Nausea

Jean-Paul Sartre's Nausea (1938) is a seminal work in existentialist

literature, exploring profound themes of existence, freedom, and the absurdity of
human life. It is a philosophical novel that follows Antoine Roquentin, a lonely
historian living in the fictional town of Bouville, who experiences a growing sense
of alienation and discomfort with the world around him. As Roquentin grapples
with the realization of the sheer contingency of existence, he experiences physical
sensations of nausea, a metaphor for his existential awakening. Below is a critical
analysis of the novel's major themes and philosophical ideas.
Summary
Antoine Roquentin, a historian living in Bouville, France, begins a diary to help
him explain the strange and sickening sensations that have been bothering him for
the previous few days. He is not sure what exactly is wrong with him, often
doubting if there is any need to keep a diary at all. Nevertheless, a few days later,
he is so overcome with what he calls Nausea, that he begins to furiously list every
insignificant fact, detail, feeling, and impression occurring both inside himself and
the outside world. He holds a stone, looks at a glass of beer, and tries to touch a
soggy piece of paper in the street—each time sensing a worrisome and
overwhelming presence.
For the past ten years, Roquentin has been researching the Marquis de Rollebon, a
French aristocrat who lived during the French Revolution. Rollebon was originally
from Bouville so Roquentin moved there to complete his research and write a book
about him. But his feelings of Nausea soon extend to his research. Whenever he
looks in a mirror, he is not sure if he sees his face or Rollebon's. He soon loses
interest in his work, realizing that he can never understand Rollebon as if he were
still alive. Roquentin feels constrained by the past, choosing instead to live in the
present.
Roquentin begins to understand that his feelings of Nausea have something to do
with the question of existence. He realizes that he has been using Rollebon and the
past in general to justify his existence. Roquentin defiantly asserts his existence,
claiming that everyone else he sees is afraid to acknowledge that they exist.
Focusing on the existence of objects and people, Roquentin discovers that
"existence precedes essence." Looking at the root of a chestnut tree, he realizes
that his perception of the root's essence, or its physical characteristics hides the
truth of the object's existence. The comforting facade of tastes, colours, smells,
weight, and appearance is thus the creation of the observer. Looking through the
essence of objects, Roquentin is confronted with the bare existence of things, and
thus the source of his Nausea.
Roquentin visits his ex-lover Anny in Paris. He had hoped that they would get
back together but is disappointed to find that they do not communicate very well.
He vainly attempts to explain his feelings of Nausea to Anny, but she does not
understand. They part, knowing that they will never see each other again. Back in
Bouville, Roquentin resolves to free himself from the past by embracing his
existence in the present. He tries to explain his views to the Self-Taught Man, a
lonely cafe acquaintance, but he cannot persuade him that human love is just an
essence and that there is no purpose to existence, only "nothingness." Despite his
despair and abandoning his research, Roquentin chooses to move to Paris and
write a novel.
Character List
Antoine Roquentin
The protagonist of the novel, is also the narrator, writing down his observations in
diary format. After travelling around most of Africa and the Far East, he returned
to Bouville to complete his historical research on the Marquis de Rollebon. Yet,
not only has he lost interest in his research, but something about the way he sees
both himself and the outside world begins to worry him. Whether it is holding a
stone or looking at a glass of beer, he feels confronted by the bare existence of
things. The result is what he calls the Nausea. He soon realizes that the Nausea
comes from the fact that "existence precedes essence." He thinks the physical
characteristics of objects and people are just a comforting facade to mask the
"nothingness" of existence. By the end of the novel he has disavowed the past,
embraced his existence, and discovered that there is no purpose to existence.
Rather than surrender to despair, he decides to assert his freedom and moves to
Paris to write a novel.
Marquis de Rollebon
Although not a character in the novel per se, he is the subject of Roquentin's
research. He was a mysterious French aristocrat who meddled in politics during
and after the French Revolution. At first, Roquentin thinks he can learn everything
about him but soon realizes that not only is he guessing about who the marquis is,
but he is also using him to justify his existence. Roquentin's rejection of Rollebon
is thus a rejection of living in the past.
Anny
She is Roquentin's old lover and lives in Paris. Even though she begs Roquentin to
come see her, she is more interested in the man he used to be. She admittedly lives
in the past, rereading the same history books and recalling the "perfect moments"
of her life. She refuses to resume her relationship with Roquentin since she is
already the mistress of several men who pay for her apartment.
Self-Taught Man
A lonely man whom Roquentin meets at the Bouville Library. Roquentin mocks
him for thinking he can learn all there is to know by reading everything in the
Library in alphabetical order. He is a defender of humanism, believing that all
men and women are united by the common bond of love. He is later chased out of
town for fondling a small boy in public.
Francoise
The barmaid of a local cafe, she is Roquentin's sometime lover. As his nausea
progresses he is more and more disgusted at the prospect of having sex with her.

