No Exit

Unreliable characters and narrators are a staple of literature during and after World War II. This is partly because of the shift in philosophical thinking and approaches to life outlined in the Background section. Is it possible that one of the characters is lying and is an assigned torturer for the other two? Cite examples from the text to substantiate your argument. If you think all of the characters are being truthful, cite reasons as to why.

Anxiety and pessimism are very frequently found in works that deal with existentialist themes. This is also present in Sartre’s concept of the Look, where looking and being looked at can cause anxiety in a subject. Yet, in “Existentialism is a Humanism,” Sartre claims that existentialism is perhaps the most optimistic philosophy. How can that claim be reconciled with No Exit? Can the play be viewed in an optimistic light? Why or why not?

How does the scene in which Inez talks to Estelle through Garcin, who remains silent, reflect the play’s themes and symbols? In particular, what role do eyes and looking play in this scene? Does Estelle believe Inez’s answers to truly be Garcin’s?

Why does Garcin claim that “hell is other people” (46-47), yet choose to stay in the room with Estelle and Inez? If he wanted only Inez’s approval, why not leave the room with Inez and leave Estelle behind? Make sure to consider Sartre’s broader philosophies and the themes discussed within this guide.

How might the play be different if, say, each character had their own bedroom? Or if the room was decorated in a more human way, with mirrors and other human amenities? How would the interactions between the characters change if they could sleep or blink?

Why has Sartre chosen to deprive his characters of rest in the afterlife? What might this symbolize for each of their journeys? Consider each character’s secrets and backstory when deciding what lack of sleep and rest might mean for each.

Inez creates the idea of being a “lark-mirror,” lying to others as she reflects back their objective selves. What does the ability to be a “lark-mirror” do to the characters’ ability to trust one another? How might it complicate the idea of an objective self that exists independently of our subjective selves?

Would the experience in the room be as horrible for each character if there were only two of them? Consider each of the three possible two-character pairings and how their interactions would be different. What might Sartre be demonstrating about personal relationships with outside observers? How does this relate to the Look?