The Pursuit Of Existence;an Existentialist Interpretation Of The Benefactor

Susan Sontag, a household essayist, critic, novelist in American and even the worldliterature, is generally called “conscience of American public”. In1993, she was electedas the academician of American Academy of Arts and Letters. Her first novel TheBenefactor, composed after World War Two, establishes her style of writing in fictioncreation. This novel is deeply influenced by the existentialism prevailed in the twentiethcentury. From the perspective of existentialism, men are self-created by making freechoices and taking responsibilities. Those key features of existentialism such as therevelation of absurdity in life and the cry to pursue the authentic existence are clearlymanifested in this novel.So far, critical essays at home and abroad specializing in studying The Benefactorare rare. Susan Sontag’s novels seem tarnished under the brilliance of her theoreticalwritings. Most researchers only slightly mention them when elaborating her theoreticalideas. For instance, many critical essays, only taking The Benefactor as the illuminatingexample when stating her theories, or setting the novel only as a starting point, alwaystend to stay in her literary theoretical ideas rather than the novel itself. This thesis,adopting theoretical analysis and close reading, borrowing existentialist thoughts fromKierkegaard, Heidegger, Sartre, Camus, Simone de Beauvoir for reference, profoundlydissects Hippolyte, the hero in The Benefactor, getting aware of his absurd livingcircumstances, making free choices under the instructions from his dreams and takinghis responsibilities as a husband, a son and a social member, eventually fulfills hisspiritual travel to seek his authentic self. This thesis reckons that The Benefactor has areferential value for people who confront similar living situation in modern times:facing survival predicament, people still possess the freedom to choose, still can endowthe tragic and despairing life with meaning and value by making choices and takingresponsibilities.