Themes
Jean-Paul Sartre’s Nausea explores profound existential themes that grapple with
the nature of existence, the meaning of life, and the challenges of human freedom.
The protagonist, Antoine Roquentin, experiences a crisis that brings these themes
to the forefront. Below is a detailed exploration of the key themes in Nausea:
1. Existentialism: Existence Precedes Essence
At the heart of Nausea is Sartre's existentialist philosophy, which posits that
existence precedes essence. This idea challenges traditional metaphysical
concepts that suggest humans and objects have inherent purposes or essences.
Instead, Sartre argues that individuals first exist, and only later define themselves
through actions and choices.
• Existence as Arbitrary: Roquentin becomes acutely aware of the
arbitrariness of existence. Objects, people, and events have no intrinsic
meaning—they simply are. Roquentin’s nausea arises when he confronts this
fundamental lack of essence in both himself and the world around him. He
realizes that everything exists without reason, which profoundly disturbs him.
• Being-in-itself and Being-for-itself: Sartre distinguishes between two
modes of existence: being-in-itself (the existence of objects, which just "are"
without consciousness) and being-for-itself (human consciousness, which is
aware of its existence and potential). Roquentin’s encounters with inanimate
objects, like a tree root, bring him face to face with their raw, brute existence, a
disturbing realization that these things exist outside of any human context or
meaning.
2. The Absurd
The theme of the absurd is central to Roquentin’s experience. The absurd refers
to the conflict between humanity's desire to find meaning in life and the universe's
indifference to that search. The more Roquentin tries to impose meaning on the
world, the more he realizes that it resists such attempts, leading to a deep sense of
existential nausea.
• Absurdity of Existence: Roquentin is struck by the absurdity of his
surroundings, the arbitrary existence of objects and people. Everything he once
thought of as familiar and meaningful becomes alien and incomprehensible. The
seemingly ordered world of human society, with its routines and roles, is exposed
as meaningless.
• Nausea as a Response to the Absurd: Roquentin’s physical nausea is a
direct response to the absurdity he encounters. His growing awareness of the
absurd makes him physically ill because it shakes the foundations of his
understanding of reality. This sense of disgust is not just a reaction to individual
objects but to the realization that existence itself is absurd and contingent.
3. Alienation and Isolation
Throughout the novel, Roquentin experiences profound alienation from the
world, from other people, and himself. Alienation in Nausea is both existential
and social.
• Alienation from the World: As Roquentin’s existential crisis deepens, he
feels increasingly disconnected from the physical world around him. The objects
he once took for granted, like a stone or a tree, now appear grotesque and foreign.
This alienation is a result of his awareness of the inherent meaninglessness of
the world.
• Alienation from Others: Roquentin is also estranged from the people of
Bouville. He views them with detachment and even disgust, believing that they live
in bad faith—that is, they conform to societal roles and conventions without
acknowledging their freedom. This sense of isolation is heightened by Roquentin’s
rejection of societal values and norms.
• Alienation from the Self: Roquentin becomes alienated from his own
identity. He no longer recognizes himself in the routines, desires, and memories
that once defined him. He is unable to find meaning in his past or his present life,
and he feels cut off from any sense of self or purpose.
4. Freedom and Responsibility
A key existentialist theme in Nausea is the idea of radical freedom. According
to Sartre, humans are condemned to be free—we are fully responsible for our
actions and for creating meaning in our lives. This freedom, however, can be
overwhelming, and Roquentin struggles with the weight of this responsibility.
