Nausea (Themes)

Themes

Change, Transformation, Metamorphosis, Rebirth

Roquentin begins writing his diary because he has noticed a subtle change in his perceptions of himself and the world around him. He hopes that by recording his daily perceptions, he will be able to make sense of the nature of this change, which he describes as "an abstract change without object." He realizes that, at various points in his life, he has been "subject to these sudden transformations," in which "a crowd of small metamorphoses accumulate in me without my noticing it, and then one fine day, a veritable revolution takes place." Roquentin expresses that he is terrified of this "new overthrow in my life" because "I'm afraid of what will be born and take possession of me." Nausea describes the process of transformation that Roquentin experiences. Images of metamorphosis and rebirth throughout the narrative emphasize the centrality of this theme to the novel as a whole.

Consciousness and Self-Reflection

The narrative of Nausea is motivated by Roquentin's extreme consciousness of his own perceptions of himself and others. His diary is an exercise in self-reflection, an attempt to express and record the details of this extreme self-consciousness. On several occasions, Roquentin examines his face in the mirror for long periods of time. He seems to be trying to evaluate the physical features of his face, but this exercise serves as a metaphor for Roquentin's struggle to make sense of his own humanity. This motif of gazing at his reflection in the mirror symbolizes his process of self-reflection, as recorded in his diary. At a point of crisis in the story, Roquentin is overwhelmed by his consciousness of his own existence, to the extent that he feels plagued by his own thought processes. "If I could keep myself from thinking!" he cries. Roquentin eventually comes to the conclusion that his constant thinking and his consciousness of himself constantly thinking are precisely what define his existence. Because he exists, he can't help but think. He asserts, "My thought is me: that's why I can't stop. I exist because I think . . . and I can't stop myself from thinking." Later, he states:

I am. I am, I exist, I think, therefore I am; I am because I think, why do I think? I don't want to think any more, I am because I think that I don't want to be, I think that I . . . because . . . ugh!

Loneliness

Roquentin's experience of extreme loneliness, and his perception of the people around him as lonely, is a significant element of Nausea. Roquentin lives an extremely lonely life. He has no family, no friends, no girlfriend, and few acquaintances. He explains, "I live alone, entirely alone. I never speak to anyone, never; I receive nothing, I give nothing." Although he has been essentially alone for the past three years, Roquentin realizes, "For the first time I am disturbed at being alone." Because he himself is so alone, he is keenly aware of the loneliness of other people around him. Roquentin tries to cure his loneliness with the idea that perhaps he and Anny may get back together again. When Anny once again rejects him, Roquentin must return to his previous state of utter loneliness. By the end of the novel, he does not seem to have resolved the problem of his loneliness.

Freedom

Freedom is another important theme of Nausea. Roquentin frequently mentions the fact that he is entirely "free." He has no commitments to family or friends, and, because he is financially supported by a small inheritance, he has no commitments to holding a job or earning a living. At one point he states, "All I wanted was to be free." The idea that every individual is free is central to Sartre's existential philosophy. Sartre asserted that every individual is faced with complete freedom to choose how she or he responds to the world. Sartre believed that this fundamental freedom carries an enormous responsibility, for each individual is accountable for his or her own actions. In Nausea, Roquentin is keenly aware of his freedom to act in the world, and yet he is unsure of what to do with this freedom.

The Nature of Existence and Experience

The central thematic concern of Nausea is with questions of the nature of existence and experience that came to define the philosophy known as existentialism. Throughout the novel, Roquentin grapples with uncertainty about his own existence and the existence of objects and people in the world around him. He finds existence itself to be meaningless and repulsive. However, in a moment of crisis, he realizes that the fact of his own existence constitutes his only reality and that there is nothing more to life than this fundamental existence. He comes to the conclusion: "I am the Thing. Existence, liberated, detached, floods over me. I exist."

Topics For Further Study

• Sartre was one of the philosophers at the forefront of the French existential movement. Learn more about another major existential thinker, such as Søren Kirkegaard, Arthur Schopenhauer, Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger, Karl Jaspers, Martin Buber, Albert Camus, or Simone de Beauvoir. What are the major works of the philosopher or writer you choose? What are the central ideas put forth by this philosopher or writer? Explore your opinions in comparison to these ideas. To what extent do you agree or disagree with them, and why?
• Learn more about another important French writer from the twentieth century such as Andre Breton, Louis Aragon, Paul Eluard, Andre Malraux, Louis-Ferdinand Celine, Alain Robbe-Grillet, Samuel Becket, Eugene Ionesco, or Marguerite Duras. What literary movement (or movements) was this writer associated with? What are some of the major works of this writer? How is this author's writing characterized, in terms of style, theme, and subject matter?
• In Nausea, Roquentin's experience of listening to a jazz record helps him to define and make sense of his own purpose in life. Research a major jazz musician from the twentieth century. What were this musician's major works (songs, albums, compositions, etc.)? How has this musician's unique style of playing or composition been described? To what extent did this musician influence other musicians or the development of jazz music in general? If you are able to find and listen to a recording of this musician's work, pick one song, musical number, or composition, and describe the music in your own words. What thoughts, feelings, or mood does this music evoke?
• Nausea is a novel written in the form of a fictional diary. Write your own original short story in the form of a fictional diary.