Article Open Access http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2024.11.014
Study of the Metaphor of Blindness in Sartre’s Existentialist View of Blindness
Xin Lin
Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University, Guangzhou 510665, Guangdong, China.
*Corresponding author: Xin Lin
Published: December 16,2024
Abstract
The 1998 Nobel Prize winner, Portuguese writer José Saramago's most important work Blindness describes a sudden plague of eye disease called "white evil" spreading uncontrollably among human beings and causing the gradual collapse of the social order of human society. Through a unique narrative technique, Saramago vividly portrays the horrific and chaotic consequences that ensue as people are stripped of one of their fundamental senses. This paper examines Blindness using the lens of Sartre's existentialist principles, particularly his view on "existence precedes essence", "human condemned to be free to choose" and "human needs to be responsible for the world when he creates his own self". By applying these three points of view, the paper analyzes and studies the metaphorical role of blindness as a profound symbol in the work. It relates it to broader social realities, offering reflections on the trajectory of human development and the moral implications of free choice.
References
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How to cite this paper
Study of the Metaphor of Blindness in Sartre's Existentialist View of Blindness
How to cite this paper: Xin Lin. (2024) Study of the Metaphor of Blindness in Sartre's Existentialist View of Blindness. Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science, 8(11), 2548-2552.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2024.11.014