the myth of sisyphus and my oedipus complex

myth of sisyphus author

albert camus

sisyphus

• greek mortal condemned by the gods for angering them

• wisest and most prudent of mortals according to homer

myth of sisyphus symbol

rock represents mankind’s absurd dilemma, which is ultimately impossible to resolve

sisyphus hopes for..

nothing, the gods have nothing to punish him with

myth of sisyphus moral

never give up into circumstancial dissapointments or try to escape from the failures, rather accept failures the same way we accept our achievements. we must never back down until we fulfill our potential

why does camus use the myth of sisyphus

to highlight his point on the struggle of man against the universe

why doesnt sisyphus stop

he doesnt stop because he is afraid of the consequences of stopping, he continues because he foolishly believes that despite falling over an dover that he can one day make it to the top

levity

disrespectful lightness or frivolity

• treatment of a serious matter with humour or lack of due respect

proletarian

member of the working class

oedipus

greek mythology character who unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother

futile

no result or effect; useless; pointless

scorn

feeling that someone or something is not worthy of any respect or approve

surmounted

to deal with a difficult situation succesfully

what does camus mean that sisyphus is superior to his fate

he embraces the absurdity of his task, he finds meaning and purpose in it

at what point does camus claim this myth becomes tragic

when sisyphus gains consciousness of the futility of his task

why must one imagine sisyphus happy

despite his seemingly useless fate, he finds purpose on defying the gods

how did the gods choose sisyphus’s punishment

there is no more dreadful punishment than futile and hopeless labor

my oedipus complex author

frank o’connor

my oedipus complex characters

• mother

• father: wwi soldier, Mick

• Larry- 5 years old

• baby brother- sonny

dotty

crazy

magpie

type of bird that picks up all kinds of unlikely matter to build its nest

terrace

row of houses

ominous

threatening

petrified

rigid from the cold

trams

streetcars

pummeling

hitting repeatedly with the fists

winning

charming

incredulously

disbelievingly

perished

frozen

codded

british slang for tricked

cajoled

coaxed with flattery

intercession

pleading on behalf of another

lifted

british slang for stolen

alienate

to drive apart

obnoxious

offensive

guffaw

• loud laugh

• echoic word- one that imitates the sound it stands for

preoccupied

absorbed in one’s own thoughts

magnanimous

generous in rising above insults