• Freedom as a Burden: Roquentin’s nausea is partly a result of his
realization that he is radically free. Without any predetermined essence or
purpose, he must create his meaning and make choices that define his existence.
This freedom is both a gift and a curse. On one hand, it offers unlimited
possibilities; on the other, it forces him to confront the absurdity and
responsibility of existence.
• Bad Faith: Sartre uses the concept of bad faith to describe the way people
deceive themselves into thinking they are not free, that their roles or societal
norms dictate their lives. Roquentin sees others living in bad faith—conforming to
social conventions without acknowledging their freedom to choose otherwise. He
struggles to avoid falling into bad faith himself, particularly when reflecting on his
past and his relationship with Anny, which he realizes are no longer meaningful.
5. Time, Memory, and the Past
Sartre explores the nature of time and memory in Nausea, particularly through
Roquentin’s reflections on his past and his work as a historian. Roquentin is
preoccupied with the past but finds it increasingly alien and untrustworthy.
• The Unreliability of Memory: Roquentin’s attempts to find meaning in
his past are thwarted by the realization that memory is unreliable and selective.
He reflects on his past relationship with Anny and his historical research but
concludes that these memories no longer hold any significance for him. The past is
disconnected from his present experience, and trying to derive meaning from it
feels futile.
• Time and Authenticity: Roquentin ultimately realizes that authentic
existence can only be found in the present moment. His obsession with the past
and his attempts to impose meaning on it are examples of living in bad faith. By
the end of the novel, he begins to accept that the past is gone, the future is
uncertain and that he must find meaning in the immediate present.
6. The Nature of Art and Creativity
Art plays a significant role in Nausea as a potential means of creating meaning in a
meaningless world. Roquentin’s encounter with a jazz record toward the end of
the novel symbolizes a moment of clarity about the role of art in human life.
• Art as a Way to Create Meaning: While Roquentin struggles to find
meaning in his personal life and the world, he experiences a moment of
transcendence while listening to the jazz song. He recognizes that art can impose
a temporary sense of order and beauty on the chaos of existence. Although art
does not provide absolute meaning, it offers a way to transcend the absurd and
create something meaningful, even if only for a brief moment.
• Writing as a Creative Act: Roquentin’s decision to write a novel at the
end of Nausea reflects his desire to take control of his existence through a creative
act. Sartre suggests that while life may be inherently meaningless, humans can
impose their meanings through acts of creativity and freedom. Roquentin’s
decision to write can be seen as his acceptance of his freedom and responsibility to
create his meaning, rather than relying on external forces or the past to define
him.
7. Contingency and the Inessential
A central concept in Nausea is the idea of contingency—the realization that
things exist for no particular reason, and their existence is not necessary.
Roquentin is troubled by the contingency of his existence and that of everything
around him.
• The Inessential Nature of Existence: Roquentin’s nausea is provoked
by his awareness of the inessential nature of existence. Objects, people, and even
his self are contingent—they exist, but their existence is unnecessary and lacks any
inherent purpose. This contingency strips away the comforting illusion that life
has meaning, leaving Roquentin with the disturbing realization that existence is
random and absurd.
• Freedom in Contingency: Paradoxically, the realization of contingency
also leads to freedom. Since nothing has a predetermined essence or purpose,
Roquentin is free to define himself and his life through his choices. Sartre
emphasizes that humans must embrace this freedom and take responsibility for
their existence, even in the face of absurdity.

