Existentialism As A Philosophical Theory - 1511 Words

The New Oxford American Dictionary defines existentialism as â€Å"a philosophical theory or approach that emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible agent determining their own development through acts of the will†. Existentialist writings feature a protagonist that does or does not make their own life, their own way. Existentialism promotes the ideology that man’s actions are the only things that determine a person’s existence and that all events brought on by man are mutually exclusive and not the doing of coincidence or of any higher being. Existentialists are typically atheists, and existentialism heavily bases itself off of the ideas of isolation, alienation, and self-determination. Franz Kafka’s classic†¦show more content†¦This prediction illustrates the strictness of Gregor’s boss and his distrust of his workers calling in sick. The pressure of the doctor’s distrust forces Gregor to attempt t o get out of bed and go to work. Gregor also possesses self-determination stemming from the pressure he is under to financially provide for his parents. Gregor has much self-determination to succeed in his job. After his father’s business failed, it is revealed that, â€Å"Gregor s only concern at that time had been to arrange things so that they could all forget about it as quickly as possible. So then he started working especially hard, with a fiery vigour that raised him from a junior salesman to a travelling representative almost overnight, bringing with it the chance to earn money in quite different ways† (part 2). Gregor possesses self-determination to succeed for the sake of his family and to distract himself from his family’s previous financial crisis. He tries hard to earn promotions, and with promotions, the ability to take on new jobs and earn more money. The financial needs of his family inspire Gregor to work hard in his job and do the best that he can. Through his hard work, Gregor has been able to provide a life for his family, inspired by his own work ethic. After peering into the flat