Considering that I have already read No Exit in French as Huis Clos, it is difficult to reflect on the first 17 pages knowing what will happen next. The first few pages are very confusing; the first time I read them I had no idea that this was going to be a play about hell. The character’s initial reactions did not help with this understanding. Garcin seems to be very calm and care free. One of the first things he asks about is the torture, but upon finding out that there is no rack, he asks the valet about his toothbrush: “But, damn it all, they might have left me my toothbrush!” (4). I was surprised by his reaction; one would think that he would be more worried about being in the hell than the lack of his toothbrush.Reading the play for the first time, I got this feeling that Inez was not who she appeared to be. She seemed to know too much. At the time, I thought that Ines was a demon in disguise and that it was her job to turn the other two against each other. Inez would always seem to be inside the other people’s heads. In addition she claims that she has figured out why they are in hell. I believe that Inez already knew the answer and she was attempting to make herself look more innocent.
Sartre’s vision of Hell is very creative and untraditional. However, the more I thought about it the more it seemed to be a scary place. It is hard enough living with my siblings each day when I get home from school. I can’t imagine how bad it could get if I had to spend eternity in a room with nothing else in it but them and some chairs.
1 comment:
Ah yes, siblings! They can be hellish when you are a teenager, but it gets better. Your view of Inez is interesting. Her perception of her self and others is brutally clear and too honest. what might Sartre be saying through her character? I'd be interested to know what you think of this translation. Does any of the subtlety get lost?
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