Full Book Analysis

Although Existentialism is primarily a philosophy, existentialists emphasize
artistic creation as a vital aspect of existence. As a result, Sartre often chose to
combine both the finer points of his philosophy and aesthetic concerns in plays,
short stories, and novels. Unlike the fiction of the famous philosopher, Voltaire,
Sartre's fiction is not allegorical or mythical, but a straightforward outline of his
philosophical arguments. This reliance on artistic creation to understand oneself
becomes Roquentin's ultimate cure for his Nausea. Rather than give into despair,
the inspirational music he hears on a jazz record convinces him to confront the
bare existence of things and write a novel.
The main theme of the novel results from Sartre's belief that "existence precedes
essence." Roquentin unwittingly differentiates between inanimate objects, or a
"being-in-itself," and human consciousness, or a "being-for-itself." For example,
when he looks at a bartender's purple suspenders, he is distraught to find that they
appear blue in some places. His feelings of Nausea come from moments like this
when he realizes that he is creating the essence, or characteristics, of the objects he
sees. He understands that color is just an idea, and "purple" is just an inadequate
word to describe something he has never seen before. He concludes that the
essences of objects are just comforting "facades" that hide the unexplainable
nakedness of existence. In effect, while studying the root of a chestnut tree,
Roquentin realizes that the root first existed and then he attributed an essence to
it by describing it as "black."
Every discovery that Roquentin makes proceeds from his epiphany that existence
precedes essence. He thinks that the overwhelming and fearful presence of
existence is too much for people to handle so they ignore and hide it by only
perceiving its essence. He recognizes the power of a being-for-itself to choose its
essence, just as it decides what colour an object is. Because of this choice, Sartre
believed that humans were fundamentally free to do whatever they wanted.
Indeed, Roquentin continuously states that he just wants to be free. But with this
freedom comes the responsibility for one's actions. Sartre believed that this
staggering responsibility makes people anxious and ultimately leads them to deny
both their freedom and responsibility. For example, Anny is afraid to act because
she does not want to be responsible for breaking with her past. As Sartre
explained, responsibility "condemns us to be free."
The themes of time and free will also preoccupy Roquentin's search for the cause
of his Nausea. His desire to be free and self-sufficient provokes him to abandon his
research on the Marquis de Rollebon. He realizes that he had been attempting to
"resuscitate" Rollebon to justify his existence. He decides that the past is a
meaningless concept that does not exist. Instead, he embraces the present as the
only moment where and when things do exist. He thinks that people emphasize
their past to take a "vacation from existence." For example, Anny defines herself as
the man Roquentin used to be. As Sartre explained, this is an example of bad faith:
Anny rejects her freedom to choose her essence because the responsibility is too
great. Roquentin also thinks that people tell stories to put the time in a
recognizable and linear order, trying to "catch time by the tail." In effect, while
studying Rollebon, Roquentin not only deceived himself into thinking that
Rollebon was like him, but that he could fully understand himself through the
intermediary of a dead man.
Roquentin's rejection of the past causes him to embrace his existence in the
present. He constantly repeats "I exist" and mocks the people of Bouville who
refuse to recognize their existence. But he discovers that existence is a "deflection."
He realizes that existence is "contingent," and that there is no necessary reason for
anything to exist. If evolution were to happen over again, the results would be
completely different. Instead of reason, he finds only "nothingness," an empty
vacuum that paradoxically makes up existence. Sartre uses the theme of
contingency to criticize humanism's emphasis on a rational world with human
existence as its focus and purpose. As Roquentin explains to the Self-Taught Man,
human beings are an accidental offspring of a meaningless reality. Rather than
surrender to his Nausea, Roquentin confronts his existential anguish in the face of
"nothingness." Although he can't see it, "nothingness" is a force that makes up a
purposeless reality, but which also inspires action. Artistic creation emerges as a
means of survival, as Roquentin asserts his freedom to define his essence by
writing a novel.

The Existential Crisis and the Absurd

At its core, Nausea explores the concept of existentialism, a philosophy that
posits that existence precedes essence. Roquentin's experience of nausea arises
from his growing awareness that the world lacks inherent meaning or purpose and
that things simply "are." This realization challenges the idea of essentialism—the
belief that everything has a fixed purpose or essence.
• The Absurd: Sartre's philosophy of the absurd is crucial here. The
absurdity Roquentin encounters is the result of realizing that existence has
no higher meaning or rationale. The objects around him, such as a tree root
or a stone, are no longer just familiar objects but unsettling manifestations
of pure "being." This creates a sense of nausea as Roquentin recognizes the
absurdity of existence—that life, in its randomness and meaninglessness, is
profoundly unsettling.
• Existence vs. Essence: Roquentin's nausea is triggered by the
overwhelming presence of existence—things that simply exist without
reason or meaning. He comes to realize that humans, too, lack a preordained
purpose. Instead, we are condemned to exist first and then create meaning
through our actions. This leads to the existential crisis of freedom, where
Roquentin feels the burden of having to define his purpose in a world devoid
of inherent meaning.
Alienation and Isolation
Roquentin is an alienated figure, both from society and from himself. Throughout
the novel, he struggles with a deep sense of alienation, feeling disconnected from
the world and the people around him.
• Alienation from Society: Roquentin observes the daily lives of the people
of Bouville with detachment and disgust. He feels estranged from their
routines and societal norms, which appear meaningless and superficial to
him. Sartre uses this alienation to critique bourgeois society, which, in
Roquentin’s view, is full of inauthentic people who live by societal
conventions rather than embracing their freedom.
• Alienation from the Self: Roquentin is also alienated from his own
identity. His work as a historian, his past relationships, and his ambitions all
seem meaningless. He feels as though he is merely "existing" rather than
living with any sense of purpose. This disconnection from his sense of self is
a key aspect of the existentialist experience, where individuals must confront
the emptiness within themselves and the arbitrariness of their existence.

