What makes a book existential for you? > Likes and Comments

Existentialist literature means different things to different readers.
For some, it’s the confrontation with meaninglessness; for others, it’s the search for inner freedom.

I’m curious — what element makes a book feel ‘existential’ to you?
A character? A question? A mood?

For me, it's a bit of all of it. A character should have some existential question/crisis in relation to his/her environment. This is why I really connected with Thomas Mann's short story, Tonio Kröger. This story also inspired my poetry and my life.

When Mann portrays Kröger as torn between two worlds, and his attempt to find some kind of life balance very much spoke to me and what I experienced in my mid 20s. Mann's ability to write in mood into the texture of the environment is extremely compelling. That trifecta really hit my soul.

Hi Raphael, thank you for this question :)

Brian, you made me want to read Thoman Mann- a book that " inspired your life", wow! must be good :)

Connecting mood with the environment is a beautiful aspect of great writing, I agree- we've discussed that Tolstoy does it, remember, Raphael?

So my opinion of existential book is this: "its a book that answers all your life questions"; both Russian and French classics accomplish this for me :))

Jasmine

I think its a journey of self exploration and asking questions that are truly ones own. Both meaninglessness and a search for freedom are important themes.

Martin wrote: "I think its a journey of self exploration and asking questions that are truly ones own. Both meaninglessness and a search for freedom are important themes."

Hi Martin :)

You meant "search for meaning", not "meaninglessness", surely..?

:)

Jasmine