Milan Kundera’s novel "The Joke" abounds in existentialist vocabulary and themes. His main character’s narrative is loaded with such expressions as choiceandexistence, self-deceptionorfreedom,which are sometimes even set in Italics. These are not just words, that Ludvik uses in his narrative, they are also made themes in themselves as well as reoccurring motifs - for example that of the ‘destruction of façades’. These themes are important, from the very beginning as we have the basic condition of someone ‘crossing the border’, which is not altogether dissimilar to Roquentin’s predicament in Sartre’sLa Nausée.
All situations, that Kundera’s characters find themselves in are existential, too, in such a way, that they require choices and a wholly new perspective on the past after the destruction of old value systems.It is therefore obvious that existentialist ideas must have influenced and inspired Kundera, and as Existentialism is in itself a philosophy that focuses greatly on perception and the possibility of self-knowledge, one could even propose to say, that its ideas are always also central to modern novel writing especially when we look at psychological novels and first-person narratives.
However, (I would argue that)The Joke is by no means an existentialist novel, as its approach to ideas is by no means direct, but playful as well as critical. This is why it is impossible, to say, that for example, the novel reflects on the nature of self-deception, and its main character is in ‘bad faith’. Such an approach, does not do the novel justice, and at this point it may well be worth remembering, that its author, too, resists such an attempt:
“My disgust for those who reduce a work to its ideas: my revulsion at being dragged into what they call ‘discussions of ideas.’ My despair at this era befogged with ideas and indifferent to works.” (Art of the Novel, p. 131).
Now, let me first quickly define, what I understand by ‘existentialist novel’ before we can then look at a few actual passages and maybe reach the above verdict.
Existentialists, like Sartre, have always used fiction to convey their ideas. According to Edith Kern, Simone de Beauvoir even thought of the novel as the most appropriate means of presenting existentialist thought: “The novel seemed to her [Simone de Beauvoir] particularly suited to the expression of existential insights which would seem contradictory if they were to be presented categorically and systematically.”
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Milan Kundera's Novel The Joke abounds in existentialist vocabulary and themes.
- It is therefore obvious that existentialist ideas must have influenced and inspired Kundera.
- However, (I would argue that) The Joke is by no means an existentialist novel, as its approach to ideas is by no means direct, but playful as well as critical.
- Existentialists, like Sartre, have always used fiction to convey their ideas.
- Kundera's comment on the difference between novelists and writer's can be read as a response to this issue.
- Therefore, Kundera's fiction cannot be a simple vehicle for existentialist ideas.
- It seems that Kundera is taking on existentialist ideas, presenting them as what they are – ideals.
- I have chosen, the following passage, to take a closer look at how existentialist ideas and vocabulary are referenced in The Joke.
- Here, we have one of those situations which I described as existential, as in this case there is nothing to be done about being with the ‘black insignia', and it is only a matter of choosing to accept it or choosing to rebel against it as well as realising that this choice is there to be made.
- The passage could almost be a perfect example for an 'existential illumination' in the way that it is built up, as the reference to nausea alludes first to the need for change, the feeling of being near the border right up until the realisation that there is no destiny, i.e. that a deterministic world picture is futile, and that it all depends on us, that we are responsible for ourselves.
- Yet at the same time it is not, for this picture is lacking something, the new attitude was only founded on 'reason and will', it cannot be accepted on an emotional level.
- The parallelism between communism and existentialist thinking in these passage also suggests that the last passage is again referring to both, namely that existentialist vocabulary, too, will soon be incomprehensible and that those ideas also led to his downfall but he cannot let go of them.
- Yet his downfall does not end there. On the level of existentialist ideas, Ludvik is not getting anywhere near solving his muddle; he does not really acknowledge the possibility of choice, as this passage may suggest, because he is always acting half-heartedly, out of necessity perhaps.
- The fact that so many expressions and words in The Joke are set in Italics also seems to support the assumption that these are not just words like any other, that make a fiction, but vocabulary, which is somehow external to the fiction or to life.
- The returning parable of the 'construction worker' (Kostka) and the 'destruction of facades' (Ludvik), is probably one of the strongest and most critical references to Nietzschean thought.
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This essay aims to analyse Milan Kundera’s novel *The Joke* to determine whether the novel can be categorized as an existentialist work. The essay will consider the presence of existentialist themes and vocabulary, comparing them to the broader context of the novel’s narrative, and analyzing the author’s own views on the relationship between ideas and fiction.
- The interplay of existentialist themes and vocabulary in *The Joke*
- The relationship between ideas and fiction in Kundera’s work
- The role of choice and self-deception in the novel
- The comparison between existentialist ideas and communist ideology
- The use of motifs and the juxtaposition of contrasting perspectives
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The essay begins by observing the prevalence of existentialist themes and vocabulary in *The Joke*, highlighting expressions like "choice," "existence," "self-deception," and "freedom." It suggests that these concepts are not merely present but actively explored as recurring motifs, particularly the "destruction of facades." This observation is further emphasized by the main character’s experience "crossing the border," which resonates with the existential crisis portrayed in Sartre’s *La Nausée*.
Despite the presence of these existentialist elements, the essay argues that *The Joke* cannot be definitively classified as an existentialist novel due to its playful and critical approach to ideas. The author’s own comments on the relationship between ideas and fiction, emphasizing the novelist’s focus on exploring existence and revealing unknown aspects, solidify this argument. The essay then delves into the specific passage on page 70/71 of the novel, analyzing the protagonist Ludvik’s struggle with his “black insignia” and his attempt to find meaning beyond political dogma.
The essay concludes this section by comparing the protagonist’s existential journey with his communist ideology, demonstrating how both systems fail to provide ultimate meaning. It further explores the use of italics in the novel, suggesting that existentialist vocabulary is presented as separate from the fictional narrative and ultimately rendered ineffective. Finally, the essay highlights the motif of the "construction worker" and the "destruction of facades," linking it to Nietzschean thought and emphasizing the critical nature of the novel’s exploration of values.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The essay focuses on the themes of existentialism, choice, self-deception, freedom, and the destruction of facades. It analyzes the relationship between ideas and fiction, particularly in the context of Milan Kundera's *The Joke*, exploring the author's perspective on novelists and writers. The essay also delves into the interplay of existentialist vocabulary and themes within a narrative context, comparing them to the broader societal and political realities of the time.
- Quote paper
- MPhil Rebecca Steltner (Author), 2002, Milan Kundera – a modern existentialist? Or: Why "The Joke" is not an existential novel, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/67821
