http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEm0HSGgckk
Existentialism is thought to be a ‘flexible’ philosophy, and can be interpreted differently by any individual, there is no clear definition. Because of this, it can be found and interpreted in many ways. Existentialism can be identified in many different forms of media, such as music, literature, and film. But there are many themes that are commonly associated with and define existentialism. The eleven main existential themes are: absurdity, absolute systems, alienation, anxiety, forlornness, facticity, responsibility, authenticity, individuality, passion and engagement, and death. These existential themes are the basis of existentialism and define the beliefs and thoughts of existentialists. “In the End” by Linkin Park and The Stranger by Albert Camus both show the existential themes of absurdity, forlornness, and death. These pieces may not seem similar, as Linkin Park’s lyrics can seem obviously existential at some points, and Camus is more subtle with his existential approach, but there are many similarities between the two pieces, especially with the themes of absurdity, forlornness, and death.
A popular theme of existentialism shown in both pieces is absurdity. Absurdity is the belief that there is no real meaning to life, and some things just happen without any real meaning. Using the idea of absurdity is one way to interpret the chorus of “In the End.” “I tried so hard and got so far but in the end it doesn’t even matter” (Linkin Park 20-23). Effort, progress, belief, none of this has any real meaning. When it all ends, it didn’t mean anything. In The Stranger, Meursault showed absurdity when he yelled at the priest. “Nothing, nothing had the least importance and I knew quite well why. He, too, knew why…..And what difference could it make if, after being charged with murder, he were executed because he didn’t weep at his mother’s funeral, since it all came to the same thing in the end?” (Camus 121). Somewhere inside, everyone knows that there is no real meaning to anything. Everyone shares the same beginning and end of life, and everything in between is just a random occurrence of events. Both pieces show absurdity in the fact that whatever happens during life doesn’t mean anything when it all ends.
Forlornness is also an important topic in existentialism that is shown in The Stranger and by “In the End.” “Watch the time go right out the window trying to hold on, but you didn’t even know, I wasted it all just to watch you go, I kept everything inside, and even though I tried, it all fell apart.” (Linkin Park 13-19). This excerpt from “In the End,” strongly depicts forlornness. Someone left the singer, and they felt isolated, and realized that they were all alone. They tried to hide their emotions, but eventually lost it in the despair of being on their own. In The Stranger, Salamano was a great example of forlornness. He mistreated his dog, and then when he lost it, he had no idea what to do. “His life had changed now and he wasn’t too sure what he was going to do… and before he left he said, ‘I hope the dogs don’t bark tonight. I always think it’s mine.’” (Camus 45-46) After the dog disappeared, Salamano was lost. He became depressed and realized that he was truly on his own, and no one was there with him. In a way, everyone is alone. No one or anything is guaranteed to say with you forever. It could all change in a moment, causing a renewed sense of forlornness.
Another important existential theme is death, and it is shown in both of these pieces. Existentialists look at death as the biggest part of your life. By the end of The Stranger, Meursault had come to terms with death. “So close to death, Maman must have felt free then and ready to live it all again.” (Camus 122). This excerpt means that when death is imminent, people become at ease. When facing death, all feelings of responsibility and stress are lost, and all that is left is a sense of freedom and relaxation, and nothing matters anymore. With the song “In the End,” there is a portrayal of death just by looking at the title, as death is the end of life. Death is also another way to interpret the chorus: “I tried so hard and got so far but in the end it doesn’t even matter” (Linkin Park 20-23). This means that no matter what you do, no matter how well you do it, in the end (referring to death), it doesn’t make any difference. Everyone shares the same beginning of life through birth and the same conclusion through death, and everything in between does not matter. Whatever way it is looked at, death is the ultimate goal of life. Death is the only thing that everyone is guaranteed to experience after birth, so why not accept it.
Existentialism can be found everywhere from current music to classic books. It is a philosophy that has caught the eyes of many, especially since World War II. Maybe it became popular because it brought questions to simple things that no one thought about, or because religion or different philosophies, it doesn’t have set guidelines, or a paved path to follow. Or maybe because the life of an existentialist is truly in their hands, no ‘greater power’ determines their existence and who they are; existentialists have to find their own meaning without help. Everyone is virtually the same, sharing a life of isolation, trying to find meaning of an incomplete definition of existence up until the inevitable conclusion that is death.
World Studies World Literature 