introduce Existentialism again!

I am impressed by this essay because it speaks honestly about the feeling of being lost in modern life. Instead of treating confusion as a problem, it shows it as the starting point of self-understanding. The idea that we must create our own meaning feels heavy, but also empowering. It made me reflect on how often we follow social expectations instead of making conscious choices for ourselves. This essay does not offer easy comfort, but it encourages courage, responsibility, and authenticity, which is why it left a strong impression on me.

Video 8: Explain like I'm Five: Existentialism and Nietzsche:

It questions authority you’ve grown up accepting, names the discomfort behind “because I said so,” and gives that rebellion an intellectual voice. It doesn’t comfort you with easy morality it challenges you to think about freedom, responsibility, and power in an unsettling way.

Most of all, it trusts you as a reader. It assumes you’re strong enough to sit with uncomfortable ideas instead of rejecting them outright. That mix of recognition, challenge, and honesty is what makes it stay with you and why it impresses you.

Video 9: Why I like Existentialism? Eric Dodson

I am impressed by this video because it explains existentialism in a very simple and relatable way. The video highlights how existentialism focuses on individual freedom, personal choice, and responsibility, which feels very relevant to modern life. It made me realise that meaning in life is not given by society, religion, or fate, but is something each person has to create for themselves. I was especially impressed by the idea that even though life can seem meaningless or uncertain, humans still have the power to choose their actions and shape their identity. The video encouraged me to think deeply about my own decisions, passions, and individuality, which is why it left a strong impact on me.

Video 10: Let us sum up: From Essentialism to Existentialism

I am impressed by this video because it explains a complex philosophical idea   existentialism — in a way that is easy to understand and engaging. The video challenges the traditional belief that life has a predetermined purpose and instead shows how people can create their own meaning through their choices and actions. This idea of freedom and responsibility really stood out to me because it makes you think deeply about how your own decisions shape who you are — rather than just following what others expect. The way the video contrasts essentialism with existentialism and highlights concepts like authentic living and the importance of choosing your own values made the topic feel personally relevant and inspiring. Overall, it helped me see that even in a world without inherent meaning, we can give our lives purpose through the way we choose to live.

Five Thought-Provoking Questions (with Reasons)

1. If life has no fixed meaning, how far am I truly responsible for creating my own purpose?
   This question provokes my thinking because existentialism repeatedly stresses freedom along with responsibility. It made me reflect on whether I genuinely take responsibility for my choices or quietly rely on society, tradition, or circumstances to define my life.

2. Is choosing comfort through belief or routine a form of escape from truth, as Camus suggests?
   This question challenges my everyday habits. It made me think about how often people (including myself) prefer comforting explanations rather than facing uncertainty and discomfort honestly.

3. Can despair and anxiety be signs of awareness rather than weakness?
   This question provokes my thoughts because existentialist thinkers treat suffering as meaningful. It made me reconsider negative emotions not as failures, but as indicators that a person is thinking deeply and living consciously.

4. What does it mean to live authentically in a world full of social pressure and expectations?
   This question forced me to reflect on my own life choices—how many are truly mine, and how many are shaped by fear of judgment, success standards, or social approval.

5. Is rebellion against meaninglessness an act of courage or simply another way to cope with life?
   This question emerged from Camus and Nietzsche. It made me think about whether rebellion and value-creation are genuine acts of strength or necessary responses to the silence of the universe.

Learning Outcomes from This Blog

Through this blog and the related videos, I gained several important learning outcomes:

• I developed a clear understanding of existentialism as a philosophy focused on individual freedom, choice, responsibility, and authenticity rather than pessimism.

• I learned that meaning is not discovered but created, and that human beings must actively participate in shaping their identity and values.

• I understood Albert Camus’s idea of the absurd and how accepting it honestly is different from escaping it through religion or blind hope.

• I learned to differentiate between existentialism and nihilism, realizing that existentialism responds to meaninglessness with action, responsibility, and courage.

• Most importantly, I learned to view confusion, despair, and anxiety as starting points for self-reflection, not as signs of failure.

Overall, this blog helped me see existentialism not just as a philosophical theory, but as a practical way of understanding life, freedom, and personal responsibility in the modern world.