The Role of Freedom and Responsibility

A central theme of Nausea is freedom—an overwhelming, almost terrifying
concept in Sartrean existentialism. Roquentin’s existential crisis is partly rooted in
his recognition of his total freedom to shape his own life, yet this freedom also
brings an intense sense of responsibility and dread.
 • Radical Freedom: Sartre’s existentialism posits that humans are radically
free to choose their paths in life, as there are no predetermined essences or
external forces that dictate our actions. Roquentin becomes aware of this
freedom but struggles with its implications. He is free to do anything he
desires, yet this freedom feels paralyzing because it means he is fully
responsible for his choices, without any external guidance or justification.
• Bad Faith: Sartre introduces the concept of bad faith—the denial of one's
freedom by conforming to societal expectations or self-imposed roles.
Roquentin, at various points in the novel, feels tempted to escape the burden
of freedom by slipping into bad faith, either through nostalgia or seeking
meaning in his past. However, he ultimately realizes that these are illusions
that prevent him from embracing his true freedom.

Time, Memory, and the Past

Another important theme in Nausea is time and the way Roquentin grapples with
the past and the present. As a historian, he is deeply engaged with the past, yet he
comes to see it as a source of alienation and an obstacle to authentic existence.
• Memory and Temporality: Roquentin's encounters with his memories,
particularly those involving his past love affair with Anny, reveal his growing
dissatisfaction with the way humans attempt to cling to the past. He realizes
that the past is irretrievable and that memory is an unreliable construct that
distorts reality. His nausea reflects his inability to anchor himself in either
the past or the present, which increases his sense of existential anxiety.
• Living in the Present: By the end of the novel, Roquentin begins to accept
that the only authentic way to live is to embrace the present moment,
rejecting both nostalgia and idealized visions of the future. Sartre
emphasizes the idea that authentic existence is rooted in the present,
where individuals must confront the reality of their freedom and take
responsibility for creating meaning in their lives.

Art and the Creation of Meaning

A key moment in Nausea comes when Roquentin listens to a jazz record in a café
and has a revelation about the nature of art and meaning. He begins to see art as a
potential solution to the existential dilemma of meaninglessness.
• Art as a Way to Transcend Nausea: Roquentin's experience with jazz
music suggests that art can provide a temporary escape from the nausea of
existence by creating a sense of order and beauty in a chaotic world. The jazz
song, though finite and meaningless in itself, becomes a way for Roquentin
to find a kind of authentic moment of connection. He contemplates the
 idea that, through the act of creation, humans can impose their meaning on
the world, even if that meaning is fleeting.
• Existential Creativity: Sartre suggests that one way to combat the nausea
of existence is through creative acts—whether it be art, writing, or other
forms of self-expression. Roquentin’s final decision to write a novel reflects
his attempt to take control of his existence by engaging in a creative act, thus
giving form to his experience of freedom and contingency.

The Experience of Nausea as a Metaphor

The physical sensation of nausea is a powerful metaphor in the novel,
symbolizing Roquentin's existential awakening and his recognition of the
"absurdity" of existence.
• Nausea as Existential Realization: The nausea that Roquentin feels is
not just a physical reaction but an existential one. It occurs when he is
confronted with the sheer fact of existence—that things exist for no reason
and have no intrinsic meaning. This realization is deeply unsettling, and it
leads to a profound sense of disorientation and discomfort with the world
around him.
• Nausea and the Absurd: The nausea also symbolizes the absurdity of
life, a theme that would later be central to the philosophy of Albert Camus.
Roquentin's encounters with objects, such as a stone or a tree, reveal to him
the meaningless presence of things. He cannot reconcile the existence of
these objects with any larger purpose or reason, which brings about his
overwhelming feelings of nausea and disgust.

Conclusion
Jean-Paul Sartre’s Nausea is a profound exploration of existentialist themes such
as alienation, freedom, the absurd, and the quest for meaning in a
seemingly meaningless world. Through the character of Antoine Roquentin, Sartre
delves into the depths of existential crisis, examining the implications of a life
without inherent purpose or essence. Roquentin’s ultimate realization—that
humans must create their meaning through acts of freedom and creativity—
reflects Sartre’s existentialist philosophy, which emphasizes the individual’s
responsibility to live authentically in a world devoid of objective truths.