What is absurdism?
Philosophical belief or literary genre that rejects the existence of purpose or meaning in life.
The Awesomely Absurd World of Creative Writing
As a creative writing professor, I love exploring the absurd nature of existence through the written word. Absurdism is a philosophical belief and literary genre that is characterized by the rejection of the existence of purpose or meaning in life.
In literature, absurdism often features strange or nonsensical situations, bizarre characters, and illogical plots that challenge our assumptions about the world. Through the use of humor, irony and satire, absurdism often seeks to comment on the absurdities and contradictions of the human condition.
For writers, embracing absurdism can be liberating. It allows us to break free from the constraints of traditional narrative structures and explore the full range of the human experience. By embracing the absurd, we can create truly unique and memorable stories that challenge and surprise our readers.
Just like English grammar and etymology, absurdism has had an impact on literature. Below are two well-known examples of how creative writers have embraced the philosophy of absurdism.
In Samuel Beckett's avant-garde play Waiting for Godot, two characters pass the time waiting for a person named Godot who never arrives, performing nonsensical and repetitive actions while having conversations that often lead nowhere, exploring themes of absurdism, existentialism and human condition.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, written by Douglas Adams, utilizes absurdism to explore themes of philosophy, science fiction and cosmic purposelessness by introducing a universe in which the earth is destroyed to make way for a hyperspace bypass and the protagonist unwittingly embarks on a series of space adventures.