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Existentialism & Culture

Sartre on Literature

Ion Georgiou explains the literary theories of a man who loved words.

“A writer writes to a great extent to be read (as for those who say they don’t, let us admire them but not believe them).” Albert Camus

It has been said of Monsieur Sartre – and it remains undoubtedly true – that the main difficulty one encounters upon an initial introduction to any of his works stems from his love of words. Indeed, Words is what he chose to entitle his autobiography. But a man who loves words also appreciates their power. Hence the problem is not that he uses too many or too few, but the more complex issue of quality in choice.

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